Spider-Man’s New Symbiote Villain is Conan the Barbarian

Warning: Spoilers for Savage Avengers #20

The threat of the King in Black may be over in the universe of Marvel Comics, but Spider-Man’s about to tussle with another Symbiote-empowered being: none other than the Savage Avengers’ Conan the Barbarian. Preview pages for this month’s Savage Avengers #20, from Gerry Duggan, Patch Zircher, and Java Tartaglia, reveal that Conan is still in New York City and has recruited the help of longtime Spidey villain Rhino, to help bust into a bank vault. Though the objective remains a mystery, it’s fair to assume that, whatever it is, it’s related to the evil sorcerer Kulan Gath. 

It may be hard to believe a figure like Conan the Barbarian could ever be considered stealthy in 21st century downtown Manhattan, but when the distraction is the human bulldozer Rhino, all is forgiven. Equally as proficient with thievery as he is with wielding swords and crushing skulls with his bare hands, Conan easily slips into the bank’s vault and retrieves the bounty needed in his quest. That being said, the warlord may have made a clean getaway from the bank, but not before triggering the Wall-Crawler’s “Spidey-sense”.

In Savage Avengers #18, while escaping Ryker’s Island with Deadpool and Night Flyer during Knull’s invasion of New York, the party was attacked by Symbiote dragons and Conan the Cimmerian found an unlikely ally in his quest to end the reign of Kulan Gath. Turns out Gath hasn’t only been making mortal enemies of Barbarians, Masters of the Mystic Arts, and Earth’s deadliest heroes, but Symbiotes as well. Sharing an overwhelming desire for vengeance, Conan and the Klyntar agree to join forces until the Sorcerer is vanquished once and for all. 

Unfortunately for Spider-Man, this wouldn’t be the first time the Savage Avenger has crossed paths and crossed swords with other superheroes. In issues 18 and 19 of the series, Conan and his fellow rogues break into the old NYC headquarters of the Hellfire Club. It doesn’t take long before the mutants Callisto, Iceman, and Bishop appear on the scene. While Night Flyer and Deadpool are quickly neutralized, Conan, enhanced by the strength of the Symbiote, knocks Callisto out and smashes Iceman in half after taking a full icy blast from the X-Man head on. That is a feat unheard of for a mortal human. 

What’s more, unlike Venom, Carnage, and some of the other Symbiote adversaries Spider-Man has battled in his fabled career, Conan is a Savage Avenger for a reason. United by a burning desire for revenge compounded by centuries, Symbiote-Conan is a force unlike any other in Marvel Comics. On the other hand, Conan the Barbarian may not have required the aid of his Symbiote partner to sneak into a bank vault, but he’ll surely need the extra firepower if he hopes to walk away from an encounter with Spider-Man. 

Readers will have to wait till Wednesday, April 28th, to find out how things shake out between Spider-Man, Rhino, and a superpowered Conan the Barbarian. 

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