The stories of Raj Comics’ most popular superhero Nagraj are usually a tremendous combination of adventure, espionage, and fantasy. But ‘So Ja Nagraj’ (Issue No. 635) takes a slightly different path from all this. The story gives a psychological thriller feel and a touch of light horror. Written by Jolly Sinha and created by Anupam Sinha, this comic shows those difficult moments of Nagraj’s life where he is not faced with any external force, but with his own mind and sleep. This review will try to understand in detail every aspect—story, drawings, characters, and its message—of this 50-page fantastic comic.
Plot Expansion
The story itself begins with a scary and mysterious atmosphere. Nagraj starts having terrible dreams. These are not ordinary dreams. In these dreams, a strange ‘wood-serpent’, i.e., a snake made of wood, is seen wreaking havoc in the metropolis. When Nagraj wakes up, he feels that it was just a nightmare. But soon he realizes that the matter is not so simple—his dreams are becoming real.
The true strength of the story lies in a dangerous paradox.
If Nagraj sleeps, scary demons are born from his subconscious mind, who take the lives of innocent people in the metropolis.
And if he stops himself from sleeping, he could lose his life within a few days due to continuous sleeplessness.
That means the condition becomes exactly like ‘checkmate’. He can neither sleep nor stay awake.
Meanwhile, Visarpi, who is Nagraj’s lover and the princess of Nagadweep, suddenly appears in the metropolis with a huge snake-boat. Later, the same snake-boat turns into the terrible ‘boat-serpent’ that Nagraj saw in his dream. Nagraj fights that demon with full force and kills him with great difficulty. But in this fight, he sees Visarpi dying before his eyes. Later, it is revealed that all this was an illusion, but the pain of that moment shakes the readers to the core.
The real twist in the story comes when it is revealed that behind all this is an old and cunning enemy named ‘Julu’. Julu had very intelligently given Nagraj the extract of ‘dream booty’. Here the author has added an interesting twist to the story by referring to the Pulse Polio campaign. Julu came disguised as a Pulse Polio worker and, on that pretext, gave Nagraj the extract to drink, due to which his mind got connected with Julu’s mind.
Now the fight was not just about strength, but about the brain.
Finally, Nagraj has to adopt the ‘lucid dreaming’, i.e., conscious dreaming technique. He deliberately decides to sleep so that he can go to his own dream world and face Julu. There is a tremendous mental war in that world of dreams. There, Nagraj uses his willpower and new abilities like ‘infrared vision’. This fight is not only about the body but also about self-confidence and mental strength. In the end, Nagraj defeats Julu and puts him into a coma.
Characterization:
Nagraj: In this comic, Nagraj does not look invincible and unshakable as always. Here he appears to be a person who is afraid, broken, and feels his weakness. When he reveals his distress and helplessness to Dr. Sassi, the moment makes him even more human. The reader realizes that the superhero is also a human being who feels sleep, fear, and pain.
Julu (Villain): Julu is a villain who attacks not with muscles but with brains and cleverness. He knows that it is difficult to defeat Nagraj in a direct fight. So he tries to break him mentally by luring him into a sleep trap. His plan shows that the real threat can always be not external strength, but internal weakness.
Dr. Sassi and Bharti: As always, Bharti stands as a strong support for Nagraj. She gives him emotional strength. The character of Dr. Sassi brings out scientific thinking. Through his words, the story is not limited to just witchcraft, but also connects with psychology and science.
Bhilraj Akola: His character gives a glimpse of tradition and ancient knowledge in the story. Through Ayurveda and primitive knowledge, he also provides a spiritual basis to this struggle, which takes the story deeper.
Art and Illustration
Anupam Sinha is not casually called Nagraj’s ‘godfather’, and his work in ‘So Ja Nagraj’ really looks at its best. The design of monsters like the Boatserpent and the Vampire Plant in this comic is so detailed and scary that it leaves an impact at first sight. Especially the way the idea of a snake made of wooden planks has been depicted on the pages is praiseworthy. He doesn’t just seem like a monster, but a fear that comes out of a nightmare.
The way lack of sleep, fatigue, and fear are shown on Nagraj’s face deepens the tension of the story. The light under his eyes, sweat on his forehead, and facial discomfort are clearly visible. The blood splatter, perfect physical depiction, and sharp movement panels in the action scenes add tremendous energy to the story. The fight scenes look so lively as if everything is happening before the eyes.
Sunil Pandey’s contribution in color combination is also very important. The use of purple and pink colors in dream scenes clearly shows the difference between the real world and the dream world. At the same time, in moments of fear and danger, dark and heavy colors make the atmosphere even more chilling. Overall, the artwork not only supports the story but also makes it more effective.
Social Messages and Innovation:
A major feature of this comic is the mention of the ‘Pulse Polio campaign’. At the time this comic came out, eliminating polio in India was a major national goal. At such a time, talking about Pulse Polio through a popular character like Nagraj was a wise step. Even though it may be part of the villain’s trick in the story, it was an effective way to bring the name and importance of this campaign to children.
Also, ‘lucid dreaming’, i.e., fighting by understanding and controlling dreams, was a completely new idea for Hindi comics of that era. Going into the dream world and fighting the enemy, facing your own subconscious mind—this concept shows a lot of forward thinking. It’s natural to be reminded of the later Hollywood movie ‘Inception’, but this comic was way ahead of its time.
Positive Aspects (Pros):
This story is not just a simple battle of ‘superhero vs demon’. It is a deep mental battle that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. The level of art and painting is so strong that every page becomes worth seeing. Nagraj’s understanding of his limitations and finding new powers like ‘infrared vision’ shows the development of his character.
Although slightly complicated concepts like the ‘dream extract’ can be difficult for younger readers, the story slowly progresses in great detail. However, in the end, Julu’s defeat is a little quicker, which may have made some readers feel that the climax could have been extended a little more. Yet these shortcomings seem small in comparison to the strength of the story.
In-depth Review (In-depth Critique):
‘So Ja Nagraj’ is not made just for entertainment, but it shows both the strength and weakness of the human mind. Jolly Sinha has made it clear that a superhero is also a human being. If he is deprived of his most urgent need—sleep—he can also break down.
The comic’s name ‘So Ja Nagraj’ gives a different feeling in itself. Usually, we tell the hero to stay awake and fight, but here the path to victory is through sleep. This thinking is unique in itself. On one side, there is the matter of Tantra-Mantra and mysterious extracts, while on the other side, printouts of EEG machines and brain activity are also shown. This combination of tradition and science makes the story more interesting.
Nagraj’s condition becomes most painful when he realizes that his own dreams are causing the deaths of innocent people. The very people he swore to protect are in danger because of him. This regret breaks him from within, and the mental pressure increases further. This emotional struggle makes the story special.
Conclusion:
Overall, ‘So Ja Nagraj’ is a memorable and classic story from Raj Comics. This is a story of courage, wisdom, and strong intentions. It tells us that even if the enemy is hidden inside our mind, if we have the right advice (like Dr. Sassi and Bhilraj) and strong willpower, we can overcome every difficulty.
If you are fond of reading comics and want to read something that is full of suspense, fear, and emotions, then you must read ‘So Ja Nagraj’. This is a celebration of Nagraj—not only of his powers but also of his human spirit and courage.
