Yes, I know I am late to the party, but the fact is that when Rakshak was released, I was on a hiatus from comic book reading. After resuscitating my reading habits in 2021, I finally learned about this vigilante hero and, was finally able to read it at the start of 2023. So without further ado, let’s dissect Rakshak vol. 1
Credits
- Writer – Shamik Dasgupta
- Art – Pramit Santra
- Colorist – Prasad Patnaik
Art
The artwork by Pramit Santra is made visually stunning by the colouring of Prasad Patnaik. The one thing I liked about the artwork is the imperfection of faces. As in real life, the faces of the characters do not look like they have been chiselled in stone. The action sequences, especially the ones involving explosives in the opening montage, look captivating. Although there are some frames, where the backgrounds were lightly detailed but overall, the artwork is refreshing and new for someone not well versed with the work of Mr. Santra.
Story
If you look superficially it is a typical superhero origin story or, shall I say a watered down version of Punisher Origins. The writer has mixed the origin of Punisher and the oath of Super Commando Dhruv to create this vigilante superhero. The introduction of the lead character is exciting and full of adrenaline pumping action but the story slows down considerably during the middle part. The quality of writing is at its best during the candle light vigil sequence where the writer leaves the reader thinking about the futility of such protests but at the same time presenting them as a symbol of hope. The final sequence is predictable but there is a limit to what you can do in an origin story.
Final Verdict
Rakshak Origin vol 1 is a decent comic book with good artwork and a fairly good story. Although vigilante superheroes are dime a dozen, this one is able to invoke hope that it will only get better as more stories unfold.
