When listing my “Best Of” lists for this past year, I declared that 2013 would be remembered as the Year of the Women. There were just some amazing titles out there by female creative teams that I feel are really beginning to gain the respect and praise worthy of them. They kick absolute ass, all of them. One of those contributing titles added fuel to my declaration was Dynamite’s Red Sonja run that began in the summer and covered six perfectly orchestrated issues that ended to one very satisfying conclusion. This creative work took the iconic “She Devil with a Sword” and ran with it making Sonja less godlike and more human in her portrayal. It was an amazing arc by an amazing writer in Gail Simone and it really was some of my favorite storytelling by this “She Devil with a Pen” last year. Simone took the story and made it her own adding her personal touch of wit and wisdom to it. She took a legendary character and added new life to her. And I am not alone in this thought. Overall reviews for the title have been very positive. It was well worth the investment price at the time.
Now for those of you out there who have not gotten to experience this story, then what are you waiting for? It’s getting rereleased and it is just as satisfying now as it was over the summer. You need to give it a go, seriously. As I said, it is well worth the investment.
“But comics are expensive nowadays”, you may say. “I would love to try it out, but I can’t just drop four bucks on a title. I need to stick with what I know. I just don’t have the cash.”
Dynamite has heard your pain and are taking away that price burden oh ye of limited buckage. Red Sonja #1 is in its entirety, just as it was this summer, except it is now just a dollar. ONE DOLLER! I can’t think of hardly anything more satisfying for that basic price. This is must have reading and now even the financial burden is lifted. Go for it!
This opening issue into a magnificent story arc has every good thing you would want in a first issue comic, impressive graphics, a powerful story of debt, action, violence, humor, and even a nice surprise ending that sets the entire story in the direction that is concluded after Issue #6.
Sonja and another lady are the only two surviving warriors who are the prisoners of a brutal king that has used them for gladiatorial combat and amusement. When not in use, he has left them to waste away, treated worse than animals in his dungeons. They are liberated at the opening of this story and shown mercy by another conquering king. Flash forward a few years later and the liberating king calls on Sonja to help him as he prepares to meet the onslaught of a rampaging horde of doom. Heavily beat down by disease and numbers, Sonja takes the request as a debt of honor to the one “King who showed mercy”, but is it too late to make a difference?
Simone paces the story with a smooth flow hitting high notes during each part of the tale. Old Sonja even has to dress formally in this one (nice touch). But just because she may be dressed in formal digs, Sonja is all deadly warrior in this one, taking care of thieves, delivering mercy when needed, and even training a heavily outmatched fighting force.
With Walter Geovani’s artwork, I can only describe it as breathtaking. He portrays Sonja in her best looks of beauty, but he also tempers the beautiful art with brutal violence of the blood splatter variety. In the pages of this issue, Geovani captures the essence of what Sonja is…A beautiful killer and warrior elite. That mixed in with Simone’s well plotted script, and you get this epic tale ready for action. It is a wonderful journey.
But don’t take my word for it, scape up your change and give this one a go. It’s just a buck now.
Score: 5/5
Writer: Gail Simone Artist: Walter Geovani Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Price $1.00 Release Date: 2/12/14