KULL THE CONQUEROR/DESTROYER OMNIBUS...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS and ROBERT E. HOWARD PROPERTIES

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 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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