Finding their take on Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian popular with readers, the editors of Marvel Comics tried their hand with another of the pioneering pulp author’s creations, the Atlantean exile Kull, King of Lemuria. The character, along with another of Howard’s creations, vengeful English Puritan Solomon Kane, are featured in this issue of Marvel Premiere, a title used by Marvel to test the popularity of new characters.
King Kull was given his own comic in 1971: Kull the Conqueror, the title changing to Kull the Destroyer with issue number 11. The comic ran for 29 issues, ending in 1978.
Howard, considered the originator of “sword and sorcery fantasy” introduced Kull prior to his more well -known character, Conan. It is not surprising that the two heroes share many similarities, as Conan’s first adventure emerged from a reworking of a failed Kull story. In his lifetime Howard published only three Kull stories, with more of the prehistoric King’s adventures released posthumously.
Over time, other writers have interpreted the character in new books and comics. A feature film, Kull the Conqueror was released in 1997, starring actor Kevin Sorbo in the title role.
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