By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 10: A Dayak hero will rise this Sarawak Day in the form of Rhemaung Berih, a new digital comic series that promises to bring a darker, culturally rooted narrative into the local creative scene.
The comic, titled “Rhemaung Berih: The Origin”, will be officially launched online on July 22, coinciding with the State’s annual celebration of self-governance.
Published by Platipus Studio—the independent Kuala Lumpur-based creative house, the series explores the journey of a Bornean warrior cast out by his own tribe due to a union between two rival factions.
A darker and more sinister threat from outside soon emerges, testing the survival of the entire tribe and forcing the outcast hero to rise for something greater than himself.
Creator and writer, S. Mark, said the comic was never meant to follow the typical superhero formula, but to dig deeper into themes of identity, mental liberation and cultural pride.
“It’s not just legend. It’s about freeing your mind and reclaiming your spirit,” he said, explaining that Rhemaung Berih represents a larger struggle for freedom, beyond physical conflict.
Positioned as a response to the lack of Dayak representation in mainstream creative platforms, the comic offers what Mark described as “a narrative that is darker, more honest and grounded in the Dayak cultural spirit.”
Beyond storytelling, the launch of Rhemaung Berih is also part of a broader creative mission aimed at Gen Z readers and young local creators, with four main objectives: to empower Dayak youth to take pride in their cultural roots; to create more space for creative expression; to build real and sustainable career pathways in the arts; and to elevate Dayak identity onto the global stage.
“Borneo has its own roar. The world needs to hear it,” said Mark.
Rhemaung Berih is expected to deliver a bold reinterpretation of indigenous heroism through striking visuals and a raw, while highlighting the importance of indigenous identity in today’s creative media.
The public can follow the comic’s release and updates through the official Rhemaung Berih Facebook page at facebook.com/rhemaungberihofficial. – DayakDaily
