Maula Jutt and the 2012 Apocalypse: Kachee Goliyan - The Fallen Warrior

The early 90s will always hold a special place in my heart for filling my life with treats that included 'Slims', Music Channel Charts, Ainak Wala Jinn, and Archie comics. Comics, were actually the reason why I developed interest in reading newspapers. I grew up reading Archie comics and was completely in love with Jughead. However, being a complete Desi, by the time I crossed my teens and started to develop interest in my own local surroundings, I started to feel a need of a comic character, which I could connect to. I wanted a desi humor to laugh about. This huge gap in my life was filled about six months back, when I accidently landed on a page, Kachee Goliyan. It was only a matter of days when Archie and Jughead were replaced by JC and Sufi, and that is what I will always love and remember Kachee Goliyan for- For giving me my own desi comic characters, and to introduce me to our local comic scene and a bunch of great local talent.

When the year 2011 was too much about lows than highs, and I was not feeling too excited for 2012, Kachee Goliyan again gave me a reason to count the hours. Yes, a Kachee Goliyan comic book in PRINT. 

Created  by Ramish Safa and Nofal Khan, the first edition of KG Comics: The Fallen Warrior starts with protagonists JC and Sufi being warned about a potential attack on planet earth. In order to save the planet from destruction, JC and Sufi seek help from 'Baba Oracle' who advice them to resurrect a local legend.

While I would prefer that you discover and enjoy the story on your own, I would want to mention what I specifically liked about this comic. The major plus point for me was the smooth incorporation of things that a Desi can easily relate to including Maula Jutt, Matrix, 2012 (the movie), and not to forget an intelligent referral to Ainak Wala Jinn (I am not sure if it was a coincident or deliberate move) in a scene where Sufi chants a spell from the hit PTV show. Another strong point was how KG tried to point out some of the common vices in our society, though in a subliminal way (which I can understand as humor remains the primary focus), such as JC and Sufi seeking help from a 'Baba' to save the planet. I also liked how KG used its first comic book to promote other emerging comic artists such as The Secret Achaar Society, The Desis, and The Epic Fail Duo. 

While I personally feel that the humor and the punchline in the ending scene could have been a bit stronger, the overall feel of the comic is much too positive and strong enough to overshadow that little weakness. Moreover, being the very first Pakistani comic book, and for creating our local comic characters, I will give a thumbs up to KG and I hope it will get better and better with every edition. Do check out the comic. Happy Reading!