Savage Avengers #25: Review

Oct 2021

Gerry Duggan, Patrick Zircher

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Story Name:

Chapter 25: The defilement of all things by the cannibal-sorcerer Kulan Gath, part 2

Review & Comments

Rating:

Savage Avengers #25 Review by Rob Johnson (October 8, 2021)

The Eye Of Power didn't seem to do anything, unless it was just giving Conan the power to go toe-to-toe with Kulan Gath. But maybe Gath having it will be significant next issue?

So next up to bat will be Kang's gathered army (including another copy of Conan). But the story won't be concluded(?) until #27.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Savage Avengers #25 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

Last issue the Hyborian wizard Kulan Gath conquered the world and his followers hunted down most super characters until only Conan and Dr Doom were left. Conan, magically disguised inside Doom's armour, tried to free the imprisoned Dr Strange but Strange died. However before he passed he told Conan how to summon Kang The Conqueror from the future to help him.

Of course Kang and the armour-clad Cimmerian have to fight 1st. Kang then watches as Conan fights off a gang of Gath's Sickle Priests. The time traveller wants to know why he should help. Conan says that Strange said he'd owe Kang a favour. But he also said that Kang himself was already dead. At this the Conqueror takes them both away ...

... to Citadel Kang, the Castle Beyond Time. Which is full of weapons and costumes of Earth superheroes and villains, some of them seemingly still worn by their dead bodies. Conan grabs the Black Knight's Ebony Blade in place of his ordinary sword. He also chooses a big gun, the shield Cap used in the Captain America: Steve Rogers series, and a bottle of Krakoan whiskey. Kang has 1 more weapon for the Barbarian. Dr Strange left something with him for Conan - the alternative Eye Of Agamotto known as the Eye Of Power. (Conan refused this magic artefact from Strange once before in #16 because his god Crom hates sorcery.)

Kang reveals that he himself has already tried to defeat Kulan Gath and failed. He mind-controlled humans as a Kang Corps and attacked the sorcerer in several years at once, but Gath anticipated his every move. Conan asks Kang to send *him* back to Gath's childhood and he'll kill him then. But Kang says that the powerful future Gath has protected his personal timeline. So they can only go back to the time they just came from.

They make the trip in Rosebud II (Reed Richards' time-sled as used by the Fantastic Four and allies in FF#337-346). Conan gets a feeling of deja vu and Kang admits that they have tried this many times already, always ending with death. This time Conan says he'll keep Gath distracted until death while Kang gathers an army (including Conan himself).

'Meanwhile' Kulan Gath punishes the Priests who failed to get Conan. Who then shows up with big gun blazing. A long drink from the Krakoan whiskey and he's ready for battle. He takes out Gath's right-hand man, the Priest Of Sickles, then he's ready to face the Wizard himself. Fending off sorcerous blasts with Cap's shield he lops off Gath's right arm with the magic Ebony Blade. Gath crushes the armour round the Cimmerian's right hand but this unleashes the Klyntar symbiote Conan has bound to him. Taking the form of a black spiked mace it is enough to send the Sorcerer reeling. Another blow in axe-form is required to finish off Gath's severed arm.

But then Kulan Gath strikes back. He rips the Eye Of Power from Conan's neck, and the symbiote from his arm and eats it. Then he rips out the Cimmerian's still-beating heart.

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