Thulsa Doom is an antagonist for the character Kull of Atlantis, debuting in the story “Delcardes’ Cat” (as Thulses Doom). He is the prototype for many of the future undead evil wizards in Howard’s stories, such as Tsotha-Lanti (in the Conan saga) and Kathulos (in the Skull Face novelette); other living or revenant Howardian practitioners of magic such as Thoth Amon, Thugra Khotan, Kathulos, and Xaltotun bear some psychological similarities to Thulsa Doom, even if their actual appearance is vastly different. Thulsa Doom is described in “The Cat and the Skull” as having a face “like a bare white skull, in whose eye sockets flamed livid fire”. He is seemingly invulnerable, boasting after being trampled by one of Kull’s comrades that he feels “only a slight coldness” when being injured and will only “pass to some other sphere when [his] time comes”. Howard reused the character as “Kathulos of Atlantis” in his 1929 story “Skull-Face”.
First Appearance “Delcardes’ Cat” a.k.a “The Cat and the Skull” — written 1928/1929, published 1967
First Publisher Lancer Books
Appearance List “Delcardes’ Cat” a.k.a “The Cat and the Skull” (written 1928/1929) by Robert E. Howard, first published in King Kull (Lancer Books, 1967) — First appearance of Thulsa Doom (aka “Thulses Doom”); King Kull (2nd ed. 1969; 3rd ed. 1972; Sphere Books UK reissue 1976); Kull (US re-edited collection, 1978) — Bantam Books (removes Carter edits; contains “Delcardes’ Cat”).
Description Thulsa Doom is an antagonist for the character Kull of Atlantis, debuting in the story “Delcardes’ Cat” (as Thulses Doom). He is the prototype for many of the future undead evil wizards in Howard’s stories, such as Tsotha-Lanti (in the Conan saga) and Kathulos (in the Skull Face novelette); other living or revenant Howardian practitioners of magic such as Thoth Amon, Thugra Khotan, Kathulos, and Xaltotun bear some psychological similarities to Thulsa Doom, even if their actual appearance is vastly different. Thulsa Doom is described in “The Cat and the Skull” as having a face “like a bare white skull, in whose eye sockets flamed livid fire”. He is seemingly invulnerable, boasting after being trampled by one of Kull’s comrades that he feels “only a slight coldness” when being injured and will only “pass to some other sphere when [his] time comes”. Howard reused the character as “Kathulos of Atlantis” in his 1929 story “Skull-Face”.
