Kamandi: The Learn-to-Love-Him Article (I did, and you can too)

One of AFP’s long-time readers, Sector1014, has put together a fantastic write-up on DC Comics’ Last Boy on Earth, Kamandi.  If you had not heard, a new list of DC Universe Classics figures has reportedly been found on the Wal-Mart computer system, possibly giving us a glimpse at upcoming figures – and Kamandi was on it.

Normally I don’t post rumors about upcoming lineups – I like to wait until there’s some corroboration and pics to be shared.  I think I’ve got the first part, with a few folks who are in the know acknowledging the list.  But we’ll be waiting some time for pics, since wave 14 may hit around mid-year 2010. Previews announced that Toyfare #152, in stores on February 10 next year, will feature the premiere of wave 14.

The leaked possible lineups for future DCUC waves have included Kamandi. This has led to a wave of anti-Kamandi sentiment (“not interested”, “definitely skip”, “sucks”, “looks awful”). OK, it’s really only around 10 anti-Kamandi comments on Fwoosh and AFI combined, and 3 or 4 of them are from the same dude, and there are more happy posts about Kamandi, but anyway, Kamandi needs some love.

I submit the following reasons and images why Kamandi is cool in the hopes that some of the unconverted will find something to like about Kamandi, and thus his eventual appearance in the DCUC line will be greeted with near unanimous cheers and near zero levels of buyer’s remorse. Also, I want more people to get into him so we can also get a couple of Kamandi’s best pals.

Kamandi primer:

Reasons why Kamandi is cool:

1. Kirby. For some people that word is enough. Other people don’t get the attraction to Kirby’s DC stuff. I went through a phase of scratching my head about Kirby too (it was some combination of being too young to have developed a loyalty to him, not getting the appeal of his concepts, and/or the art just didn’t click with me). Over time I have paid more attention to his stuff, and now his DC creations are some of my favorites. We already have Etrigan the Demon, and lots of New Gods, and I welcome Kirby’s Kamandi, O.M.A.C., and Challengers of the Unknown.

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2. More history: Kamandi teamed up with Batman and Superman in their respective team-up books of the late 70s and 80s.

   

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3. The Kamandi strip in DC’s recent anthology Wednesday Comics was either the best part of that series, or one of the best parts. For my money, it was the best. The story was fun, and Ryan Sook’s art was [insert superlatives]. (by the way, Kamandi is tackling a gorilla with a bazooka right here).

   

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4. Kamandi’s supporting characters: Kamandi’s universe is populated by talking animals with guns. The DCUC design team, the Four Horsemen, have their own line of anthro-animal warriors (7th Kingdom), so we know they could knock the supporting characters out of the park. Also, Kamandi’s female friend’s name is Flower, and she doesn’t wear shirts.

   

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5. Kamandi is from a post-apocalyptic world. Who doesn’t like those types of worlds? Look at the map he lives through:

   

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6. Kamandi’s best friends are a dog scientist (Dr. Canus) and a royal tiger (Prince Tuftan). I won’t feel like my DCUC collection is truly complete until I have these two as well:

   

   

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7. Kamandi knows how to handle himself in a Crisis. He was on the cover of the second issue of DC’s first huge Crisis (Crisis on Infinite Earths), and he served as a bookend character in Final Crisis, popping in for panels at the end of both the first and last issue.

   

   

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8. More Kamandi Crisis: Look at him in this group and then visualize him on the shelf next to figures of all those characters.

   

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9. Even More Kamandi Crisis: He once stood on a satellite near Kole, Gizmo, Sun Boy, and the Challengers of the Unknown, and watched Mon-El and Superman make sure Dawnstar was OK. Who else can say that?

   

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10. And finally, the good news, Kamandi will be made, so you might as well embrace it now. First of all, he has been featured on Batman: Brave and the Bold at least a couple of times (I thought the Kamandi episode was one of the better ones), so he has some exposure at different age levels. Secondly, and more importantly in this case, the DCUC team has repeatedly named Kamandi as one of their personal favorites.
    

    August 8th, 2008
    SDCC2008 – Toy Guru Interview – Part 3, By SamuRon
    Fwoosh: what is the one character that you want to do in the Classics line more than anyone else?
    Toy Guru: …. Let’s see, I said Kamandi.

    August 11th, 2008
    SDCC2008 – Four Horsemen Interview – Finale, By SamuRon
    Fwoosh: Kamandi?
    Cornboy (of the 4H): Man, how I would love to do Kamandi. That would make an awesome Comic Con exclusive. Wow. Yeah, he has always been one of my favorites. That might be one that I start pushing for now that I got Shazam.

    November 14th, 2008
    Ask Matty – 11/14/08, By SamuRon
    Matty: “Toy Guru is pulling to add characters like Kamandi and Ambush bug to his collection”

    July 1st, 2009
    Action Figure Pic’s Ask Matty Round-Up for 7/1/09
    AFP: What are the DC comics that you’re reading? How do they influence what you want to see in the various DC toy lines?
    Toy Guru: Pretty much everything DC puts out these days is required reading…Kamandi and anything by Jack Kirby is also a favorite of mine.

    September, 2009
    Action Figure Pics’ Interview with Mattel Associate Brand Manager Scott Neitlich – Part 3
    SN: Oh, I have been backing Jonah Hex, Ambush Bug, OMAC, Kamandi…

So there you have it. Kamandi.

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