Kameelman #1

Posted: Tuesday, December 10, 2002
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Kameelman #1 Writer(s): T-BONE
Artist(s): Ron Randall (P), James Tayylor (I)
Publishers: A1 Oregon Publishing
From: USA
Price: $2.99 (US)

Being a teenager sure is tough enough for most people, what if you happen to share some genes with the chameleon and can morph to resemble anyone you meet? Talk about having a hard time forming a positive self image! Zack (Kameelman) Ziegler tries to do the best he can with his abilities, and to that end he is part of the Heroes Amongst Us project, a group of teenagers who come to the aid of other troubled youth. This gives us a premise which is a mix of the A-Team, X-Men, Party of Five and a hint of Mission Impossible.

The plotting manages to cover all the bases with the first issue, introducing us to the characters and there abilities within the framework of a typical assignment for the team. A teenager is getting bullied, talks about it in a chat room and is soon meeting with Zack and some of the glamours females on the team. They infiltrate the school and set about trying to deal with the problem. The outcome is never really in doubt, though why the heroes team just didn't complain to the principal until something was done is never explained.

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Those of you looking for top quality illustration work will find it here. Ron and James turn in some very polished work. The number of cheesecake poses for the female characters was a bit high for my liking, but I can't fault the art skills on display.

As a comic with a moral this does well to combine entertainment with ideas. Teenagers will pick up some problem solving techniques that might just help them in their own schoolyard relationships, thought the kids who don't like being lectured at might find this too preachy. Adults might want to steer clear unless the idea of reliving their awkward teenage years appeals.

In a Word: Adolescence.



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