The complex continuity surrounding Kang the Conqueror—one of the Avenger’s oldest and most fearsome foes dating back to Avengers #8 in 1964—is an in-joke amongst Marvel Comics readers. His many identities, alternate timelines, and seemingly endless retcons make the notion of “explaining Kang” to the uninitiated a steep task. With Jonathan Majors’ delightful appearance in Loki introducing Kang to a much larger audience, interest is at an all-time high and curious, new readers are in luck as Kang the Conqueror #1 sets out to provide a definitive once over for the many iterations and stories that define the purple-and-green clad, time-traveling villain. Although the story itself reads as equal parts retrospective, summary, and character thesis, it is dramatically more entertaining than the many internet explainers appearing in the wake of Kang’s live action adaptation.
