Bob Kenton
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Bob Kenton is the would-be protagonist of the 1961 film Konga. He is a student of the jealous Dr. Charles Decker, who is later killed by Konga at the professor’s bidding.
In the Charlton Comics series of Konga comics, Decker is more sympathetic, and Bob and his girlfriend Sandra both survive the story. The two go on to get married and even recreate Decker’s experiments to create a new Konga, who goes on to star in the series.
History
- Konga (1961)
Konga
Bob was a student in Dr. Charles Decker's botany class at Essex College in London, alongside his girlfriend Sandra Banks. Decker had been missing and presumed dead for the previous year, and spent what appears to be his first day back sharing stories about the Buganda people, with whom he had spent the year living. After class, Bob invited Sandra out for coffee, but she turned him down to stay and help the professor.
Later on, Decker took the students to a field to study mosses and ferns. Most of the students piled into the back of Decker's van, but Sandra was asked to sit up front. Bob asked if there was room for three, and Decker claimed it would interfere with the driving, and suggested he "court her on his own time." Their classmates teased him about his love for Sandra as they went.
When they got to the forest, and recieved their assignment, Decker went to the van to get his lunch, giving Bob an opportunity to speak to Sandra. He expressed concern about the professor's reliance on her, and missed the time before his return, when he and Sandra had had time to spend with each other. Furthermore he believed Decker had romantic interest in her that she was too blind to see, or perhaps secretly reciprocated. Sandra insisted that their relationship was stictly professional, and that Bob had been too clingy in the past, and she was not ready for that kind of relationship. They agreed to discuss their personal problems after school. Bob giddily gave her a quick kiss and left to join his classmates. They continued to tease him, and Bob tried to get the assignment underway, but it began to pour rain. The students ran to the park ranger's hut, which he had allowed the class to use in event of a storm, and while his classmates danced, Bob stared longingly out the window, wondering about Sandra. She and Decker soon ran in, with her grabbing his waist to stay under his raincoat. He promptly dismissed the class, and the students filed out to get back to the van. Bob however, remained behind.
He insisted that Decker "leave Sandra alone," and when he pretended not to understand, Bob accused him of having her under some kind of hypnosis, and that his endless extracirricular tasks for her were the professor's way of keeping her away from him. Bob clarified for the professor that this was a threat, which prompted Decker to slap him. In retalliation Bob offered a gut punch and tackled him to the ground, where he tried to strangle the man. After a moment Bob regained composure and got off the professor. Bob helped the man up, and apologized profusely for his jealous rage. Decker was kind enough not to expell or report him, but they agreed that it would be best if neither of them spoke a word of what happened to anyone. Decker advised him to keep his temper in check before he killed someone.
That night, Bob was late to dinner with his family, and hardly ate anything to keep from being late to his date with Sandra. His younger siblings debated the merits of love, while his father in particular insisted that he not see her on an empty stomach. Furthermore they suspect that he has so much Sandra on his mind that he is losing sleep, not eating, and not focusing on his studies. They agreed that he should "play it cool," and his mother remarked that he is really in love with Sandra as Bob went out the door. Bob started up his moped, but was attacked from behind by a hunge gorilla monster. It strangled Bob to death and left him next to his toppled bike right in front of his house before running off into the night.
Bob's family quickly came outside to see what was the matter, but only found their son lying next to his scooter. His mother shouted to call for a doctor, and his father complied while his two young siblings watched in awe.
Books
- Konga (1961)
Comics
- Konga #1–8, 10, 12, 20 (1961–1964)
- Konga's Revenge #1 (1962)
Gallery
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A promotional still of Bob -
Bob, Sandra, and Decker on a lobby card -
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Decker transports students in his windowless van and does not close the doors before driving off -
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Bob watches Sandra and Decker -
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Bob tackles Decker -
Bob strangles Decker -
Bob's family enjoys dinner -
Bob's brother Eric, and sister -
Eric with their father John -
Bob's sister and mother -
Bob and his Lambretta Li scooter -
Konga killing Bob -
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Bob's family discovers his body
Trivia
- In the film, while he does suspect Decker of using some kind of hypnosis, Bob never learns anything about Decker's plans, or indeed about Konga.
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