Where Monsters Dwell #15: Kraa -- the Unhuman!

Where Monsters Dwell #15, with a publication date of May 1972 and original cover art by John Severin, features a reprint of the Tales of Suspense #18 (June 1961) cover story, "Kraa the Unhuman!"

A Lee-Kirby monster tale in the classic Silver Age mode -- meaning, the Cold War is either overtly or covertly a central part of the narrative, as it is in "Fin Fang Foom!" and Fin Fang Foom prototype Grogg! -- "Kraa the Unhuman!" is another example of Lee-Kirby doing a walk-through in a monster story of a blockbuster superhero title soon to come; in this case, The Incredible Hulk #1 of May 1962.

"Kraa the Unhuman!" is a poor African guy who falls into a hunter's pit trap right before an invading army from the East (a.k.a., the Soviet Union) sets off a nuclear test explosion; he is transformed into a suffering behemoth who the benighted natives worship as a god.

The other protagonist in "Kraa the Unhuman" is a meek teacher who is held in low esteem by his students. One day he decides to transform his life and travel to Africa to learn the meaning behind the Wabuzi tribe's worship of a strange idol. The teacher lectures his class that

Much of Africa is strange and mysterious! Even in this, the twentieth century, we understand little of its tribal customs and superstitions!

For instance, one of the most primitive tribes -- the Wabuzi -- has started fashioning many statues like this one! We don't know what this strange, grotesque figure represents, but I personally feel it is something sinister! Something evil!

Once in the jungle, the teacher makes contact with Kraa. Kraa says he will kill him. The teacher asks Kraa to tell him his story before Kraa takes his life. This is when we learn about the secret nuclear tests of the Red Army and Kraa's transformation into a brute.

The teacher realizes that Kraa is suffering from radiation sickness and is in great pain. He offers to apply some soothing ointment to Kraa's burning skin, and in performing this act of kindness he wins Kraa's trust.

Kraa ends up sacrificing his life to protect the teacher from a giant luridly colored python. The Wabuzis hail the teacher as a conquering god, replacing Kraa's image with the teacher's as their new idol.

Teacher returns home a new man; his dismissive students, dumbfounded:

So ends my tale! Since that time, my pupils have had new respect for me . . . and, what is more, I have had new respect for myself! But I owe it all to a strange, lifeless figure who shall remain unknown until the world is ready to understand! The figure of . . . Kraa, the Unhuman!

Stan Lee has managed a tidy little fantasy of white supremacy here.

At the time Tales of Suspense #18 originally appeared, the Freedom Rides of 1961 were just getting underway. The view of Africans as superstitious, ignorant -- un-human, really -- that is expressed in "Kraa the Unhuman!" was no doubt a broadly held belief in the United States, one that extended to include African-American citizens. Stan Lee always framed his narratives firmly in the language of conventional wisdom.

The fact that Kraa is a sympathetic character though -- not evil, not sinister (that role is played by the Commies and their nuclear test); in fact, Kraa sacrifices his life for the white man -- points the way to the political victories of the civil rights movement that were fast approaching.

The last four scans are from a story -- "Dead Ringer!" -- that concludes Where Monsters Dwell #15. The art is by Rich Buckler, channeling Jim Steranko, in one of his first assignments for Marvel.