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Solomon Kane was a Puritan crusading against evil, in the name of God and Christ.[1]

Robert Howard wrote stories about Solomon Kane circa 1932.[5]

History

Origin[]

Solomon Kane, like Francis Drake and Richard Grenville, he was born in Devonshire, in west England, probably circa 1530.

He was raised in the Puritan orthodoxy, and was presumably taught fencing early, perhaps by George Silver, Austin Bagger, or another swordmaster of that era.[6]

Adventures[]

The Puritans were regarded as dangerous heretics, and through the latter 1500s, were persecuted by the Tudor rulers of England. Due to the political context made his homeland inhospitable, and due to his own restless nature, Solomon Kane traveled early in his youth, thanks to the proximity to the great English ports.[6] There are no records of Solomon's early adventures, and that period could be the the time Kane traveled to India and China widely, returning periodically to England, drawn by emotional ties.[7]

16th Century[]

Kane's earliest recorded adventure occurred during such a return, when he traveled to the village of Torkertown where he fought a phantom, and brought a murderer to justice.[7][8]

Solomon Kane, with an unshakable faith, went on an endless odyssey to destroy evil and darkness in the name of God and Christ. In that crusade, he fought men and cultists of evil, fierce beasts such as gorillas and beast-men,[1] and the rising dead.[9] He was seen by some as a monster hunter.[10]

During the 16th century, Solomon Kane faced the lord of Vampires, Dracula, twice.[11] The first time, Solomon Kane was searching for his friend's Goodman Carson's daughter Rosella who had disappeared in Transylvania. He battled werewolf bandits, but was saved and hosted by Dracula. At Castle Dracula, he was approached by the vampirized Rosella, whom he slew. He overcame Dracula but was unable to slay him, owing him his life.[12]

At some point, he saved the niece of Captain Basso from beast-men near Casmin.[9]

Into Africa[]

Coming across a dying girl in rural France, Solomon Kane swore to avenge her death by killing the murderer, the French bandit known as Le Loup. He tracked him down to his hideout, slaying all of his gang, but Le Loup managed to escape[13] to Africa, where he became the blood brother of chieftain King Songa. Solomon eventually found Le Loup, killing him and defeating his large bodyguard, Gulka the Gorilla Slayer.[14]

The Serpent War[]

In 1584, along with his acolyte Gerik, he went to village in Northumberland where sixteen villagers had been slain by "beasts". The farmers directed them to Dunbar Castle, a neighboring abandoned fortress. There, Gerik was bitten by a snake and Solomon stumbled upon cultists of Set unearthing the body of an early incarnation of 1936 AD James Allison. As he slew many cultists, present days Moon Knight (who was himself interrupting the unearthing of James Allison in Cross Plains, Texas, after having been petitioned in a quest by Khonshu) was teleported before him.[1] The two quickly came to the conclusion they were allies in the situation. At that moment, through his earlier incarnation's body, and under the influence of the Wyrm, Allison told them of the quest he was enrolling them in, all being tied by destiny (he did the same, through a Man-Serpent's mask, in the Karpash Mountains of the Hyborian Age, for Conan and time-displaced 1522 Agnes de Chastillon). Solomon though it to be the rise of the dead and decapitated the body, to no avail. Though reluctant, the four adventurers accepted after being shown nightmarish visions of a world under Set.

Along with Moon Knight, Solomon Kane traveled through Northumberland, towards the coast. They were attacked by a group of highwaymen, which served to build a bond between them. They passed next to Newcastle, and were going to Captain Basso for safe passage, as a favor for having saved his niece. While waiting for Basso's ship, they were informed by Allison that the other pairs of adventurers had destroyed an object of power (Set's Aventurine Stone). At that moment, Basso's ship arrived, earlier than expected, and immediately fired its cannons at them. Moon Knight boarded the ship, where he was attacked by crew, worshipers of Set, and, using a cannon, scuttled the ship. The two then set out to regroup in Newcastle and find another ship for Rotterdam, then hire a caravan through Germany then on to Italy,[9] passing by France and the Alps. While Conan and Agnes destroyed Set's bonds to the world, Solomon and Moon Knight uncovered on their way documents helping them to locate and purge Set's corruptions: shipping reports in Rotterdam, stolen secrets in Luxembourg, forbidden tomes (including De Vermis Mysteriis) in Novara, Italy. They finally reached Turin. There they attacked a temple to destroy a bracelet blessed with a portion of his power. The bracelet had a twin in a temple in Tenuzar Stygia, in the Hyborian Age, and the four adventurers were to destroy both simultaneously in order to wound Set. The bracelet was located but the cultists empowered one of their own as a giant. Meanwhile, the Wyrm decided to leave Allison, who understood his doings in horror. Khonshu intervened to command Moon Knight to place the bracelet on his wrist, projecting him in Eternal Egypt.[15] Solomon managed to kill the cultists, and all allies in the war, including Satyne, priestess of Set, were gathered, and were soon confronted by the Wyrm itself. With the help of Khonshu, and with the manifestation of Allison in his Niord incarnation delivering the killing blow, the quest was ended with each adventurer returning to their respective era.[10]

Soon afterwards, in Durham, he was approached by a man claiming to have seen animals walking like men and feeding on corpses.[10]

Under Sir Richard Grenville, Kane engaged in privateering against Spanish treasure fleets. In 1591, Grenville's ship, the Revenge, was captured and Kane was sent to Spain as a prisoner of the Inquisition.[16]

After happening upon a remote colony of ancient Assyrians,[17] Kane's travels are shrouded in mystery.[18]

17h Century[]

In 1610, aged but still physically formidable, Kane returned to Devonshire, intending to finally settle down in his native land. Eventually, he set off towards more adventures.[18][19][20]

Modern Age[]

Circa 1932, Robert Howard wrote stories about Solomon Kane.[5]

It was hypothesized that Solomon Kane may still be wandering yet.[18]

Personality

Religion[]

Solomon Kane was a devout Puritan, with an unshakable faith, and who lived on an endless odyssey to destroy evil and darkness in the name of God and Christ,[1] to the extent of flaying heretics.[15]

Attributes

Abilities

Solomon Kane was a determined man who had peak human physical abilities despite appearing to be thin and gaunt. He traveled the world righting wrongs, and what was left after extensive travel and training was "steel and whalebone."[citation needed]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Solomon Kane is dressed in black, with a gloomy demeanor and his trademark slouch hat.

Weapons

Solomon carries a versatile 16th-century arsenal, including flintlock pistols, a rapier,[1] dagger,[citation needed] and the magical and ageless Staff of Solomon.[citation needed]

Transportation

Horseback and ambulation.

Notes

  • Solomon Kane was created by Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan and Kull, and first appeared in "Red Shadows" (Weird Tales, 1928).[21]
  • Solomon Kane was under license to Marvel Comics and went over to Dark Horse, like Conan (who eventually returned to Marvel in 2019).
    • Like Conan, Solomon Kane was still mentioned as being part of the Marvel Universe during the time Marvel Comics didn't held the rights to the character.[11]

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Conan: Serpent War #1
  2. Savage Sword of Conan #33 ; Blades of the Brotherhood
  3. Savage Sword of Conan #53 ; Wings in the Night
  4. Savage Sword of Conan #220 ; Death's Dark Tower - Part II of Death's Dark Riders
  5. 5.0 5.1 Savage Sword of Conan #200
  6. 6.0 6.1 Savage Sword of Conan #219 ; Kane the Avenger: I. A Puritan at Bay
  7. 7.0 7.1 Savage Sword of Conan #219 ; Kane the Avenger: II. Early Wanderings
  8. Monsters Unleashed #1
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Conan: Serpent War #2 ; Chapter II: Relics of the Gods
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Conan: Serpent War #4 ; Chapter IV: Kingdom of the Wyrm
  11. 11.0 11.1 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005 #1 ; Dracula's entry
  12. Dracula #3 ; Castle of the Undead
  13. Marvel Premiere #33
  14. Solomon Kane #1
  15. 15.0 15.1 Conan: Serpent War #3 ; Chapter III: The Faithful and the Fallen
  16. Savage Sword of Conan #219 ; Kane the Avenger: V. Down to the Sea in Ships
  17. Savage Sword of Conan #219 ; Kane the Avenger: VI. Jungle Trails
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Savage Sword of Conan #219 ; Kane the Avenger: VII. The Road Goes Ever On
  19. Savage Sword of Conan #20
  20. Solomon Kane #6
  21. Savage Tales #2 ; Robert E. Howard: Lone Star Fictioneer
  22. [citation needed]
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