RED SONJA #1 REVIEW

[Gary Miller]

Reviewer: Gary M. Miller, tensen2099@yahoo.com
Story Title: "The Message"

"Men are easily distracted. Most of them never even notice my sword...until their heads roll off their necks."

Writers: Michael Avon Oeming with Mike Carey
Art: Mel Rubi
Letters: Richard Starkings - Comicraft with Josh Johnson & Rich Wenzke
Colors: Caesar Rodriguez with Richard Isanove
Cover Artists: Michael Turner; Paolo Rivera; Joe Linsner; John Cassaday; Alex Ross; Art Adams; Mel Rubi
Editorial Consultant: Luke Lieberman
Based on the heroine created by Robert E. Howard
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

This week, I've undertaken reviews of two projects prominently featuring leading ladies in comics: JSA Classified, whose current arc centers on the stupendously-endowed feminist superheroine, Power Girl; and this project, Dynamite Entertainment's Red Sonja: She-Devil With a Sword. While Power Girl's a bit of a comic book sex symbol while still being a "good girl," Sonja is renowned as the primogenitor of the comic book "bad girl" archetype.

Based on Robert E. Howard of Conan fame's "Red Sonya" character from the 1934 short story, "The Shadow of the Vulture," Sonja had her comic book debut in 1972's Conan the Barbarian #23 by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. In her first appearance, she was not nearly so full-figured, and wore more cumbersome chainmail. Her trademark metal bikini was conceived by artist Esteban Maroto (though attributed erroneously to Frank Thorne) for her appearance in the premiere edition of The Savage Sword of Conan two years later. Sonja differed from Howard's creation not only in spelling of name, but also in costume (obviously), time period (now in Conan's Hyborian Age), and choice of weaponry (Howard's Sonya brandished guns).

What hasn't changed between Howard's original vision and Thomas' innovations (which, with Maroto's contributions, really should receive due credit here, but sadly do not) is her tragic--and somewhat twisted--origin tale. Her parents and siblings killed by mercenaries, their house and possessions torched, Sonja survived but was raped by the mercenaries' leader. The red goddess Scathach offered to help her on her quest for vengeance, endowing her unless he defeated her in fair battle first. So, essentially, any quest for a mate involves a virtual repeat of the heinous act that made her the warrior woman she is. Say "Eww."

Here, we find Red Sonja coming upon a rather one-sided battle between a messenger from the land of Gathia and several members of the bloodthirsty Zedda tribes. (Look at the name of her horse for in-joke #1--it's the last name of a classic Sonja artist.) She rescues the messenger singlehandedly (of course), and it's after that, when Sonja accompanies him on the trek to his native village, that things become...a bit strange.

In the "#0" issue last month, I lamented, as it was really my first taste of Sonja, that the story didn't really tell me anything about the character. In fact, much of the above history I mentioned came from a quick research session in preparation for this very review. She beat up on some men, exchanged words with a young woman, and that was it. In spite of the lackluster introduction, I still wanted to give Dynamite's Sonja a shot. What I found here was thin characterization for Sonja herself (no mention of her origin tale, or much of anything besides her honorable nature and a thirst for blood), some moderately beautiful visuals, and the hint of a crackling yarn (maybe next month).

For there being two writers on board, both of whom have done some really stellar work in recent years (Oeming on Marvel's The Mighty Thor; Carey on Vertigo's Hellblazer), I was expecting them to hit this series out of the park from word one, but it just reads like a mindless summer blockbuster, and not in the good way. Oh, the story is wonderfully high-concept, and the dialogue is capable at least. However, nothing about the narrative makes me sit up and say, "Wow! That's great!" There's one (admittedly minor) "jump-out-of-your-seat" moment, but in spite of that, it doesn't feel like anything truly groundbreaking is happening.

The art, however, is a little better. Mel Rubi's certainly improved as a storyteller since I first saw him (on Dr. Strange, back when he was a Midnight Son--anyone remember?). He's not perfect, as some of his layouts really lack dynamic power and weight needed to express the appropriate range of emotions, but he's on his way. Even better, the rich digital inks and colors provided over Rubi's pencils by Caesar Rodriguez and Richard Isanove bring the world of Red Sonja to a kind of lush life. (However, every time I see Isanove's digital painting, it feels as though I'm looking at his old work over Andy Kubert, circa Wolverine: The Origin and Marvel 1602. Maybe I'm just hallucinating the similarity to Kubert's artwork.)

Despite my disappointment, again, with this volume, it's not a truly awful read, just average to a fault (maybe a notch above). I'm looking forward to seeing whether Oeming, Carey, Rubi, and the rest can carry off true, fast-moving, lengthy action scenes. I figure it's only then that I've given the book a fair shake. If it fails after that, well, then I'll have left with no regrets. There's a spark of something good here, but it needs to be fanned into a decent-sized fire to have any hope of catching on with a large audience.

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[RedHotRyan]

I loved this issue ("0" was a bit bland) and I am looking forward to reading this "red hot" title every month. I think the art and the story were both fabulous and provided a great insight to who the writers and artists feel this incarnation of Red Sonja is. It's very easy to create a strong, powerful female character with no sense of morals and no obligations. But in reading this issue, I feel that they've given Red Sonja a sense of reverance for the life she takes and an understanding of nobility.

[Yurimaru]

i liked this issue as well i'm enjoying this mysterious red headed chain mail bikini warrior. although i do hope its explained why it is she seems to be immuned to the effects of the weather. and i hope her origin is established soon, when i read about it was so excited to see it being retold in this issue, but sadly it was not.

[Tom O'Connor]

It was good enought that I'm probably sticking around for the first story arc.

I still think the art is a little too smooth looking, but it was definitely an improvement over the zero issue.

[Fastlightingboltman]

hey there everyone anyone who is on right now
i'm new ok please show me around ok

[Jonah Hex]

I belive that Red Sonja usto belong to Marvel.I decided to pick up the copies,and im glad that i did.