RED BARON

Real Name: Red Baron

Class: Parallel Earth (Earth-AD) human

Occupation: Raider

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Monster Lake, Michigan, Earth-AD

First Appearance: Kamandi #22 (October, 1974)

Powers: Red Baron rode an undersea submersible, and was armed with spear guns and projectile explosives.

History: (Kamandi #22, 23) - In the aftermath of the nuclear Great Disaster most of humanity perished, and the majority of survivors devolved into feral savages, while animals evolved intelligence. Dolphins created a peaceful utopian society called Seaway, and trained feral humans using old movies to be warriors and squires. They warred with the killer whales, who raided them with their trained humans, led by the Red Baron. Dolphin Inspector Zeel and his squire Ahab, who recited Abraham Lincoln quotes, went on a mission to find the Red Baron's base, discovering it in Monster Lake. They were attacked by a group of raiders, but fended them off with the help of adventurer Kamandi. They returned to Seaway, but Red Baron made a preemptive attack, killing the dolphin Teela with a speargun and blowing up one of Seaway's squire quarters. Human mutants Ben Boxer, Renzi and Steve, who were working with the dolphins prepared to strike back, and Kamandi demanded to join them, having grown to see Teela as a friend. Kamandi went on a ski-team patrol, strapping on water-skis and being led by two dolphins in search of raiders. He found the Red Baron, who killed Kamandi's two dolphins and nearly drowned him before Ben, Steve and Renzi saved him. Kamandi wanted another crack at him, saying he hated men like Rec Baron who made war a way of life. The Baron ambushed another ski-patrol, killing a number of humans, including Ahab. Zeel was heartbroken when Kamandi broke the news to him, having become inseparable from his squire. Ben, Steve and Renzi decided to go after the Baron themselves, changing into their metal forms. Kamandi joined them, and they soon found the Baron. During the fight Ben leapt on the Baron and his supply of explosives detonated. The Baron was dead, but Kamandi could find no trace of his friends. The Red Baron's killer whale master found him dead and sunk Kamandi's ship, preparing to kill him for destroying his perfect murder machine. Kamandi told him the Baron's death was his fault for engaging in meaningless brutal war, and the stunned whale swam off.

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby.