WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Savage Avengers #10 by Gerry Duggan, Patrick Zircher, Java Tartaglia and VC's Travis Lanham, on sale now.

The current story arc of Savage Avengers has led the time-displaced Conan the Barbarian to form an impromptu alliance with Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom to combat the classic Conan villain Kulan Gath. The evil sorcerer set up a new headquarters in the Pyramids and used the Ancient Egyptian artifacts and relics there to work toward fulfilling his obsessive quest to obtain godhood. Then, as Kulan's plot reached its climax, it was revealed that he intended to devour one of the most twisted Old Gods in the Marvel Universe: Shuma-Gorath.

Created by Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner in 1972's Marvel Premiere #5, Shuma-Gorath was developed as an antagonist for Doctor Strange. Its name was taken from a short story by Conan creator Robert E. Howard and its visual appearance and connection to sinister Old Ones was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. While Shuma-Gorath is one of Strange's most frequently recurring foes, the Lord of Chaos also has an extensive history with Kulan Gath.

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During the Hyborian Age, Shuma-Gorath was imprisoned for untold centuries by Conan's Cimmerian god Crom. In that ancient fantasy era, Kulan Gath entered a strategic marriage with the witch, Vammatar, and the unholy couple conspired to obtain Shuma-Gorath's vast power for themselves. This would ultimately backfire on them. The evil god obliterated them both as they battled against Conan and Red Sonja, but this only fueled Kulan's obsession to gain Shuma-Gorath's power further. Resurrected through his magical amulet in the modern Marvel Universe millennia later, Kulan Gath would battle classic superheroes like Spider-Man, the X-Men and Avengers while constantly scheming to obtain godhood.

As Conan, Strange and Doom confront Kulan in an Egyptian tomb in Savage Avengers #10, they discover what the dark magician's plan entails this time: to consume a piece of Shuma-Gorath that had bonded with the recently deceased Doctor Voodoo, who has become his avatar on Earth. Upon eating Shuma-Gorath's avatar, Kulan would gain the twisted god's powers and at last ascend to godhood and be able to reshape the Marvel Universe in his nefarious image. As Doom and Conan battle against Kulan, Strange attempts to not only break Voodoo's link to Shuma-Gorath but also to resurrect the former Sorcerer Supreme.

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The impromptu alliance between the three characters is ultimately successful. They defeat Kulan, banish Shuma-Gorath from Earth once again and revive a shaken, but living, Doctor Voodoo after a pitched battle. Unsure of what to do with the last Cimmerian, Conan is similarly teleported away by Doom back to where they found him in Brazil. The barbarian swears revenge as Strange and Doom contemplate their unlikely partnership to combat mutual foes and how best to proceed.

As a character shared by Marvel Comics and the Conan the Barbarian license, Kulan Gath has a surprisingly extensive history in the Marvel Universe, especially in regards to Shuma-Gorath's own role as an evil deity. With Conan now reintegrated into the Marvel Universe, so has Kulan, continuing his obsessive quest to become a god by any means necessary. Kulan's latest plan to literally consume his longtime target in order to gain his powers is a particularly twisted escalation of Kulan and Shuma-Gorath's longstanding antagonistic dynamic. Although he's been thwarted by the heroes for now, if there is one thing that Kulan Gath has proven over the years, it's that death and defeat are only temporary setbacks for the magical villain.

Savage Avengers #11 releases March 4 from Marvel Comics.

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