In order to defeat his foes and increase his power, Kulan Gath has summoned Venom to come to him so that he can take possession of the alien symbiote from its human host. However, when Kulan Gath tries to use his magic to separate the two beings, he finds resistance.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man wakes up and finds himself in a dungeon, crushing all hope that he had that this experience was all just a dream. This upsets Spider-Man until he discovers a familiar face, Joe Robertson is also locked up with him. However, Joe has also been affected by the same spell that has turned everything in New York except Spider-Man into something out of the Hyborean era. Meanwhile, Red Sonja has gathered an army to help her in her battle against Kulan Gath. She has brought them to the gulag in Sheep’s Meadow where Kulan Gath has been executing every other redhead in Manhattan while imprisoning everyone else. As she Red Sonja leads the charge, Spider-Man learns from Joe Robertson that Kulan Gath has ordered them all to be killed as part of a blood sacrifice that will boost his magical power so he can transform the rest of the Earth. Soon the prison wall is blasted open and Spider-Man joins Red Sonja in battle.

At that same moment, Venom continues to fight back against his master, physically attacking Gath. Venom is pleased when he draws blood, but this works against him because Kulan Gath’s magic is powered by blood and he uses his arcane abilities to separate Eddie Brock from the Venom symbiote. With Brock discarded, the symbiote then begins to bond to the ancient sorcerer.

Back at the prison, Spider-Man and Red Sonja are just about done with the footsoldiers when they are attacked by Vermin, who arrives riding his massive fire-breathing rat. The pair manage to knock Vermin off his grotesque steed causing it to go berzerk. Spider-Man shoves Red Sonja out of the way and gets trampled by the creature. Red Sonja gores the monster on her sword and calls Spider-Man a fool for risking his life to save her. However, Spider-Man tells her that he did so because she is possessing the body of Mary Jane. Red Sonja believes him, as she hears Mary Jane’s voice in the back of her head, but this voice is growing fainter as time passes. Spider-Man theorizes that Kulan Gath’s spell will become permanent if they don’t find some way to reverse it soon. As Joe Robertson suggests they get to cover before reinforcements arrive, Red Sonja helps Spider-Man to his feet. As they walk away from the battlefield, she swears to him that she will help him accomplish his goals no matter what. That’s when they are ambushed by three of Spider-Man’s deadliest foes: The Hobgoblin, the Scorpion, and the Lizard.[1]

At that same moment, J. Jonah Jameson is documenting his master’s transformation from Kulan Gath the sorcerer, into the supremely powerful Kulan Venom!

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Red Sonja, Kulan Gath/Kulan Venom, Venom, Vermin, Hobgoblin, Lizard, Scorpion, Joe Robertson, J. Jonah Jameson

Continuity Notes

1. The identity of this Hobgoblin is unrevealed. I think it’s Roderick Kingsley, see my reasons below.

On Continuity

Another issue of continuity with this series is the identity of the Hobgoblin. Fans have a hard time trying to wrap their head around the identity. That’s because around the time of this publication there wasn’t an active Hobgoblin. The original Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley had retired and fled the country following Spectacular Spider-Man #261 and he won’t resurface again in Amazing Spider-Man #648. Other Hobgoblins include Lefty Donovan, Ned Leeds, and Jason Macendale who all died in Amazing Spider-Man #245, Spider-Man Versus Wolverine #1, and Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1 respectively. There was also another unnamed Hobgoblin that appeared in Secret War #1-5.

The Marvel Chronology Project lists the Hobgoblin in this story as one distinctly different from all others before it. I think that’s presuming a bit much, because it means that yet another unknown character took on the identity for this story and that was it.

I think a simpler solution is in order. Chronologically speaking, the events of Secret War happen prior to this series so, in my opinion, I’d like to think that this Hobgoblin was the same guy we saw in Secret War. It makes a hell of a lot more sense than there being a new guy.