Ka-Zar

Do you pronounce it KAY-zar or KUH-zar? Or possibly k'ZAR? In a lost world full of prehistoric dinosaurs, Ka-Zar performs heroics as Lord of the Jungle alongside the sabretooth Zabu. The oldest character Marvel publishes is... well, technically it's Gilgamesh, since he was created over 4,000 years ago, but as far as in-house creations go, you could give the crown to Ka-Zar: although the character as he's known today was introduced in 1965's Uncanny X-Men #10, that was just a revamp of the character who had appeared in Marvel Comics #1 in 1939 (and continued to appear until issue #27), which would give him the same vintage as Namor and the original Human Torch, except that the story in that issue was an adaptation of an even earlier one, 1936's "King of Fang and Claw," published in the first issue of Ka-Zar Magazine by the same company that would eventually become Marvel. This Ka-Zar has a broad, chisel-jawed face, and shoulder-length blonde hair tucked behind one ear. You'd think, living in the primeval jungles of the Savage Land, he'd also have grown a full beard, but apparently the alien technology that keeps a lush tropical climate running in the middle of Antarctica also encourages the growth of... I don't know, berries with depilatory juice? Lord Kevin Plunder was sculpted by scrumpatious demi-lich Paul Harding. The torso is new, as are the loincloth and boots. Hasbro really should have sprung for new arms, as well: these have a line molded around the forearm, presumably a holdover from Vulcan's gloves. They do have arms without that line sculpted, so why not use some of them? This isn't dramatically distracting or anything, but there were better options available and Hasbro simply chose not to employ them. The figure gets a bunch of extra hands: a pair of fists, a pair for holding accessories, and a pair clutching wildly. They all swap easily, and all feature a hinge in the hand in addition to the swivel where they plug into the wrist. Other articulation includes swivel/hinge feet, a balljointed head, swivel shins, hinged neck, double-hinged knees, pectoral hinges, swivel thighs, swive;/hinge biceps, balljointed hips, double-hinged elbows, swivel waist, and hinged abdomen. Considering the torso is new, it's nice that it has a hinge/balljoinbt instead of a barbell, since that provides a better range of motion. It's also good to remember these figures are meant to have shins, since Hasbro seems intent on you forgetting. In addition to all the hands, Ka-Zar comes with two accessories: a stone spear and a large knife. That second one can be stored in the little loop on the back of his belt. He also comes with Zabu's right front leg. Ka-Zar was far from the only character created to cash in on the popularity of Tarzan in the first half of the 20th century, but he is the only who's still appearing in new adventures today - not too bad for a guy whose magazine only lasted three issues before cancellation! The last time Hasbro made a Ka-Zar Marvel Legend, it was a holdover ToyBiz sculpt. This one is definitely better, even if he is slightly more lonely. -- 02/24/25 How do you pronounce his name? Tell us on our message board, the Loafing Lounge.