Even for self-proclaimed comic book junkies, Kamandi is the kind of deep cut that can easily fly under the radar.
He's never had his own TV show, never been in a movie, doesn't have his own video game and even his own comic book series never lasted longer than a few years. However, don't let the low profile fool you: Kamandi is one of DC's most compelling characters; he just needs a chance to show it to the world.
Kamandi was the creation of — who else? — Jack Kirby, back in 1972. As the story goes, DC tried to secure the Planet of the Apes license for a potential comic book series, but when that didn't work out, the company went to Kirby to think of a similar, but original, book that it could publish. The result was Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth.
In the world of Kamandi, a Great Disaster has wiped out civilization, leaving only small pockets of humans left in underground bunkers. The Earth no longer belongs to humanity, because ruling above them are warring civilizations led by super-intelligent, mutated beasts, including tigers, bears, dogs, bats, lions and — well — pretty much anything else in the animal kingdom.
Kamandi himself escapes from his underground bunker (conveniently named "Command D") and goes in search of others after his last remaining relatives are killed. During this journey, Kamandi finds a small band of intelligent humans to tag along with, as they do battle against armies of fascist St. Bernards, sadistic talking tigers and gangs of scavenger rats — all while riding a giant grasshopper in a crackling world constructed by Kirby's limitless imagination. It borders on nonsense, but it's the type of beautiful, heady nonsense that is rare in today's overly serious comic book market.
Take this two-page spread from the series' opening issue:
Now that's how you introduce a comic to the world. Everything you need to know about Kamandi is there — the energy, the isolation, the despair, the scope. Though it rips off a pretty healthy portion of Planet of the Apes imagery, it's still a beauty to behold. For the Kirby fans out there, this is one of his premier pieces of art.
The original '70s Kamandi is a stark contrast to the DC you see on the silver screen. It's not dour, there's no cynicism — it's pure visual lunacy, bursting at the seams with color, energy, action, drama and humor. It's the type of book that could be studied just as easily on the cramped, humid floors of a comic convention or the refined halls of a pop art exhibit.
A new Kamandi series, modeled after the original Kirby run, could be the cure-all DC needs right now. It's hopeful, cartoony and over-the-top, but it's also a story that could fit into today's zeitgeist. It has a post-apocalyptic edge that feels like a part of the YA trend, yet it's bombastic and never takes itself too seriously. This is a comic that features ape astronauts and roving gangs of talking killer whales, after all, so it's impossible to do all of this without a bit of a wink to the audience.
There have been quiet rumblings about a new Kamandi book at DC for years, and it's been recently revealed that a Kamandi Challenge is taking place, where creators will be paired to tell new stories in the series. What, if anything, it'll lead to is anyone's guess. This could just be another glimmer of hope that is just as quickly dashed, as has been the recent fate of the character.
It's clear that DC still has Kamandi on the brain, but it's time to finally pull the trigger and bring him back into the mainstream.
