Spoilers ahead for Savage Avengers #23!
The upcoming “Death of Doctor Strange” story will more than likely end with the crowning of a new Sorcerer Supreme. While Marvel has not released any details on who exactly is next in line, there is no reason to think that whoever does come next will be a good guy. Kulan Gath has been menacing Doctor Strange and his team in the pages of Savage Avengers, and in issue #23, on sale now in print and digital, Gath continues to consolidate his power—perhaps to become the next Sorcerer Supreme?
Kulan Gath first appeared in 1972’s Conan the Barbarian #15 and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith. Initially designed to be a foe for Conan, he would go on to become a thorn in the side of many Marvel characters, including the X-Men. Gath would continue as a Marvel villain even after the company lost the rights to publish Conan comics, but when the Cimmerian returned to Marvel two years ago, he resumed his feud with Kulan Gath. Conan was later recruited to Doctor Strange’s Savage Avengers team to help stop Gath in the present day. Gath is also a former Sorcerer Supreme - and it looks like he could be again.
In Savage Avengers #23, written by Gerry Duggan, with art by Patch Zircher, colors by Java Tartaglia, and letters by Travis Lanham, Doctor Strange has captured Kulan Gath’s arch-rival, the extradimensional entity known as Shuma-Gorath, and is keeping him prisoner, hoping to wring information about Kulan Gath’s activities and whereabouts. Gorath is not exactly forthcoming, taunting Doctor Strange and speaking cryptically. Strange learns that Kulan Gath is almost ready to ascend to another plane, and it's up to Strange and the Savage Avengers to stop him. Conan arrives at the Sanctum, and after Strange gives the severely-weakened Shuma-Gorath a mercy killing, one of Gath’s acolytes arrives, showing Strange and Conan that his master has won, as the City of Sickles now hovers above New York City, with its citizens enslaved by Gath.
Kulan Gath is nowhere in this issue, but his evil presence lurks all the way through. Shuma-Gorath, an immensely powerful being in his own right, has been reduced to practically nothing by Kulan Gath’s magic. Gorath tells Strange that “he has lost” and that “Gath is victorious.” While it may be possible Gorath was toying with Strange, there is also the possibility he is not. Does Gorath know of Doctor Strange’s impending demise? Does Strange die at Gath’s hands? Thousands of years ago, Kulan Gath murdered his era’s Sorcerer Supreme and took the title - will history repeat itself? And if Kulan Gath does indeed ascend to the rank once again, what does that mean for Earth and the magic community? In the Marvel Universe, there is no morality requirement for the title of Sorcerer Supreme. Even Doctor Doom has come close to claiming it on a few occasions.
The impending death of Doctor Strange will shake Marvel’s magic-user community to the core and could very well end with the coronation of Kulan Gath as the next Sorcerer Supreme.
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