BEN-HUSSAL
Real Name: Ben-Hussal
Identity/Class: Normal human (Hyborian Era)
Occupation: Ruler of the town of Kheshaan
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Conan
Enemies: Ghul-Azalel, the "Sea-God"
Known Relatives: Ghul-Azalel (brother), Rachalla (niece)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Kheshaan and the nearby region
First Appearance: Conan the Barbarian I#39 (June, 1974)
Powers/Abilities: None those beyond a normal human, although he was an able and respected ruler of a town and could wield a sword.
History:
(Conan the Barbarian I#39 (fb)) - The town of Kheshaan, lying at the edge of an inland sea and ruled by Ben-Hussal, was plagued by what had been dubbed a "Sea-God." Advised by his brother Ghul-Azalel, a priest of Erlik, he submitted to the plan to offer a young female sacrifice every full moon to appease the creature, which was otherwise crawling into the town consuming the occasional villager at nightfall. The ruler was shocked by the prospect and refused to kill his brother, so instead fled town with his niece Rachalla when the priest demanded her for sacrifice. Ben-Hussal was later told that the priest was dead so he journeyed back to his town.
(Conan the Barbarian I#39) - Traveling in their caravan, they chanced upon Conan, who had been wounded and poisoned. They nursed him back to health and continued on with Conan but were quickly overpowered by villagers loyal to Ghul-Azalel, who had laid the trap for them. He saw Rachalla tied to a rock as an offering to the crocodilian and watched as Conan rescued her. Himself freed, Ben-Hussal was able to command some men to attack the rampaging beast. He soon charged in defense of his niece when it threated her again. He later watched the monster crocodilian retreat wounded into the sea with the priest tied to it.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas (writer/editor) and John Buscema (art).
The images used in this profile are from Marvel comics that have since been reprinted and recolored in a TPB published by Dark Horse. Any help in replacing these images with the original colored panels would be greatly appreciated!
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Ben-Hussal has no known connections to:
Ghul-Azalel, brother to Ben-Hussal and father to Rachalla, was a priest of Erlik but steadily became mad. He used the lyre to attract the crocodilian and dubbed it the "Sea-God." Monthly sacrifices to it cemented his power until he demanded that Rachalla be the next victim, but she fled with her uncle. Ghul-Azalel then took over control of the town but was overthrown by Conan and Ben-Hussal, and was thrown by Conan at the crocodilian and caught in netting thrown on the beast. He was unable to release himself as the wounded beast went back into the water of the inland sea and drowned.
--Conan the Barbarian I#39
Rachalla was commanded by her father and priest to be the next sacrifice but she escaped with her uncle on a caravan route. She was the first to see the wounded Conan by the road and they tended to his wounds. She later re-entered Kheshaan with Conan and Ben-Hussal but was captured, tied to a rock and offered as a sacrifice. Conan was able to rescue the distressed damsel.
--Conan the Barbarian I#39
The so-called Sea-God was a huge crocodilian that could fit an adult human in its mouth. It would lumber at night into the seaside village of Kheshaan, responding to a lyre. It was very resilient, but was repeatedly attacked by Conan and the villagers until it retreated back to the Vilayet Sea, never to resurface.
--Conan the Barbarian I#39
images:
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Conan the Barbarian I#39, p8, pan3 (Ben-Hussal seated)
Other Appearances: None
Last updated: 03/10/08
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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