Now here is a Team-Up you thought you would never see! Spider-Man and Red Sonja in one of the more important issues of Marvel Team-Up to date. It brings a Robert E. Howard creation into the Marvel Universe for the first time as well as one of his villains in Kulan Gath. Howard, best known for Conan the Barbarian, has created many great characters such as Kull and Solomon Kane. Marvel began publishing Conan the Barbarian in the early seventies and Conan the Barbarian #23 brought us the first Marvel look at Red Sonja. Red Sonja would go on to appear in a title of her own on several occasions when Marvel had the rights to Howard's creations. Kulan Gath first appeared in Conan the Barbarian #14 & 15, but this would be considered his first Marvel Universe appearance, as he would go on to make a name for himself in other titles as a villain. Marvel Team-Up #79 is one of the most requested issues of the run and one of the most memorable as well.

The story begins as Spider-Man is swinging down fifth avenue by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in late December. He is late for a meeting with Robbie Robertson ad at that same moment, a guard inside the Museum notices something strange with one it's artifacts. The moon seems to be concentrating it's rays on an amulet and the guard begins to hear voices in his head not heard for over 9,000 years. The guard then reaches for the amulet cutting his hand on the glass. Spider-Man is still swinging down the street until he reaches the offices of the Daily Bugle where he changes into Peter Parker. It's the Bugle Christmas Party and everyone is there including J. Jonah Jameson and Joe Robertson. Mary Jane Watson also is there as she gives Peter a little kiss under the mistletoe.

Just as things seem very well, reports come in that there is some trouble at the Museum and Peter and Charley Snow are the only non-drinkers on staff, so they get to cover it. They leave with Mary Jane tagging along, and as they approach the museum they notice a large crowd in front amazed that the Museum seems to be engulfed in what appears to be a giant red flame. Peter senses evil and soon separates himself from the crowd and enters the Museum as Spider-Man. Mary Jane is curious as to where Peter went to so she too enters the Museum. Inside the Museum, Spider-Man is attacked by some "slime-thing" that looks like an octopus. As he frees himself of it, a swarm of "clawed chittering things" come after him. As Spider-Man is overwhelmed by the number of creatures attacking him, Mary Jane appears on the scene. Near by her is a ancient sword that begins to glow and voices begin to call her towards it. She begins to pick up the sword, and as she does, the silver light that was shining off the sword begins to cover her until she ceases to exist. In her place, comes Red Sonja, She-Devil of the Hyrkanian Steppes! Whatever that means!

Now that MJ has transformed into Red Sonja, she helps out Spider-Man by attacking the many creatures that has engulfed him. Spider-Man does not recognize who this woman is, but initially thought it was MJ because of the flaming red hair. Yes, he is right, but he does not know that! Next, a voice cries out to Red: "We two meet again" and Red Sonja recognizes that it is Kulan Gath, a supreme sorcerer. As Kulan Gath begins to attack Red, Spider-Man returns the favor of her saving him and gets her out of harms way, but Red mistakenly thinks that he is one of Gath's demons and they both fall to the ground very hard. When they next awake, they find themselves being lowered into a fiery pit while clamped to a couple of X-shaped stakes. Kulan Gath, High Priest of the N'Garai, walks out to them and explains that he desires to have the Elder gods be re-born and become the rightful rulers of mankind. The fiery pit below them is a mystic gateway to N'Garai and their lives will open it. How wonderful huh?

The last time Red Sonja and Kulan Gath met, she cut out his heart, but Gath transferred his soul into the amulet where he waited for time on end. That time came tonight as Gath reached out and snared a host body in the Museum guard. As for Spider-Man, he freaks out as some green gloppy matter reaches him making him weak. He breaks free from his stake and begins to bring down the house so to speak, but not before freeing Red. A showdown occurs next between Kulan Gath and the Spidey/ Red team. Gath blasts some spells towards them but Spider-Man easily evades them all until he reaches Gath pushing him through a window. As the three characters reach outside, Kulan Gath and Red Sonja are both amazed at the world in which they are in with all the city's bright lights and tall skyscrapers. Spider-Man then lands a punch into Gath that sends him almost into the next avenue, then takes the amulet from Gath and returning the guard to normal. Its shock after shock for Spider-Man as he next sees Red Sonja slowly turning back to Mary Jane Watson fainting into his arms.

Later on, while Peter is on a ship to Staten Island, he thinks to himself that it's a good thing that Mary Jane has filed what little she remembers of that nights incidents as a "crazy dream". As for the amulet? Peter throws it over board into the bottom of the Bay. An excellent story with an excellent and interesting villain in Kulan Gath. Spider-Man has yet to meet Red Sonja again and I certainly wouldn't plan on it either! As for Kulan Gath, he appears next in Uncanny X-Men #190 & #191 in which Spider-Man also makes an appearance. This issue is definitely in the Marvel Team-Up "Top-10" list of stories and is highly recommended.

Reprinted In:
Marvel Tales #208