The Kamandi Challenge: Breaking Down The Cliffhangers (SPOILERS!) With Bill Willingham

Today, DC released the fourth issue of The Kamandi Challenge, by Bill Willingham and Ivan Reis, [...]

By Russ Burlingame

Today, DC released the fourth issue of The Kamandi Challenge, by Bill Willingham and Ivan Reis, which picked up on the cliffhanger left behind by last month's creative team, James Tynion IV and Carlos D'Anda.

kamandi-challenge-05-001
(Photo: DC Entertainment)

The concept of The Kamandi Challenge is that each incoming writer/artist team will leave a cliffhanger to be picked up by the previous team, "challenging" them to get the characters out of the mess they've put them in.

The series was conceived not only as a fun event series and a way to make the Kamandi property something that DC can use again, but as a celebration of the hundredth birthday of Jack Kirby, which will come later this year.

At the end of the fourth issue, Kamandi found himself going on a desert road race with mutant kangaroos -- and not the nice kind you might see in Tank Girl. By the issue's end, he was literally being dissected alive, his organs in jars and on trays while his body itself was hollow and somehow still functioning.

Writer Bill Willingham joined us to discuss three quick questions that we've been asking each successive creative team. You can see them below.

You can also check out both of this issue's cliffhangers in the attached image gallery.

Writer Bill Willingham joined ComicBook.com to answer a few quick questions about the issue, which you can read by picking it up at your local comic shop or buying it digitally.

What was my reaction to the cliffhanger you received?

Confidence. In real life a rolling, running shoot-out would be a dangerous and dire situation. In fiction one has the prerogative to fairly decide none of the shots hit our heroes. The bigger challenge was getting them away from Australia and over the sea to Indo China within a few pages.

What did you pay forward to the next creative team?

Not much, since my intention was to leave them so dispirited by the end of my issue that they had no recourse but to quit, in total and abject surrender. It didn't quite work out that way. They came up with a way out of the death trap pretty quickly.

But more seriously, if some sort of ongoing Kamandi series comes out of this, I think the stalwart crew of the Typhoon free trading ship, and the intrepid consulting detective (and former superstar wrestler) Roaring Raja Macow would be interesting to see again.

How have you been inspired by Kirby?

Indirectly by everything he's done. He's a creator of vast worlds and characters of high drama. To emulate Kirby is to set aside your shame and timidity. Go big. Make bold statements, and then don't undermine those statements by trying to explain too much. Too much explanation actually robs a story of power. Kirby seemed to know that all along. It took me thirty years in the business to learn the same lessons.

In a more direct way, I was privileged to have two conversations with Jack before he died. He was mannered and encouraging, and offered this advice: "If you want to be like me, create your own stuff. If you want to honor me, create your own stuff." I hope Fables (and a few other things) fit the bill, Jack.

MORE The Kamandi Challenge:

The first four issues of The Kamandi Challenge are availble in comic book stores and online at ComiXology today.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of