‘Angara’ is a superhero from Indian comics known for his tremendous physical strength. His body is made up of parts of different animals, and that is why he has many special and unique powers. Usually, Angara fights with hunter-type people, criminals, or evil occultists present on Earth, but “Angara in Space” takes him to a completely different and new world.
This story is a direct sequel to the previous comic “Angara Disappearances(Angara Gayab)”. In the previous story, we saw how Angara mysteriously disappears from a cave in the South Pole, caught in the grip of the dwarf Charlie. In this comic, the same mystery is revealed, and we are shown how Angara becomes part of a larger interplanetary war.
The War of the Two Planets and the Role of Angara
The story begins right where the previous comic ended. Angara regains consciousness and finds himself in an unknown place. Soon, he realizes that he is in the spaceship of ‘King Lura’. Here, he learns that he has been kidnapped by King Lura, who is the king of the planet ‘Lura’.
The planet Lura is currently in great trouble. Their neighboring planet ‘Moora’ is constantly attacking them. The king of Moora is a cruel dictator who leads an army named ‘Bagol’. These Bagols are warriors whose heads are like birds and bodies are like humans. Moora has filled the atmosphere of planet Lura with a poisonous gas, due to which the people there are becoming weak. Scientists on planet Lura discovered that Earth’s animals have the strength to fight this gas, and because Angara is made of animal parts, he becomes the last hope of planet Lura.
This whole kidnapping plot also involves Angara’s old enemy, the ‘dwarf Charlie’. Charlie had helped the people of planet Lura bring Angara here. But the story takes a funny and shocking turn when the same Charlie, who always wanted to harm Angara, gets himself into a strange situation. He also gets imprisoned along with Angara.
King Lura begs Angara to destroy planet Moora’s ‘Pagan Station’, a large battle base of Moora’s army. Angara is good-hearted by nature. When he learns how much trouble the people of planet Lura are in, he is ready to help them. He is given special artificial wings to fly.
Angara and the dwarf Charlie then set out toward Pagan in a small craft. The scene on Pagan is quite scary and strange. There are snow-covered mountains, and a variety of strange animals live there. Angara encounters these unique creatures.
Angara on Pagan has to fight many dangerous animals—like two-faced dogs, lions, and other predatory animals. Angara has a ‘dual-speaking device’ (translator device), with the help of which he is able to talk to these animals. He explains to them that he is a “friend of all wild animals”. Here it becomes clear that Angara’s greatest strength is not just his strength, but his love and respect for animals. He makes these alien animals his friends and shows them the way to give up violence.
The story reaches its peak when Moora’s Bagol army attacks Angara. They have laser guns and very advanced weapons. Angara, along with his new beast friends, fights this army head-on. Dwarf Charlie also supports Angara in this fight, albeit under compulsion. With his wisdom and the help of animals, Angara defeats the Bagol army and takes them prisoner.
The story ends with a good and satisfying twist. Angara has won over Pagan, but his return to Earth is yet to come. The same thing prepares the ground for the story of the next comic, “Angara”.
Character Analysis
Angara:
In this comic, Angara is not only shown as a powerful warrior but also as a wise and intelligent person. He does not solve every problem just through fighting. When he meets Pagan’s animals, he thinks it is better to talk to them rather than attack them. His dialogue—“I will teach you non-violence”—clearly shows the depth of his character. He does not forget his true identity, that is, being the protector of animals, despite being millions of miles from Earth. This is what makes him a different and special superhero.
King Lura:
King Lura is a forced ruler. He definitely got Angara kidnapped, but the motive behind it was to save his subjects. His character shows that sometimes situations arise where even people with good intentions have to take tough decisions. His three-eyed face gives him a different and memorable alien appearance.
Dwarf Charlie:
Charlie is the funniest and most entertaining character in this story. He hates Angara but has to live with him because he is alone in space. His selfish nature and being scared all the time add lighthearted humor to the story. He repeatedly tries to save his life but eventually has to follow Angara.
Jatayu and Chonchu:
Although the roles of these two are limited to Earth, they prove their loyalty in the early part of the story. Jatayu holding the snowman Dr. and bringing him to Kunal shows that the search for Angara is going on seriously on Earth as well. Chonchu’s ability to spy is truly praiseworthy.
Alien Creatures (Birdmen and Animals):
Parshuram Sharma and Pradeep Sathe have imagined alien creatures in a very interesting way. ‘Bagol’, i.e., bird-human warriors, and two-faced dogs look quite different and impressive.
Portrayal and Art Side
Pradeep Sathe ji’s artwork is, as always, a great strength of this comic. His power of imagination is clearly visible in his depiction of space and alien planets, especially Lura and Pagan. The snow-covered valleys and strange trees and plants of Pagan truly make one feel like another world. The use of colors is very bright and attractive. The color of the aliens’ skin, the structure of the spacecraft, and the effect of the laser beams are beautifully shown. The action scenes are quite fast and lively, be it Angara’s battle with the Bagols or the attack by animals. Finally, the character designs are also quite intricate and detailed, whether it is Angara’s strong muscular body or King Lura’s unique alien face.
Critical Analysis
Positive Side (Pros):
This story shows a wonderful combination of science and nature. Along with science fiction elements like spaceships, laser guns, and teleportation, the world of animals and forests can also be seen. When Angara, a desi hero, confronts high-tech aliens, the story becomes even more exciting. There is a clear message of non-violence and unity hidden in it, especially when Angara explains to the alien animals that there is no use in fighting among themselves. This also teaches a good lesson to children. Moreover, the pace of the story is quite fast. Events progress quickly, from kidnapping to war, leaving the reader with no chance to get bored and keeping them attached to the story.
Downside / Logical Flaws (Cons / Logic Gaps):
Although the comic is quite entertaining, it still shows some shortcomings. The biggest problem is regarding language. Angara and Charlie have no problem understanding and speaking Hindi or human language on the alien planet. Even though the dual-speaking instrument is mentioned, King Lura’s direct communication seems a bit strange, which can be called creative freedom in the world of comics. Apart from this, winning very easily is also a weakness. Angara makes Pagan’s dangerous animals his friends very quickly, which seems a bit hasty. In the end, the scientific base also does not appear to be entirely strong. There is no clear scientific reason given for how the bodies of Earth’s animals remain safe from alien gas.
Conclusion
“Angara in Space” is a very important link in the series. This story makes Angara’s character bigger. Now he is no longer just the king of the forests, but in a way comes out as a ‘universal hero’.
This comic shows the thinking of the 90s, when Indian comics stepped out of their boundaries and into the world of space and science. Parshuram Sharma’s story and Pradeep Sathe’s art together create such an experience that still thrills readers even today.
Rating:
Story: 4/5
Artwork: 4.5/5
Adventure: 5/5
Last Word:
If you have read the previous comic “Angara Disappearances(Angara Gayab)”, then this is worth reading. And even if you haven’t read it, it’s still a great stand-alone adventure in itself. This story teaches us that even though language and appearance are different, the language of love and friendship is the same throughout the universe. This space journey of Angara is truly worth reading.
