In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has been given many names, such as a ruler, a conqueror and He Who Remains. In a new comic debuting this August, readers will be reintroduced to one of Marvel Comics' greatest villains: Kang the Conqueror.
The villain (technically, a variant of him) recently appeared as the big bad and mastermind behind the Time Variance Authority in Loki on Disney+. Played by Jonathan Majors, the Kang variant had a lively yet tired energy to him as he rested on the edge of time. While fans of the series may think that this variant is the conqueror, his true person and comic counterpart couldn't be more different than what has been seen on screen. Marvel has now released a preview of Kang the Conqueror #1 for readers to become more acquainted with the character.
The series seeks to explore the origins of Kang, whose real name is Nathaniel Richards, a descendant of Reed Richards or Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four, from the 31st Century. The preview follows the conqueror's younger self, who has grown bored by the utopia he lives in towards the end of time. It seems that even death is an illusion with the time period's medical advancements and everything being just... perfect. To young Nathaniel though, the time feels like a prison he wishes to find a way to break free of.
The preview begins with a comparison of conquerors as Kang recounts when Alexander the Great learned that there was an infinite number of worlds among the stars and beyond. For those who have read more comics than their assigned chapters in high school history textbooks, Alexander the Great was the king of Ancient Greece who conquered many lands to expand his kingdom, but failed to travel further into Asia and grow the kingdom further. Thus, the preview sees Alexander weeping at the newfound knowledge, feeling that laying claim to Earth feels like small change compared to the vast multiverse, when he cannot even successfully do that.
Laying claim to entire worlds is Kang's beat, unlike Galactus of course, who chooses to devour them whole. In this first issue though, we see Kang pull a move out of Terminator and rescue his younger self from a robot Doctor Doom. The preview ends with the two face to face, with Kang telling his younger self that there is, in fact, much more than the time he knows as his home.
KANG THE CONQUEROR #1 (OF 5)
- COLLIN KELLY & JACKSON LANZING (W) • CARLOS MAGNO (A)
- Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
- VARIANT COVER BY RYAN STEGMAN
- VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
- HEADSHOT VARIANT COVER BY TODD NAUCK
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY NATACHA BUSTOS
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY JUANN CABAL
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY CARMEN CARNERO
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY JOSHUA CASSARA
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY IBAN COELLO
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY PATRICK GLEASON
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY PEACH MOMOKO
- STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY R.B. SILVA
- THE ORIGIN OF KANG!
- The man called Kang the Conqueror has been a pharaoh, a villain, a warlord of the space ways and even, on rare occasions, a hero. Across all timelines, one fact seemed absolute: Time means nothing to Kang the Conqueror.
- But the truth is more complex. Kang is caught in an endless cycle of creation and destruction dictated by time and previously unseen by any but the Conqueror himself. A cycle that could finally explain the enigma that is Kang. And a cycle that begins and ends with an old and broken Kang sending his younger self down a dark path…
- 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
Kang the Conqueror #1 goes on sale Aug. 18 from Marvel Comics.
Source: Marvel