JUMA
JUMA
Real Name: Juma
Identity/Class: Human warrior (sword/spear/arrow-bearer;
Hyborian era
Occupation: King;
former war prince, war chief, warrior, cavalry, soldier (achieving the
rank of major), gladiator, slave/farmer
Group Membership: King of numerous united tribes;
Presumably formerly the Kozaks;
formerly Turanian cavalry and army
Affiliations: Chabella, Conan, Fafnir Helland, Salbatanu,
Sigurd, Turanian soldiers & cavalry, the Wastrel's crew
(including a number of Barrachan pirates and Zingaran buccaneers),
Yolinda, Turgohl, Zosara, Zula
invoked Ajujo & Derketa;
formerly Bwatu, Commander Grimm, Devourer of Worlds (Wrarrl), Turanian soldiers & cavalry, Prince Yezdigerd, King Yildiz
Enemies: Shah Amurath, Armati, Bwatu, Devil of the Pits,
Kulan Gath, Commander Grimm, the Matamba, Ormuz, Rotath and his Hillmen, Shemite
slave-raiders, Amir Saltim, Warrior Women of Gamburu (aka Amazons);
presumably Shemite slave-masters;
formerly Conan, the Kozaks, Salbatanu, Zula
Known Relatives: Unidentified mother
Aliases: Juma the Black, Juma the Kushite
Base of Operations: An extended tribal kingdom extending over 50 leagues along the "Black Coast" in Kush;
spent some time in Kherdpur;
formerly Aghrapur, Turan;
formerly a towered city within the Valley of the Sun in the northern wastes of Turan;
formerly gladiatorial arena in Argos;
formerly a farn in Shem;
born in Kush
First Appearance: (Conan novel continuity) "The City of Skulls" (1967);
(Marvel Comics/Reality-616): Conan the Barbarian I#37 (April, 1974)
Powers/Abilities: Juma is a powerful and skilled warrior and a loyal friend. He is a supremely skilled archer and spear thrower, as well as swordsman, hand-to-hand combatant, and horseman, swordsman.
Height: Approximately 6'5" (he seemed comparable in height to Conan)
Weight: Approximately 245 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Head shaved, with black eyebrows (as an infant, he looked to have black hair)
History:
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - Juma was born in Kush.
(Savage Sword of Conan#59 (fb) - see comments)
- Slave raiders from Shem stole Juma as a child from his mother's arms.
He worked for a time as a field hand on a Shemite farm.
When his muscles began to develop and he was deemed a threat, he was sold as a gladiator to the arenas of Argos. Eventually winning his freedom, he drifted east to Turan, where he joined King Yildiz's mercenaries.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37 (fb) - BTS) <"Long weeks" before the main story> - Juma heard a tortured captive tell how a new leader had come among and civilized the hillmen, leading them to a towered city, as if he alone knew where it had lain waiting.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37 (fb) - BTS) - Juma was amongst a group of warriors (including Conan) sent from Aghrapur by Turan's King Yildiz to the northern wastes to transport and protect his granddaughter Princess Yolinda.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37) - When they were beset by Hillman under the control of Rotath, Juma skewered a man in mid-air when that man dove to stab Conan in the back. Ater joking that all men were brothers under the skin, Juma exhorted the rest of the "lily-whites" to fight as furiously as their captain. However, the captain fell shortly thereafter, and the other troops lost heart.
With only Conan and Juma remaining to fight (with the others having either perished or fled), Conan fell to the ground after one of the hillmen stabbed his horse, and Juma -- unwilling to flee and noting how they were the only men in the outfit -- helped him to his feet; however, before long, both Conan and Juma fell before greater numbers.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37 (fb) - BTS) - Due to their size, both men were spared to serve as slave labor, while Yolinda was spared for other reasons. Their arms were shackled in chains.
Juma regained consciousness first.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37) - As Conan revived, Juma joked that if he hadn't awakened before they moved out, he would have had to carry Conan. He only had time to confirm that only they and Yolinda had been spared before the Hillmen ordered no more talking until they reached the Valley of the Sun. Juma shivered en route through the cold winds until they reached the warm valley, at which point Juma noted his pleasure, only to be silenced by a guard again. As they walked through a jungle, Juma warned Conan of a charging "unicorn" (rhinoceros), and then knocked Conan safely out of the way -- mocking him as a superstitious fool for fearing the unfamiliar creature; however, Juma was soon shocked as some monstrous reptilian creature suddenly pounced upon and devoured the "unicorn."
As they approached Rotath's citadel, Juma told Conan how he had heard
of this place from a tortured captive. No soon had they reached the top
of the citadel via water bubble than the ape-lord Anaxor snatched
Yolinda and raced away, dropping her before Rotath's throne. After
Rotath revealed his intent for Yolinda to bear his son, Conan slew
Anaxor, after which Rotath sent his soldiers against Conan. Rotath used
his mental powers to make Anaxor appear to be Yolinda to Conan, after
which he ordered Conan to surrender or he would slay Yolinda.
Unaffected -- as Rotath had not consider him worthy of concern -- Juma
hurled a dagger into Anaxor's chest, exposing Rotath's deception.
However, despite Conan and Juma staying wide enough to avoid Rotath's
mesmerization, the ancient sorcerer hurled drugged-darts from his
sleeves (as Juma recognized), which put the two warriors to sleep. 
(Conan the Barbarian I#37 (fb) - BTS) - Juma and Conan revived within the mines below the valley, where they spent days mining gold to avoid being whipped.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37 - BTS / Savage Sword of Conan#234 (fb) - BTS) - Rotath commanded his Ape Lords to guard Yolinda but not to touch her, and most of the Ape Lords would no sooner have mated with Yolinda than with a true ape...most, but not all. One of the Ape Lords, "Zekkir," entered Yolinda's chamber and raped her.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37 (fb) - BTS) - Juma determined that half of the gold they mined was sent farther down the track, instead of up, to pay the Hyrkanians for armor and weapons.
Juma advised that they somehow head farther down the tunnels, correctly figuring that the guards would not be looking for this, as no slave in his right mind would do so. Juma reasoned they would learn where the gold was going and/or discover a way out of the hellhole in which they found themselves.
(Conan the Barbarian I#37) - Eventually, per Juma's advice, Conan and Juma headed farther down the tunnels, ambushing and overpowering guards as needed. When a pair of guards discovered and hurled spears at them, Juma leapt atop a cart and Conan followed him, hoping they would like what was in front of them more than what was behind. Respecting Rotath's laws and fearing the Devil of the Pits, the guards allowed the two slaves to escape, and Juma and Conan rode the cart through darkness until it abruptly stopped at the end of the track and cast the pair to the caverns below. As they were confronted by a "dragon" that Juma reckoned to be the one -- or its brother -- they had seen devour the "unicorn" from above, they fled seemingly hopelessly until the "dragon" was consumed by the immense Devil of the Pits slug. While the slug ingested its prey, Juma paused and gathered some gold just lying there for the taking until the slug moved toward them and Juma accepted Conan's urge to flee.
Spotting an offshoot of the Hillmen's tunnels, Conan and Juma rushed
that way, but the slug pursued them to their surprise. As the two
emerged from the tunnels, the guards were initially pleased for the
chance to recapture them until seeing the monstrous Devil of the Pits
pursuing them, at which point they fled. As the slug continued to
pursue them no matter which way they turned, Juma wondered why the
Hillmen had not proven sufficient dessert for the monster. While Juma
wondered if the creature perhaps preferred dark meat, they came upon
the incomplete wedding ceremony of Rotath and Yolinda. As the
gold-covered Rotath fled up the fountain in a bubble with Yolinda,
Conan, having correctedly deduced the slug's desire for gold, hurled
two sacks of gold they had gathered into the fountain, leading the slug
to dive atop the fountain. With the spout blocked, the sphere fell
down atop the slug. Rotath and Yolinda both rushed towards safety, but
the slug pulled Rotath into its body, feeding on the gold which lay
within him.
Sated, the slug shambled off, and Conan and Juma
brought Yolinda back to Aghrapur. As she discussed how she would have
slain herself after the ceremony had she married Rotath, , as some
fates were worse than death, Conan and Juma joked about how some fates
were far better.
(Savage
Sword of Conan#33 (fb)) - King Yildiz promoted Juma and Conan to
captains for their heroic deeds. Juma received a coveted palace post
with its full-fringed benefits (including handmaidens), while Conan was
sent on another perilous mission.
(Savage Sword of Conan#234 (fb) - BTS) - Fearing Yildiz's son, Yezdigerd, might want Yolinda murdered one day for having born monstrous children from the ape-lord who had raped her, Juma stayed in Turan's cavalry so he might protect her.
(Savage Sword of Conan#234 (fb) - BTS) - With King Yildiz's absent-minded permission, Juma helped Yolinda establish a trap-door link to the catacombs below her bedchambers in Kherdper, wherein dwelled her monstrous children Salbatanu and Zosara amongst other monstrous creatures. Thus Yolinda could travel there, and her apeling children could visit her as they pleased without being observed by hostile, snickering soldiers.
(Savage Sword of
Conan#235 (fb) - BTS) - Anticipating Yezdigerd's imminent ordering of
Yolinda's death, Juma sought to bring Conan to Kherdpur to help protect
Yolinda.
(Savage Sword of Conan#232) - Ten years after Conan and Juma had fought together in Turan's cavalry, as a pair of Kozaks overcame the soldiers and archers by Commander Grimm's side and took out Grimm's prized stallion, leaving Grimm at their mercy, Juma struck, hurling a spear that slew one of the Kozaks and distracted the other sufficiently that Grimm could fight back. As both Grimm's and his attacker's swords were knocked free in their struggle, Juma rushed forward to his aid, faster than the other Turanian soldiers, but Grimm slew the other Kozak.
After Grimm announced his pleasure with the man who had granted him the precious moment he needed to triumph and that he would bestow a battleworld promotion on him for having an arm so strong and sure, Juma introduced himself as Juma the Black.
(Savage Sword of Conan#233 (fb) - BTS) - Juma was promoted to major in Grimm's troops.
(Savage Sword of Conan#233) - When Juma, as part of Grimm's cavalry, happened upon a group of Turanian soldiers slaughtered by a group of Kozaks under Conan, Grimm had Juma put the wounded Amir Saltim out of his misery, despite Saltim's pleas to the contrary. Grimm was impressed as Juma did the deed with a single stroke, noting he needed men with a killer instinct, because he wanted Conan, and he would make rich any man who could deliver Conan to him. Explaining that he had not had a chance to mention it until now, Juma told Grimm how he knew Conan; Grimm was intrigued with this information.
(Savage Sword of Conan#233 (fb) - BTS) - Juma plotted to trap Conan for Grimm.
(Savage
Sword of Conan#235 (fb) - BTS) - Knowing Grimm knew of the monsters
below Kherdpur, Juma suggested they have Conan be slain by these
"fiends of the pit."
(Savage Sword of Conan#234 (fb) - BTS) - Grimm did not completely trust Juma as he had been friend to both Conan and Yolinda.
(Savage Sword of Conan#233) - A few nights later, Juma approached the Kozaki federation, sneaking past the sentries, and pulling back his hood to reveal his identity to Conan. Pleased to see his old friend, and noting that no son of a Kushite ever threw a meaner spear, Conan rushed forward and hugged Juma. He then introduced Juma to his allies Red Sonja, Fafnir, Turgohl, and Zula. Juma told Zula "we brothers under the skin far from home must stick together," and Zula told him "any man who is truly Conan's friend is mine, as well."
Over some drink, Juma later told Conan and his allies that he had finally left Turan's cavalry after all these years after having finally become certain that the Kozak Conan was the same Conan he'd known; he further added that he didn't relish serving under the "not quite human" Commander Grimm. Zula asked if he had met Grimm, and Juma told Zula that, to Grimm, he was just another horse-hugger, and a dark-skinned outlander, to boot. Juma then told Conan how Yolinda had never married -- as they must have spoiled her for other men -- and that over the years she had become a devout Tarimite, spending most of her time in a monastery in Kherdpur. When one of the Kozaks discussed the legendary monsters of Kherdpur, Juma claimed he had never heard of any such monsters, and that he and his men had taken Yolinda there six months ago. Telling Conan that Yolinda still spoke of him in awe, Juma added that Yolinda might be able to talk King Yildiz out of trying to annex the steppes. After Conan recalled how Yildiz had doted on his granddaughter in Aghrapur, Juma told him Yildiz hadn't changed much, despite his new and pregnant queen, and Conan resolved to go to Kherdpur to have a talk with Princess Yolinda.
(Savage Sword of Conan#233 (fb) - BTS) - Juma sensed that Zula could see through his lies.
(Savage Sword of Conan#233 (fb) - BTS) - Not trusting Juma, Zula followed Juma and Conan to Kherdpur.
(Savage
Sword of Conan#233) - Some
days later, Juma and Conan arrived at Kherdpur. When guards recognized
Juma and asked the identity of his friend, whose face was partially
covered, Juma told them it was someone under a vow of silence. Telling
Conan that Yildiz had ruled that Yolinda's name not be spoken in
Kherdpur to prevent the Kozaks or others learning of her and trying to
take her hostage, Juma then spoke the passwords to the "Taramic monks"
(actually Turanian guards),
who then allowed them into a dark chamber. As Conan approached Yolinda
sitting in a spotlight, he found her to be a seamstress' dummy, but as
he warned Juma of the trap, a swift-falling ring of bars caged him.
Though Conan slew one guard and urged Juma to take the other, Juma
punched Conan between the bars, claiming his own future lay in the
Turanian
cavalry and not with a scraggly bunch of horsemen whose very name meant
"Wastrels," while Conan had no future. Just then, a pit
opened beneath Conan, dropping him into a subterranean cavern in which
monsters
creatures could be seen.
As Juma mockingly noted that he had told the truth about there not being monsters in Kherdpur, though Conan had not asked if there were monsters beneath the city, Zula denounced Juma as a lying dog and confronted him at swordpoint. Surprised that Zula was foolhardy enough to confront him and his allies alone and noting that more soldiers cotninued to pour into the chamber, Juma clashed swords with Zula. Agreeing that he could not defeat all of the approaching Turanian soldiers, Zula instead leapt into the pit through which Conan had fallen, determined to aid his ally.
As Conan and Zula fell before a wave of monstrous creatures, Grimm appeared, noting how Conan would soon find out if dead Cimmerians stood before mighty Crom on the far side of death; Juma added that if Conan did face Crom, it wouldn't be in the flesh, as the subterraneans creatures were cannibals (if they could be considered human).
(Savage Sword of Conan#234 - BTS) - Yolinda stopped the monstrous creatures (including her children Zosara and Salbatanu) from attacking Conan and Zula.
(Savage Sword of Conan#234) - Juma stood by Grimm's side and seemingly held his confidence as a Turanian captain reviewed Yezdigerd's plans; he witnessed as Grimm tore out the throat of his aide for asking about Yildiz's brother, Prince Tespaya, as Yildiz had named death as the penalty for speaking his exiled brother's name. When the captain remarked on Grimm's bestial nature, Juma acknowledged that Grimm loved the kill and the taste of warm blood in his mouth. After the captain had fled in nausea, Juma subsequently covered for him, telling Grimm the captain had excused himself due an upset stomach due to his long journey. Mocking the captain as a weakling, Grimm noted Juma to be a man, like him, who knew the thrill of the hunt, with savage yearnings only satisfied by the spilling of blood. Acknowledging that Juma likely still had yearnings that he (Grimm) had long left behind, Grimm summoned three handmaidens of Erlik to spend time with him to help death with those yearnings. With a grin, Juma departed with the ladies, promising to rejoin him in a little while.
(Savage Sword of Conan#234 (fb) - BTS) - Drinking less than one cup of wine for every two he filled of the ladies', Juma waited for them to pass out.
(Savage Sword of Conan#234) - Juma then strode out of the room -- looking back at the women with mild regret and thinking he might return for them later -- and returned to Princess Yolinda's deserted chambers where he opened the trap door and called to Yolinda and Conan. However, he was then confronted by Grimm and a group of Turanian soldiers, who asked why he had betrayed Conan into his hands. When Juma said that was his secret, Grimm told him he would take it to his grave. Juma drew his sword and charged the soldiers, noting that if Conan and Zula had perished at his fault, he was proud to go down fighting that same night. As Grimm ordered him taken alive, Juma took advantage of their holding back to strike down one or two, but then Grimm himself leapt on Juma, biting his neck sufficiently to incapacitate him; not wishing to partake of the blood of the "darker races," Grimm did not feast on him.
Grimm then carried Juma to the larger portal and dropped him into the pit to be consumed by the "horned horror" or another. Grimm further noted that Juma was right in that Yezdigerd had decided he did want Yolinda slain, and that they would soon confirm Conan's death and then locate and slay Yolinda. Grimm then tossed a burning torch into the pit, allowing Juma to see the "horned horror" (actually Salbatanu) standing over him.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235) - As Grimm was called away for a meeting with Turan's Shah Amurath and ordered the portal to the pit closed, Juma hurled a handful of muck into Salbatanu's eyes. Nonetheless, the creature grabbed Juma by wrist and ankle and prepared to tear him in half, but Conan struck the creature with a rock to the head, and he and Zula grappled with Salbatanu until Yolinda ordered him to halt.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235 - BTS) - Shah Amurath orderedYolinda's death on behalf of Yezdigerd, and Grimm assured him he would see to it.
(Savage
Sword of Conan#235) - Conan told Juma he had only saved him so he could
kill him himself, and Zula asked to be allowed to do it himself. When
Juma told Conan he had no intention of fighting him, Conan accused him
of being a coward without Grimm and his men to back him up, and then
attacked him despite Juma's refusal to even pick up a blade. Yolinda
herself tackled Conan off of Juma, telling Conan that he had lured
Conan to Kherdpur on her behalf. Yolinda and Juma convinced Conan of
their motives, but Conan wanted nothing further to do with them, and he
and Zula departed via escape tunnel of which Yolinda informed him.
Considering Conan's advice to flee, Juma suggested Yolinda might dwell with
the Kozaks, but she doubted the Kozaks would accept her children, and
instructed Juma to go, as this wasn't his fight. Juma instead told her
that he had made it his fight, as if she was to perish he didn't want
to live. As they voiced their feelings for each other and then
kissed, Juma heard something and turned toward the sound just moments
before a spear hurled by Grimm impaled Zosara. 
Juma swore to gut Grimm and joined Salbatanu in charging him, but Grimm had a net dropped on Salbatanu, after which his men filled the creature with spears.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235 (fb) - BTS) - Juma dropped the soldier nearest Grimm.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235) - As Juma turned to rush Grimm, however, the soldier he had just taken down struck out with his sword, striking Juma in the thigh and facilitating Grimm dropping him with a sword slash to his torso.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235 (fb) - BTS) - Grimm and his soldiers took out the rest of the creatures in the cavern.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235) - Grimm instructed his soldiers to bring Juma and Yolinda with them as they would provide a bit of sport before their spirits were released to their gods.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235 - BTS) - Mortally wounded, Zosara was able to reach Conan and Zula and get their attention before she died. With a Turanian spear stuck in her, Conan realized what had happened. Cursing himself for failing to kill Grimm years ago, he blamed himself for the death of Zosara, and presumably Juma and Yolinda as well. Zula joined Conan in going back for them.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235 (fb) - BTS) - Juma and Yolinda were tied next to each other, presumably in the chambers above.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235) - Juma denounced Grimm as a jackal that would kill a helpless woman and her children. After Grimm discussed the prophecy he believed indicated he would one day be king, Juma asked that he spare Yolinda, send her away, and tell Yezdigered he had killed her. Mocking their interracial love, Grimm slashed both their wrists with his dagger to intermingle their blood. As he prepared to see just how deep Juma's dark color went, he was interrupted by Conan and Zula, along with the mortally wounded Salbatanu, rushing in and attacking his soldiers.
Conan tackled Grimm, preventing him from slaying Yolinda, after which Conan and Grimm faced off with their swords. As their swords shattered and they grappled hand-to-hand (and tooth), a blade (whether a fragment of one of the shattered blades or some other) slashed the ropes holding Juma's left hand. Though sorely weakened, Juma lurched forward with a dagger, barely grazing Grimm, but causing him to rear back in surprise, and allowing Conan to seize the opportunity to grab a nearby sword and decapitate Grimm.
With Yolinda having apparently perished (either from fresh or previously inflicted wounds) and a group of Turanian soldiers rushing in, Zula convinced Juma to flee with him and Conan; Conan dropped a board into the door latch, temporarily trapping the soldiers and allowing the trio to escape.
(Savage Sword of Conan#235) - As dawn broke, the trio continued to stride north towards the vast, grass-covered plains, with Kherdpur far behind them.
(Conan: Flame & Fiend#3 (fb) - BTS; see comments) - Zula gathered the Kozaks and was reunited with the Fafnir and Ispirana. The group headed to Akif to rescue Conan, who had been captured by Kulan Gath and Armati.
(Conan: Flame and the Fiend#3) - Juma led the charge (see comments) of the Kozaks against the walls of Akif, flanked by Turgohl (and presumably an unseen Zula).
(Conan: Flame and the Fiend#3 - BTS) - Fafnir Hellhand and Ispirana scaled the walls into the city and liberated Conan, while the others fought their way in. Kulan Gath summoned the fire demon Ormuz and sent it outside the city to attack the Kozaks.
(Conan: Flame and the Fiend#3) - When Kulan Gath summoned Ormuz back into the city to oppose the Devourer of the Worlds, Juma thanked Ajujo.
(Conan: Flame and the Fiend#3 - BTS) - After the deaths of Kulan Gath and Armati, Conan led the Kozaks back to the steppes.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - Tiring of "freezing his privates off" every Turanian winter, Juma drifted south. He eventually helped his old birth-tribe conquer a neighboring tribe, and he became the war chief.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - After Juma's tribe conquered two other tribes, Juma became war prince.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - Juma came to rule as king over Kush's coast for fifty leagues and his people progressed to becoming a nation; he planned to build a capital city when he got around to it.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - Early on, Juma's tribes had come conflicts with the Amazonian Warrior Women of Gamburu, but he eventually trained his people to become the best-trained archers in Kush.
(Savage
Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - The last time the Amazons tried to
crack his borders, Juma's tribesmen "stuck a few of them as full of
quills as a porcupine."
(Savage Sword of Conan#41) - After the Wastrel, a ship housing a group of typically rival Barrachan pirates and Zingaran buccaneers -- as well as the Kordavan princess Chabella -- all under the rule of Conan, was forced to come ashore in Kush, they were beset by Juma's tribe until their "giant, gladiator-like leader," Juma, recognized Conan and ordered his men to halt; and when the warrior Bwatu -- high in Juma's council -- continued to rush forward and prepare to hurl a spear at Conan, Juma struck Bwatu down. In response, Conan ordered his men to hold as he stepped forward and stared at the group's leader, until Juma cracked a smile and asked -- in Hyrkanian -- if Conan had forgotten his old comrade. As the voice refreshed his memory, Conan rushed forward, and Juma and Conan gave each other a strong hug, much to the surprise of the pirates and tribesmen, and shared how they had each come to their current circumstances.
Impressed with his friend's progress, Conan told Juma he had only come
there for some water and fruit, and Juma assured him enough water in
which to float his ship, after which they would have a feast --
including a new crop of banana wine -- that would leave him staggering.
Juma's feast that night in the sizeable village of Kulalo was everything he promised, and -- as the custom there was to be hospitable -- Juma and his people had no problems with Conan's men enjoying his tribe's women's company. Conan teased Chabella that Juma was royalty and perhaps the two of them might get together, but Juma assured Conan she was not his type, far too pale and skinny. Juma then told Conan of the Warrior Women of Gamburu a few tribes away.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 - BTS) - After Conan turned in for the night, Bwatu, insulted by Juma having struck him down earlier, stole in Conan's tent and stole the sack containing the Cobra Crown that Conan had obtained; affected by the banana wine, Conan failed to hear the theft.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - The next morning, as Juma and Sigurd (one of the Barachan pirates) enjoyed their men's bawdy songs, they heard Conan cry out in frustration upon awakening and finding the sack and Cobra Crown missing.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41) - Juma asked Conan what had happened and learned of the theft.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 (fb) - BTS) - Juma ran an account of his men and found Bwatu to be missing.
(Savage
Sword of Conan#41) - Obviously upset, Juma informed Conan of the
thief's identity, noting his suspicion that Bwatu bore them both a
grudge. He then told Conan how he reasoned Bwatu would head for
the land of their enemies, the Matamba, as other paths might run afoul
of Ghanata slavers or other threats worse than the Matamba. Juma
gave directions to the Matamba land.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41 - BTS) - Wishing to head after Bwatu before the trail could grow cold, Conan headed out alone, unwilling to wait for his own men or Juma's, disregarding Sigurd's advice that they needed Juma's guidance.
(Savage Sword of Conan#41) - Juma awakened his disoriented warriors and rallied them to the chase.
(Savage Sword of Conan#42 (fb) - BTS) - Juma's tribe tracked the slavers that captured Conan and Chabela to Gamburu.
(Savage Sword of Conan#42) - Juma and his warriors struck down the Amazons and set afire their city with flaming arrows, enabling Conan and Chabela to escape from their captors; Conan exclaimed, "Juma, you beautiful son of a Kushite stallion -- You made it!"
After exiting the city and thanking Juma for his timely rescue, Juma noted that Conan seemed to be doing alright. When Conan asked for a sword to go after Queen Nzinga, Juma agreed to give him the sword, but warned that the best move for all of them was to retreat, as this was the Amazon's city, and they were greatly outnumbered.
Conan agreed, but when Juma invited him to share a victory feast -- as
now that his warriors had bested the Amazons of Gamburu his empire was
sure to dominate the land -- and drink themselves to a stupor or good
banana wife, Conan declined, as he felt an urgency to head back to
Zingara to thwart a sorcerous plot of the Stygians against Chabela's
father.
(Savage Sword of Conan#43) - After Black Zarono's crewmen had badly damaged and partially sunken Conan's Wastrel ship, rendering it unseaworthy, Juma volunteered his tribesmen to help repair the ship.
(Savage Sword of Conan#43 (fb) - BTS) - Day and night, under the guidance of Conan's crewmen, the tribesmen and tribeswomen helped fell trees and craft boards to replace and seal the holes, replace the masts and spars, bail out the water, stitch new canvas for sails, collect pitch and use it to reseal the Wastrel. The tribespeople finally spent an entire night bearing provisions to the ship.
(Savage Sword of Conan#43) - Conan thanked Juma and, with a friendly embrace, bade him farewell, noting that with Juma building his Empire, they had likely fought side by side for the last time. Juma told his old friend to never say never, as -- the gods willing -- they both had long years before them. He further speculated that Conan may rule his own kingdom one day...then, who knew if they would meet again as friends or foes.
Juma stood on the shore and watched until the Wastrel was out of sight.
Comments: Created by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter for the "City of Skulls" short story in Lancer books;
adapted with gracious permission by Marvel by Roy Thomas and Neal Adams.
Savage Sword of Conan#59 was an adaptation of "The City of Skulls" by
L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. However, as the intro page of the
story explained, portions of the story had already been adapted in
"Golden Skull" in Conan the Barbarian I#37, and so that is the
"authentic" version in Marvel/-616 continuity, while "City of Skulls"
has primacy in the prose Conan stories. They compared the adaptation in
#59 to "What If the De Camp/Carter Stories had been available to Conan
the Barbarian several years ago, and had been adapted instead of the
originals written by Roy Thomas?" That alternate reality can be designated Earth-80179.
Regardless, I
think the information in this issue regarding Juma's previous history
is most likely relevent to Juma-616.
Referenced/invoked Derketa and Ajujo; Derketa is a death goddess worshipped in Kush and the wife of Dagon, while little is known about Ajujo, other than being a deity invoked by others of Kush, as well as the non-Kushite Zula.
From the narrative in the 1974 comic as they made the trek to the
valley, "Talking is forbidden. But perhaps it is a mercy after all. For
the suspicion with which white man views black -- and vice versa -- is
not a thing of recent vintage. More's the pity."
Maybe someday this will be a non-issue...
Savage Sword of Conan#40-43 adapted Conan the Buccaneer.
Juma is not mentioned in Conan: Flame and the Fiend#3.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Juma should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads)
Conan the Barbarian I#37, pg. 6, panel 4 (face);
last page, last panel (horseback);
Savage Sword of Conan#33, story page 3, panel 3 (leisurely served fruit);
#41, story page 11, panel 4 (ordering warriors to halt);
pg. 8, panel 1 (face in chieftain headgarb);
pg. 11, panel 6 (chieftain, mostly full);
#42, pg. 29, panel 4 (directing archers)
#43, story page 8, panel 2 (farewell to Conan)
#59, story page 17, panel 1 (as infant, taken from mother);
panel 3 (slave arena);
#232, story page 10, panel 3 (Turanian cavalry outfit);
pg. 11, panel 4 (face);
#235, pg. 8, panel 1 (full)
Appearances:
Conan the Barbarian I#37 (April, 1974) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Neal Adams (artist)
Savage Sword of Conan#33 (September, 1978) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Gene Colan (penciler), Pablo Marcos (inker)
Savage Sword of Conan#41-43 (June-August 1979) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Tony DeZuniga (inker)
Savage Sword of Conan#59 (December, 1980) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Mike Vosburg (penciler), Alfredo Alcala (inker)
Savage Sword of Conan#232 (April, 1995) - Roy Thomas (writer), Mike Docherty (penciler), E.R. Cruz (inker), Mike Lackey (editor)
Savage
Sword of Conan#233 (May, 1995) - Roy Thomas (writer), Mike Docherty
(penciler), Geof Isherwood (inker), Mike Lackey (editor)
Savage
Sword of Conan#234 (June, 1995) - Roy Thomas (writer), Mike Docherty
(penciler), Ralph Reese (inker), Mike Lackey (editor)
Savage
Sword of Conan#235 (July, 1995) - Roy Thomas (writer), Mike Docherty
(artist), Mike Lackey (editor)
Conan:
Flame and the Fiend#3 (October, 2000) - Roy Thomas (writer), Geof
Isherwood (penciler - no inker listed....), Ralph Macchio (editor)
First Posted: 05/23/2016
Last updated: 05/23/2016
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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