In the golden era of Raj Comics, when readers were waiting for new adventures every month, there were some special issues that are always remembered for their story, concept, and experimental style. “Empty the Jungle(Jangal Khali Karo)” (SPCL-0652) is one such special issue, taking the complex worlds of Bheriya and Kobi into a mode hardly imagined by anyone — Zombie Horror.
Presented by Sanjay Gupta and written by Tarun Kumar Wahi, this comic is not just a jungle adventure, but an epic of supernatural, astronomical, and horrific events. The depth that Vivek Mohan’s hypothesis and Mangesh Goregaonkar’s artwork have given to this story makes it one of the best adventures of Bheriya. This review salutes the creativity of that period, which introduced us to this wonderful, exciting, and hair-raising chapter of Bheriya and Kobi.
Background of the Story: The Duality of Bheriya and Kobi
To truly enjoy this comic, it is essential to understand the origins of its two main characters. The beginning of the story (p. 2) once again reminds us of the origin of Bheriya, which was the result of an astronomical event (Phobos and Mobos powers), when two different entities were born from the same human body:
The first — Bheriya (human body) — the part in which humanity, conscience, intelligence, and the art of war taught by Guru Rajbhat survived. He is the protector of the forest and god, a symbol of law and order.
The second — Kobi (animal body) — is a creature of violent, wild, and animalistic nature, in which all the supernatural powers of Bheriya (infinite strength, speed, control of the army of wolves) reside. He is the hangman of the forest who obeys only the law of the jungle.
These two are two sides of the same coin, who, while often antagonistic to each other, unite in times of great crisis that threaten the jungle. This complex dualism is the life of this series, which is put to the test in an unprecedented comic — “Empty the Jungle(Jangal Khali Karo)”
Venus Transit and the Secret of the Dead
The story begins with a discussion of another astronomical event. Fujo, the gnostic Baba of the forest, tells Bheriya and Jane about the Venus Transit. It is a rare event that occurs once in 122 years when Venus passes between the Sun and Earth. According to Fujo, this celestial coincidence transmits the positive energy of love, unity, attraction, and creativity to Earth. It is the energy that creates love and peace in the minds of humans and animals.
But, as in every good story, every positive force also has a negative side.
The Rise of the Villain:
On the other side of the forest, a mysterious, cloaked man (a corpse-seeker or necromancer) is eagerly awaiting the event. His reasoning is brilliant: if this astronomical phenomenon has a positive effect on the living, its effect on the dead will be exactly the opposite — grossly negative. He plans to awaken the dead by turning this energy of love into power of hatred.
His goal: to prepare an army of these living dead, i.e., Zumbis (Zombies), and to take over the forest. And his battle cry is: “Living ones! Evacuate the forest!”
Zombie Horror in the Jungle:
The story picks up pace from here. The tribals come running to their Wolf God. Graves are dug open in their cemetery, and bodies are missing. Soon, Bheriya, Jane, and Fujo witness a gruesome sight — an entire village where a massacre has taken place, but not a single corpse is present. An injured survivor, before dying, tells them that they were attacked by murds (the dead).
This was a very bold step for Raj Comics. Here we are not talking about any common monster or scientific devil; this is a classic zombie apocalypse, cleverly woven into the jungle-verse of Indian comics.
The Most Unique Twist of the Story: ‘Lover-Boy’ Kobi
You are highlighting another interesting aspect of the Bheriya comics “Empty the Jungle.” This part shows the creativity of writer Tarun Kumar Wahi.
As per your request, this entire text is presented below in one paragraph:
Author Tarun Kumar Wahi shows the magic of his pen here. While on one hand, the formidable threat of the zombie army is looming, on the other hand, the positive astronomical energy of the Venus Transit starts working. Its strangest and most humorous effect is on the forest’s most violent creature, Kobi, who, as soon as the astronomical event begins, suddenly becomes filled with love and attraction towards Jane — abandoning his violence to win her over — transforming from an executor into a lover-boy.
The most memorable scenes in the comic include Kobi lifting Jane in his arms to recite poetic lines and Fujo jokingly calling him “Sasur Ji” (Father-in-law). Amidst all this, Bheriya, who is hoping for help from his animal part (Kobi) during this devastation, is stunned to see Kobi romantically roaming in a boat with Jane. This subplot not only reduces the tension of the story but also makes the main protagonist (Bheriya) appear even more helpless, as all his superpower (Kobi) is madly in love at the moment and in no mood to fight — forcing Bheriya to face this zombie catastrophe alone.
Conflict, Alliance, and Climax
The middle part of the story is dedicated to Bheriya’s struggle. He fights the zombie army, but they are far too many. Not only are they countless, but those killed or even wounded by them also turn into zombies. Bheriya is badly injured and forced to hide.
Here comes another twist in the story. A detachment of forest guards (Forest Rangers) arrives in the jungle, armed with modern weapons (guns). They have come to investigate the strange incidents happening in the forest and the violent behavior of animals. Initially, they clash with Bheriya and the tribals, but soon they all unite against a common enemy — the army of the dead. It becomes a great alliance of forest magic and modern science.
Climax and Shocking Twist
The story ends with a great war. The zombie army, Bheriya, Kobi’s loyal wolves, tribesmen, and forest guards — all are on one side. On the other side stands the mysterious Necromancer.
And then the real revelation happens!
The Necromancer is none other than Saddu, an old corpse-seeker thought by all to be dead. (The tribals had found his grave empty at the beginning of the story.) Saddu had faked his death and had been preparing for this day for years.
He reveals his final creation — a giant demon made from the Dudurbha Tree. This is the same Dudurbha Tree mentioned at the beginning of the story (page 3), to which Kobi was once tied. Saddu has brought that cursed tree to life with the negative energy of the zombies and the perverse power of the Venus Transit.
This giant demon begins to cover the forest sun, and Saddu declares that darkness will now reign forever.
The comic ends on a tongue-in-cheek cliffhanger. Venus Transit ends. The hangover of love fades from Kobi. He sees the devastation around him — his wolves dying and Jane in danger. His romance immediately turns into rage.
In the final panel, Bheriya and Kobi (now back in his true, dreaded form) stand together before the giant Saddu-demon, and the battle is yet to come.
Analysis of the Creative Team
Writer (Tarun Kumar Wahi):
This is one of the best scripts by Tarun ji. Making a real astronomical event like Venus Transit the basis of a horror plot was a genius stroke. He has beautifully balanced action, horror, comedy (Kobi’s romance), and drama. The dialogues are tight, and the pace of the story does not slow down anywhere.
Hypothesis (Vivek Mohan):
The idea of zombies in the jungle was revolutionary in itself. This hypothesis gave the Bheriya world a new dimension, taking it out of traditional jungle-fighting and turning it into an apocalyptic thriller.
Artwork (Mangesh Goregaonkar):
It was a challenge to bring such a story to the pages. Mangesh ji’s artwork is fantastic. The depiction of zombies (their rotten bodies, empty eyes) is genuinely scary. The action sequences are dynamic. But where his work shines the most is in the expressions — Bheriya’s anger at his helplessness, Fujo’s anxiety, Jane’s fear, and above all, Kobi’s love-ridden face followed by his cruel one. It shows an artist’s true range.
Conclusion: A ‘Must-Read’ Special Issue
“Empty the Jungle” isn’t just a comic; it’s an experience. It stands as proof of the creative freedom of Raj Comics, where writers and artists were never afraid to try something new. It is a high-concept, high-stakes story that puts Bheriya and Kobi’s complicated relationship to a new test.
This comic strips Bheriya of his greatest strength (Kobi) and leaves him solely to his humanity and intellect. It shows that the real hero is not the one who has power, but the one who continues to fight without it.
If you are a fan of Raj Comics or fond of horror-action, then this special issue must be in your collection. It’s a hair-raising, entertaining, and complete end-to-end package.
