History: (Kamandi #1) - 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.  The Tiger-Men were led by Great Caesar, who carved out the Tiger Empire along America's east coast. During a pitched battle between Caesar's men against the Leopard-Men off the NJ Turnpike a sniper locked his sights on Caesar. Kamandi, a boy who grew up in a bunker in the wake of the Great Disaster, shot the sniper. Caesar was amused by the idea of an intelligent human, and handed him over to some of his troops to bring back to the royal city where he'd be Caesar's pet. After Caesar's victory he returned to the city, and the populace commenced a religious victory ceremony. They raised a nuclear warhead from the ground and worshipped it. Kamandi decided he'd rather die than live in this new world, and tried to use Caesar's heat mace to trigger the bomb. Dr. Canus stopped him, and after convincing Caesar he wanted him for research he assured Kamandi there was a place for an oddity like him in this world.

(Kamandi #4) - Tuftan was the prince of the Tiger Empire, and his father Great Caesar sent him on a mission to infiltrate the gorilla city in Nevada. Tuftan and his men encountered Gorilla-Men soldiers, and he allowed himself to be captured. Kamandi, the last boy on Earth, was also a captive of the gorillas, and after escaping fled through side streets until he found a pipe that led to Tuftan's cell. When Tuftan offered him food Kamandi told him he could get his own, and they argued about the contributions of humanity. Tuftan refused to believe humans once kept his people in zoos. Kamandi told him he could escape through the pipe, but Tuftan assured him he had his own plan. Great Caesar led an army against the gorillas, and the remaining guards left to join the fight. Tuftan smashed his way out of his cell, and told Kamandi he had his own business to attend to, but he thought Kamandi was interesting and almost considered him an equal. Kamandi shadowed him and discovered his aim in being captured. The prison was part of an old USAF base, and the Tiger Empire had reports of an intact bomber plane. Tuftan planned to claim the plane and reverse engineer it so Caesar would have a powerful new weapon of war. Kamandi didn't want to see weapons of the past used to repeat the destruction humans caused, so he used a flamethrower to explode the plane. Tuftan promised he'd pay for his treachery.

(Kamandi #5) - Tuftan helped Kamandi navigate his way through the gorilla-tiger battleground, telling him he'd serve as living proof to Caesar as to why he failed. Kamandi told him he had no intention of going before Great Caesar, and Tuftan threatened to crack his skull if he tried to leave his side. They ended up in a home housing human cattle, and Kamandi shot their gorilla guard, hoping to free them. Tiger soldiers arrived, announcing their victory over the gorillas, and took Tuftan with them. Kamandi freed the humans and fled, but was followed by Flower, a beautiful young woman. They were soon recaptured by the tigers, and Caesar staged a gladiatorial contest to celebrate his victory, choosing Kamandi as a combatant for foiling his plan to get aircraft technology. Tuftan pleaded for Kamandi's life, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Caesar said they barely talked these days, and told Tuftan his whole generation was weak, yet disruptive. Kamandi was pitted against a captured gorilla, and almost died before Tuftan jumped into the arena and saved him. Tuftan said he had to be half-mad to deft his father, but Kamandi said he'd never forget that his friend had saved his life. Caesar was disgusted, but at that moment gorilla reinforcements attacked, and a negotiator demanded the tigers leave their land. Caesar's code of honor made surrender impossible, so Kamandi acted as a mediator. Both sides saw the intelligent human as a possible mystic creature, a voice of the spirits, and they agreed to listen to him. He found an old slot machine and suggested that the winner of a slots game would control the territory. Caesar lost, but both sides were grateful there'd be no more bloodshed that day. Caesar told Kamandi he brought him nothing but bad luck, and asked him to go away. Kamandi asked for a vehicle and Flower's freedom, and Caesar granted him his requests.

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby.

Great Caesar’s appearance in Kamandi #1 was reprinted in Kamandi #32.

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