INSPECTOR ZEEL

Real Name: Zeel

Class: Parallel Earth (Earth-AD) animal mutant

Occupation: Inspector

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Seaway, Michigan, Earth-AD

First Appearance: Kamandi #21 (September, 1974)

Powers: Zeel was an intelligent dolphin, who traveled by land in a seawater container.

History: (Kamandi #21) - 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. Zeel was interested in Kamandi, and offered to let him travel with them, but Kamandi declined, finding Zeel to be condescending. Kamandi changed a mind when he was almost devoured by a giant crab that emerged from Monster Lake, and together they wandered Michigan's wastelands, and Zeel showed him the Barrier, a zone of radiation that contained the Domain of the Devils. Feral humans attacked them, damaging Zeel's container before fleeing when they heard the buzzing of the Devils. Zeel would need to get back to water, and told Kamandi if he didn't make it to find Seaway and tell them "Base Found." They staid near the Barrier to avoid more attacks from ferals, but a Devil, an enormous mutated wasp, broke through the Barrier and attacked. Kamandi stumbled into a deep ditch. Kamandi, Zeel and Ahab were saved by Ben Boxer, Renzi and Steve, who were working with the dolphins as a Radiation Rescue Squad, saving those who'd gotten to close to the Barrier and keeping Devils at bay. They were thrilled to see their old friend Kamandi, and after placing Zeel in a moisture bag they made their way to Seaway. Kamandi, Zeel and Ahab were placed in a decontamination unit to remove excess radiation, and when they recovered the mutants gave Kamandi a tour of the dolphin's peaceful utopia and told him about the Red Baron. Ben showed Kamandi the squires' quarters, where humans were trained as warriors and assigned to a dolphin. Dolphin Teela had a crush on Kamandi, and received a permit to make him her squire, but he bristled at the idea of being a servant. Teela told him humans were partners, not slaves, but as she talked Red Baron attacked, killing her with a speargun and blowing up one of the squire quarters. Ben and the others prepared to fight back, and Kamandi demanded to join them to avenge Teela. 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 Red 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.