Conflict even among allies is a key component of classic sword and sorcery stories. The thief who allies with the hero today may turn upon them just as quickly for the promise of treasure tomorrow. Wizards too, are unreliable, often having loftier concerns than the problems of Man. Yet enemies may often become allies, once common ground is found.
This lesson seems to be in the making in the opening pages of Conan the Barbarian #20, where the Cimmerian faces a foe that, in another time and place, was once a friend.
Written by Jim Zub, with art by Doug Braithwaite, Conan the Barbarian #20 picks up where the previous issue left off. Stranded in a jungle following the death of his first love, Belit, the Cimmerian finds himself stalked by a great panther. He is not unused to fighting beasts, though this cat seems cannier than most.
The final pages revealed the panther to be a shape-shifter, who called himself Zula before attacking Conan anew. This unveiled the man as a character from the Marvel Comics’ Conan series. However, it was also clear the two warriors were strangers in this reality.
The first four pages of Conan the Barbarian #20 may be viewed below.
Conan the Barbarian’s Zula explained
The character of Zula first appeared in 1977’s Conan the Barbarian #84. A prince of the Zamballah tribe of Darfar, Zula was captured and sold into slavery. Eventually, he was taken to the Stygian city of Kheshatta, also known as the City of Magicians. It was there Zula began to teach himself magic, while biding his time before fighting for his freedom. He won it with the aid of the similarly enslaved Conan. The two became fast friends despite the barbarian’s dislike of magic.
Zula filled many needs in the Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian stories. First, he offered Conan a steadfast ally who was also his equal; something the barbarian rarely had in the original Robert E. Howard stories. Zula also explained the elder Conan’s mystic knowledge in those same stories, where he used the Sign of Jhebbal Sag to ward off animals.
Zula had a lasting effect on the Hyborian Age mythos. He was adapted for the 1992 animated series, where he was a blood brother to the Cimmerian. Zula was also gender-flipped for the 1984 Conan the Destroyer movie and played by Grace Jones. However, her Zula was a fighter and thief rather than a wizard and warrior.
It remains to be seen if a similar friendship will grow between the two adventurers in the new Conan the Barbarian comics. It seems likely, however, given such bonds are normally formed as a result of conflict in sword and sorcery stories. The greater concern, however, is what dark forces caused the druid to think the Cimmerian is tainted by snake-man magic.
Conan the Barbarian #20 arrives in comic shops everywhere on April 16, 2025.
