KA-ZAR #5

“Untitled”
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Artist: Pascal Alixe

Ka-zar and Zabu confront Torran and his entire Ether tribe. Only Ka-zar isn’t alone. All the other tribes of Pangea come to support him. They fight and the introduction of triceratops riders force the Ether to surrender. Torran has a big temper tantrum and vows that the tribes will regret siding with Ka-zar. Meanwhile Arwandi makes his speech in front of the U.N. General Assembly and wows them. They vote for the carbon credits to compensate the corporations. The military comes in and arrests the mercenaries. So everything looks good at the end.

So carbon credits make their triumphant victory. This is the final Ka-zar series that has been written. I have to say that it was the most dreary of the series. This is the problem with most modern Marvel comics. More interested in some message and not fun storytelling. A character decides to burn his forest to save his family but also decides to commit suicide by burning with the forest. Roxxon CEO also decides to commit suicide with his failures and mounting investigation of insider trading. Really just gloomy stuff. Hopefully when the next series comes rolling around and Ka-zar is resilient he always seems to bounce back for another go. I hope they return to the more fun adventurous spirit that I loved about this comic.

KA-ZAR #4

“Untitled”
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Artist: Pascal Alixe

Things are still looking grim for the Savage Land. Arwandi of the Zebra tribe is preparing to leave for the U.N. Meanwhile the heads of Roxxon are living the high life. Seems the PR spin is going their way. Every piece of aid has their logo emblazoned on it. They are giving the Tubanti children antibiotics flavored with bubble gum. Two thirds of the tribes are burning their land for the aid they get. Ka-zar and Zabu go off to track down Torran. They find him and give him a good beating but the others of the Ether tribe shows up.

Well more depressing news. Roxxon corporation is going full blast with its PR campaign and seems to be swaying world opinion. They also are financing mercenaries through the Libyan government to control the Vibranium mines. Arwandi is going to New York and talk to the U.N which in my opinion is a total waste of time. But a new tragedy is in the making. The antibiotics that were given to the Tublanti children. Well the red dye used is causing a bad allergic reaction and now Roxxon has just killed off a species on TV. Oh and Ka-zar shows up in this from time to time but seems to be a spectator in his own title.

KA-ZAR #3

“Untitled”
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Artist: Pascal Alixe

So the Pangea Horizon has blown and is leaking thousands of gallons of crude oil. It is seriously damaging the environment. The Tubanti an aquatic people have lost their home. As the tribes of Pangea debate what to do Torran comes and threatens anyone who collaborates with the outsiders. Charlie Moon is still trying to sell his plan for making Roxxon Oil pay carbon credits to stop them. Arwandi of the Zebra tribe is all in with the carbon credits and plans to go to New York and speak at the U.N.

So the tragedy of Pangea continues. Now we have a big oil spill that is causing oil covered pterodactyls and is killing the icthyosaurs. Roxxon oil is already putting a spin to the tragedy. That they turned over operations to the U.S. Coast Guard and are no longer responsible. The U.N. seems to be worthless. They aren’t providing any aid. The tribes are bickering and going to burn their forests to plant palm oil. Roxxon corp is really after the vibranium mines. A very depressing issue.

KA-ZAR #2

“Untitled”
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Artist: Pascal Alixe

So the tribes of the Savage Land have united to attend a council of tribes. The Zebra People have been trying for 700 years and finally succeed. Now they have Torran of the Ether make his appearance. Torran represents a mythical tribe known as the Ether. He admits to killing members of the Rock Tribe for setting fire to the land. He warns that any tribe will suffer the same fate if they agree to work with the outsiders.

Still the blight is spreading and all the tribes are suffering from starvation. Only by growing palm oil can they get needed food. Charlie Moon has come to offer a solution. He proposes that they force the corporations to buy carbon credits. This means it would be too expensive for them to let the tribes burn the forest and they would have to use less evasive measures. Most of the primitives don’t get it but the leader of the Zebra tribe is willing to go to the U.N. and work with Moon on this proposal.

Ka-zar goes to talk to Maa-gor the man-ape. He finds out that the Ether were the second people to be created by the Atlanteans after the man-apes. He leaves and finds out that the tribes are fighting over should they torch the forest. At the end the old derelict oil rig bursts into flames. The oil company decided to cut off maintenance.

Well this was another complex story. Oh the excitement of carbon credits and how they will save everybody. The corporation which was responsible for the abandoned oil rig is also the one behind the palm oil initiative. Lots of intrigue involving the U.N., multinational corporations and public opinion. Not one of the most exciting issues in the history of Ka-zar or for that matter any comic.

KA-ZAR #1

“The Burning Season”
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Artist: Pascal Alixe

Ka-zar, Shanna and their son Matt are back in the Savage Land. Things aren’t going so well. A big fire does damage to the valley. The Rock People deliberately set it. They have been offered a lot of money to grow palm oil by outsiders. The crops have failed due to a fungus. Ka-zar goes to the tribe but it is attacked by a mysterious entity that uses blue lightning. Later a big conclave of the tribes are meeting. One of the tribes are going to trade with the outsiders. Then he is killed by the mysterious blue lighting. It was welded by a glowing blue figure.

The final series that has been done for Ka-zar is one of the darkest. I suppose that comics reflect their times and 2011 was a gloomy year. This Savage Land is going through some serious problems. So we have multinational corporations making deals under the guise of humanitarian aid. The UN has lifted the ban on trade. There is an old abandoned oil rig offshore which is hinted that has already exploited the land and they have nothing to show for it. Not really sure how Ka-zar and Shanna got back to the Savage Land as at the end of the last series they were exiled.

Still this series is interesting and has some beautiful artwork. I love that all the old tribes that have been established are not forgotten. Matt has grown and Ka-zar seems to have mellowed in old age. There is also this mysterious blue man who is punishing the tribes that trade with the outside world. Sets up a good ending.

WHAT IF #112 KA-ZAR

“Brave Old World”
Writer: Brian K. Vaughn
Artist: Coy Turnbull

It this alternate timeline the medallion Ka-zar used to get into the terraformer was destroyed by Parnival. Thanos succeeded and New York is now a jungle. It has been five years and Shanna has been alone in the jungle that is now New York. The surviving Avengers lead by Hawkeye are battling a T-Rex. The T-Rex is killed by a returning Ka-zar. He wears the skull of Zabu who died. The two get a visit from Parnival in a hi-tech suit. Parnival has been hiding out in a bunker but the supplies are out. He needs Ka-zar and Shanna to help him destroy the terraformer.

Parnival secretly planted an explosive in the terraformer only the remote control didn’t work. So it has to be detonated manually. The trio go through the subway and battle a herd of raptors. They make it to the terraformer but the explosive must be detonated by two people. The explosion will kill the two. Ka-zar and Plunder volunteer and Shanna makes it to safety. The terraformer is destroyed and New York is restored. But the city wasn’t the only place effected. The whole world was terraformed and only New York is now restored. Shanna promises to go after Thanos.

I love What If and how it explores an alternate outcome. In this instance it is Thanos succeeding with his terraformer. So New York and the world is one savage jungle. Most of the heroes are dead but some like Hawkeye and the Punisher have adopted. I kind of found it a little creepy that Ka-zar would wear the skull of Zabu. I mean I wouldn’t wear the old bones from my dog. Still an enjoyable story that had Parnival redeem himself.

KA-ZAR #20

“Lord of the Savage Land!”
Writer: J. Felder
Artist: K. Martinez

Ka-zar has defeated Gregor. The Savage Land is still falling apart. Ka-zar goes to rescue the Gorankian village from a lava flow. He has to burn their huts and have them chase him but he gets them to safety. He meets up with a childhood friend Etuban. Etuban is later killed by a T-Rex. He goes back to Shanna and his family. There the Bhadwuans come. They accuse Ka-zar and Shanna for all the problems and will kill them. Luckily Dherk has managed to rally the inhabitants of the Savage Land to come to the rescue. Ka-zar decides to leave with Shanna. Zira also comes along. Zabu decides to stay.

The final issue for this series. A bit of a letdown. When the decision to cancel this series was made the story seemed to be rushed to just get it over with. Even the writer and others aren’t even credited by full name. I still have no idea why Ka-zar and Shanna were the cause of the problems or why they had to leave. This was a sad ending to a series that started out with great potential. It was a last issue but not very spectacular.

KA-ZAR #19

“Only the Beast Survives!”
Writer: J. Felder
Artist: M. Martinez

Ka-zar is reunited with his family. Now he has to make a tough decision. The Savage Land is dying and they must find a solution. They also have to defeat Gregor. So Ka-zar will take on Gregor alone. Shanna is to find out whats wrong with the Savage Land. Zabu will take care of baby Matthew. Zira goes off on her own. So Ka-zar finds Gregor or he finds Ka-zar. The battle takes them to an abandoned temple and Gregor looks to be victorious. Only he makes the mistake to threatening Ka-zar’s family. That brings out the savage in Ka-zar and he beats Gregory. Shanna finds Zira and the two come on Ka-zar. Zira says that Ka-zar is the threat to the land. Meanwhile Dherk is attacked by the Bhadwuans.

Not a bad issue. A bit confusing for Zira takes off and Shanna doesn’t trust her anymore. A glimpse of good old Dherk who is hanging around in a tower. Shanna finds a tribe massacred. It is confusing if Zira did it or someone else. A fight scene with Ka-zar and Gregory. We get the nostalgic savage Ka-zar who is mighty as the mastodon. It ends in a mystery in why Ka-zar is the threat but that makes the reader want to find out how it ends in the final issue to this run of Ka-zar.

KA-ZAR #18

“..My Land Against Me!”
Writer: J. Felder
Artist: A. Williams

Ka-zar and Zabu are back in the Savage Land in the craft they borrowed from Black Panther. Only they won’t be able to return it for a flock of pterodactyls attack it. They jump out and ride some of the pterodactyls down. They find the Savage Land is going through some serious trouble. A swamp is now a desert. They have to fight off a giant scorpion. Later a friendly tribe attacks them. Seems they blame Ka-zar and his family for all the troubles. Meanwhile Shanna, Zira and Mathew make it to Zira’s people in an underground realm. Only her people the Bhadwuan will not let them enter. They say the whole world is in danger and give a cryptic riddle before expelling them. Shanna finds herself back above ground only she is with Gregor. Gregor has been hanging around wanting revenge but Shanna calls a horde of T-Rexs to the rescue which drive off Gregor. She later finds the T-Rexs slaughter by a powerful enemy. She then is reunited with Ka-zar, Zira and her son.

Well the Plunder’s are reunited as a family. Ka-zar gets back and finds the whole place gone to Hell. We get an introduction to the people that Zira is from. They are an ancient group that has watched over the Savage Land from the beginning and their underground world seems to be in another dimension. We get introduced to Gregor who is apparently still kicking after his last battle with Ka-zar. Oh and the whole world not just the Savage Land is in danger. No pressure. Just another day in the Savage Land. Announced this issue that the series is being cancelled so they are going out with a bang.

KA-ZAR #17

“Misery”
Writer: Christopher Priest
Artist: Kenny Martinez

Foggy Bottom gets one of the hotshot lawyers to get a plea deal for Ka-zar’s charges. Ka-zar meanwhile is waiting when Jameka comes to tell him the good news. Only the gang members he beat up are now after him. He beats them up again but this attracts the police and once again Ka-zar has to flee the police. The gang members take Jameka hostage. Ka-zar then goes to the Avenger mansion and finds Black Panther the only one there. He agrees to help after delivering a message from Shanna telling them of her predicament. So they go back to Jameka’s apartment and find the gang waiting for them. Seems Jameka as an infatuation for Ka-zar. She drugged Zabu and was about to knock him out and tie him up. Naturally these gangbangers are no match for both Black Panther and Ka-zar. Black Panther arranges transportation back to the Savage Land as he takes care of the captured goons and Ka-zar’s other animals.

So this issue had a lot going on. Ka-zar managers to get his charges dropped. We find out Jameka was helping Ka-zar because of a very unhealthy obsession. Of course we have to deal with the gang that started this. The gang members were pretty dumb so it was more amusing than any serious threat for Ka-zar. We get a guest appearance by Black Panther who is very popular these days. Shanna and Zira are fleeing for safety and must go into some forbidden land. This was an exciting issue and it is good that we will have Ka-zar back in the Savage Land. The New York adventure has run its course and I think there are much more interesting stories to be told back in the Savage Land.