Whence Kulan-Gath?

[Thongor]

Over at Dynamic Entertainment, in the pages of Red Sonja, the sorcerer Kulan-Gath is making his return to comics. Kulan-Gath has an odd history in that he was introduced ( I think) in the Elric/Conan team up in the pages of Marvel's Conan the Barbarian, and later fought Spiderman, Red Sonja, The X-Men, and The Avengers. He gets around.
My question is, did Mike create Kulan-Gath or did Roy Thomas? Mike has said before that he can't locate a copy of the original plot he and James Cawthorne provided for Roy Thomas. I just wondered if he remembered coining the name or if Kulan-Gath was added on by Thomas.

[Morgan Kane]

REd sonja is a character by Robert Howard. R.H. situated her in the europe of the sixteenth century and comics authors used her in conjonction with Conan .....

Elric Conan tema was invented by comics author .

[David Mosley]

I believe strictly speaking Red Sonya was the character REH created, who has relatively little in common with the Red Sonja character invented by Roy Thomas (although he was presumably aware of REH creation).

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

On June 6, 2006 comic news site Newsarama reported that Red Sonja, LLC (which holds rights to the Roy Thomas version of the character) filed a lawsuit on four counts against Paradox Entertainment (which holds rights to Red Sonya as part of the Howard library) in US Federal Court in April of 2006. The four counts are claims of copyright infringement, trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and unfair competition.

[Thongor]

Well the comic book version of Red Sonja is about 10% Robert E. Howard, and 90% Roy Thomas, but I'm finding it a little distasteful to see two companies that had NOTHING to do with the creation of either character (Roy's or REH's) scrabbling like dogs in the dust for the legacies of two talented writers. That's just me though.
I'm more interested in Mike's part (if any) in the creation of Kulan-Gath because Dynamic is making a big deal about the return of the character, supposedly because of his history at Marvel. I thought it would be weird and a touch ironic if Kulan-Gath was a Moorcock creation.

[Michael Moorcock]

To be honest, I can't remember. I wrote that with Jim Cawthorn and it's possible he's Jim's invention.

[Thongor]

Oh well. No problem, Mike. It's been a while, after all.

[Michael Moorcock]

In recent years there's been some pretty iffy action taken by people claiming rights to Howard's work. Seems very sad that a writer of such direct energy should be quibbled over like this. As it happens, however, we had to threaten legal action when the movie Red Sonja came out, since the sword she was using was originally called, wait for it, Stormbringer...

[Thongor]

Yikes! That's terrible, but sadly, not surprising.

[David Mosley]

Originally Posted by Michael Moorcock

As it happens, however, we had to threaten legal action when the movie Red Sonja came out, since the sword she was using was originally called, wait for it, Stormbringer...

I suppose - given its nature - that somewhere in the multiverse there's a doomed, red-haired incarnation of the Eternal Champion called Erica of Melniboné.

[Morgan Kane]

Bingo !

She is a red haired albinos ..... She is doomed to love ..... and fail !

as a weapon, she as a magical comb ........ who increases her seduction rating ....... but makes her love ......

[GuyLawley]

Originally Posted by David Mosley

I believe strictly speaking Red Sonya was the character REH created, who has relatively little in common with the Red Sonja character invented by Roy Thomas (although he was presumably aware of REH creation).

I didn't know til just now that there was at least one "novel" written about the hyborianised Sonja -- see it on ebay here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d..._promot_widget

What are the odds it's readable? Silly question.

Seeing Sonja's metal bikini for the first time in ages brings to mind a question: Sonja vs. Katinka van Bak -- who wins? I know Roy Thomas gave Sonja this schtick where you have to defeat her in love before you can defeat her in battle, but really, if Katinka was wearing any sensibly protective clothing, I think it would be a foregone conclusion.

[lucky-strike]

I actually read this, when it first appeared. The fact that the only thing I remember about it is the cover, is probably significant...

[GuyLawley]

Originally Posted by lucky-strike

I actually read this, when it first appeared. The fact that the only thing I remember about it is the cover, is probably significant...

[Marca]

There's a Wikipedia entry on Kulan Gath:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulan_Gath

When I first looked at it, Mike's name was incorrect (Morrock!) in the heading, the date of the first Conan appearance was given as 1986 as there was no credit given to James Cawthorn, so I've amended all these. Can anyone find any more mistakes? I haven't given Cawthorn's name as possible creator of the character as it's not really verifiable.

[lucky-strike]

I'd always assumed that the name Kulan Gath was a variation on Kulan Tith, a character in Edgar Rice Burroughs' martian novels. Maybe just coincidence?

[Thongor]

Well I've done a bit more investigating and a friend of mine, who interviewed Roy Thomas recently, said that Roy says the character was his BUT the name Kulan-Gath was actually coined by...Stan Lee. Apparently Roy had called the wizard something else, and Stan didn't like it much, and threw out the name Kulan-Gath on the spot. I wouldn't add that to the wiki since it's an unconfirmed second hand quote, but I do plan to ask Roy about it. I see him at Cons now and again.

[Thongor]

Okay, Roy Thomas says:

"If you can show me the passage where I'm alleged to have said what you"quote," I might believe it... but I don't believe Stan ever made up a namefor any CONAN-related character. Nor do I think it's probably mine, orBarry Smith's. I feel it was probably in the plot I received, which whichbylined as being by Michael Moorcock and Jim Cawthorn, and which I mostlyjust simplified somewhat (taking out a subplot, as I recall--though I don'trecall what that subplot was) in doing those two CONAN issues." So looks like he thinks it was Jim Cawthorn too.

[Thongor]

Oh, I forgot to say that I emailed Roy and he was kind enough to answer.

[Michael Moorcock]

I'd better write to Jim (who isn't on email) and find out what he remembers!