Yasunga (Conan character; Black Corsairs)

YASUNGA

Real Name: Yasunga

Identity/Class: Human
Hyborian era

Occupation: Pirate, warrior;

Group Membership: Barachan pirates, Black Corsairs;
former member of the crews of the Red Lion, the Falcon of Zingara, and the Tigress

Affiliations: Ajonga, Belit, Conan, Laranga, M'Gora, Milo, N'Yaga, Sigurd, Goram Singh, Stygians in Asgalun, Yakov, Zula;
possibly the Watambi tribe (N'ymai, Ombassa);
formery Captain Alvaro, Awogmu, Imbalayo and his Kushite mercenaries, Kawaku

Enemies: Antillians/Ptahuacans (green feather-cloaked priest, Hierarch, priests of Xotli), black kraken, Esrit, Uldulla, Vacharn, Wokal, Xotli;
possibly the Riders of the River Dragons

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Yasanga, Yaranga, Yarunga (see comments)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly served on the Isle of Na'at;
formerly mobile across various oceans

First Appearance: Conan the Barbarian I#60 (March, 1976)

Powers/Abilities: Yasunga has no superhuman powers, but was a strong and powerful man, even into his fifties. He was an experienced seaman and navigator, and he had some knowledge of wrestling and leverage taught by Conan. He often carried a spear.

Height: Unrevealed
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:

(Conan the Barbarian I#60 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) <While in his youth, presumably late-teens> - Yasunga joined the Black Corsairs, a group of Kushite pirates serving Captain Belit on the Tigress ship.

(Conan the Barbarian I#60) - Yasunga joined ship's mate M'Gora in wrestling Conan, Belit's new lover and her second-in-command; though the other corsairs cheered for their crewmen against the white man, Conan's experience and knowledge of leverage allowed him to defeat both warriors at the same time, despite their strength. Afterwards, Belit challenged Conan to a swordfight, and Yasunga handed Conan his sword at Conan's request.

    After the sparring's conclusion, Belit directed the Tigress south, and she took Conan and a contingent (most of her crew?) of men with her south of Kush to collect her ivory tribute from the Watambi tribe (Belit was believed by many to be the daughter of the death goddess Derketa). They found the Watambi had no tribute, as they had been raided by the crocodile-riding "Riders of the River Dragons"; Belit sent half the men back to the Tigress, while she, Conan and the rest accompanied tribal leader Ombassa back to their village. That evening, the Riders of the River Dragons attacked, and though Conan and the Black Corsairs led the Watambi to defeat the Riders, they found Belit had been abducted by the Riders as tribute to their master, Amra.

(Conan the Barbarian I#61) - Conan sent the Black Corsairs back to the Tigress while he accompanied a group of Watambi to recover Belit. Kawaku challenged Conan's authority but agreed to obey when Conan defeated him and threatened his life if he refused.

(Conan the Barbarian I#61 - BTS) - Belit escaped the Riders, who were soon after ambushed and slaughtered by Conan and the Watambi.

    Belit was saved from a giant moth by the red-headed Amra of Aquilonia.

(Conan the Barbarian I#62 - BTS) - As the Rider leading Conan and the Watambi to Amra tried to escape, he was slain by a bush viper. Amra brought Belit back to his home. Exiled by Amra after trying to jealously kill Belit, Makeda led Conan to Amra's abode, in which she had vengefully used a spell to unleash the "unbound ones" (4-armed spider-gnome creatures).

(Conan the Barbarian I#63 - BTS) - Conan helped drive off the spider-gnomes, but Amra then demanded Belit as his mate, forcing a battle to the death, which Conan ultimately won. After Amra's abode collapsed, the black lion Sholo acknowleged Conan as its master, and the Watambi proclaimed Conan the new Amra.

(Conan the Barbarian I#72 (fb) - BTS) - As Belit prepared an attack on a Shemite merchant vessel, she sent Yasunga below the decks to tend to the infirm N'Yaga; however, N'Yaga became even more sick as Yasunga watched over him.

(Conan the Barbarian I#72) - After Conan, Belit, and the Black Corsairs sacked the Shemite merchant vessel, Yasunga told Belit of N'Yaga's worsening. The Black Corsairs agreed to sail to Asgalun, where Belit and Conan went ashore to recover herbs needed to treat N'Yaga.

(Conan the Barbarian I#73 (fb) - BTS) - With Conan and Belit away, Kawaku fomented a rebellion, with his allies (specifically including Awogmu and Chama) drugging and imprisoning those loyal to Belit (specifically including M'Gora).

(Conan the Barbarian I#73) - When Conan and Belit returned, Kawaku and his allies overpowered Conan, and he agreed to lead them to Belit's hidden treasure on the Nameless Isle to spare Belit's life; Belit was bound to a mast, but Kawaku allowed Conan to deliver the life-saving herbs to N'Yaga. Kawaku then ordered those loyal to Belit to follow him or he would kill Belit, and they followed Conan's lead to do so for now, directing the ship to the Nameless Isle.

    Kawaku led a landing party loyal to him (including Awogmu) to the Isle, and Conan Temple of the Toad, where Kawaku and his ilk were slain by the monstrous toad-thing dwelling within the Well of Skelos, although some fled into the jungle.

(Conan the Barbarian I#73 (fb) - BTS) - Meanwhile, Belit escaped her bonds and slew the two men left behind to watch over her. She then reunited with M'Gora, Laranga, Yasunga, and Ajonga, at least, traveling to the Temple of the Toad, along with her latest treasure chest.

(Conan the Barbarian I#73) - Finding Conan to have vanquished or driven off the traitors, Belit has Yasunga and Ajonga bring her latest treasure into the Temple, where it was stored underneath a great carving stone, along with the rest of her accumulated treasure.

(Conan the Barbarian I#74 (fb) - BTS) - Conan and Belit departed to Khemi, Stygia.

(Conan the Barbarian I#91 (fb)) - M'Gora led six other Black Corsairs (including Yasunga, Laranga, and 4 others) to spy on Asgalun. En route, they encountered Imbalayo and his Kushite cavalry who were also on their way to Asgalun. M'Gora claimed his group to be lost wanderers, and Imbalayo gave them the choice of joining his cavalry or being slain. The Black Corsairs chose the former, and accompanied the Kushites to Asgalun as mercenaries serving the Stygians, who planned to conquer Asgalun outright.

(Conan the Barbarian I#91 (fb) - BTS) - As M'Gora prepared to sneak out to meet up with Belit, he instructed Yasunga and the others to make fake headdresses so they looked like true Kushites; they were further to wait in the shadows near the gate to Asgalun every third noon for M'Gora's return.

(Conan the Barbarian I#91 - BTS) - Belit and Conan, along with their ally Zula, met up with the Tigress on the coast of Stygia, south of Khemi, and they set sail anew. After M'Gora returned and shared what he had learned, Conan, Belit, M'Gora, and Zula traveled to Asgalun.

(Conan the Barbarian I#91) - M'Gora told the Stygian guards at the gate those with him were advisors to Imbalayo, but the Stygians did not trust this until Yasunga, still within the city, announced that he and those with him (all of whom were believed to be loyal to Imbalayo) vouched for M'Gora. After M'Gora complimented Yasunga's role, Yasunga told him, Conan, and Belit that he must remove their Kushite headdresses and return to the Kushite barracks before they were missed. Before doing so, he reminded Conan and Belit of the palace's location beyond the great Ziggurat and further advised that M'Gora could help keep them clear of the real Kushites.

(Conan the Barbarian I#93) - After Conan and Belit revealed their presence, encouraging an uprising, M'Gora led Yasunga, Laranga, and the other Black Corsairs who had infiltrated the Kushite mercenaries to hurl their spears at the Hyrkanians serving the Stygians. Aided by Zula, Belit, Conan, and the Black Corsairs slew the Stygians, and the Kushites and others he opposed the Stygians, fled, or perished. Faced with the choice of being permanent ruler of Asgalun until death, Belit declined, and the crown was given to her cousin Uriaz; while those of Asgalun revolted against this undeserving ruler, Belit, Conan, Zula, and the Black Corsairs took their leave.

(Conan the Barbarian I#94) - Back at the Tigress, Belit allowed "Yarunga" (see comments), Lasanga (see comments), Ajonga, and at least 2 others to depart with Zula at their request. The others asked Yarunga to speak to Belit on their behalf to make sure she understood their desire to head north with Zula, and she ackowledged that this desire was fed when they spied for her in Asgalun. With Belit's blessing, the group departed, while Conan, Belit, and the others departed in the Tigress.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles (fb) - BTS) - Yasunga told many of the legendary Amra with whom he had sailed.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) <Roughly four decades after Yasunga had sailed on the Tigress> - Instructed by the Mitraic priest Epimetrius the Sage to travel to the uttermost reaches of the Western Ocean to save the rest of the world from the threat of "red shadow" (sent by the priests of Ptahuacan) that were abducting and or slaying his people, Conan traveled to Argos, met up with his old ally Sigurd, and receives finances to purchase a ship from Argossean king Ariostro (whose people had been similarly plagued by the "red shadow").

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles (fb) - BTS) - Yasunga served as navigator to Barachan pirate Captain Alvaro aboard the Falcon of Zingara.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles) - In Tortage, stronghold of the Barachan pirates, Conan recruited his crew for his new ship, the Red Lion. Amongst the crowd was Yasunga, whom Conan recognized from the crew sailing under Belit decades before. Yasunga cheered to Amra, agreeing to follow him on a journey to the world's end. Yasunga was interrupted by Alvaro, who chastised Yasunga and the others for listening to this "crazy old fool." At Conan's urging, Alvaro tried to force Conan's departure, and Conan's swordsmanship siftly convinced Yasunga this was the Amra of old. Yasunga led the crowd in cheering Amra, and Conan soon slew Alvaro, earning him respect and a substantial crew, including Yasunga.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) - Three dawns at sea later, the Red Lion and its crew were assaulted by a black kraken (either under control of the priests of Ptahuacan or just preying on those who traveled in that direction). At least three crewmen perished before Conan blinded the creature, enabling the Red Lion to escape it.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles) - After a long time heading west, they were attacked by a Ptahuacan priest and his ship; after the crew boarded the ship, Yasunga was surprised when the priest duplicated himself into a number of warriors. Nonetheless, Yasunga and the others battled the duplicates until Conan slew the wizard, after which his ship sank.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) - After endless days travel, they finally sighted land, only to be confronted by a dragon-like ship, which they sank with destroyed via catapulting fiery-pitch; but a second such ship assaulted them before they could turn their catapult. Wearing air helmets, the Ptahuacans assaulted the Red Lion's crew with gas that knocked out most of the men, including Sigurd; ultimately, Conan stole an air helmet and dove overboard to escape, hoping to later rescue his crew.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) - The Ptahuacans brought the unconscious crewmen into their ship, bound them in an unbreakable glass-like chains and imprisoned below the deck, and they towed the Red Lion back to Ptahuacan.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) - Awakening, the captured crew was disappointed to not find Conan by their side. Sigurd encouraged his men that they still lived, which gave them the chance to fight their way to freedom. After arriving at Ptahuacan, however, the crew found their "glass" chain bonds to be unbreakable. Two of the crewmen perished from untreated wounds.

Eventually the guards herded the prisoners to join a line stretching up the steps of a Zikkurat where those at the front were sacrificed by the priests.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles) - Eventually, Conan released the dragon-creatures from within/under the Zikkurat into the city, and Yasunga, Milo, and the other crewmen took advantage of the guards' shock, battering them.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) - Using a "glass" sword he had taken from a guard, Conan cut the chains holding his former crewmen.

(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) - The Ptahuacan's god-demon Xotli assaulted Conan, who used Epimetrius' amulet to summon Mitra, who destroyed and/or consumed Xotli.

As the Ptahuacan's revolted, Conan and his crew stole a golden Ptahuacan dragon ship, "The Winged Dragon," and departed for new adventures.

(Conan the Savage#10 (fb) - BTS) - After many days of sailing farther west, many of the crew despaired. Yakov, and Milo the Messantian fed the fears and discontents of "the scurvier crewmen." Like Conan, Yasunga and Goram Singh realized the Ptahuacan ship was not built to reach the Hyborian lands.

(Conan the Savage#10) - As Conan struck down Yakov after he had a narrowly missing arrow at Conan for refusing to turn the ship around, Milo drew his sword, but Yasunga jabbed Milo in the neck with his spear, forcing him to stand down. Conan appreciating they were already short-handed, gave them a second chance -- rather than walking the plank -- if they swore renewed loyalty, which they did.

Almost immediately thereafter, they were struck by a powerful storm, during which Yasunga was thrown overboard while saving a young seaman from that same fate. When Conan started to tie a rope about his waist to try to rescue Yasunga and allow the others to pull them back, Sigurd considered Yasunga already gone and argued that the rest of the crew needed him alive. Acknowledging this, Conan rallied his crew.

(Conan the Savage#10 - BTS) - Eventually, the Winged Dragon was pulled along by a stream of dark waters until crashing a few days later again the the rocky cliffs of the Isle of Na'at. Only Conan and Sigurd survived.

(Conan the Savage#10) - Most others, including Yasunga, were revived as zombies by Vacharn as his servants.

(Conan the Savage#10) - That evening, Yasunga was among the undead crewmen present at Vacharn's dinner, when Sigurd was brought in and bled dry by the demon-familiar Esrit as Conan sought mystically immobilized. After Conan broke free and attacked Vacharn, the necromancer forced the undead servants to batter Conan unconscious and throw him in a cell. Sigurd joined the undead servants.

(Conan the Savage#10 - BTS) - In the evening, the servants rested in stone coffins, brought forth in daily resurrection to do the tasks ordained by their master, perhaps tending his gardens, tending his livestock, or diving for pearls.

(Conan the Savage#10 - BTS) - Nearly a month later, after Conan had slain Vacharn, his sons, and Esrit, Conan found the now-masterless undead army followed his orders.

Conan had the undead servants build a funeral pyre to ensure the destruction of Vacharn and his sons. Needing a small crew to help guide a boat to the mainland, Conan nonetheless preferred they not be those he brought to this accursed island.

(Conan the Savage#10) - He therefore ordered the undead Sigurd and Yasunga, and the rest of his former crew into the fire as well.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, and Steve Gan.

    Belit was a regular in Giant-Size Conan#1, Conan the Barbarian#58-100, Savage Sword of Conan#107, and Conan the Savage#2-4; many issues also included her crew (who first appeared in Conan the Barbarian#58), but Conan and Belit were separate from the Tigress and the Black Corsairs from #74-90 (and possibly 66-68); I believe Conan the Barbarian I#92 is a tale of Conan's northern youth; and, I THINK Conan the Savage#2-4 takes place between Conan the Barbarian I#99-100. I am not sure where Savage Sword of Conan#107 fits chronologically. If any of the crew is in it, Yasunga is at least behind-the-scenes. He had to have departed the Tigress before Conan the Barbarian I#100, because everyone there perished at the hands of the "winged horror," after which Conan turned the Tigress into Belit's funeral pyre.
    Yasunga had the same loincloth wrap and mostly shaved head, with a yellow plume at the top, as many of the other black corsairs, and he is neither shown clearly enough in his initial appearance nor are the other pirates drawn differently enough, to be able to clearly identify Yasunga in the crew unless he is named. He was typically shirtless and lacking a shoulder strap from his loincloth. He sometimes has grass "bracelets" on his forearms and calves. He seems indistinguishable visually from Ajonga, Laranga, and others.
    From Wolfram Bane: According to Sir Muddy's list, Yasunga also appears in Conan the Barbarian#60-63, 72, 73, 91, 93-95. So, I checked those issues.
Yasunga is definitely in #60. After they travel to meet the Watambi, Belit sent half of her men back to the Tigress. Yasunga is not recognizable in the group that stayed as far as I can tell, but there's a 50/50 shot he was. However, in #61, Conan sent the Black Corsairs back to the Tigress while he accompanied a group of Watambi to recover Belit. None of the Black Corsairs are seen in #62-63, but they could be considered behind-the-scenes back on the Tigress. By that same note, he's probably behind the scenes in GS Conan#1, Conan#58-59, 64-65, and 69-71.
    In Conan the Barbarian I#94, Yarunga (alongside Lasanga, Ajonga, and a couple others) decides to leave the Black Corsairs on the coast of Shem and head north with Zula. I believe "Yarunga" is actually Yasunga, while Lasanga is actually Laranga (they just accidentally switched the "s" and "r" between the two names). So, I'm going to disagree with Sir Muddy on his inclusion in #95. Nonetheless, that assumption is wrong, I'll summarize the Black Corsairs actions up until #99, as Yasunga had to have left before #99.
    If Yasunga did head north with Conan in #94

(Conan the Barbarian I#94 - BTS) - Finding the Matubi village long burnt to the ground, Belit and Conan took N'Yaga and a group of Black Corsairs and continued on to the Watambis, who they found to have been devastated by Ajaga who drew on the power of Jhebbal Sag to control animals, and who had also stolen Nyami. Conan then sent N'Yaga back to the Tigress while he and Belit led their group of Black Corsairs to rescue N'Yami and slay Ajaga.

Upon their arrival at Ajaga's fortress, however, Belit and several Black Corairs were captured, Conan was rocked off the cliff by baboons, and at least one of the Corsairs was slain.

(Conan the Barbarian I#95 - BTS) - Belit and the captured Corsairs were taken back to Ajaga's base in Abombi; Belit was placed with the other brides of Ajaga, taken from various conquered tribes. Conan was joined in his return to oppose Ajaga by Shulo, the black lion who formerly served the previous Amra.

(Conan the Barbarian I#96 - BTS) - While Shulo freed Belit, Conan was captured by Ajaga, who prepared to sacrifice him to the animals in the Feast of the Bloodmoon.

(Conan the Barbarian I#97 - BTS) - Shulo and Belit freed Conan, and they disrupted Ajaga's control over the animals, whoe turned on and slew him. Shulo perished slaying Ajaga's warrior Krato. M'Gora and the Black Corsairs escaped to help finish off Ajaga's other warriors, and they returned to the Tigress and set sail again.

(Conan the Barbarian I#98 - BTS) - Against Belit's advice, Conan and the Black Corsairs took aboard a Sea Witch who entranced and slew B'Tumi and Asambi before Conan overcame her wiles with Belit's help; and the Sea Witch escaped when Conan tried to drag her back aboard.

(Conan the Barbarian I#99 - BTS) - As the crew grumbled over being overworked, Belit refused to return to the southern isles to recruit more men or to at least give the others a rest, instead taking them to the dark cliffs for which the Black Coast was named. There they freed an Argossean crew and slew their man-crab captors and torturers, claiming the treasures left behind by those captured by the man-crabs.

Yasunga is also called Yasanga in Conan the Barbarian I#91, (presumably Yarunga in Conan the Barbarian I#94), and Yaranga in Conan the Savage#10.
The latter sounds like a name by Lurch of the Addams family with a bad Italian accent.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Yasunga should be distinguished from:

Laranga, Ajonga, and other similarly appearing members of the Black Corsairs.

tavern

--Conan the Barbarian I#60

images: (without ads)
Conan the Barbarian I#60, pg. 1 (wrestling Conan);
        pg. 2, panel 5 (laying in defeat);
        pg. 3, panel 1 (presumably Yasunga, standing by Conan and M'Gora);
    #91, pg. 13, panel 1 (wearing Kushite headdress)
Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles, story pg. 20, panel 4 (straight-on face, shouting for Amra);
            panel 5 (oblique face, better detail);
        pg. 23, panel 3 (with cheering crowd);
        pg. 87, panel 2 (Yasunga and Milo attacking Ptahuacan guards);
Conan the Savage#10, pg. 7, panel 4 (cast overboard);
        pg. 17, panel 4 (rising undead from waters)

Appearances:
Conan the Barbarian I#60-62 (March-May, 1976) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Steve Gan (inker)
Conan the Barbarian I#72-73 (March-April, 1977) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Ernie Chan (inker)
Conan the Barbarian I#91 (October, 1978) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Ernie Chan (inker)
Conan the Barbarian I#93 (December, 1978) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Ernie Chan (inker)
Conan the Barbarian I#94-95 (January-February, 1979) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Ernie Chan (inker)
Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles (1988) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Danny Bulanadi, Ricardo Villamonte & Armando Gil (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Conan the Savage#10 (May, 1996) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (artist), Mike Lackey (editor)

Last updated: 02/26/15

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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