Fictional character biography
Ka-Zar is Kevin Reginald, Lord Plunder, born in Castle Plunder, Kentish Town, London, England. He is the eldest son of Lord Robert Plunder, the English nobleman who discovered the Savage Land. After his father was killed by the barbaric Man-Ape natives led by Maa-Gor in the Savage Land, Plunder was found and raised by the saber-toothed cat Zabu, who possesses near-human intelligence thanks to a mutation caused by radioactive mists.[6] "Ka-Zar" means "Son of the Tiger" in the language of the Man-Apes. Under his guidance, Ka-Zar became an expert hunter, trapper, and fisherman, living off the wild land.
In the Savage Land, some territories are populated by several human or humanoid tribes, and while most of them are on friendly terms with Ka-Zar, some of them consider him an outlander and an enemy. He acts more like an unofficial general protector, preventing outside commercial exploitation, such as poaching and mining, as well as enforcing peace between tribes and serving as goodwill ambassador to friendly visitors.
The original X-Men discovered the Savage Land, and Ka-Zar encountered them, battling Maa-Gor for the first time.[7] He then encountered Daredevil for the first time, and battled his brother Parnival, who had become the supervillain called the Plunderer.[8] He first battled Magneto's Savage Land Mutates alongside the X-Men.[9] He then encountered the Hulk for the first time, and battled Umbu the Unliving.[10] He was once 'tricked' into confronting Spider-Man after J. Jonah Jameson convinced him that Spider-Man was a menace when the wall-crawler's memory was erased and he was tricked into working with Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man's memory was restored during the fight, with Ka-Zar subsequently apologizing for the mistake and proclaiming Spider-Man as the most valiant opponent he had ever fought.[11] Ka-Zar then battled Kraven the Hunter for the first time.[12] Shortly after this encounter, Ka-Zar encounters Zaladane and Garokk for the first time.[13] After the Savage Land became known to outsiders after the visit by the X-Men, many people began traveling to the territory. Ka-Zar has also become romantically involved with female visitors, the first being S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Barbara Morse (who later became the Avenger named Mockingbird).[14] He first battled A.I.M., and met the Man-Thing.[15]
Ka-Zar, during a search for the lost Zabu, later discovered Pangaea, an ancient refuge created by the Atlanteans.[16] Ka-Zar and Shanna began to gradually fall in love.[17] He then battles Belasco for the first time.[18] After a meeting with A.I.M. spies disguised as scientists, Ka-Zar is shot in the head, but survives. He is flown to New York City, but escapes the plane at Kennedy Airport.[19] With no memory and no ability to speak, he wanders New York, saving lives and fighting crime. His memory returns and he encounters Kraven The Hunter again, who has been released from prison by an A.I.M. agent to capture him.[20] Saved by Shanna and Spider-Man, he is brought to the hospital where A.I.M. fakes his death to use him in a scheme.[21] Escaping with Spider-Man's aid, he and Shanna return to the Savage Land.
Ka-Zar assisted the Avengers in their attempt to repel the space conqueror Terminus, but while they rescued many natives, they were unable to prevent the destruction of the Savage Land. Ka-Zar was rescued by the Avengers, but left the Savage Land for the civilized world.[24] Together, he and Shanna had a son named Matthew. The territory was later reconstructed by the High Evolutionary using Garokk, and Ka-Zar and Shanna returned with their newborn and resumed their previous roles.[25] Ka-Zar and Shanna separated for a time,[26] but got back together before long. Ka-Zar fought and defeated Thanos in one of his many attempts to end life, and later sought the help of investigator Jessica Jones for assistance locating Zabu.[27]
Shanna and Ka-Zar find Skrulls mining the rare metal vibranium in the Savage Land. Soon afterward as part of the Secret Invasion storyline, a Skrull ship crashes in the Savage Land releasing earlier versions of modern superheroes (who claim to be the originals replaced by Skrulls for some time), and who have escaped. Shanna and Ka-Zar soon learn, however, that these are simply more Skrulls in disguise. Spider-Man soon encounters Ka-Zar, Shanna, Zabu, and some of the natives accusing them of being Skrulls. Just then, the Captain America from the ship attacked thinking the same for Spider-Man. Ka-Zar, Shanna, and Zabu help Spider-Man fight Captain America until Captain America is hit by a dart, revealing him to be a Skrull imposter.[28]
Ka-Zar later appears as a member of the Agents of Wakanda.[29]
Ka-Zar would have trouble adjusting to his newly expanded senses while life in the Savage Land would come under threat by a precursor to its creation known as Domovoy the Flesh Weaver. He would work through this odd connection with the world Kevin calls home now shared between him and his wife in the time needed to save their son from the Polyscion's plans of global terraforming.[30]
In the meantime, between domestic concerns and globe trotting adventures, Ka-Zar would continue his work as an Agent of Wakanda. Working as a temporal explorer sent back to the distant past of the newly-formed Earth on an observation mission regarding its primordial defenders wellbeing on T'Challa's behalf. After an encounter with the ancient ancestors of Earth's Mightiest, during a battle with Kid Thanos of Titan, a rival time traveler, Ka-Zar's attempted return to his own time is waylaid by the Iron Inquisitor on orders from Mephisto. Finding himself stranded in an alien timeline on a world soon to be consumed by its still living iteration of Galactus, Ka-Zar poises himself for the fight of his life. He soon becomes Galactus' new herald in exchange for maneuvering this new handler into getting back to his home reality to warn the Avengers of the threat posed to their universe. Now backed by the Power Cosmic, the Savage Herald seeks out viable and uninhabited planets for Galactus to feed upon whilst navigating time and space to make his way home.[31]
