Marvel Snap has been an incredible success story since its launch. The game has rivaled other card collection titans, such as Hearthstone, in terms of popularity. The game also evolves constantly, with relatively short seasons and a steady influx of cards.
One of the cards that jumped into the spotlight with the Savage Land season is an older one, Ka-Zar. This card has been the crux of many strategies involving one-cost cards and swarming the field. It's always fun to examine the different Variant arts of a card, and it's as good a time as any to focus on the protector of the Savage Land.
5 Ka-Zar: Pixel Variant
Almost all cards in Marvel Snap have a Pixel Variant. These pixelated versions of mighty heroes and villains are usually quite fun. However, the simpler a character's original design is, the harder it is to make it interesting when reducing the pixel count. Unfortunately, Ka-Zar, being a muscular man with long blond hair, doesn't have too much going on to translate well into pixel art.
To be fair, the pose is somewhat dynamic, with Ka-Zar running while holding a blade of sorts. However, nothing about this Variant jumps out at you. A better Pixel Variant could have easily included Ka-Zar's companions, Zabu and Shanna the She-Devil. Thematic art would even be possible, with the Pixel Variants of said characters' cards coming together to reveal a whole scene.
4 Ka-Zar: Base Art
Some cards in Marvel Snap have base versions that are handily outshined by the rarer Variants. However, some cards simply look amazing in their base form, and Ka-Zar definitely falls under that category. The line work, shading, and pose are all impeccable, and he looks dynamic in a lush jungle environment. It's only this low on the ranking due to the great Variants on offer.
Ka-Zar is a man of the forest. He survived being alone with Zabu in the Savage Land, only to become its protector later. He's allied with several iconic heroes and has protected many more. Ka-Zar is a determined, reliable, and unyielding hero, and all these traits are well represented in this art. On top of being an already amazing card in terms of mechanics, Ka-Zar also grew in popularity in Marvel Snap due to his awesome look. This is also the purest form of the superhero landing trope, so there's that.
3 Ka-Zar: Dan Hipp Variant
Dan Hipp is possibly one of the most recognizable artists working in comic books today. While he may not be as iconic as Alex Ross (which few people are), Hipp's style is instantly recognizable due to its cartoony and simple look. He also served as the art director of Teen Titans Go!, which makes a lot of sense when you see the Dan Hipp Variants of cards in Marvel Snap.
The Hipp Variants are all adorable and great-looking, to be fair. Ka-Zar is no different, having exaggerated features, simple coloring, and a very dynamic pose. We see Ka-Zar leaping forwards with a giant knife in his hands, with a hilarious facial expression to boot. There are several Variants in Marvel Snap that are on the cute side of things, but the Hipp Variant really takes the cake.
2 Ka-Zar: 3099 Variant
Many of you are familiar with the 2099 universe in Marvel Comics, a parallel future where dystopia and oppressive regimes came to pass. However, Marvel 3099 is a lesser-known property, originating from Marvel Future Fight of all places. Since the idea originated from a video game and not decades of comic book history, little detail is known about the 3099 universes, other than that its inhabitants are weirdly into neon.
Right out of the gate, it's incredibly cool of Marvel Snap's developers to dig deep and give such an unknown property its own Variant. On top of being such a novel look, it also looks amazing on Ka-Zar. We see the Tarzan-esque man with a cybernetic leg and metallic pieces of clothing. He has a large blade in hand and seems to be leaping onto an enemy from higher up. The pose, coloring, and linework are all incredible, and make for a real treat.
1 Ka-Zar: Savage Land Variant
It makes a lot of sense for great care to be put into the Savage Land Variant of the protector of Savage Land himself. Released with the Savage Land battle pass season, it depicts Ka-Zar in his rawest look yet. He looks like a warrior with flowing hair and muscles upon muscles, and while the scars and pose make him feel war-torn, he still looks vicious. As if that wasn't enough, a pterodactyl and a Tyrannosaurus rex are seen peeking into the frame in the background.
On top of its content, this art is undeniably gorgeous. Having a bit of an Alex Ross-like oil painting style, it makes the lights and colors pop like no other Variant. The shadows and details are impeccable, and certainly worthy of a comic book cover. Ka-Zar has a long and complicated history with the Savage Land, finding many allies and enemies there throughout his publication history. This Variant feels the most like it captures the character's essence, and it's a beautiful sight.