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Kull The Conqueror magazine had a rough time from its earliest days in the comics publishing world. The Marvel mag was cancelled three times (inclusive of its final issue) in its 29 issue 'career', which began in 1971 and ended in 1978. Also, its name was changed from Kull The Conqueror to Kull The Destroyer with its 11th issue, which is why the Omnibus edition carries the latter name instead of the former, the mag having been known under the 'Destroyer' appellation for 19 issues as opposed to 'Conqueror' for a mere 10.
Ross Andru (penciller) and Wally Wood (inker) drew #1, and Marie (penciller) and John Severin (inker) drew 2-9, with #10 being pencilled by Marie and inked by Frank Chiaramonte. During the comic's first period of cancellation between #s 2 & 3, a Kull 5-page story (The King And The Oak) graced Conan The Barbarian #10, and a 10-pager drawn by the Severin siblings appeared in Monsters On The Prowl #16. And lest I forget, there was an out of sequence 'try-out' Kull story in Creatures On The Loose (previously Tower Of Shadows) #10, illustrated by Berni Wrightson which preceded Kull's own mag.
Now, here's the thing. As far as I recall (and it's usually pretty far), I only ever bought the first ish of Kull and I don't remember ever seeing any further issues until I acquired #s 2-11 (in stages) many years later. That's not to say I was completely unaware of all the character's early adventures as I read several of them in b&w when they were reprinted in the UK 18-issue weekly, Savage Sword Of Conan in 1975, but Kull #1 was the only US issue I had at the time, purchased brand-new circa 1973 when it first(?) arrived on UK shores. I yet remember the day I bought it and from which shop, and perusing its four-colour contents on the way home.
However, to get to the point, with my recent purchase of Marvel's Kull Omnibus volume (from 2021), I've now returned to the '70s and read every Kull tale published in that decade (or transported the '70s to the present day - you can take your pick) and a sense of accomplishment fills my soul. As I'd never read the majority of them before now, I feel as if I've engaged in the act of time travel and completed a long-unfinished task, however fanciful that may sound.
Anyway, if you're a Kull fan, you'll likely enjoy this massive tome, with first-class reproduction that far exceeds the Dark Horse collections scanned from published issues around 10 or so years ago. Take a look (below) at what's included in this latest collection and grab one while they're going.
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The Dark Horse volumes were disappointing. I was a Kull fan from day one. It was a comic blessed with talent but never seemed to find its footing the way Conan did.
ReplyDeleteI bought the first two of the Dark Horse Kull volumes only recently, just after I'd got the Marvel Omnibus edition, and was disappointed to see the pages were printed from scans. I thought they'd be splendidly recoloured like the DH Conan volumes and have some extra 'depth', but, alas, no. Even the Conan books had their faults though, as after 4 or 5 volumes, DH replaced the original lettering with computer fonts, which had far too many typos.
ReplyDeleteThe Marvel Kull series especially the early Creatures on the Loose and Monsters on the Prowls issues and the first 10 Kull the Conqueror issues are excellent. I liked the Mike Ploog version as well but for me John and Marie Severins version is the pinicle for the character. I bought the first couple of Dark Horses Kull but it was kinda flat to me , but to be fair my interest in most new comics is pretty limited now.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'd agree, McS, that the first 10 issues were the best, but I'm glad to have eventually got to read all 29 issues of the series (plus the few other issues he appeared in) before I fall off the twig. I haven't seen any of the Dark Horse new Kull stories, only the first two of their collections of the original Marvel issues. Again, I'm the same as you in that I find most new comics pretty underwhelming. Thank goodness for back issues, True Believers reprints, and Facsimile Editions (Marvel and DC).
ReplyDeleteI bought #2 of Dark Horse's Kull and a couple of years ago I finally got around to reading the original REH Kull stories but only the ones printed during his lifetime in 'Weird Tales' magazine.
ReplyDeleteAnd what was your opinion of them, CJ - any good? I've only read one Conan paperback, which I really enjoyed, but I haven't read any Kull text stories.
ReplyDeleteYes, I enjoyed them. REH was a good storyteller in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI'll maybe give them a try if I ever see them, CJ - or maybe even specifically track the book down.
ReplyDeleteKid, I understand what you meant about a "sense of accomplishment" and a "long unfinished task" because that's how I felt about reading REH's stories. I really wanted to read all his Conan, Kull and Solomon Kane stories (well, the ones from 'Weird Tales' magazine anyway) and I finally did. I also read all of HP Lovecraft's stories.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard Alan Moore's recent comments about superhero films? He says they infantilise adults and encourage fascism. Any opinions?
Yes, he's talking bollocks, CJ. This is a man who's made a good living out of superhero comics, which, inevitably, get made into films, with at least two of his among them. If what he said was true, he's as guilty of anyone as infantilising adults and encouraging fascism. He just likes to stir the pot every so often by trying to be controversial in order to get a bit of attention for himself. He can be a good writer, but he doesn't seem to think logically on occasion, as testified to by him moaning about other writers continuing what he sees as his creations, when, in the case of Watchmen, they were just thinly-disguised rip-offs of Charlton characters.
ReplyDeleteOne downside of Kull is that even if he gets kicked off his throne, he's always oriented toward getting it back, so he's not as mobile as Conan.
ReplyDeleteHah, before I opened the comments, I was thinking about asking for your take on the Moore statement. I for one was amazed that he would automatically consider superhero movies to be a blight on cinema even though he hasn't seen a superhero movie since '89 Batman. If anything a ton of modern superhero movies have become ultra-liberal in every way.
I think he became a bit more mobile in the last 19 issues, GP, as he travelled around quite a bit before regaining his throne in the last ish.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of superhero movies, I personally found Civil War quite an interesting film. The question of whether it would be desirable to impose lasting peace on the world by wiping out a few million people in order to do so is a thought-provoking concept.
Thanks for highlighting these Kull stories, Kid. I'm not sure that I'll shell out $120 for the full collection, but I did locate a copy of the Creatures on the Prowl #10 with the Wrightson artwork that I rather enjoyed. I'll see if I can pick up reading copies of some of the 'Kull The Conqueror' run to start with. Always good to have a series highlighted that I had no encounter with first time around. Back in 1976 I read a number of the Conan paperbacks by Howard, published in the UK by Sphere (repackaging the US Lancer books), which I enjoyed at the time. Perhaps I'll re-read a few.
ReplyDeleteI did get to meet L Sprague de Camp (subsequent Conan author) at the World SF Convention in 1979 and still have his signed copy of Conan The Swordsman.
I was lucky enough to get the Kull Omnibus volume still shrink-wrapped for quite a bit less than the going rate, B, so you might be similarly fortunate if you hunt through eBay or various bookshops. The reproduction is first-rate and then some. I keep meaning to track down a few Conan paperbacks to read, but haven't yet got around to it. The one book I own was given to me back in 1979 or '80, so I'm long overdue to acquire a few more.
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