Google celebrates late cartoonist Kamn Ismail, creator of Keluang Man

Google today pays tribute to the late cartoonist Kamn Ismail with a Doodle on their home page. Kamn Ismail, whose full name is Haji Kamarudin bin Ismail, was best known for creating Malaysia’s first comic superhero – Keluang Man.

Kamn Ismail would have turned 67 today.

Born in 1956 in Pengkalan Balak, Melaka, Kamn Ismail was initially discouraged by his father to be a cartoonist in fear it would not give him a stable life. Heeding his father’s concern, he went on to work as a clerk at Keretapi Tanah Melayu railway (KTMB) for 17 years. Despite being discouraged, Kamn Ismail stayed true to his passions and secretly learned computer animation to fuel his dreams of being a cartoonist.

His career as an animator finally launched when he caught the eye of television production company Kharisma Pictures. During his time here, he directed Malaysia’s first animated television series, Usop Sontorian.

Kamn Ismail soon found himself as director of UAS Animation Studio. It was here that he created the iconic superhero Keluang Man.

Bringing Keluang Man to life

Keluang Man follows the story of Borhan, a mental patient at Hospital Bahagia Tampoi who moonlights as a crime-fighting hero at night. Together with his trusty sidekick Tiong Man, they take on numerous enemies to protect society.

Keluang Man first aired on RTM1 in 1998. After 7 seasons spanning 144 episodes, the series eventually ended in 2005.

Kamn Ismail is often regarded as the pioneer of digital animation in Malaysia due to his work on Keluang Man. His technique of combining 2D animation with 3D background was considered groundbreaking at that time. He went on to win numerous awards, including Best Animated Film at the Malaysia Film Festival.

Kamn Ismail passed away in December 2019 at the age of 63.