Kull (Earth-616)

King Kull
Name	Kull
Current Alias	King Kull
Aliases	Kull the Destroyer, Kull the Conqueror, Kull the Magnificent, Warrior-King, Barbarian-King
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Valusia, Atlantis; Sea-mountain tribe, Atlantean Army, Valusian Army, Black Legion; formerly hired by Asfodel IV
Relatives	Parents: Gorm-Li (father, deceased); Osa (mother, deceased) Siblings: Iraina (twin sister, deceased) Descendants: Volonius VII (descendant); Conan (descendant, possible reincarnation)
Marital Status	Married
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	6′5″ (1.96 m)
Weight	270 lbs (122.47 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Grey
Hair	Black
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Human; barbarian of Atlantis, later became the first notable king in the world.
Living Status	Deceased
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Atlantis
Cause of Death	Unrevealed
Personal Information
Identity	No Dual
Citizenship	Valusian, Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantean
Occupation	King of Valusia Formerly Valusian commander, gladiator, outlaw, slave
Base of Operations	City of Wonders, Valusia Formerly Tiger Valley, Atlantis
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, Barry Smith
First	Conan the Barbarian #1 (July, 1970)
First	Conan the Barbarian #1 (July, 1970)
Death	Savage Sword of Conan #186 (April, 1991) (Mentioned)
Death	Savage Sword of Conan #186 (April, 1991) (Mentioned)

Kull of Valusia was the greatest king of the Pre-Cataclysmic Age, and a central individual of his time, much like Conan the Cimmerian some 8,000 years later. He lived circa 18,500 BC, and originated from barbaric Atlantis.

He would face many enemies, including the Commorians, the Elder Race sorcerers Thulsa Doom and Tuzun Thune, the Serpent Men, Ohris Dehjmal and his followers, among others.

To serve and assist him were his court: Brule the Spear-Slayer (the Pictish ambassador to the court), the elderly councilor Tu, the minstrel Ridondo, Count Murom Bora Ballin, the philosopher-slave Kuthulos, the Pictish ancient Ka-Nu, as well as his friend from his slave years Bakas, but he had other allies, such as his fellow tribesman Om-Ra.

He would became a legendary king during the Hyborian Age and into at least the 2nd century AD, and a character in stories Robert Howard wrote.

History

Origin and early years

Kull was born in Atlantis. An orphan, he was adopted by the tigers of Tiger Valley.

He was eventually taken in by the Sea-Mountain people. Soon, he bested his fellow tribesmen in both martial and mind matters. A questioner and a seeker, he was singularly different from the rest of the tribe.

When his fellow tribesmen tried and burned Sareeta for marrying a Lemurian, Kull killed her by throwing a dagger at Sareeta, sparing her from a slow death, while causing himself to be targeted by his tribe. Kull consequently fled Atlantis.

Slave of Lemurian pirates

Kull was enslaved by Lemurian pirates, who had him bound the oar, to serve as a galley slave and as a gladiator, where he faced a Wolf Man, with whom he forged an alliance.

After two years of captivity, Kull overcome a pair of drunken guards and escaped, swimming to the shore of Valusia.

Mercenary

Fearing the wizard-priest Rotath of Lemuria, Asfodel IV hired Kull to slay him. Although the barbarian was successful, Rotath cursed both Asfodel and Kull before casting a spell that would allow him to eventually return to life during the Hyborian Age.

Outlaw

On Valusia, Kull joined a group of outlaws in the hill country, but was eventually caught and locked in the dungeons of the City of Wonders, the capital.

Gladiator

Due to his physique, he was sentenced to the gladiatorial arenas, where he became a sensation. Recognizing his nobility of spirit, the Valusian Count Murom Bora Ballin bought him his freedom.

Valusian soldier

Count Murom Bora Ballin eventually bought him a commission in the Valusian army.

Eventually, Kull's natural leadership helped him rise to the rank of commander of the king's personal regiment, the Black Legion.

He was soon embroiled in a plot to assassinate King Borna set by Kaanuub, baron of Blaal. Kull confronted Borna and killed him in a duel, receiving a scar on his right cheek during that fight, a symbol of the violence by which he seized the Topaz Throne and by which he would keep it.

King of Valusia

Upon his first public processions, Kull, aided by Brule the Spear-Slayer, Pictish ambassador to the court, uncovered the threat of the Serpent-Men and inflicted upon them the first of a series of defeats.

Ardyon's rule / Kull in exile

For a time, the evil sorcerer Thulsa Doom usurped the throne of Valusia, posing as Ardhyon and wearing the Serpent Crown. ...

During that time, Kull wandered the known world, experiencing supernatural adventures.

Return

He eventually returned to Valusia and took back his throne.

Kull decided to annihilate all those who offered human sacrifice to the dark elder gods, including Thuron, the king of a mountain city on the outer fringes of Valusia.

The deities who later became known as the Elder Gods of the Hyborian Age intended to make King Kull of Valusia the vessel of their power, but chose instead to make the immortal cat, Sedrick (felinized by Thulsa Doom) the container of their power.

For this, Kull slew Thulsa Doom. Varnae, who served in the Cult of the Darkholders under Thulsa Doom, became injured during the battle. On the verge of dying, Varnae was transformed into the first vampire by sorcerers of Atlantis by using the Darkhold.

The Serpent-Men were eventually (almost) exterminated with Kull's help.

Later reign

Kull's later reign was described as a golden age, sparked by a Kull who shared his time between expanding and defending Valusia from a side, and the "relentless pursuit of knowledge in a quest for the ultimate answers to the riddles of reality."

The circumstances of his death remain unrevealed.

Legacy

Pre-Cataclysmic Age

After Kull's rule, his name became the word used to qualify Valusia's sovereign. His line seemingly ended with Valusia when the Great Cataclysm hit the City of Wonders and caused the death of Volonius the Seventh.

Hyborian Age

Kull remained known during the Hyborian Age, notably in Conan's racial memories.

Antiquity (circa 200 AD)

The memory of Kull remained circa 200 AD through the Picts, Gonar (descendant of the eponymous Pict shaman ally of Kull), and Bran Mak Morn, king of the Picts (descendant of Brule).

Modern Age

Robert Howard wrote stories about King Kull circa 1932. It is unknown how Howard came to know of Kull.

Relationship

While treating women with compassion and chivalry "beyond all reason", he stood away from the role of lover.

On what was thought his deathbed, Death seduced and was seduced by Kull, and returned him to life.

Attributes

Powers

King Kull did not possess any known superhuman powers/abilities, however, during his time spent as a gladiator, pirate, assassin, and king, he engaged in intensive and extensive regular exercise. This imbued Kull with peak human attributes of strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes.

Abilities

King Kull was an excellent all-around armed and unarmed combatant, extensively trained in the warfare of the Thurian Age. Kull was also highly intelligent and prone to lose himself in philosophical contemplation.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Crown

Weapons

Throughout his adventures, Kull preferred a battle axe as his weapon of choice. Later as King, Kull would favor a broadsword in addition to his axe.

Transportation

Horse

Notes

• Kull (Kull of Atlantis, King Kull of Valusia) was created by Robert E. Howard and first appeared in "The Shadow Kingdom" (Weird Tales, 1929).
• Kull was one of the characters featured in the series of Marvel Value Stamps issued in the 1970's.

  

  Marvel Value Stamp #21

• Kull was once erroneously stated to be the leader of Red Slayers, rather than the commander of the Black Legion.

Trivia

• Kull's totem was the tiger.

See Also

• 134 appearance(s) of Kull (Earth-616)
• 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Kull (Earth-616)
• 8 minor appearance(s) of Kull (Earth-616)
• 28 mention(s) of Kull (Earth-616)
• 3 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Kull (Earth-616)
• 100 image(s) of Kull (Earth-616)
• 1 quotation(s) by or about Kull (Earth-616)
• 25 victim(s) killed by Kull (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Kull on Wikipedia.org