Savage Avengers #26: Review

Nov 2021

Gerry Duggan, Patrick Zircher

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

Story Name:

Chapter 26: The defilement of all things by the cannibal-sorcerer Kulan Gath, part 3

Review & Comments

Rating:

Savage Avengers #26 Review by Rob Johnson (November 12, 2021)

It's 1 of those big battle issues. Kang has imported warriors from most of the preceding issues of this 1-storyline series. He's missed out Daimon Hellstrom, Dr Voodoo, Punisher and Venom, plus also Deadpool, Spider-Man and some X-Men who didn't actually fight Kulan Gath.

Next issue's cover shows more of the same battle. So how's it *actually* going to end? Including stopping Gath's original victory.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Savage Avengers #26 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

The Hyborian wizard Kulan Gath won his battle against the Savage Avengers and ruled the world. He intended to destroy the Earth as he ascended to yet greater power in the cosmos. The only enemy still free was Conan who tried to rescue Dr Strange. He failed but Strange told him how to summon Kang The Conqueror from the future. Then Conan attacked Gath again to keep him busy while Kang assembled an army, which ended with the wizard ripping his heart out ...

... in revenge for Conan killing *him* back in the Hyborian Age. Now Conan's god Crom looks on with his usual disinterest as Conan's soul enters his afterlife, which is to wander alone forever in a snowy wilderness.

Meanwhile Kang has been travelling the timestream in the time-sled Rosebud II. He seems to have a bite taken out of 1 arm, presumably incurred in 1 of his numerous fights with Gath mentioned last issue ...

... because in the near future that Gath rules we see the wizard rip off his own face to reveal Kang's mask beneath. He says that he has had a taste of the Conqueror and can now track him. He magics himself away carrying Conan's head ...

... and lands in the Savage Land facing Kang and earlier versions of Dr Strange and Dr Doom. And they are joined by younger Conan riding a triceratops which treads KG into the ground before Conan pierces him with his sword and Doom rips his lower jaw away. Strange urges the others to destroy the wizard's hands before he can cast any spells. Kang's big gun blows the left hand to pieces and DrS himself binds the other hand in the Crimson Bands Of Cyttorak.

The Sorcerer Supreme then draws a dagger also wrapped in the Bands. But Gath, whose jaw has reformed enough for him to speak, uses the Crimson Bands as a whip to send Strange crashing into Conan, losing the dagger. Victor Von Doom hammers Gath and tells Conan to get the blade as the wizard calls down lightning to blast him and then encases Kang in crystal. His hand and jaw now fully restored and free of the Bands he rises above the 4 and holds them all in his power. He tells them to beg for mercy, but that Conan and Doom will not do. Stephen Strange invokes the Winds Of Watoomb the raise *them* all up above Gath. Gath fires eye-blasts at them ...

... but the blasts are absorbed by a portal through which step another Kang with Black Knight, Black Widow, Elektra (as Daredevil), Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze), Juggernaut, Magik and Wolverine. Dr Strange reaches for the Crimson-wrapped dagger again as Juggy slams into Gath while Elektra and Logan stab him with sai and claws. KG repels them all but Strange now has the dagger free of its bands and the wizard smells the blood of Shuma-Gorath on it (from #26). A blast makes Stephen drop it again but Victor catches it. Ghost Rider chooses that moment to attack on a flaming-headed tyrannosaurus which unfortunately distracts Doom long enough for Gath to eye-blast the dinosaur and shoot the dagger out of Doom's hand ...

... through a stepping-disc into the hand of Magik. She doesn't know why the blade is special but everyone seems to want to stick it to Gath. So while Black Widow blinds KG with her Widow's Stings and Conan holds him in a full nelson she plunges it into the wizard's heart.

He staggers but survives even this. He pulls the dagger out and says he's now going to ascend to a higher plane, and the energy of his passing will destroy the world.

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::