Kamandi Challenge #3 Review

Written by: Jimmy Palmiotti

Art by: Amanda Conner

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue #3 brings us a team we’ve never seen before! Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. What wonders can they create together?

Which was the case with the previous issue, this issue of Kamandi continues directly where issue #2 ended. Our hero here seemingly has finally found a little bit of a respite from the craziness that happened before; however, that was all a front.

Palmiotti manages to write the weirdest part of the story so far. As the story progresses, weirder and weirder things start happening until the final pages, which are just completely insane. As a fair critic one has to say that lot of things here don’t make a whole bunch of sense, but they almost don’t have to. You are either for a ride or you are not. This issue deals with slavery, cannibalism, and that’s the normal stuff. Nobody will ever have a way of touching what Kirby has done with Kamandi books, but it’s always nice to see these characters revisited.

Jimmy is joined by his wife Amanda who has drawn an entire issue of the book. For someone what has been concentrating on drawing mostly covers, it is nice to finally see her on a book.

He gives Kamandi more of a boyish look versus what Eaglasham and Adams did in the previous two issues. The style really fits as her art is very animated, and it fits the world of Kamandi the best so far.

It is a shame that Conner does not do more books straight on, as her runs on Terra, Power Girl, and Harley Quinn were some of the most fun books in a while.

Kamandi Challenge continues to be a very weird book that is not for everyone. It is nice to see DC actually acknowledge the works of Jack Kirby, and as flawed as these books are–and they are relatively flawed–they are also very fun to read. Kirby’s creations are rarely used anymore on the DC side minus the obvious one, and that mostly tells us how ahead of the curve Kirby is. Characters such as Omac, New Gods, Fourth World, Mister Miracle, Demon, and Klarion. But if you do have time do yourself a favor and check those runs out as they are amazing!

Overall, the third chapter of the challenge is the best yet, mostly because it feels the most like Kirby. Sometimes it is over the top and does not make much sense; however, it is a fun book, and Amanda Conner’s art is always nice to see!