BURNING SKULL

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human mystic talisman-user
    Hyborian era (circa 10,000 BC);
    Xotalanca "citizen"

Occupation: Warrior

Group Membership: Xotalancas

Affiliations: Presumably the unidentified magician from whose skull was the glowing/burning skull

Enemies: Tecuhlti (notably Chicmec and Techotl), Valeria of the Red Brotherhood

Known Relatives: None known

Aliases: "Devil" (from Valeria)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly Xotalanc within Xuchotl in the Black Continent

First Appearance: Weird Tales (July, 1936: "Red Nails";
    (Marvel) Savage Tales I#2 (October, 1973)

Powers/Abilities: The man known as the Burning Skull wore the skull of ancient magician that granted him certain abilities.

    He appeared to be a glowing skeleton, which tended to immobilize those he confronted; whether these victims were paralyzed with fear or awe or whether the Burning Skull had some sort of mystic power to immobilize a target is unrevealed.

    Regardless, with a victim paralyzed, he or she readily fell victim to the sword the Burning Skull carried.

    However, the Burning Skull did not appear to have other superhuman durability or other powers, nor was he a particularly skilled swordsman, as Valeria -- who approached him from behind, called out, and struck before he could use any mesmerization, etc. against her -- swiftly slew him with a pair of swordstrikes.

    Upon his death, the illusion faded, and the Burning Skull was revealed to a man wearing a black suit that appeared to have the bones of a skeleton attached to it.

    To gaze upon the Burning Skull froze the blood and withered the brain of the man who understood not its mysteries, and its touch caused madness and sure destruction. This is PRESUMABLY how the Burning Skull paralyzed his targets.

History:
(Savage Tales I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Somewhere in the deserts of the "Black Continent," the walled city of Xuchotl was founded by "easterners."

(Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - What would become known as the "Burning Skull" was once the skull that housed the brain of a king of magicians.

(Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Under unrevealed circumstances, that magician apparently perished, and his skull was placed in the catacombs below Xuchotl, where lied the bones of the demon-kings whole ruled Xuchotl in black centuries past.

(Savage Tales I#3 (fb) - BTS) <Over 50 years before the main story> - Teculhti and Xotalanc led their people to conquer the city of Xuchotl and to slaughter the previous race. Over the next fifty years the new inhabitants degenerated into madness and a civil war divided between the Teculhti, who occupied the west side of Xuchotl and the Xotalancas on the east side.

(Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The wizards ot Xotalanc found the "Burning Skull" amidst the catacombs that heled the bones of Xuchotl's ancient rulers.

(Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Burning Skull was worn by a native of Xotalanc whom the people of Techuhlti feared as a demon the wizards of Xotalanc had conjured up out of the catacombs.

(Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Techotl and Chicmec of Teculhti entered the Halls of Silence between the two realms, hoping to ambush and slay some men of Xotalanc.

(Savage Tales I#2 - BTS) - Behind a tapestried door, the Burning Skull slew Chicmec after he entered.

Comments: Created by Robert E. Howard.
    Adapted to Marvel by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith

    "Red Nails" was the last Conan story written by Robert E. Howard before his death.

    This profile was completed 03/29/2024, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Burning Skull should be distinguished from:

• BURNING SKULL of Earth-88469 - opposed Ghastly the Dead Clown--Dead Clown#2
  
• BURNING GALAXY - former home of Korbin, exploded by Surtur to use as a forge for the Twilight Sword--Thor I#337
• BURNING MAN - mysterious being that appeared in Germany's Black Forest circa 1125 A.D.--Monsters Unleashed I#7
• BURNING MAN - see CHARCOAL--Thunderbolts I#1
• BURNING PUDDLE ( ) - mutant, Hyde Park Underground, attacked by Mr. Clean. Highly corrosive sweat--Uncanny X-Men I#395
• BURNING TIGER - see QABIRI--X-Man#71
  SKULL of Earth-9997 (Ben Beckley) - son of Comet Man, pre-teen boy, slew all other telepaths on Earth when powers surfaced, took over large portion of population of Earth until duped by Alicia Masters and had neck broken by Cap--Earth X Sketchbook
  
• SKULL of the MICROVERSE - gangster on Prisonworld, ally of Schnozz, sought to replace Little D as leader of the Den O’ Thieves--Micronauts I#53
• SKULL of DAIMON - magic item, used by Taboo to empower Algon--Werewolf by Night I#14
• SKULL of QUINCY HARKER - per his will, following his death, Quincy's skull was specially treated to extend the vampire boundary condition to protect all of Britain, such that every vampire wanting to access Britain has to be invited or be destroyed upon entrance; destruction faked by MI13 to dupe Dracula into destroying much of his vampire horde during a mass invasion--[Captain Britain and MI13#12], 15
• SKULL of TRUTH of Earth-1211 - Lost Treasure of Tao. Speaks, revealed in what people around it said - aka IKKYU’s SKULL*--Nightside#3
• SKULL the SLAYER - see SCULLY, JIM--Skull the Slayer#1
• S.K.U.L.L. - agents of Red Skull (Shmidt) and Mad Thinker - Sinister Kabal for the Undermining of Life and Liberty--Fantastic Four III#23
• SKULLBOY (   ) - Owner of a large, multi-million dollar corporation, Skull Co.--The Mighty Skullboy Army#1; (Marvel) Ziggy Pig-Silly Seal Comics II#1
• SKULL-BROTHER - name the Bi-Beast's two components used to refer to each other--Incredible Hulk II#169
• SKULLBUSTER - Reavers--Uncanny X-Men #229
• SKULLCAT ( ) - costumed criminal, former partner of Deadhead + Kid Quarry + Sureshot in weapons smuggling ring. Sharp claws + spikes on costume, male--Nova II#10
• SKULLCRASHER ( ) - armored criminal, former employee of Williams Innovations, operated protection racket in Silicon Valley, battled and defeated by Iron Man (Stark)--Marvel Super-Heroes III#9/3
• SKULLCRUSHER ( ) - former agent of Shen Kuei--Master of Kung Fu#61
• SKULL FACE ( ) - recruited by Yellow Claw to kidnap Eisenhower, battled G-Men/Avengers of 1950s--Mystic#6
• SKULL-FACE - see MISTER FEAR (Larry Cranston); nickname given to him by Daredevil--Daredevil I#91
• SKULLFIRE of Earth-928 circa 2099 A.D. (Timothy Sean Fitzgerald) - mutant, X-Men--X-Men 2099#1
• SKULLHOUSE - former home of Silvermane, Red Skull (Shmidt) and Sisters of Sin--Captain America I#290
• SKULLHUGGERS - mind-control devices, used by Starblasters--Namor I#46
• SKULL ISLAND - former base of Red Skull + Exiles--Captain America I#10_
• SKULL ISLAND - former base of Plunderer--Daredevil I#12
• SKULL-JACKET ( ) - agent of Russian mob, impersonated Jason Havershaw--Spider-Man Unlimited#11
• SKULL KING (   ) - enemy of Snake King--Spider-Man Magazine I#11
• SKULL RIVER of the Hyborian era - poisoned by Anaximander, mutated those who drank from it into a scaly form, renamed from Sun River after began to poison the inhabitants - SUN RIVER*--Savage Tales I#5
• SKULL SATELLITE - small skull-shaped space station armed with destructive weaponry, built by the Red Skull and used to blackmail the USA into turning the country over to him, attacked an unidentified US city when American military attacked it, destroyed by Captain America.
•     --Captain America Bubble Gum Funnies#3
• SKULL SEA - located in Hell; sea full of "screaming skulls"; saw Thor cross--Thor I#613
• SKULLS (Aryan ) - Cage prison, band of white supremacists idolizing the Red Skull (Shmidt)--Wolverine II#164
• SKULL SOLDIERS – Sectaurs, soldiers loyal to Spidrax--Sectaurs#1
• BLAZING SKULL (Mark Todd) - World War II Invaders ally, modern day Invaders, American Reporter covering second Sino-Japanese war when Japanese shelling drive him underground to the Skull Men, who told him that he had been chosen by forces of destiny to champion their beliefs of freedom, liberty, etc., trained by them--Mystic Comics#5
• BLAZING SKULL - see SCULLY, JIM--Quasar I#45
• other "Burning" of "Skull" characters, groups, items, events, races, or places...
•  Any of the Ghost Rider/Spirits of Vengeance with flaming skulls or anyone else with flaming/glowing skeletons and/or skulls, etc.

To gaze upon the Burning Skull froze the blood and withered the brain of the man who understood not its mysteries, and its touch caused madness and sure destruction.      This is PRESUMABLY how the Burning Skull paralyzed his targets. (Savage Tales I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Somewhere in the deserts of the "Black Continent," the walled city of Xuchotl was founded by "easterners." (Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - What would become known as the "Burning Skull" was once the skull that housed the brain of a king of magicians. (Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Under unrevealed circumstances, that magician apparently perished, and his skull was placed in the catacombs below Xuchotl, where lied the bones of the demon-kings whole ruled Xuchotl in black centuries past. (Savage Tales I#3 (fb) - BTS) <Over 50 years before the main story> - Teculhti and Xotalanc led their people to conquer the city of Xuchotl and to slaughter the previous race.      Over the next fifty years the new inhabitants degenerated into madness and a civil war divided between the Teculhti, who occupied the west side of Xuchotl and the Xotalancas on the east side.

(Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The wizards of Xotalanc found the "Burning Skull" amidst the catacombs that held the bones of Xuchotl's ancient rulers. (Savage Tales I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Burning Skull was worn by a native of Xotalanc whom the people of Techuhlti feared as a demon the wizards of Xotalanc had conjured up out of the catacombs. (Savage Tales I#2) - After the Burning Skull had slain Chicmec and was preparing to do the same to Techotl, Valeria instead surprised and slew the host.     Techotl exclaimed that she had slain the Burning Skull and that it was a man, after all. After Techotl told her of his people and their enemies, the Xotalancas of the Eastern Gate, Techotl warned Valeria not to touch or even look on the fallen skull, as death lurked in it.      Valeria nonetheless gazed upon the glowing skull, and it seemed to glow brighter, as if with a life of their own. Its jaws yawned at her and then snapped together like something from a nightmare.      As she considered that all life was but a dream, Valeria -- oblivious to Techotl's instructions to look away from it -- felt almost if she could plunge into the grinning abyss.      Techotl, seeking to turn her attention away from the skull, told her that it once housed the brain of a king of magicians and that its power was mighty yet.      Regaining her wits, Valeria tore his gaze away from the Burning Skull and then used her sword to shatter it.

. .      A wind then screamed in from nowhere -- which Techotl reasoned to be the effects of the dark gods --  angered at Valeria's slaying of the Burning Skull.      The winds soon died down, and Valeria resolved to locate Conan, who had entered the city of Xuchotl alongside her.      The shattered remains of the skull lied on the ground --Savage Tales I#2

Appearances:
Weird Tales (July, 1936: "Red Nails" - Robert E. Howard (writer)
Savage Tales I#2 (October, 1973) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Barry Smith (artist), Marvel Wolfman (associate editor)

First posted: 09/18/2026
Last updated: 03/29/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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