Boundary - Review

Editor's note: Cosmics sent copies of Boundary to IGN India for this review.

Cricket is a sport that nearly every kid in India has tried their hand at. However, I wouldn't say I'm fixated on cricket. I'm interested, sure, and occasionally I'll catch a match, but I don’t go out of my way to watch them. In Cosmic's latest comic, Boundary, we follow the protagonist, Ishaan, as he similarly grapples with his connection to cricket. While my passion for cricket waned in favour of video games, anime, and manga, it's only the Australian cricket team that keeps Ishaan hooked on the sport.

The first chapter of Boundary, titled Over 1: Resurgence, takes place in the year 2023. It revolves around Ishaan, who lacks faith in the Indian national cricket team and instead idolises the Australian team for their strength and patriotism. Ishaan believes that Indian players are driven only by money and fame, especially since it's been 12 years since India last won a trophy, while Australia has five cups to their name.

Despite the Indian team's performance, Ishaan sees the unwavering support of Indian fans, which leaves him confused. He struggles to understand why Indians remain devoted to the team, even if he perceives their motives as superficial.

The chapter ends before deeply exploring Ishaan's complex relationship with cricket and the Indian team, which left a sense of anticipation in me for what's to come. Even though it felt premature, the ending still left me eager for more.

Apart from the first chapter of Boundary, the book also includes a short story titled Bitter Fruit. The setting, style, and especially the ending gave me serious Junji Ito vibes. A compilation volume featuring similar stories would undoubtedly be a welcome read.

The print quality of the book is quite decent, with clear visuals and no fading in colours. The page quality also feels sturdy and not cheap. I appreciate the lettering of the SFX and onomatopoeia in Cosmic's comic books. Both Nirvana and Boundary show well-placed lettering.

The Hindi version of Boundary is pretty close to the English one, but it feels a bit more formal to read, almost textbook-like compared to the English version. While the English dialogues use more casual language, the Hindi translation avoids colloquialisms and slang.

Staying true to Cosmic’s manga-styled approach, the art style of Boundary is heavily reminiscent of Japanese manga. While some panels lack backgrounds, particularly during indoor conversations, outdoor scenes and stadium settings have detailed background art.

However, I believe that the facial designs of the characters can be improved. At times, it's challenging to differentiate between characters as they share similar eyes and facial structures, with only hairstyles setting them apart. Characters should be easily distinguishable without relying on minor details, an aspect Bitter Fruit handles better in terms of art style.

That being said, it's clear that Boundary is another flagship series in Cosmic’s lineup, showing some big improvements in artwork, lettering, and editing. The pacing and dialogues are well-executed, leaving little to criticise.