Manoj Comics had created its own identity between Raj Comics and Diamond Comics with the combination of its unique stories, humor, and adventure. A very popular comic of the same series is— “Crookbond and the Ghosts of Hell” (Crookbond aur Narak ke Bhoot).
The comic not only showcases Crookbond’s detective adventures, but also has a fun flavor of supernatural elements and plenty of comedy. Let’s analyze and review in detail this exciting 63-page journey.
Background and Beginning of the Story
The story begins with Crookbond, a famous detective character from Manoj Comics. Crookbond’s character sounds like a parody of James Bond, but his style is completely desi and funny. He is cleaning the storeroom at the behest of his mother when Tantrik Potiya Patang arrives there.
The tantrik brings with him a ghost named ‘Shanti’. This is where the real twist in the story comes. Ghosts are usually shown as scary, but Shanti is a good and noble ghost. It is green, tingling, and looks as cute as a toy. Shanti, troubled by the dangerous ghosts of hell, has come to seek refuge on earth. Crookbond is a little hesitant at first, but seeing Shanti’s innocence and her magical powers (like cleaning up in the blink of an eye), he is ready to keep her in his house.
The Thrill of Smuggling Runs Parallel
In the story, on one hand the friendship between Crookbond and ghost Shanti is growing, while on the other hand another story from the world of crime also starts simultaneously. Inspector Dhamaka Singh (who is Crookbond’s father) is chasing a notorious smuggler ‘Lallu Ram’. Lallu Ram has smuggled diamonds worth lakhs from Hong Kong.
Lallu Ram makes a move to escape from the police at the airport. He hides the diamonds in a box of talcum powder and puts the box in the basket of a woman shopping nearby. That woman is none other than Inspector Dhamaka Singh’s wife and Crookbond’s mother ‘Gulabwati’. It is from here that the period of comedy and confusion in the story begins. Lallu Ram now plans to follow the diamonds to Dhamaka Singh’s house.
Humor and Family Turmoil
The middle section of the comic is completely full of humor. The ghost Shanti is kept hidden by Crookbond from the rest of the house. There is a special power in Shanti—he can fit inside anything. When Crookbond’s mother comes into the room, Shanti hides in the sofa cushion. When the mother sits on it, strange noises start coming, creating a fun situation.
Later, when Inspector Dhamaka Singh comes home and Crookbond introduces him to Shanti, Dhamaka Singh gets scared at first, but then Crookbond explains to him that Shanti is a ghost of good nature. It has been a special thing about Manoj Comics that they used to add family humor very well even in serious detective stories.
Attack of the Messengers of Hell
The story’s thrill is heightened when a sentinel ghost of hell ‘Dhurka’ comes to earth to take Shanti back. Dhurka is a scary and powerful ghost. Crookbond and Shanti employ several methods to avoid him.
Meanwhile, Tantrik Potiya Patang revisits and gives an amulet for protection. But Dhurka is also not one to accept defeat. He attacks the tantrik and continues to pursue Shanti. Here one can see many exciting scenes of action and supernatural battles in the comic.
The Exciting Turn of Doll House
The most interesting part of the story comes when Crookbond, his partner Modru, and Shanti enter a toy store (supermarket) to escape the ghost Dhurka. Here Shanti shrinks himself and Crookbond-Modru to microscopic size with his magical power and they hide inside a ‘doll house’.
Coincidentally, the town’s biggest don ‘Kana Don’ buys the same doll house for his daughter ‘Frutti’ from the same shop. Now our heroes unwittingly end up at the hideout of the city’s biggest criminal (secret hideout). This is a great example of story weaving, where two different stories (ghost story and crime story) come together at one place.
Empire of Kana Don and the Final Battle
Kana Don is not just a criminal, but he runs a huge network of arms smuggling. He kidnaps Inspector Dhamaka Singh, brings him to his secret base, and ties him to a chair.
Crookbond and Shanti are watching all this from inside the doll house. They are still in a small size. A fun but exciting action sequence starts from here. Crookbond shows his wisdom. Being in a small size, they attack while escaping the sight of Kana Don’s men.
Shanti scares Kana Don’s men with his powers. In one scene, Shanti creates an airplane-like form, on which the little Crookbond and Modru sit and attack the enemies. This scene clearly shows the imagination of the story. Finally, Crookbond regains his original height and beats Kana Don severely. A powder box containing diamonds is also found, and Lallu Ram is also caught.
Art and Portraiture
This comic is illustrated by ‘Kadam Studio’ (Vijay Kadam, Durga Kadam). Manoj Comics’ art style was a little less realistic but more emotional than Raj Comics. Among the characters’ faces, Crookbond’s long nose and funny face, Dhamaka Singh’s mustache, and his angry gestures were very much liked by the children. Shanti’s design also makes him look green and cute, giving him the appearance of a ‘friendly ghost’. Bright colors have been used in the comic, which look quite attractive according to the printing technology of that time.
Writing and Dialogue
Writer ‘Ansar Akhtar’ has written the story in a very interesting style. The dialogues feature rhymes and humor. For example, Dhamaka Singh repeatedly saying ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’, or Crookbond delivering confident dialogues. The pace of the story is fast and one does not feel bored anywhere. It’s a big achievement to bring together espionage, smuggling, ghosts, and family drama in the same story.
Characteristics and Message of Manoj Comics
“Crookbond and the Ghosts of Hell” does not just entertain, but it also sends a small message that no matter how scary evil is (like Dhurka or Kana Don), it can be defeated with courage and understanding. This comic also shows the importance of friendship—Crookbond even puts his life in danger to help an unknown ghost.
Deep Analysis: Why Are These Comics Still Remembered?
Crookbond is not a hero with superpowers like many other heroes. He wins with his intelligence and luck and seems like a common man, so readers easily connect with him. Most comics of that time were very serious, but Manoj Comics maintained constant humor through characters like ‘Dhamaka Singh’ and ‘Modru’.
A good variety of storytelling can also be seen in it, where in a single story one can see the airport chase, the magic of the tantrik, the danger of the ghosts of hell, and the secret hideout of a criminal. This is the reason why it keeps the readers engaged continuously. For older readers, this comic is part of their childhood memories, because at a time when there was no internet, such stories gave flight to children’s imagination.
Conclusion of the Review
“Crookbond and the Ghosts of Hell” is a brilliant example of the golden age of Manoj Comics. This story reminds us that the real purpose of comics is to provide entertainment. This 63-page journey takes readers to a different world, where ghosts can be good and detectives can be funny.
If we talk about shortcomings, in some places the story seems to be largely based on coincidences, like diamonds falling into the mother’s basket or the don buying the same doll house. But in the world of comics, such coincidences are often considered necessary to take the story forward.
Overall, this comic must be read by every person who wants to understand the history and beauty of Indian comics. It is a combination of action, comedy, and fantasy whose shine has not diminished even after decades. This pair of Crookbond and Shanti will always remain in the hearts of readers.
