T A L L T A L E S

am V I S H N U S HARMA
I i p a n e h a t a n t r f i

Script V IR G IN COMICS
Samit BASU
Chie£*®kecutive Officer and Publisher
Art & Cover Sharad DEVARAJAN
Ashish PADLEKAR
-•• f t f Chief Creative Officer and Editor-in-Chief
Color G otham CHOPRA
Vlshw anath MANOKARAN
President and Studio Chief
Letters Suresh SEETHARAMAN
N llesh P. KUDALE
Chief M arketing Officer
Project Manager L a rry LIEBERMAN
Reuben THOMAS SRVP Studio
Assistant Editor Jeevan KANG
SanaAMANAT VP Operations
Editor A lagappan KANNAN
MacKenzie CADENHEAD Director of Development
M acKenzie CADENHEAD
Director of Marketing
N eil MARKS
Chief Visionaries
D eepak CHOPRA,
Shekhar KAPUR,
Sir R ichard BRANSON
Special Thanks to
Frances FARROW,
D an PORTER,
C hristopher LINEN,
P eter FELDMAN,
R aju PUTHUKARAL
M allika CHOPRA
& Jo n ath an PEACHEY
TAIL TALES OF VISHNU SHARMA: PANCHATANTRA Issue Number 3, Apri
> published by VIRGIN COMICS L.LC. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 594 Bro;
New York, NY 10012. Copyright ©2007, Virgin Comics L L C . All Rights Res
The characters included in this issue, TALLTALES OF VISHNU SK.
PANCHATANTRA, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are properties o'
Comics L.LC. No similarity between any of the names, characters, pe
and/or institutions in this magazine with those of any living or dead pe*
institution is Intendedrand any such similarity which may e
purely coincidental. Printed in Ca

For advertising, licensing and sales info plea

info0virgincornics.com or [212) 564-4040. www.vlrgim
 mm

L ie

Story so far..
T h e s to rie s o f o u r c h ild h o o d a r e u n d e r a tta c k . S in iste r fig u re s fro m a n o rg a n iz a tio n k n o w n as
T aleC o rp s no w in v a d e th e ir w o rld s, leavin g d e a th a n d o b livion in th e ir w ak e. T h e P a n c h a ta n tra ,
a b o o k o f a n c ie n t In d ia n fab les, te e te rs o n th e ed g e o f sto ry b o o k ex tin ctio n . B u t th e re is hope!
T h e a n im a l h ero e s o f lo r e — L io n , B ull a n d M o n k e y in th e ir m o d e rn a v a ta rs L eo, N a n d y a n d B a n d ra ,
resp e ctiv ely — se a rc h fo r th e ir sav io r, th e t r u e g u a rd ia n o f th e P a n c h a ta n tr a a n d h e ir to th e seer
V ish n u S h a r m a ’s legacy. T h in g is... th e c u r r e n t g u a rd ia n h a s n o id e a th e P a n c h a ta n tra h ero e s ev en e x is t

V ishnu S h a rm a , w ou ld -b e b o y h e ro , is to o bu sy p lay in g in o n lin e to u rn a m e n ts to fig h t s to ry b o o k w ars.

B u t w hen o u r a n im a l heroes show u p a t his door, V ish n u fin d s i t d iffic u lt to s e p a ra te fa c t fro m fictio n . A s the
P a n c h a ta n tra h ero e s p e rs u a d e V ish n u to jo in th e ir c au se, th e y 'r e a tta c k e d b y cu d d ly a n im e so c io p ath s a n d a
d e a d ly b o y w iza rd . T h e y a re sa v ed by a lo n g lo st ta le b ro th e r, J a c k — a tr ic k s te r so sh ifty , y o u ’re n o t s u r e w h e th e r
to h u g h im o r kill h im . O n c e th e y ’re safe, th e h ero e s p u ll V ish n u in sid e th e p ag es o f th e P a n c h a ta n tra to jo u rn e y
i n

to c e n tra l sto ry w o rld o f K a ta g r a h a . A s th e y w a n d e r th e w o rld s, V ish n u le a rn s a b o u t th e fo rg o tte n fab le s u n d e r

his a n c e sto rs9p ro te c tio n — a n d th e tra g ic fate t h a t lies b efo re N a n d y a n d L eo.

B u t su d d e n ly th e s to ry w o rld b eg in s to fa d e , a n d V ish n u is th ro w n b a c k in to th e re a l w o rld o n ly to find

h im se lf p r o s tr a te b efo re th e evil P ro fe sso r S hadow .

T h is fa iry ta le is tu r n in g in to a n ig h tm a re , a n d i t seem s t h a t T H E E N D is n o w h ere in sight..

ONCE UPON A TIME,

SITTING BY THE FIRESIDE, MAN
7010 HIS FIRST STORY, AND BUILT
THE FOUNDATIONS OF HIS OWN
RULE OVER HIS WORLD.
 STORIES GAVE THE WORLD
SHAPE. THEY ESTABLISHED
O RDERS AND CHALLENGED THEM,
SHOWED MAN THE ROAD T O THE
FUTURE AND HELPED HIM UNOSVEL
THE LABYRINTHS O F THE PAST

A W vV N A
I I I

A W W A
THROUGH STORIES. MAN
T O P P E D THE WORLD AROUND
AAAAAA/A HIM AND BENT IT T O HIS WILL

MAN KNEW STORIES WERE WHAT

INSPIRED HIM, MADE HIM STR O N G ER
B E TT E R WISER. STOR IES WERE WHAT
MADE MAN REALIZE THAT THERE WAS
MORE T O LIFE THAN MERE EXISTENCE.

THAT THERE WAS

SOMETHING TO LOOK UP TO,
SOMETHING T O AIM FOR.

SOMEWHERE
TO G O .

WHAT MAN DID NOT KNOW WAS THAT '

WHEN HE CREATED STORY. HIS WAS NOT
THE ONLY WORLD HE WAS SHAPING. FOR
MAN'S STORIES CREATED NEW WORLDS;
WORLDS O F WONDER, FULL O F COLOR,
SOUND AND LIFE, WHERE STORIES LIVED.
LOCKED IN THEIR TALE-CYCLES UNTIL
THE END O F TIME ITSELF.

AND A S CIVILIZATIONS AND

THE TALES THAT SPAWNED THEM
PUT DOWN R O O TS , STORYWORLDS
BECAME CLEARLY DEFINED.
 F O R EACH CHIU? THAT HEARP
STOR IES FROM HIS ELPERS, THE
TALE-WORLPS' LINKS T O THE MORTAL
WORLD GREW S TR O N G E R CLOSER.

UNTIL ONE PAY, TALE-WORLPERS

BECAME AWARE O F THE EXISTENCE
O F THE REAL WORLP THAT BREP
THEM ANP FEP ON THEM.

BUT A S MAN GREW

/ so
a n d ch a ng ed,
- Z - PIP HIS STORIES.

ANP A S STORIES, WITH THEIR

CREATORS, TRAVELEP ANP BLENPEP,
THEY BREP NEW STOR IES ANP REACHEP
NEW CULTURES. THEY LEARNEP O F OTHER A S MAN GREW MORE TWISTED, ANP
STORYWORLPS ANP QUESTIONEP THEIR LEARNEP HOW T O USE STOR IES TO
OWN UNCHANGING NATURES. CORRUPT ANP DECEIVE, T O FLATTER
ANP SEDUCE, STO R IES, TO O , LEARNEP
M UCH-POUTICS OUTSJPE THEIR OWN
SPHERES, STBTTEG Y, COMMERCE...
THEY LONGEP T O BREAK
FREE, ANP STRIKE OUT ON
VOYAGES O F EXPLORATION ANP
PISCOVERY O F THEIR OWN.
 IN THE AGE O F INDUSTRY, EVEN AS
MAN BUILT EMPIRES O F IRON AND
STEAM ACR O SS THE CONTINENTS,
STOR IES WERE BOUND T O PRINT, AND
SUDDENLY BECAME BOTH WIDELY
ACCESSIBLE AND MORE PERMANENT.

<THE REVIEWS
ARE GOOD, BUT I'LL
WAIT FO R THE PAPERBACK
V EDITIONS ^

THE OLD STOR IES HAD WIELDED

G REAT POWER, BUT HAD NEVER
UNDERSTOOD HOW T O HARNESS
THAT POWER FO R THEIR OWN GAIN.

THE AGE O F ENLIGHTENMENT

DAWNED, AND NEW WAYS O F
TELLING STORIES CHANGED
THESE TALES EVEN FURTHER.
THAT CHANGED.

TECHNOLOGY HELPED STORIES TRAVEL AT

THE SPEED O F LIGHT, AND S O STOR IES BECAME,
WITHIN THEMSELVES, ARCHIPELAGOS O P TRADE
AND INDUSTRY. A S THE C H A P T E R S LEARNED
THE MEANINGS O F STRANGE NEW WORDS LIKE
’MERCHANDISE', AND 'FRANCHISE', AND 'BESTSELLER
THEY BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT IT WAS TIME THEY
TO O K CONTROL O F THEIR OWN LIVES.

AND THE TIME HAD COME FO R A HERO, A

MAVERICK WHO COULD SHIFT BETWEEN STORIES
A S EASILY A S A CHAMELEON CHANGES COLOR, TO
MAKE A NAME F O R HIMSELF. A HERO WHO KNEW HIS
mm DESTINY WAS T O CHANGE THE STO R Y UNIVERSE. HIS
TRUE NAME IS UNKNOWN, BUT HE HAS ANOTHER, A NAME
YOU SHOULD KNOW. A NAME T O LOVE AND FEAR.

THAT NAME
IS CflMBO.
I THOUGH T YOU -SAID YOUR CAMEO HAD BEEN PRESENT IN THE
.N A M E W AS P R O F E S S O R . SHADOWS O F STOR IES SINCE THE BEGINNING
^ SHADOW. O F STORIES. HE WAS THE SECOND BROTHER
THE LAST'BUT'ONE SUITOR THE HERO'S
NEIGHBOUR. HE WAS SHERLOCK HOLMES'
r THEN WHY ^ DRUG DEALER QUIXOTE'S BLACKSMITH,
A R B YOU CALLING AND POLLYANNA'S DENTIST.
YOURSELF
[v CAM EO?

^ IF YOU STRAIN ^
YOUR POWERFUL MIND
EVEN FURTHER YOU WILL
DISCOVER THAT I D ID .
V NOT. LISTEN.

MAKE SURE
IT'S STUCK FAST.
A NATION'S FATE AND HE WAS NOT
DEPENDS O N IT. CONTENT WITH HIS ROLE
IN THE UNIVERSE.

ONE DAY, A FTER HELPING THE SEVEN

DWARFS SHOP F O R SHOES, CAMEO PUSHED
AWAY THOUGHTS O F SUICIDE, MADE UP A NUMBER
O F POLITICALLY INCORRECT HEIGHT-BASED
JO KES, TO O K A DEEP BREATH AND WISHED
HIMSELF INTO THE REAL WORLD.

AND CHANGED
IT FOREVER.

“HOW A R E YOU
MAKING M E S E E FUNDAMENTAL
ALL TH IS ?" O PTICS, VISHNU. Z WILL
NOW CONTINUE.

CAMEO KNEW THAT THE REAL

WORLD HELD DOORWAYS T O EVERY
STORYWORLD IN EXISTENCE, AND
WITH A LITTLE EFFORT, HE COULD
UNLOCK THEM ALL-THAT NO STORY
CYCLE COULD CONTROL HIM.

HE SPENT YEARS TRAVELING

FROM ONE STORY WORLD T O THE
NEXT, TALKING T O CHARACTERS,
MAKING FRIENDS, LEARNING WHAT
MOVED THEM, WHAT THEY NEEDED,
WANTED, LOVED AND FEARED.

HE REALIZED THAT A S TO R Y'S TRUE STRENGTH IS IN ITS ABILITY j IF I MAY RETURN T O MY STORY. CAMEO
T O MOVE ITS AUDIENCE, T O RENDER ITSELF MEMORABLE. THIS ABILITY SAW THE FUTURE"A FUTURE WHERE
T O CONNECT IS EACH STORYWORLD'S LINK T O THE REAL WORLD, THE STOR IES COULD GOVERN THEMSELVES,
SOURCE O F ITS POWER THE REASON F O R ITS EXISTENCE. AND NO LONGER B E SUBJECT T O THE
WHIMS O R GREED O F MANKIND, O R TO
THEIR OWN FIXED NATURES.
“BUT WHY ARE YOU
HERE? YOU D ON 'T HAVE
AN AUDIENCE. HOW D O
YOU HAVE ANY POWER?*

YOU WILL NOTE,

MY DEAR BOY, THAT HE SHARED THIS VISION
Z AM WEARING WHAT WITH THE TRUEST FRIENDS
IS CALLED A MASK. HE MADE, AND FOUND, T O HM
DELIGHT, THAT MANY LISTENE
 SOUNDS
IKE QUITE A
JOB.
CAMEO. ANYWAY, CAMEO, ^
BEING A MAN OP VISION
REALIZED THAT HE NOW NEEDED
NOT ARMIES TO WIN A BATTLE,
v BUT A CORPORATION TO A
U V WIN THE WAR.

STORIES WERE
f FAC TO O BUSY CARRYING OUT '
WHAT THEY PERCEIVED TO BE THEIR
OTTIES T O LISTEN TO THE RANTTNGS
O F MINOR CHARACTERS. CAMEO
V ANGERED MANY. EVEN FOUGHT /

S O HE HAD
^ PROBLEMS, BUT HE
r MANAGED TO BUILD AN \
ARMY O F STORIES, WHICH
YOU'RE A PART O F. WHAT NEXT?

HE GATHERED TOGETHER THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR MOST

POWERFUL STORIES, USING A COMBINATION OF PERSUASION AND
FORCE, AND FORMED AN ORGANIZATION SOUDLY GROUNDED IN
^ MODERNITY. AN ARMY TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGES O F THE FUTURE-

"AND A CORPORATE BOARD

TO GOVERN IT. AND THUS, TALECORPS
WAS BORN"A COLLECTIVE OF STORIES
GATHERED TOGETHER TO CONTROL, SUCCESS WAS SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC.
DIRECT AND REGULATE ALL THE STORIES IN EVERY WORLD, CHARACTERS BELONGING
OF THE UNIVERSE, TO PLAN THE FUTURE TO TALECORPS CUT ACROSS AGE, RACE,
OP STORIES AND TAKE THEM FORWARD GENDER NATIONALITY, CLASS, RELIGION
IN WAYS MAN NEVER COULD. AND EVERY OTHER DEVICE INVENTED BY
MAN TO DISTINGUISH HIMSELF FROM
OTHERS OF HIS KIND.

THE ONLY OPPOSITION

TALECORPS FACED WAS FROM
CERTAIN OTHER STORIES.
 TALECORPS TRIED TO PERSUADE
THE O LD EST O P STORIES--MYTHS AND
LEGENDS, FOLK AND FAIRY TALES--TO JOIN
THEM IN THEIR Q UEST FOR A WORLD WHERE
STOR IES AND MAN S TO O D SIDE BY SIDE.

THE INCLUSION O F MYTHICAL

ARCHETYPES AND CHARACTERS FAMILIAR
T O MANKIND FO R MILLENNIA WOULD GIVE
TALECORPS UNIMAGINABLE POWER.

THE OCCASIONAL
TWINGE O F SELF-DOUBT
WAS A SMALL PRICE T O PAY
FO R WORLDWIDE FAME.

MANY OLD STOR IES WERE DELIGHTED

T O JOIN TALECORPS. ANCIENT HEROES,
HUNGRY F O R THE ATTENTION DENIED
THEM FO R CENTURIES BY THE INVASION
O F NEWER YOUNGER CHARACTERS,
WERE OFTEN WILLING T O SHED THEIR
OUTDATED GARB AND CUSTOMS,
REINVENT THEMSELVES AND EMBRACE
THE FUTURE VIA INSATIABLE AUDIENCES.

COMPANY POLICY FO R SUCH

C A S ES WAS VERY CLEAR: STORIES
THAT WOULD NOT ADAPT COULD
NOT B E PERMITTED TO SURVIVE.

“IN O T H E R W O RD S,
TA LEC O R P S G O T STR O N G ,
AND THEN WENT AROUND KILLING
T H E W EAKER S T O R IE S ."

BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY FOR OLD

TALES TO LEARN NEW TRICKS. WHEREVER THE ADMIRABLY SUMMARIZED, VISHNU.
TALECORPS EMPIRE WENT, THERE WERE ALWAYS NOW, T O BUSINESS AND A MODE
A PEW OUTDATED STORIES STANDING IN THEIR O F PRESENTATION WITH WHICH
WAY"REFUSING, IRRATIONALLY, TO SUBMIT EVEN YOUR ATTENTION'DEPICIT
PEACEFULLY, STRUGGLING TO RETAIN THEIR MIND WILL B E FAMILIAR.
HOLD OVER THEIR PEOPLE, UNWILLING TO EVEN
LISTEN TO TALECORPS' PROPOSALS.
 “Encoded into the stories o f the divine Pantheon o f India are some of the
most primal stories ever told. They chronicle our greatest aspirations, our
darkest fears, and our collective experience as a species. ”
-DEEPAK CHOPRA

DEEPAK CHOPRA pfesintsTTT

“TRUE MYTHIC WONDER...

5 OUT OF 5 STARS.”
-Comiccritique.com
“A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO
SUBJECTS RARELY BROACHED IN
COMICS."
—Comixfan.com
“STRANGE AND MAGICAL AND
MOVING.*'
—Mike Carey
( A u t h o r O f X-men, Voodoo ChildX

MA BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED
GRAPHIC NOVEL..
A MUST READ AND A COLLECTOR’S
ITEM.”
—Desicritics.com
 SOME OF THE LONGEST-LASTING CHARACTERS, LIKE THE
FABLES THEMSELVES, ARE WELL-TOWELED, ANP HAVE APPEAREP
L IN VARIOUS FORMS ALL AROUNP THE GLOBE IN MANY GUISES. A
THE TALES THEMSELVES ARE IMMERSEP IN VIOLENCE, S \
1 7 ^ ANP RENPER THE CHARACTERS QUITE ^
\W APEPT AT COMBAT.

TALECORPS' RESPONSE TO THIS

THREAT IS CALLEP THE SILVERFISH
PROJECT. LIKE OUR MASCOT, WE WILL
INFILTRATE STORIES PAST THEIR
PRIME, ANP EAT THEM FROM INSIPE.

r TALECORPS, WHILE NOT 4

ACKNOWLEDGING ANY IMPERIAL
PESIGNS ON ITS OWN PART, HAS BRANDED
THE PANCHATANTRA CHARACTERS THIS RESPONSIBILITY
TERRORISTS--A GROUP O F PANGEROUS NOW BELONGS TO THOSE WHO
^ SUBVERSIVES TO BE EUMINATEP . WEAR THE SILVERFISH
\ SWIFTLY ANP EFRCIENTLY. ^
 OBSERVE, IF YOU WILL. WITHOUT CHARACTERS, THERE
^ THERE'S SOMETHING IS NO STORY. NO STORY, NO AUDIENCE. NO AUDIENCE, AND
I DON'T GET. EVEN IP YOU DO OVER TIME, NO BOOKS. REMEMBER, YOU ARE APPLYING A TIME
KILL THEM ALL, IT'S NOT LIKE FRAME OF HUMAN LIFETIMES-OUR CHRONOLOGY EXISTS IN
THE PANCHATANTRA WILL CENTURIES. THE SILVERFISH AGENTS ARE PROUD TO CARRY
few DISAPPEAR ^ OUT THIS PROCESS FOR THE SAKE O F THE GREATER GOOD.
FOR BETTER STORIES, AND BETTER STORYWORLDS.

i/ THE TERMINATION OP
' STORIES IS NOT AS NEBULOUS A
PROCESS A S YOU MIGHT ASSUME.
STORIES PIE NATURALLY-WHEN THEY
ARE FORGOTTEN, O R WHEN THEY ARE
PHYSICALLY KILLED BY CHARACTERS
FROM OTHER STORIES, THUS
BREAKING THE STORY CYCLE.

WE PERFORM VARIOUS OTHER OPERATIONS-

OBSOLETE STORY ESSENCE EXTRACTION
FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT...
MOO
WEREN'T ^
EXPECTING US,
„ WERE YOU?

NOBODY DOES.

THE SILVERFISH SYMBOL IS THE LAST

WORD IN QUALITY CONTROL IN THE STORY
UNIVERSE. WE TRACK DOWN AND ELIMINATE
POTENTIAL OPPOSITION TO TALECORPS.
 ...TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR
THE REHABILITATION OF LOST
STORIES WE ENCOUNTER
DURING OUR TRAVELS.

SING HI
HO... HI HO..
H tH O W I
HI HO,
MASTER.

THE PANCHATANTRA STORYWORIDS

ARE AT THIS MOMENT CLOSED TO
TALECORPS. SILVERFISH AGENTS HAVE
MANAGED TO INFILTRATE SOME O F THE
LESSER KNOWN STORIES, THROUGH
THEIR LINKS WITH OTHER VERSIONS OF
THEMSELVES IN FABLES BELONGING JO
TALE'GALAXIES UNDER TALECORPS'
BENEVOLENT CONTROL.
BUT OUR KEY RESOURCE AREA
IS IN SIMPLE DESTRUCTION.
UNaEASANT, BUT STRANGELY
ENJOYABLE.

BUT THE CENTOS

STORYWORLD, KATHAG&Wft
REMAINS HIDDEN.

OLD TALES YIELD

TO STORIES NEW.
THREATS ARE ISSUED.
DEATHS ARE DUE.
METAL MEN ARE
DOOMED TO RJJST.
WHEN GUARDIANS FAIL.
WHO CAN WE TRUST?
 AS FOR BEING WITH THE WRONG
PER S0N -D0N 7 INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE.
GIVEN YOUR ANCESTRY, IT WAS INEVITABLE
THAT YOUR LIFE WOULD BE INTERTWINED WITH
STORIES. THE SMART THING FOR YOU TO
ALL THIS IS VERY... WELL \ DO, O F COURSE, IS TO CAREFULLY s
PRESENTED, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING CHOOSE WHICH STORIES. S
TO RULE THE WORLD, KILL THOUSANDS
O F PEOPLE AND SIT ON A THRONE
GOING "MWA-HAHA..."

w WHICH MEANS YOU'RE

IN THE WRONG COUNTRY. AND
YOU'RE TALKING TO THE
^ WRONG GUY.

PUT IT VERY
SIMPLY...

...WE WANT
YOU T O WORK
„ FOR U&. A

r HARDLY. TALECORPS
/ CHARACTERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE
IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR GENERATIONS
NOW, AND CHANGING WORLD ECONOMIC
STRUCTURES MAKES IT ONE O F THE
k REGIONS WE'D REALLY LIKE TO
V EXPLOIT IN THE COMING X

r WHAT J NEED IS FOR

YOU, AND EVERY OTHER
STORYBOOK MANIAC IN THIS
IT LEGENDARY.
OR ANY OTHER WORLD, TO
. G E T OUT O F MY LIFE AND
k ^ N E V E R COME BACK. IN OTHER WORDS, ^
NO. THANK YOU. NO. I WANT
■ ■! n o th in g t o d o with
ANY O F THIS,
 r A NOBLE ^
SENTIMENT. 6 0 , YOU
CHOOSE TO ABSTAIN
FROM SERVICE. A
CRUSHING BLOW.

r YES. I PROMISE ^
N O T T O HELP THEM. BUT
I DON'T WANT T O HARM
^ THEM, EITHER. /

r I WANT TO FORGET ^
I EVER MET YOU, ANP G ET
BACK TO LIVING MY OWN
NOT-SO'EXCITING LIFE. I
PON'T REALLY CARE WHAT
HAPPENS T O ANY
O F YOU. ^

I JUST WANT
ALL OP THIS
TO STOP.

✓ UNFORTUNATELY, X
r PEALING WITH THOSE
BUMBLING, GOOP-NATUREP ANP
TRAGICALLY POOMEP BEASTS
HAS GIVEN YOU THE IMPRESSION
L THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE IN .
V THIS MATTER. /
from THE CR EATO R OF EURYTHM1CS...

"A GHOUUSHLY
0000 TIME*
New York
P o s t -M o r t e m

I T TO THE
UNOCAO TO
b r in g uee back
TO B b o a o w a y . "
-fHe NeTHCRWORLO
Re p o r t e r
 THIS IS
ALL MY FAULT.

PULL YOURSELF
TOGETHER, LEO. IT COULD
E E FAR WORSE. WE'RE HOME,
AND WE'LL MAKE IT T O COUNCIL
ROCK WELL IN TIME F O R .
THE SUMMONING. ^

YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT
r MIGHT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH HAD ^ WHAT WAS r NOTHING YOU ^
OUR ENTIRE WORLD'S FUTURE NOT r JACK TALKING TO YOU 1 SHOULD WORRY ABOUT.
BEEN AT STAKE. THE FACTS ARE SIMaE: ABOUT INSIDE THE TOME? HE WAS JU ST BEING
I ENDANGERED THE ENTIRE TEAM, AND SO M E LITTLE SECRET ^ JACK. ^
w I SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH A L BETWEEN THE TWO A
EXPERIENCE FOR THIS. O F YOU?

PERHAPS NANDY
O R JACK SHOULD
LEA D H F WE FIND
k THEM AGAIN..*?

IT IS INDEED
NOBLE O F HIM T O LEND HIS
ANCIENT POWERS T O OUR
SERIOUSLY, LEO, \
CAUSE WITHOUT CLAIMING
YOU NEED T O G O EASY N
hw LEADERSHIP.
ON THE DOUBT'EVERYTHING
V THEME. LIONS DON'T /
~ BANDRA? DID ^
WHINE. ^
JACK TRY T O TURN YOU
AGAINST ME? ^
 F O C U S . W E'R E
NEAR. CAN YOU
F E E L T H E TIN G LE
^ IN T H E A IR ? .

COUNCIL
R O C K . I'V E
M IS S E D IT.

W E'LL S TA N D
^ B Y YOU, L E O , W HATEVER ^
^ TH IS IS WHAT T H E X YO U A R E . N O KING H A S F A C E D
GUARDIAN M IS S E D . TH E T H E C H A L L E N G E S YOU WILL
H E A R T O F O U R S T O R Y AND I WISH T H E GUARDIAN COULD'
HIS. TH O U S A N D S O F Y E A R S ^ HAVE S E E N ALL T H I S . ^ ^
O F L O V E A N D D EA TH . T H E
1 L ITT L E P O O L . /
W r WELL MAYBE NOT
AND HERE
r THIS GUARDIAN. I'M QUITE \
r I WALK, WHERE GIANTS ^
GLAD THE NEW VISHNU ISN'T
HAVE TRODDEN BEFORE ME,
HERE, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO
DAZZLING THE JUNGLE AND THE KNOW. HE'D JU ST HAVE SLOWED
EW O R LD WITH THEIR SHEER /
s. US DOWN. WE HAVE EN O U G H ^
PRESENCE. _\
TO WORRY ABOUT. WHAT WAS
r IMPORTANT WAS WHAT H E ^
S TO O D FOR. HIS PRESENCE
, WOULD HAVE RALLIED A
^ OUR BRETHREN.

WE WILL HAVE T O
^ D O O UR B E S T WITHOUT ^
HIM, I SUPPOSE. AND I'M
STILL HAPPY THAT HE'S THERE,
IN THE REAL WORLD, LOOKING
O UT F O R US. THAT OUR
V e f f o r t s HELPED K E E P ^
' ^ HIM SAFE.

SIN CE YOU'RE
TH E ONLY O N E HERE,
L E T M E C O N F E S S : I'M
TERRIBLY INTIMIDATED.
 OKAY.

^ THERE'S A BRIGHT ^
FUTURE WAITING FOR YOU
IN TALECORPS BOY, IF YOU ^ UM...I'M OKAY, ^
^ WOULD BUT CHOOSE . THANKS. I JUST WANT
TO GET THIS OVER
WITH. ^

r GOOD. WE SHOULD ^
BEGIN THE TELEPORTATION \
PROCESS AT ONCE, THEN. |
THERE'S NO TIME, AS / .
V THEY SAY, LIKE THE *
X . PRESENT.
NOW, YOUR ORIENTATION. X ' REMEMBER, Y O U ^ ^ ^
f r r s FAIRLY SIMPLE. KEEP THIS / WILL ARRIVE IN THE
r WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. IT WILL TRANSMIT W KATHAGRAHA JUNGLE, MAKE
A SIGNAL THAT WILL ALLOW OUR COLLECTION YOUR WAY TO COUNCIL ROCK AND
AGENTS TO PINPOINT THE EXACT LOCATION V MEET OUR ZOOLOGICAL s
OF KATHAGRAHA AND FACILITATE ^ - FRIENDS.
^ A CLEAN, UNCLUTTERED AND SWIFT A
P v EXECUTION OF THE PROJECT AT Y
HAND. CLEAR S O P A R * - j ^ P B
 YEAH, YEAH.
THEN I STEAL THE PUT HOW DO I
TOME AND BOLT. r GET THERE? YOU SAID THE
TOME-GUARDIAN COULD (30 TO
THEIR WORLD THOUGH YOU
^ COULDN'T. BUT I DON'T a
KNOW HOW.

A VERY PLEASANT
Y GENTLEMAN, MAY HIS STORY ^
f NEVER END. I MET HIM A FEW DAYS
AGO, AND ATTEMPTED TO RECRUIT HIM FOR
TALECORPS. HIS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF
, THE METHODS O F THE PANCHATANTRA
TERRORISTS COULD HAVE PROVED /
r V INVALUABLE.

UNFORTUNATELY.

r FORTUNATELY, ^
THESE LITTLE EXCERPTS
FROM THE TOME WILL TAKE
CARE O F THAT
\ PROBLEM.

WHERE
DID YOU (SET
THOSE?
 NANDY' WHAT
A R E YOU D O IN G IN
k TH ES E P A R TS ? -
<3000 TO SEE
r YOU, CAM ELO T. I 'M RELIEVED,
ACTUALLY. I'V E B E E N WANDERING
AROUND F O R H O UR S TR Y IN G T O
FIG U R E O U T W HETHER I W AS .
HO M E O R NOT. ^

HRRRMPH. ^
Y O U 'R E N O T TH E
F IR S T O L D TALE T O
RUN T H A T S T O R Y
^ B Y M E TO D A Y. ^

' ‘ ■ •
mjafaitfri

WHAT
D O YOU
M EAN?

I M ET YOUR
r M ORTAL ENEMY, JACK, ^
A WHILE A G O . HE WAS LOST,
T O O . YOU FIR ST-FR AM ER S
T O O FASHIONABLE F O R A
^ TH E S E PARTS, H U H ? ^ jf

^ HE D E S E R V E S ^
W H A T'S CO M IN G , HE
D O E S . N E V E R LIKED
^ T H A T JA CK . ^ 4

WHAT D O YOU MEAN, “D E S E R V E S M J R

k W H A T'S C O M IN G "? W HAT'S
^ ^ ^ C O M I N G , CAMELO T ?

LO TS O F ^ S
WWmm m 6HINV METAL MEN WITH
M V l ■ B IG S T IC K S . S P O K E FUNNY.
TH EY W ER E L O O K IN G A
J A C K . ^ ^

W f T H E E N E M Y 1^ ■
( H A S R EA CH ED
KATHAGRAHA/ J IF|

w W E'RE ALL ^
ENEM IES HERE,
NANDY. G O O D
RIDDANCE,
S . IS A Y . ^

WHERE
DID TH EY
. GO? ,
T H A T WAY, SIN CE
r W O N 'T ^ YO U A S K E D S O
T E L L YOU, O H NO. t NICELY. ^
YOU'LL S P O IL
^ T H E FUN. A
 INTRUDER
ALERT. INTRUDER
ALERT. -

MALFUNCTION.
MALFUNCTION.
SY STE M S
DOWN.

ATTACK ^ HELLO,
DROIDS SWITCH NANDY.
ATTACK MODE. REPEAT HEY, JACK
ATTACK MODE. A
T O O K YOUR
TIME, DIDN'T
^ YOU? _
A R E you W 1 APART
HURT?
^ PROM THE EMOTIONAL >
TRAUMA C AUSED B Y THE
MIND-NUMBINGLY TED IO U S BANTER CRUSH THE
v O F TH E S E GENTLEMEN H E R E , ^ INTRUDER. FIRE.
K fe w I'M FINE. FIRE. f

MALFUNCTION.
KZZZZZT. LASER
LOCKED.
SURRENDER. YOU
ARE SURROUNDED.

CALL T O BLACK
LEADER. COM E IN
BLACK LEADER.

^ THEY DON'T ^
SEEM TO HAVE REALIZED
THAT THEIR NEW-WORLD
MODERN WEAPONS WON'T
\ WORK HERE.

r HMM. PERHAPS ’
I SHOULDN'T HAVE
v TO LD THEM <

> PERHAPS ^
YOU SHOULD S TO P
TALKING F O R A
WHILE, y
^ SWITCH T O M A N U A L .^
EN G A G E PINCER-BLADES
O F DESTRUCTION. ^
 YOUR VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD!
Read Chapter 1 of the legendary collaboration
between M i k e C a r e y and V O I I !

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Don't miss all 10 chapters of QUEEN’S ROOK.

H L #

Thanks!
We IITERAIIY couldn’t have done It without you.

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 ^ TH E Y SH O U LD ^
NAME AN EN E R G Y
DRINK A F T E R
^ YOU.

w WELL, T H A T 'S ^
THAT. L O O K S LIKE ~ A R E YOU ^
WE MAKE A G O O D TR Y IN G T O HAVE A
^ TEAM . S P E C IA L M O M EN T
X HERE? ^
 ^ T H A T 'S RIGHT. N
UNCLE NANDY W O N T
P R E TE N D N O T T O C A R E
s . A B O U T YOU, V S m .^4
^ IF YO U WANT ^
WE'LL G R O U P -H U G WHEN
WE FIND TH E O TH E R S .
. W HERE A R E T H E Y ? ^

N O IDEA.
EU T KAVA W A S WITH
ME. IN TR U E C R O W S TY L E ,
S H E DID NOTHING A
^ T O HELP.

r AND WHY ^
EXA CTLY A R E YOU
MAKING C O W -E Y E S
A T M E, UNCLE
M N p y?

Y O U 'R E X
S U P P O S E D T O FLY ^
G RACEFULLY T O MY HAND
WHEN I S A Y THAT, YOU
UNGRATEFUL EIRD. I JU S T
S A V E D YO U R LIFE. ^

^ S H E M U ST ^
E E SCARED, PO O R
^ THING.

*•/ YO U R IS K E D YO U R OW N W
■ LIFE T O S A V E KAVA A N D ■
M E A N D YO U C H O S E T O A
r \ T R U S T M E WHEN YO U A /
BECAUSE g s ^ N EED ED
r YO U 'VE J U S T SHOW N ^
M E T H A T TH IS EN TIR E AD VENTURE ^ N O TH IN G
MIGHT J U S T S U C C E E D — T H A T WE YOU S A Y C M \
w YO U 'VE G O N E ^ CHAN G E T H E P A C TS ,
. M IG HT ACTUALLY M A N AG E T O . S O F T IN T H E HEAD,
W O R K A S A TEA M . ^ \ ___ JA C K . T H E R E 'S ~
NANDY. CH ECK F O R X H O P E F O R YOU
D IS L O D G E D M E TA l YET' ^
K . P IE C E S . ^
 P O N T LOSE
H O P E , L E O . NANPY ANP JA C K
WILL TURN UP. WHEN H A S NANPY
B A N P R A ...B EFO R E
E V E R L E T U S P O W N ? ANP WHEN
WE B E G IN WHAT MAY B E
H A S JA C K E V E R M IS S E P A
O U R L A S T APVENTURE, T H E R E 'S
v CHANCE T O MAKE AN y k
E N TR A N C E ? v S O M E T H IN G I WANT T O ^
T E L L VOU.

IF TH IN G S G O
r W R O N G H F I LEAP O U R ^
P E O P L E POW N T H E W RONG ^ S IN C E WE
R O A P — YOU M U ST S E T TH IN G S A R E ALL P O O M E P
^ RIGHT, EVEN IF IT M E A N S a ANYWAY IF YO U P O N T
KILLING ME. B E LIEV E IN YO U R SELF,
P E R H A P S I S H O U LP P O
^ IT R IG H T NOW. > 4

^ L E T 'S IMAGINE ^
W E'R E IN A S T O R Y WHERE
Y O U 'R E A G R E A T L E A P E R
ANP C A R R Y O N , ALL .
R IG H T?

r H E A R M E NOW, \
T A L E -C O U R T IE R S O F
T H E F O U R C IR C L E S O F
. P ING A LA K A 'S RO YAL
K COURT...
 WELL,
IS IT TH IS 16 A
W O RKING? SU R P R ISE
~ NOT ^
^ BUT LEO , ^
YET. I HAVEN'T S O M E TH IN G 'S
EVEN S A ID TH E
„ HAPPENING. .
Sw W O R D S. ^

AWAKEN ^
NOW, DENIZENS
O F- ^

I...UM...
CH A N G ED MY
v MIND. *
I'M R E A D Y T O
D O WHAT MUST
. B E DONE. ^
For me, as someone who trained as a medical doctor and practiced medicine for years,
I see Buddha as the first physician in history. W hy? Because when a physician sees a
patient, he goes through four processes.

First, he makes a diagnosis o f an illness.

Second, he looks for the cause o f the illness (in medical parlance, it's called etiology).

Third, he determines the prognosis.

A nd finally, he prescribes a treatm ent.

Buddhas diagnosis was that hum an existence entailed suffering.

The cause, he deduced, was not knowing who we are, being afraid o f
impermanence, grasping and clinging to that which is ephemeral, and the
fear o f death. H e reasoned that the prognosis is good if the treatm ent is
enlightenment. For enlightenment gives us the experience o f o ur real
identity. The following stories are about the young Prince G autam a before
he became the B uddha. G autama did not look to outside authority nor did
he mention G od. H is transformation was experiential and his story is not
only unique, b ut also full o f drama, suspense, and intrigue.

The word Buddha means to be awake. If we are to solve our

own existential unhappiness and its consequences, such as violence,
war and terrorism, social injustice, extreme economic disparities,
and ecological devastation, then o ur collective hum anity
has to wake up.

I hope you enjoy this story and it inspires you to wake up.
Deepak Chopras

A Story of Enlightenment
 Deepak Chopras

p Story of Enlightenment
___
I S H « « «
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c o m i c
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