Kokotomo Island
Kokotomo Island, also referred as the Island of Kokotomo or simply Kokotomo, and occasionally as “the Fantasy Island”, was a mysterious, magical island ruled by Mr Montibar. It could be accessed from multiple different universes.
Nature
Kokotomo was a paradise island located nowhere in particular, surrounded by a small amount of blue sea and a ring of magical mists. It was entirely under the control of Mr Montibar, who would select potential guests. Prospective guests would see their homes briefly covered by the same magical mists, and, when those would clear, would find a letter of invitation. (PROSE: The Setting of Kokotomo) On one occasion, the invitation was instead delivered, perhaps unwittingly, by an interdimensional eldritch abomination. (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond) At any rate, should they accept, a white sea-plane would appear, awaiting them at “the nearest body of water” to take them“ through the veil of haze and into the waters around Fantasy Island, up the river and to the resort”. There, they would be greeted in person by Montibar.
The Island had the ability to make people's dreams come true, with the more elaborate ones taking place within pocket realities that existed inside the “cottages” dotting the jungle on the Northern side of the island. Even people who accessed Kokotomo Island accidentally and did not get the greeting from Montibar would see the magics of the island begin to bring their dreams and desires to life, although this was still ultimately under the control of Montibar. (PROSE: The Setting of Kokotomo)
History
At some point, a group of castaways became shipwrecked in a small cover on the Northern side of the island. They remained secluded from the other residents of the Island, becoming trapped in a fantasy, although whether it was their own or someone/something else's remained a mystery. (PROSE: The Setting of Kokotomo)
Mr Montibar once invited a number of fantastical characters from across the Multiverse to Kokotomo at once. They included:
- Ibdis and Junter; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
- Gin; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
- Grey Fox; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
- Thomas and Zachary; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
- Queen Karen; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
- Marie-Ange Lebeau; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
- Nintendo; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
- Abúi, Scale and Aggie; (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond, Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014)
- Gertrude and Brunhilda, as well as their “auntie” Freya; (COMIC: 2014 KAMeo Kaper)
- Flame Thrower and Michael; (COMIC: Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014)
- Amazona and Jaguar Man; (COMIC: Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014)
- the Odds, including Captain Evening, Merv the Griffin, Armstrong Fatbuckle, the Blue Knight, Centennia and Jenny Everywhere. (COMIC: Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014)
- Astral; (COMIC: 2014 KAMeo Kaper)
- Victory; (COMIC: 2014 KAMeo Kaper)
- Koi Lusa; (COMIC: 2014 KAMeo Kaper)
- Supertrans; (COMIC: 2014 KAMeo Kaper)
- Pinball; (COMIC: 2014 KAMeo Kaper)
- Wolverine; (COMIC: 2014 KAMeo Kaper)
- Kaza, Gwenna, Nula and Smedley; (Kokotomo (Kaza's Mate, Gwenna comic story))
Some Copyright Fairies were also present on the Island, although it's unclear whether they were invited guests. (COMIC: A Letter From Beyond)
The Odds were among the first to leave, departing in the same sea-plane that had brought them after a fulfilling, if short, vacation. Jenny and Centennia chose to stay behind, partying on the beach with Montibar; they, as well as Captain Evening, Abúi, Scale and Aggie had elected to forego full fantasy scenarios to simply enjoy the locality itself. (COMIC: Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014)
Some time later a Spamasaur was seen promoting time shares on Kokotomo but it’s not known to have any legitimate business connection to the island. (COMIC: 24 Hour Comic 2019)
Behind the scenes
Kokotomo Island was one of the elements created for The Halloween Cameo Caper 2014 by Hogan, and visualised by Aggie Janicot. As the conceit of the event was that those elements could be freely used by writers in their own comics tying with the Caper, the Island can arguably be considered an open-source concept, although it has never been formally dubbed such by Hogan. Janicot, on the other hand, explicitly noted that her reference visuals for the designs of the Island and Mr Montibar “may be copied and used within your comics; feel free to use”.[1]
Kokotomo Island was a thinly-veiled stand-in for the eponymous setting of the 1970s fantasy TV series Fantasy Island. Indeed, The Setting of Kokotomo noted that it could be referred to as “the Fantasy Island”, and in Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014, Montibar nearly refers to his island as “Fantasy Island” before correcting himself and giving its name as Kokotomo Island. As such, Montibar serves as an analogue for Mr Roarke, the host of the series and Chief Magistrate of Fantasy Island. Roarke was played by Ricardo Montalbán, whose name “Montibar” vaguely evokes; Montibar shares the canonical Roarke's style of dress, although they look somewhat different.
