Kull of Atlantis or Kull the Conqueror is a fictional character created by American writer Robert E. Howard. The character was more introspective than Howard's subsequent creation, Conan the Barbarian, whose first appearance was in a rewritten version of a rejected Kull story.
His first published appearance was "The Shadow Kingdom" in Weird Tales (August, 1929). Kull was portrayed in the 1997 film Kull the Conqueror by actor Kevin Sorbo. The character has also been featured in comics series published by Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and Titan Comics.
Personality and character Kull is similar to Conan in many ways. He is a fierce warrior, ruthless and courageous on the battlefield, but not tyrannical or cruel. He has a strong sense of chivalry and virtue. Unlike Conan, Kull is philosophical and brooding. He agonizes over decisions that affect the lives of those around him, always looking for the most noble action to take. He is uncomfortable with kingship and prefers the life of a general. Also unlike Conan, Kull is asexual and aromantic; while capable of recognizing beautiful women as attractive, he has "never been a lover," at least in the original Howard stories. Despite this, Kull is always shown to be in favor of allowing lovers to marry regardless of social status or traditional convention.
Fictional character biography Life in Atlantis Kull was born in pre-cataclysmic Atlantis c. 100,000 BC, depicted as inhabited at the time by barbarian tribes. East of Atlantis lay the ancient continent of Thuria, of which the northwest portion was divided among several civilized kingdoms. The most powerful among these was Valusia; others included Commoria, Grondar, Kamelia, Thule, and Verulia. Note that the word "Thuria" never appears in any of the Kull stories. Howard coined the term while tying Kull's world to Conan's in the 1936 essay "The Hyborian Age".
Kull was born into a tribe settled in the Tiger Valley of Atlantis. Both the valley and tribe were destroyed by a flood while Kull was still a toddler, leaving the young Kull to live as a feral child for many years. Kull was captured by the Sea-Mountain tribe and eventually adopted by them. In "Exile of Atlantis", an adolescent Kull grants a woman a quick death so that she will not be burned to death by a mob. For this selfless act, Kull is exiled from Atlantis.
Slave, pirate, outlaw, and gladiator Kull attempted to reach Thuria, but was instead captured by Lemurian Pirates. He spent a couple of years as a galley slave before regaining his freedom during a mutiny.
He tried the life of a pirate between his late adolescence and his early twenties. His fighting skills and courage allowed him to become captain of his own ship. Soon, Kull gained a fearsome reputation for himself in the seas surrounding Atlantis and Thuria. Kull lost his ship and crew in a naval battle off the coast of Valusia, but once again survived.
He settled in Valusia as an outlaw. However, his criminal career proved to be short-lived as he was soon captured by the Valusians and imprisoned in a dungeon. His captors offered him a choice: execution or service as a gladiator. He chose the latter. After proving to be an effective combatant and gaining fame in the arenas of the capital, a number of admirers helped him to regain his freedom.
Soldier of Valusia Kull never left Valusia or returned to the life of an outlaw. Instead, he joined the Royal army as a mercenary, pursuing elevation through the ranks. In "The Curse of the Golden Skull" Kull, approaching his thirties, is recruited by King Borna of Valusia in a mission against the ambitious sorcerer Rotath of Lemuria. Kull proves to be an effective assassin.
Borna promoted Kull into the general command of his mercenary forces. Borna himself, however, had gained a reputation for his cruelty and despotism. There was discontent with Borna's rule among the nobility, leading eventually to a civil war. The mercenaries proved more loyal to Kull than any other leader, allowing him to become the leader of their revolt.
King of Valusia Kull killed Borna and took the throne while he was still in his early thirties. In "The Shadow Kingdom", Kull has spent six months upon the Valusian throne and faces the first conspiracy against him.
The series continued with Kull finding that gaining the crown was easier than securing it. He faces several internal and external challenges throughout the series. The conspiring of his courtiers leaves Kull almost constantly threatened with loss of life and throne. The aging King is ever more aware of the Sword of Damocles that he inherited along with the crown.
"The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune" finds Kull becoming progressively more introspective. The former barbarian is left lost in contemplations of philosophy.
In the Conan story "Shadows of the Skull" by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, it is revealed that Conan is a direct descendant of Kull. However, this story was written many years after the death of the original author of Kull and Conan, Robert E. Howard.
Characters
Brule Brule the spear slayer, a pre-cataclysmic Pict, and friend to Kull. Despite the animosity between Picts and Atlanteans, Brule is a fast friend and advisor to Kull.
Tu First Councillor Tu is a trusted administrator, but also a constant reminder of the tradition bound laws and customs of Valusia.
Ka-Nu Ka-Nu (sometimes named Kananu), the Pictish Ambassador to Valusia and wise man, is responsible for the friendship between Kull and Brule despite the ancient enmity between Atlanteans and Picts.
Borna The last king of Valusia, a cruel and tyrannical despot who was overthrown by Kull and his soldiers.
Thulsa Doom Kull's mortal enemy is the sorcerer Thulsa Doom. Thulsa Doom is described by Howard in "The Cat and the Skull" as having a face "like a bare white skull, in whose eye sockets flamed livid fire". He is seemingly invulnerable, boasting after being trampled by one of Kull's comrades that he feels "only a slight coldness" when being injured and will only "pass to some other sphere when [his] time comes".
Works +TitleDatePublicationFormNotes"The Shadow Kingdom"1929, AugustWeird TalesStoryPublished in Howard's lifetime."The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune" 1929, SeptemberWeird TalesStoryPublished in Howard's lifetime."Kings of the Night"1930, NovemberWeird TalesStoryPublished in Howard's lifetime."The King and the Oak"1939, FebruaryWeird TalesPoem"The Altar and the Scorpion"King KullStory"By This Axe I Rule!"King KullStoryRe-written by Howard into the Conan story "The Phoenix on the Sword"."Delcardes' Cat" King KullStoryAlso known as "The Cat and the Skull"."Exile of Atlantis"King KullStoryOriginally an untitled story, title created by Lin Carter."The Skull of Silence" King KullStoryAlso known as "The Screaming Skull of Silence"."The Striking of the Gong" Second Book of Robert E. HowardStoryA version edited by Lin Carter was first published in King Kull in 1967."Swords of the Purple Kingdom" King KullStory"The Curse of the Golden Skull" 1967, SpringThe Howard Collector, no. 9Story"The Black City" KullStoryA version edited by Lin Carter was titled "The Black Abyss" and published in King Kull in 1967."Riders Beyond the Sunrise"KullStoryOriginally an untitled draft, title created by Lin Carter. A version edited by Carter was first published in King Kull in 1967."Wizard and Warrior" KullStoryOriginally an untitled fragment, title created by Lin Carter. A version edited by Carter was first published in King Kull in 1967.
Style Kull is Conan the Barbarian's direct literary forerunner. Conan's first story (both as a written piece and a published one), "The Phoenix on the Sword", is a rewriting of an earlier Kull story "By This Axe, I Rule". The Conan version has a completely new backstory, less philosophy, more action, and various supernatural elements. Many passages of both stories still match word for word.
One notable difference between Kull and Conan is their respective attitudes towards women. While Conan is a notable womanizer, finding a new love interest in nearly each of his stories, Kull is repeatedly mentioned as uninterested in having any such attachment. While highly chivalrous and on several occasions helping pairs of star-crossed lovers reach a happy consummation, he is never mentioned as having himself any relationship with a woman. Nor does Kull show any interest in marrying and founding a dynasty, as Conan does in The Hour of the Dragon, and none of Kull's wise advisors ever mentions this issue.
Inspiration Patrice Louinet writes in "Atlantis Genesis" that Howard may have been influenced by the work of Paul L. Anderson and his novellas published in Argosy in the 1920s. Louinet notes Howard's stories echo Anderson's subject (how the Cro-Magnons supplanted the Neanderthals). Also, Louinet found Howard had borrowed some names from Anderson (En-Ro of the Ta-an and Land of the Dying Sun resemble Am-ra of the Ta-an and Land of the Morning Sun). The Cro-Magnon/Atlantis connection seems to have originated with Lewis Spence, a British folklorist, in his The Problem of Atlantis (1924) and Atlantis in America (1925), works that could have influenced Howard.
There is a possibility that Kull's name comes from Old King Cole, who was mentioned in "The Search" by Edgar Lee Masters, published in Cosmopolitan, a poem Howard had "been trying to re-discover". It contains lines "The Tiger banner and Dragon banner/Flutter around the world", which compare to "The Hour of the Dragon", where the lion is Conan's emblem and the dragon that of his enemy, Nemedia, whereas the tiger is Kull's totem.
Adaptations Comics
Kull has been adapted to comics by Marvel Comics with three series between 1971 and 1985. The first was drawn by Marie Severin and her brother John Severin. He also appeared several times in The Savage Sword of Conan series and other anthology books. Another graphic novel, Kull: The Vale of Shadow, was published in 1989.
In 2006, Dark Horse Comics acquired the rights to use Kull. The first series, titled Kull, was based on "The Shadow Kingdom". , three mini-series were published, Kull, Kull: The Hate Witch, and Kull: The Cat and the Skull. Dark Horse also re-published the Marvel stories into two different Kull collections. The Marvel color comics were collected into five volumes titled The Chronicles of Kull, and the Marvel magazine format, black and white stories were collected into two volumes titled The Savage Sword of Kull. Additional reprints were published in Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword.
In 2017, IDW Publishing acquired the license and began publishing Kull Eternal, using "The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune" as a story foundation of Kull in a modern setting. The series was cancelled after the third issue.
In 2024, Arrow Comics published an adaptation of "The Shadow Kingdom" written by Randy Zimmerman with art by Russ Leach.
Titan Comics announced Kull would be featured prominently in the 2025 limited series Scourge of the Serpent and would receive a series in 2027.
Collected editions +TitleMaterial collected fromPublication dateISBNThe Chronicles of Kull Volume 1: A King Comes Riding and Other StoriesCreatures on the Loose! #10 The Coming of King Kull! (The Skull of Silence!),Monsters on the Prowl #16 King Kull! (The Forbidden Swamp),