In the shadowed borderlands between historical fiction and dark fantasy stands a figure as enigmatic as he is enduring: Solomon Kane, Robert E. Howard’s black-clad Puritan avenger whose relentless pursuit of justice has captivated readers for nearly a century.
Now, master storyteller Patch Zircher has taken up the mantle of bringing Kane’s adventures to a new generation through “Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring,” a mini-series that weaves together threads from across Howard’s mythic tapestry.
We sat down with Zircher to uncover the creative process behind this bold new chapter in Kane’s saga, resulting in the following exploration on faith, vulnerability, and the surprisingly timeless appeal of a character birthed from pulp pages nearly a hundred years ago.
Jumping the Pond
When approaching a character as iconic and historically rooted as Solomon Kane, the visual presentation requires both artistic vision and historical understanding. For Zircher, this meant evolving his artistic approach to match Kane’s unique world.
“I felt if I was really going to capture Kane’s time, I would have to devote space to settings and costumes and present them in a way that was different from superhero titles,” Zircher explains. Rather than employing the dynamic, in-your-face style common in superhero comics, Zircher embraced what he describes as “a more European comic sensibility”, an approach he’s long admired.
This stylistic choice allows him to highlight one of Kane’s most distinctive visual elements: how the character’s stark Puritan garb is dramatically different from ornate Renaissance design. Working in color, Zircher uses this visual contrast to emphasize Kane’s outsider status in this rich historical period.
The depth of Zircher’s research becomes apparent when discussing unexpected discoveries that influenced his storytelling. While developing a Venetian scholar character to serve as a sage who could reveal important lore to both Kane and readers, Zircher stumbled upon something that added an unforeseen dimension to the story.
“When researching Venice, I came across the Ghetto Vecchio, the Jewish ghetto,” Zircher reveals. This historical detail provided the perfect additional layer for his character Abramo Bensaid—”that he would be this brilliant man but confined to a ghetto.”
The marriage of historical accuracy with Howard’s supernatural elements makes The Serpent Ring a fascinating addition to Kane’s legacy, particularly in how it connects to the broader Robert E. Howard mythology that spans centuries and continents.
Connecting to Howard’s Mythology
One of the most intriguing aspects of Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring is its place within Robert E. Howard’s broader universe. The titular artifact serves as a direct link to Howard’s most famous creation through its connection to Conan’s nemesis, the sorcerer Thoth-Amon.
Zircher approaches these connections with both reverence for the source material and accessibility for new readers. “I’ve written the connections directly into the story when the Serpent Ring is discussed,” he explains. “You’ll see brief flashbacks of other famous characters.”
By weaving these mythological threads together, Zircher transforms the Serpent Ring from a simple magical artifact into a narrative lynchpin that reveals the shared foundation beneath Howard’s seemingly individual worlds. Characters separated by centuries exist within a cohesive timeline, giving longtime fans the satisfaction of seeing these connections made explicit while ensuring newcomers can enjoy the story without extensive background knowledge.
When our conversation turns to future possibilities, Zircher’s enthusiasm is apparent. Asked what aspect of Kane’s character he’d most like to explore beyond The Serpent Ring, he doesn’t hesitate.
“The Atlantean staff,” he says. “It’s more than a cat-headed magician’s staff, it’s a pre-Christian artifact of power. That’s a lot for a Puritan to cope with, practically and ideologically.”
This observation cuts to the core of what makes Solomon Kane such a compelling character: the fundamental tension between his rigid Puritan beliefs and the cosmic forces he encounters.
A Labor of Faith
At the core of Solomon Kane lies a fascinating spiritual struggle that defines his character. The somber Puritan wanderer, whose belief system collides with supernatural forces beyond his understanding, presents a unique challenge for any creator: how does one depict this internal conflict visually without resorting to excessive exposition?
“Kane’s very look suggests that spiritual conflict,” Zircher observes. Beyond the visual contrast of his attire against Renaissance backdrops, Zircher expresses Kane’s faith in other ways. “I suggest it, subtly, in his speech. The Lord, angels, demons, Satan, and short phrases from the Old and New Testament pepper his language in the same way they did in Howard’s stories. And through small actions. In Master of the Hunt, Kane finishes a morning prayer before he begins his hunt for a mythic beast.”
Zircher contextualizes Kane’s religious identity within the tumultuous period of history he inhabits. “Kane lives in an age of religious wars and persecution—the Inquisition, Holy Roman Empire, Reformation, the Ottoman Empire, and witch hunts. Protestant vs. Catholic, Christianity vs. Islam.” This historical setting naturally brings religious themes to the foreground without forcing them—much like how “Cardinal Richelieu is central to the tales of The Three Musketeers.”
When it comes to the supernatural elements that challenge Kane’s empirical worldview, Zircher’s approach is equally nuanced. “This is done through choosing the right words, the right expressions. Staying true to the scene, giving Kane believable reactions,” he explains. The supernatural elements serve a crucial narrative purpose: “The supernatural opposition Kane faces creates doubt, challenges faith—but Kane has incredible will and surety of self. How he fares is part of the story.”
Zircher sees this spiritual testing as perhaps the fundamental theme of Kane’s journey. “It may even be the story behind Kane. On the face of it, he’s righting wrongs—but mythology and religion have many figures—Abraham, Hercules, Galahad—whose faith or dedication were tested.”
The Serpent Ring also presents Kane with something rarely seen in previous iterations: vulnerability. When asked how this mini-series explores this aspect of the character, Zircher reveals a more human dimension to the stoic avenger.
“While we are still giving the reader a competent, commanding Solomon Kane, we are also presenting a more human one. He makes mistakes, he feels attraction, and he realizes some forces are larger and more powerful than he is.”
This multi-layered approach to Kane’s character extends to the supporting cast as well. Each cast member illuminates different facets of our protagonist’s personality through contrast and interaction.
The Supporting Cast
While Solomon Kane stands as the uncompromising center of his stories, the characters orbiting him often serve as mirrors reflecting different facets of his personality. When asked which supporting character in The Serpent Ring presents the most interesting challenge to create, Zircher immediately identifies a figure designed specifically to counterbalance Kane’s austere presence.
“I think I could answer this with any of them but I’ll go with Nico Cassini, the handsome rogue and libertine. I wanted more than one kind of ‘opposite’ for Kane. Though instead of a challenge, Nico quickly came alive on the page. He’s a wonderful contrast; colorful, flamboyant, a carouser and a seducer.”
Nico highlights Kane’s rigid self-discipline by providing its antithesis in a man who embraces every pleasure and liberty that Kane denies himself. Such character dynamics enrich the narrative texture, allowing readers to see Kane not just through the lens of his own perspective but in his interactions with fundamentally different people.
Bringing such a complex cast to life demands special creative control, which Zircher achieves through his triple role as writer, artist, and colorist. This comprehensive approach gives him unique advantages in portraying Kane’s psychological journey.
“I’ve always paid special attention to writers who are also artists,” he notes. “It’s an uncommon but unique opportunity in comics and when someone is skilled in both the results are notable. Each additional role I take on improves continuity, clarity, and overall storytelling.”
Yet despite this hands-on approach across multiple creative aspects, Zircher values collaboration. “I love working with other artists and colorists as well—I just write more, after the art, so that they enjoy their creative freedom and we still have unity.”
When asked about which moment or panel in The Serpent Ring he’s most proud of from a storytelling perspective, Zircher offers a response that reveals how personal connections inform his creative process.
“That is difficult to answer. There’s 92 pages and I tried to make every one of them count,” he acknowledges before adding, “I’ll say the scenes with Diamanta, the young scholar who wants to see more of the world, because she is inspired by both my daughter and daughter-in-law.”
The Fans
The reception to Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring has been nothing short of remarkable. “The positivity has been overwhelming. Literally free of criticism. I was concerned that writing, drawing, and coloring would be seen as over-reaching but people have been terrific. Really welcoming.”, says Zircher.
This enthusiastic reception speaks not only to the quality of his work but also to the enduring appeal of Solomon Kane as a character—a somber Puritan avenger whose adventures continue to captivate readers nearly a century after Robert E. Howard first created him.
Zircher observes that readers are eager to see more of Kane’s world. “I think, most, they anticipate seeing where where Kane’s adventures lead. The positive response to The Serpent Ring suggests that Zircher has found the sweet spot in his interpretation of Solomon Kane by being faithful enough to satisfy longtime devotees while accessible and compelling to new readers discovering this iconic character for the first time.
As Kane continues his relentless pursuit of justice through the Elizabethan Age, both creator and audience are united in anticipation of where this journey leads next.
Get Your Copy of Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring Today!
As our conversation with Patch Zircher draws to a close, one thing becomes abundantly clear: Solomon Kane remains in expert hands.
For those intrigued by the somber Puritan wanderer and his confrontation with forces beyond mortal understanding, Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring #1 is available now from Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures.
Pick up your copy today and discover why, after all these years, Solomon Kane’s shadow continues to loom large over the landscape of dark fantasy.
