The graphic novel is an adaptation and continuation
of REH's Valusian yarn The Shadow Kingdom.
Kull is new to his throne and he knows
not whom to trust. In the process of establishing and strengthening political alliances through strategic marriages he
is warned of an ancient and infernal conspiracy by the Picts, the natural enemies of the barbaric Atlanteans who fostered
him.
If he is to keep his hard-won throne he must act quickly and decisively.
The Pictish leader Ka-Nu displays dangerous
levels of trust and asks Kull to blindly match it in turn. This is difficult for Kull, who is very much a loner
and strives to act through the office of his kingship. He finds it especially challenging to remain lofty and distant
when dealing with the impulsive guardian he's been assigned, Brule the Spear-Slayer.
Together the barbarian that once was and the barbarian who still is confront
a conspiracy older than the human race.
Arvid Nelson's writing is excellent. The
artwork by Will Conrad and Cover Artists Paul Renaud, Andy Brase, Will Conrad and Joe Kubert evoke a brutal and barbaric era
that is neither medieval nor Hyborian. There is a prehistoric feel to Kull's world that is almost dreamlike. The coloring
of Jose Villarrubia greatly enhances this astral quality. Richard Starkings' lettering and comic-craft is the cherry on the
cake.
