Kalimán or Kalimán, the Incredible Man is a popular Mexican adventurer superhero, created by Rafael Cutberto Navarro and Modesto Vázquez González in 1963. He is the main character of the radio drama bearing his name, which depicts the adventures of Kalimán, a descendant of the Egyptian Pharaohs, and his young companion, Solín. Kalimán is very well known and popular across Spanish America, and the radio series spawned a comic book series and two film adaptations. The adventures of Kalimán were published as a serialized weekly comic, and printed for twenty-six consecutive years, with the series reaching its highest popularity in 1965; it is still quite popular today in reprints and in paperback format. Kalimán himself is considered as a Mexican pop culture icon and one of the first and most representative examples of Mexican superheroes.

Origin and powers

Kalimán's true origin is unknown, and never revealed in any media, which adds to the sense of mystery that surrounds his character. He is supposedly an Indian orphan, who was found abandoned in a river and adopted by Prince Abul Pasha, who hails from one of the kingdoms in the Valley of Kalimantan. He is the fifth in a dynasty of men dedicated to preserving justice in the world, and the seventh man of the goddess Kali's dynasty. He swore an oath to Kali to wander the world fighting for justice, and must return to India in order to renew the oath every seven years. However, Kalimán not only has Caucasian features, but also intense blue eyes, one of his most notorious characteristics, which only adds more mystery to his true identity. It is also frequently mentioned that he has a vast knowledge of science and the arts, including the fine arts, engineering, architecture, chemistry, and biology.

Kalimán wears an all-white outfit (except for the reverse of his cloak, which is dark red), with just one mark: a jeweled-encased "K" in front of his turban. The original running time was up to 180 minutes, but was cut down to 109 for later TV release.

The second film was Kalimán en el Siniestro Mundo de Humanón (Kalimán in the Sinister World of Humanón) (1976), based on the adventures from radio and comic of the same name; it was filmed on location in Brazil and México. It was less successful than the first film, and for some time, there were no plans for other movies based on the character.

As of 2011, there have been plans for a third movie, with the working title of Kalimán Regresa (Kalimán Returns), but they have been on hold, due to copyright issues. In 2015, it was finally announced that José Ángel Medina was the legal owner of all the character copyrights. Medina also stated he was negotiating with Marvel Comics for a deal to reprint the comics, but also included an option to produce a movie.

Novel adaptation

In 2016, to commemorate the first fifty years of Kalimán, the first radio drama script, "Los Profanadores de Tumbas" ("The Tomb Raiders"), was rewritten and adapted to a novel format. The book also includes new illustrations specifically made for it by René del Valle, one of the artists who collaborated with the comic in its final years of publication.

References

  • Unofficial website