Monday, November 14, 2011

Kull: The Cat and the Skull #2

You might be surprised to find out that Robert E. Howard's other barbarian king, Kull, spends a good part of this issue having a calm discussion with a cat.

But it's not just any cat - it's an ancient creature known as Saremes, and it seems to know many secrets - and even the future.

There's obviously a lot bubbling under the surface, but action fans will be glad to know that there's a brutal battle with an army of serpent men to keep the story moving along briskly.

This isn't one of Howard's best-known stories, but it's an interesting change of pace and well adapted by writer David Lapham.

I like the art by Gabriel Guzman - it covers the range from brutal, dark and bloody battles to calm and civilized discussions. I'd like to see more in the way of backgrounds, but that's a minor complaint.

I'd also like to see more of Kull's character - since Howard didn't write as many stories about Kull, the character has a lot of room to grow. Hopefully future stories will take advantage of that.

Grade: B+

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