Stuart Moore has proven with his work on Dark Horse's Lone that he's quite comfortable writing about post-Apocalyptic landscapes and the freaks that inhabit them, so he was an excellent choice to bring the late Jack Kirby's Kamandi back to life in DC's animated universe. But this story isn't about Kamandi and the plight of humans in an ugly future. It's about one man's optimism and sense of duty coming into conflict with and being overwhelmed by harsh realities and understandable frustrations. I really enjoyed the fact that this Kamandi story is really about the Flash, the member of the core cast of character to which it is easiest to relate.
In a distant future in which intelligent apes reign supreme and are hunting humans into extinction, a brave young man named Kamandi leads his animal allies on a quest for a time machine rumored to be hidden near the apes' stronghold. Kamandi hopes to change the past and improve the future in which he exists, but instead, they bring forward a hero from yesteryear: the Flash. It proves to be bad timing, as the Flash is the one member of the Justice League considering bailing on the super-hero game, disheartened by the futility of his efforts.
One of the reasons I so enjoyed this issue is the participation of penciller Tim Levins. His unique style shines through the DC animated house style while not ditching the look, and he handles the action of the story nicely, as well as the emotional conflict that brews within the Flash. Levins's take on Kamandi incorporates a nice Kirby influence but not an overwhelming one. My only qualm with the art is that Levins doesn't really convey the sheer power of the numbers of antagonists, a feel the cover achieves.
Moore's script boasts an important element: accessibility. He sums up the Kamandi premise nicely and doesn't get bogged down in such details as how the character got his name. In some past Kamandi stories I've read, that minor point was always played up as being rather significant. Moore drives home the notion of extinction to younger readers with the Kamandi character. His life isn't about heroism; it's about survival. That sets him apart from other heroes who have turned up over the course of this series.
This is a story about quitting, and Moore presents a strong moral for the younger readers at whom this title is aimed. Yes, the plot is a bit obvious, but it works. Moore's script never gets too melancholy. The threat Kamandi faces in the future boasts an appropriate air of menace, but the creators are also cognizant that talking animals in the future is a good bit of fun as well and present them as such.
