Move over Deadpool, there’s a new desi superhero in town ‒ or rather in Rashtria. Rashtraman, the new creation of comic artist Appupen, monitors his city for too much radical thought and takes prompt action against rascals who complain of injustices with his saffron cape swirling about him quite stylishly all the while.
According to Appupen’s first Facebook post sharing the new comic, Rashtraman is the Guardian of Rashtria, a nation in the fantasy world of Halahala whose capital is Rashtrapolis. He is a muscular vigilante who operates on the basis of one question: “Are you with me, or a villain?” The secret to Rashtraman’s strength is a wonderful brew of green tea.
Rashtraman might remind you of the nationalist lawyers who decided to beat up JNU student president Kanhaiya Kumar and journalists at Patiala House Court in order to protect the idea of the nation. But Appupen created Rashtraman back in November, months before the JNU controversy erupted, to be released as part of a bigger project.
“But I thought it was wrong to keep it away now because of everything that is happening so I put it out,” said Appupen.
Appupen, who's real name is George Mathen, has written and illustrated a series of graphic novels set in the world of Halahala, a parallel dimension that darkly mirrors our own reality. Appupen’s satirical books began as commentary on environmental concerns and take on commericalisation, consumer behavior and corporate strategizing. With his previous art Appupen questioned what dreams people were urged to follow in a wave of commercialisation he sees sweeping India.
Rashtraman came from a new set of concerns. “I was generally feeling that the India that I knew I kind of changing and I was feeling, maybe, a little threatened by it. I started thinking about it. There are patterns and agendas at work and you can see it even if you don’t read news reports in chronological order,” said Appupen. “Let’s just say I am not with Rashtraman.”
Appupen who has six issues of Rashtraman ready is now hurrying to add to the body of work. Although he wasn’t ready with the series, Appupen decided to release the first issue to make his stand in support of the freedoms that are being threatened on university campuses and elsewhere in the country. At the same time, Appupen thinks his work will be restricted to a small crowd of affluent English-speakers crowd. “The big thing is going to be laying a bridge between the haves and have-nots in information too,” he said.
Asked about the news that the government plans to track news and comments online for negative or provocative content, Appupen said, “Why do these agendas have to be followed now? Why does it have to be put in place? This automatically calls for a next step. A few steps like that and we will be in a different place. I feel these are all unnecessary restrictions. It’s not a world I feel comfortable in.”