‘Parmanu’ is a superhero who is known for his technique, gadgets, and sharp mind more than his physical strength. Inspector Vinay, who is the true identity of Atom, always remains a mystery to the world of crime. This comic named “Four Years of Atom” raises questions in the minds of readers with its title itself. Has Atom really become a child? Can a four-year-old fight criminals?
This story does not just stop at action, but it rests on a game of ‘time’ and ‘memories’. Writer Hanif Azhar and visionary Anupam Sinha have introduced a villain here who plays with the human mind instead of hurting the body and pushes it into its past. This review will seek to understand every aspect of this comic from a 360-degree perspective.
Plot Analysis
The story begins with a mysterious and extremely dramatic incident. Inspector Dhanush, a brave officer of the Delhi Police, suddenly starts doing strange things. Instead of considering himself a police inspector, he starts thinking of himself as a ‘junior flight lieutenant’ of the Air Force. He enters an airbase and takes away a plane, and the situation becomes so bad that the plane reaches the verge of crashing. This incident connects the readers to the story from the beginning, because why a wise and responsible officer like Inspector Dhanush would do this becomes a big question.
Parmanu saves Dhanush’s life by reaching the spot, but the real story begins when it is revealed that Dhanush has mentally gone back twelve years. This is where the main villain ‘Flash Back’ enters the story. Flash Back has been introduced in a very impressive manner. He is a masked criminal who claims that he brings back “yesterday to today.” His strength is that, through his rays, he can take the mind of any person to a particular state of his past.
Key Turns of the Story
Madame Cold’s return: Flash Back’s purpose is not just to harass the police, but to make his old enemies stand up to him to break Atom. It is under this plan that he targets Atom’s close friend Stylo (Shelly). Shelly, who was leaving her old life behind and living a normal life, falls victim to the rays of Flash Back and becomes the dangerous ‘Madam Cold’ again. This is an emotional twist in the story, as the character had barely kept her distance from the world of crime.
Typhoon havoc: Flash Back, after Madam Cold, brings back another old enemy, ‘Typhoon’. Typhoon had now reformed and was living a quiet life with his children, but Flash Back forcefully returns him to his brutal past. Here, the authors show that if a person is forced back, his improved present can also be defeated by his bad past.
Conflict between ice and water: Two big problems arise simultaneously before Atom. On one side, Madam Cold is freezing the entire city in snow, and on the other side, Typhoon is wreaking havoc with water. To deal with these two threats, Atom has to use not only his strength but also his intelligence and brain.
Becoming a child of Atom: The event this comic is named after comes to light near the climax. Flash Back releases his rays on Atom, claiming that Atom has now become a four-year-old child mentally. This scene is very interesting, where a powerful superhero is seen playing with toys, and mafia dons even start thinking of auctioning him.
Character Analysis
The biggest feature of this comic is its characters. Every character plays an important role in taking the story forward.
Parmanu (Inspector Vinay):
Here, Atom is shown not just as a powerful fighter, but as a clever strategist.
When Madame Cold builds a strong fortress of ice, Atom enlists the help of Professor Sudish Shera (Tree) instead of attacking directly, as he knows that the strength of the roots will be useful in breaking the ice. At the same time, to stop the attacks made by Typhoon’s water, Atom uses Madam Cold’s ‘Iso Gun’. This clearly shows that Atom knows how to use resources properly according to the situation.
The biggest twist of the story comes out when it is revealed that Parmanu had never actually become a child. He performs childlike drama with the help of Probot, so that he can get close to Flash Back and acquire an antidote. This proves that the biggest weapon of Atom is his understanding and mind, not just his suit.
Flash Back (The Villain):
Flash Back Raj has every ability to become a memorable villain of comics. He is not just a money-making criminal, but he sells his power like a service in the world of crime. He himself says, “Flash Back has come to this city to do business, not to join a gang.” This thinking makes him a professional criminal. His power is different. He does not kill anyone, but changes their thinking and identity. This is a serious mental threat. He destroys the entire life of an honest officer like Inspector Dhanush in an instant. But like every big villain, his pride ultimately becomes his defeat. He is confident that his rays will neutralize Atom’s suit, but he takes Atom’s technology—that is, Probot—for granted.
Madame Cold (Stylo) and Professor Sudish Shera:
The love story of these two and the pain associated with it add emotional depth to this action-packed comic. Shelly becoming Madame Cold is a story of anger and deception inside her, and Flash Back strikes the same wound again. Parmanu saying, “I’ll make you become Stylo again,” shows how much he cares about his friends.
Typhoon:
The character Typhoon brings out the struggle of a father. He is happy with his children, but his past is not willing to leave him. When he is about to inadvertently attack his own children, the scene shocks readers. This clearly shows how cruel and dangerous a villain Flash Back is.
Drawing and Visual Effects
Suresh Degwal’s penciling and Vitthal Kamble’s inking make this comic very attractive to watch. The scene of the plane crash, the scene of Madame Cold freezing the entire city in ice, and Typhoon creating a terrible tornado of water—all these scenes are made in great detail and come alive before the eyes while reading. These scenes of action and devastation give a cinematic feel to the comic.
Sunil Pandey’s color combination varies with the mood of the story. The use of blue and white colors in Madame Cold scenes gives a feeling of coolness and danger, whereas Flash Back’s red and golden costume gives him a royal and scary look. The design of the villain is quite unique. His helmet and cape give him a classic supervillain look. The way the rays emanating from his hands are shown also seems quite impressive.
In the “four-year-old Atom” part, the childlike innocence and mischief on Atom’s face (which is actually Probot) are beautifully carved by the artists. Atom asking for chocolate not only creates humor but also brings a smile to the faces of the readers. This part makes the comic lighter and fun.
Dialogue and Writing
Hanif Azhar’s writing is well done and tight. The dialogues not only take the story forward but also clearly reveal the nature of the characters.
Flash Back’s dialogues show a philosophical style, like his saying, “Yesterday that passed, I remind you of that passed yesterday today!” or “The law and I have a dog-cat animosity.” Such dialogues fully reveal his whims and motives.
Atom, as serious as ever, does not forget to be sarcastic. When he comes face to face with Flash Back for the first time, he says, “By taking leave from government duty, I can sweep your house too, but I will take the full twenty bucks.” This conversation is a sharp taunt on the situation, because at that time Flash Back is sending a sweeper to his past and getting him cleaned.
This dash of humor seems very balanced within a serious and tense story. Especially in the end, when the child-like Atom pulls the Sultan’s beard or insists on chocolate, the atmosphere becomes light and entertaining.
Theme and Concept
This comic touches on many important topics. The whole story rests on the thought that every person has a past, and sometimes that same past outweighs his present. Stylo and Typhoon are the best examples of this. Both had improved their lives, but their ‘bad kal’ was still buried somewhere inside them, which is brought out by Flash Back.
Inspector Dhanush forgetting himself and assuming that he is an Air Force pilot shows an identity crisis. This is a scary situation, where a person loses both his true identity and reality.
The specialty of Raj Comics has been that science often touches the limits of magic. The rays of Flash Back are scientific, but their effect seems no less than magic. On the contrary, Atom responds to it entirely through technology, using robotics and antidotes. It’s a direct collision between crazy science and science based on logic.
Flash Back treats crime like a business or service. He demonstrates his power by calling mafia dons and puts a “price” on Atom. The auction scene shows that criminals also see superheroes as just an object or a snag.
Detailed Analysis of Important Scenes
Aircraft crash rescue:
This scene establishes the capabilities of Atom early on. He enters the flying plane and lands it safely. This scene feels like a Hollywood action film. Here, it also becomes clear that Atom is not only powerful but also a skilled pilot, who can take the right decisions in difficult situations.
Entry of Tree:
Inducing Professor Sudish Shera to become “Tree” by Atom is a very important strategy. Parmanu knows that he alone cannot break Madame Cold’s icy strength. Breaking the snow with the power of tree roots becomes a beautiful metaphor for the struggle between science and nature.
Climax – auction:
This part is the most entertaining scene of the entire comic. Mafia dons from all over the world gather at one place. Flash Back is celebrating his victory. Sitting in the middle, the ‘small Atom’ is playing with toys while drinking a milk bottle. Pushing Sultan’s checkbook and asking for chocolate in return for Atom, this scene becomes extremely funny. It reduces stress and leads the story toward a happy ending.
Busted:
When Atom brings out his true trick, it’s a big “wow moment” for readers. The use of Probot is not new to Raj Comics readers, but the way it is used as a dummy here is commendable. Atom explains that it was his partner Probot wearing his dress and belt, whose mind was not affected by the rays because his mind was not human, but mechanical. This revelation foils the entire plan of Flash Back in a moment.
Drawbacks
Although it is a great comic, it also shows some shortcomings when viewed critically. The biggest drawback is the scientific basis of Flash Back’s rays, which seems a little weak. Just a change in brain waves suddenly returning a person’s years-old forgotten skills, or shrinking the mind along with the body and clothing, greatly stretches the limits of imagination (suspension of disbelief).
Moreover, the defeat of extremely powerful villains like Madame Cold and Typhoon appears relatively easy. They are quickly controlled with the help of Tree and the ‘Iso Gun’. This makes it feel that the two key villains are slightly marginalized due to the focus on the main villain, Flash Back, and are not presented as serious challenges as expected.
Conclusion
“Four Years of Parmanu” is a brilliant comic creation that is not limited to action alone, but also carries a strong story, mental conflict, and science-based thinking. While the return of old enemies like Madame Cold and Typhoon brings tremendous nostalgia, Parmanu becoming a child—even as a deliberate move—makes the story even more exciting.
This comic once again proves that Parmanu is one of the most intelligent and mind-driven heroes of comics, who solves every problem not just with strength, but with intelligence and strategy.
Writer Hanif Azhar and visionary Anupam Sinha create a perfect balance of action, drama, and comedy that keeps readers connected till the last page. The story also carries a strong message: “No matter how powerful the past is, if there is wisdom and alertness in the present, it can be defeated.”
Due to its excellent visuals and powerful story, this comic deserves 4.5/5 stars, and every Raj Comics fan must include it as a compulsory read in their collection.
