Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in The X-Men #10 (March 1965), he lives in the dinosaur-populated Savage Land, which was hidden in Antarctica by extraterrestrials.

The character was based on his pulp magazine namesake only to the extent that he used the same name and rough "jungle lord" concept, and Lee later admitted that he had never even read any of the original Ka-Zar stories.

After his mother had died and his father was killed by the barbaric Man-Ape natives led by Maa-Gor in the Savage Land, Plunder was found and raised by the saber-toothed cat Zabu, who possesses near-human intelligence thanks to a mutation caused by radioactive mists.

In the Savage Land, some territories are populated by several human or humanoid tribes, and while most of them are on friendly terms with Ka-Zar, some of them consider him an outlander and an enemy.

He acts more like an unofficial general protector, preventing outside commercial exploitation, such as poaching and mining, as well as enforcing peace between tribes and serving as goodwill ambassador to friendly visitors.

[29] His brother Parnival arrived in the Savage Land, searching for anti-metal Vibranium, and was apparently killed during his scheme (though much later turned up alive).

The X-Men are recurrent visitors to the Savage Land and Ka-Zar has been a frequent ally, helping the mutant team defeat both inside and outside menaces such as Sauron and Magneto.

Ka-Zar has also assisted the Avengers in their attempt to repel the space conqueror Terminus, but while they rescued many natives, they were unable to prevent the destruction of the Savage Land.

The territory was later reconstructed by the High Evolutionary using Garokk, and Ka-Zar and Shanna returned with their newborn and resumed their previous roles.

Ka-Zar fought and defeated Thanos in one of his many attempts to end life, and later sought the help of investigator Jessica Jones for assistance locating Zabu.

[41] During "The War of the Realms" storyline, Ka-Zar picks up Gorilla-Man from the Wundagore Zoo in Transia, who was discussing with Ursa Major about an undercover operation he is running for Black Panther, and takes him to Avengers Mountain.

Ka-Zar and Gorilla Man are then seen inside Roxxon's secret base in Antarctica, fighting the company's Berserkers alongside Blade.

[43] Due to her connection with the Savage Land's lifeforce which the Cotati took advantage of, Shanna tries to get Ka-Zar to join them as Matthew states to Black Knight that they have to do something.

To assist her, Scarlet Witch brings Ka-Zar into Shanna's mind where he learns that some creatures in the Savage Land are dying and trees are falling.

[45] Ka-Zar would have trouble adjusting to his newly expanded senses while life in the Savage Land would come under threat by a precursor to its creation known as Domovoy the Flesh Weaver.

He would work through this odd connection with the world Kevin calls home now shared between him & his wife in the time needed to save their son from the Polyscion's plans of global terraforming.

Working as a temporal explorer sent back to the distant past of the newly-formed Earth on an observation mission regarding its primordial defenders wellbeing on T'Challa's behalf.

Finding himself stranded in an alien timeline on a world soon to be consumed by its still living iteration of Galactus, Ka-Zar poises himself for the fight of his life.

He soon becomes Galactus' new herald in exchange for maneuvering this new handler into getting back to his home reality to warn the Avengers of the threat posed to their universe.

Now backed by the Power Cosmic, the Savage Herald seeks out viable and uninhabited planets for Galactus to feed upon whilst navigating time and space to make his way home.

It was revealed in Astonishing Tales #11, scripted by Roy Thomas, that Ka-Zar's and Zabu's physical abilities had been enhanced by passing through some mysterious mist.

He now boasts an even greater extrasensory connection with the primeval realm he calls home, Ka-Zar's senses having been expanded to the point he can literally share sensations with the Savage Land and its faunal denizens.

[57] A version of Kevin Plunder, named Kavin Plundarr, is Gotowar Konanegg,[58] a Captain Britain Corps member who featured in The Mighty World of Marvel (vol.

They play an integral part in Universe X - leading Captain America and the reborn Mar-Vell to the gateway to Limbo, and helping the X-Men and Wakandan refugees escape the cannibalistic hordes of Wendigo.

[volume & issue needed] It is briefly noted in Marvel Zombies that a zombified Quicksilver managed to spread the virus to the Savage Land, infecting Ka-Zar and Zabu.