IS THAT KULAN GATH?

[MattBrady]

So…is it Kulan Gath?

Yeah, yeah – we hear some of you…”Kulan who?”

Quick recap – a little while ago, Dynamite Entertainment released the George Perez cover to Red Sonja #12, which showed a mystery villain in silhouette. It’s mentioned in the solicitation copy that the character is a wizard with ties to Sonja’s origin.

So…is it Gath? The body form is certainly similar…and…perhaps to lead some thinking, Dynamite has provided Newsarama with a handy-dandy (and up to date) Kulan Gath profile page that they just happened to have lying around.

So who is Gath? Master of the crossover, for one.

The character first appeared in Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian #14-#15 in 1972. Even in his first appearance, he was tied to a crossover, as the story was a meeting of Conan and Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone.

Gath was cast as a sorcerer in the Hyborian Era, and obtained the power of the demon Shuma-Gorath. In his native era, he was killed several times over, most often by Conan and Red Sonja (all in appearances in their respective Marvel series). It was Sonja who, at least as far as had been seen to this date, vanquished Gath by cutting out his heart.

Years later, Gath returned, this time in the present, when his essence was released from a necklace in a museum display. Gath was driven back into the necklace by Spider-Man and Red Sonja (whose spirit possessed Mary Jane Watson - he it was the '70s...Mary Jane possessed, and having to fight an evil wizard in a story by Claremont and Byrne...trippy man, trippy), but he returned a couple of years later, possessing another hapless soul, and transformed the island of Manhattan into a replica of the Hyborian age into which he was born. That one happened in Uncanny X-Men. Dr. Strange and Magik vanquished Gath this time, but he later appeared to battle the Avengers during the Kurt Busiek/George Perez run. That time, native South American gods that were summoned int eh course of battle took Gath with them into their own dimension.

But – since then, he’s also been seen in Paradise X, and most recently, in Exiles.

As for Gath’s ownership- kind of complicated as well. Technically, Gath is owned by Conan Properties, as he was, like Red Sonja, apparently created as a derivative of the original Conan property while it was being published by Marvel. Since Marvel hasn’t had the right to Conan for years, it’s unclear how Gath was mentioned or shown in his most recent appearances, though.

So – bringing things up to date…is that Kulan Gath in Red Sonja #12?

If we were a gambling website (and have you seen the revenue those places bring in? Trust us – man, there are days we wish we were a gambling website…the money…the cars…the private islands in the Caribbean…the…oh…sorry), we’d put some good money on it being him. The thing will be, as it always is, in the delivery.

For that, check back tomorrow, as we talk to Red Sonja writer Mike Oeming about the upcoming storyline, the mystery wizard’s identity, and what role he may play in Red Sonja’s future and past.

*Note: The profile info contained in the above images was compiled through a combination of profiles on marvunapp.com (http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/klgath.htm), entries on Wikipedia, and various Red Sonja fan sites. Newsarama apologizes for not originally crediting these sources.

[littlewolvie]

There is however one thing I don't get. Wouldn't he be a Marvel character and as such owned by Marvel? And even if this weren't the case, would he not rather be a Conan property and not a Red Sonja one. I thought those were seperate properties. Not that it really matters. I like the idea of the character reappearing in the current RS series.

[BeastCharming]

I don't read or buy Red Sonja, but yay, Kulan Gath! One of my favorite all-time villains ever thanks to the Claremont story, and when Busiek revived him it was as cool as when he did the same with Graviton. Kurt Busiek always knows what bad guys to pick

Nice Perez cover also.

[boomboom]

makes me curious also...I loved the Spiderman teamup...amazing drawings back then when Byrne still had his magic (MPOV)

[FChamberlain]

Awesome villain that brings back great childhood memories of his depiction in Marvel Team-Up under Claremont and Byrne's tenure on the book. I'll pre-order this just on the possibility.

[CylverSaber]

Maybe he's public domain?

I loved the Marvel Team-Up story, I read it when it was reprinted in Marvel Tales.

[willyd]

lord, those Kulan Gath stories in X-men 190-191 were, for me, some of the best Claremont stories ever.

The Colossus - Vision battle...

Crucified Spider-Man...

Barbarian Avengers...

Mutated Dr. Strange...

Claremont was at the apex of his storytelling powers, and Romita's art was just great.

How sad to read Claremont's work in the latest issues of Uncanny and Excalibur in comparison...

[capjr]

Originally posted by willyd
lord, those Kulan Gath stories in X-men 190-191 were, for me, some of the best Claremont stories ever.

The Colossus - Vision battle...

Crucified Spider-Man...

Barbarian Avengers...

Mutated Dr. Strange...

Claremont was at the apex of his storytelling powers, and Romita's art was just great.

Completely agree. The scene where Spider-Man's breath was taken away was perfect.

[lex luthor]

Kulan Gath as the bad guy in Red Sonja is outstanding. I wonder how Marvel and Dynamite worked this out.

[Strike]

Could this be deliberate misinformation, to lead us astray?

Probably not.

[samnoir]

I'm always curious how these kinds of things work.

On one hand you have characters like Red Sonja who are considered part of Conan even though she orignated in the comics, on the other hand you have Commander Rann, Mari, Bugg and Huntarr over in Micronauts who seem to be Marvel characters.

Not to mention the Red Ronin from Godzilla who also fought the Avengers.
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[Noreikas]

Very interesting....

I hope it is Kulan Gath.

I've enjoyed the Sonja series by Dynamite thus far. I do hope they can work with Dark Horse on doing a Conan/Red Sonja crossover, as it really should happen. I'd also love to see a Red Sonja/Xena crossover (Didn't Dynamite get the Xena rights?).

[OcCaM]

Not being a big sword and sorcery fan, I didn't know who Kulan Gath was until I purchased that aforementioned MTU back in the day! Loved the character but the story was a bit hokey.

Then Claremont did his magic on that 2 part Xmen story and clinched my love for the character. Looks like I might be getting Sonja for the first time. Still not sure how this works though, Marvel printing the character and now Dynamite.

[c_andrew_s]

Originally posted by willyd
lord, those Kulan Gath stories in X-men 190-191 were, for me, some of the best Claremont stories ever.

The Colossus - Vision battle...

Crucified Spider-Man...

Barbarian Avengers...

Mutated Dr. Strange...

Claremont was at the apex of his storytelling powers, and Romita's art was just great.

How sad to read Claremont's work in the latest issues of Uncanny and Excalibur in comparison...

I also agree. This was some great stuff.

We were talking yesterday in my shop how great Claremont's work was in the 80s and how much we weren't crazy about his new stuff.

[matthewstarnes]

Those Uncanny X-men issues were incredible. What great imagination. Lots of great story and action built into two issues.

[korvac1969]

The four part X-Men story-line was one of my favorite of the 80's - this was the point where Romita's style really started to move to an independant and unique place and Claremont whatever else you could say about soap opera plots and over-written dialogue was as assured and confident writer of big scale super hero action as existed at the time.

The story has - spoiler here for those thinking of picking up Uncanny X-Men 188 to 191, and you might want to hurry because it occurs to me it probably won't ever be re-printed in trade if there's questions over ownership - one of the two most resonant Spiderman moments of the 80's for me.

Spiderman, the only man in Manhattan who knows it's actually the 20th century is crucified in Kulan Gath's throne room - in an agonizing display of sheer will he pulls his limbs bloodily off the nails and crawls through blood to victory destroying Gath's spell. One of the most compelling display of Peter Parker's heroism and it happened in X-Men. It would make a great trade with the Spiderman/Red Sonja story as a prologue.

The other most resonant moment was when Spiderman inadvertantly offended the arrogant and Silver Surfer level powerful Herald of Galactus Firelord. Firelord chases an inreasingly desperate Spiderman across Manhattan. Neither Firelord nor Spiderman think Spiderman has a prayer of surviving. Over an issuel length chase scene, after hitting him with a train and an abandoned building to no effect Spiderman finally turns ar bay and attacks the surprised Firelord directly, terrified, but determined to sell his life dearly.

And beats Firelord into bloody unconciousness in seconds and has to be pulled off his prone body by Captain America.

Just a nice 'everybody underestimates this guy' moment. But the Averngers standing around staring at him over Firelord's unconcious form look like they are drasticly reevaluating Spiderman.

[beta-ray]

Originally posted by lex luthor
Kulan Gath as the bad guy in Red Sonja is outstanding. I wonder how Marvel and Dynamite worked this out.

They made it his brother, Koolio Gath

[willyd]

Originally posted by korvac1969
The story has - spoiler here for those thinking of picking up Uncanny X-Men 188 to 191, and you might want to hurry because it occurs to me it probably won't ever be re-printed in trade if there's questions over ownership - one of the two most resonant Spiderman moments of the 80's for me.

Spiderman, the only man in Manhattan who knows it's actually the 20th century is crucified in Kulan Gath's throne room - in an agonizing display of sheer will he pulls his limbs bloodily off the nails and crawls through blood to victory destroying Gath's spell. One of the most compelling display of Peter Parker's heroism and it happened in X-Men. It would make a great trade with the Spiderman/Red Sonja story as a prologue.

The other most resonant moment was when Spiderman inadvertantly offended the arrogant and Silver Surfer level powerful Herald of Galactus Firelord. Firelord chases an inreasingly desperate Spiderman across Manhattan. Neither Firelord nor Spiderman think Spiderman has a prayer of surviving. Over an issuel length chase scene, after hitting him with a train and an abandoned building to no effect Spiderman finally turns ar bay and attacks the surprised Firelord directly, terrified, but determined to sell his life dearly.

And beats Firelord into bloody unconciousness in seconds and has to be pulled off his prone body by Captain America.

Just a nice 'everybody underestimates this guy' moment. But the Averngers standing around staring at him over Firelord's unconcious form look like they are drasticly reevaluating Spiderman.

wow...perfect, perfect summation. I forgot about the firelord chase, which, in it's way, was a great update of the Spider-man / Madame Web vs. the Juggernaut battle.

and, not to go too off-topic here, this is why New Avengers is just so wrong. Spider-man as a full Avenger? Peter Parker and Tony Stark flying around in their battle armors? Peter LIVING in Avengers Mansion (Tower)? Wrong wrong wrong.

[Spikey_Jim]

I do believe some one mentioned this idea when the cover first came out....

[JusticeLeagr]

The shillouette on the thumbnail on the front page looks like a butt plug...