Red Sonja #6 - A Review

The battle for Hyrkania's soul rages on, with the rebellion attacking King Savas on his wedding day. And Red Sonja rides with the rebels astride a great phoenix! But when the war seems to claim one Sonja risked much to protect, will rage lead her to strike down another friend she falsely perceives as an enemy?


As much as I've enjoyed Marguerite Bennett's run on Red Sonja thus far, this final chapter of the opening arc seems a little weak. The battle in this issue feels incredibly rushed. And for all the ingenuity Bennett showed in the early chapters, she falls back all too readily into the standard fantasy tropes in the finale, with a wounded child spurring the hero into rash action and an ending that will surprise no one. The book is enjoyable despite this but it's still something of a disappointment given how unique this run had been.

That being said, Aneke's artwork continues to inspire admiration. Her work on this series has made Red Sonja into one of the most amazing-looking comics on the stands. The action sequences are all well-paced and the color art by Jorge Sutil is as vivid and visceral as the world of Hyboria itself.

Red Sonja #5 - A Review

King Savas had expected resistance when he captured Red Sonja's most recent companion - the playwright Midy. He did not expect for her, now feeling scorned by Sonja's apparent abandonment of her, to offer to write a play that would subvert the legend of Sonja while elevating Savas and the last of his Black Talons (the women impersonating Sonja in his name) to the level of living legends. Meanwhile, Sonja seeks another legend - a giant carnivorous bird - as she too ponders the nature of legends and how she might yet save a people who don't wish to be rescued.


If Gail Simone redefined Red Sonja for a new generation of readers, than Marguerite Bennett has refined it. No longer a simple sword-and-sorcery comic, Bennett's thoughtful writing has explored both current events such as the role of the media and popular culture in shaping politics and deeper philosophical truths about the nature of heroism and humanity. In this Bennett resembles Robert E. Howard more than any other writer to ever play in his world.


The artwork operates on a similarly deep level. There is great interplay, for instance, between Bennett's monologues for Sonja and the action in the panel as each line is spoken. The battle sequence between Sonja and the roc is epically illustrated and the colors of Jorge Sutil are vibrant and powerful.

Red Sonja #4 - A Review

Spurned by Red Sonja, the mad king Savas has become determined to possess Sonja's legend if he cannot have the woman herself. Three women has he chosen to be his Black Talons, reborn in Sonja's image to promote his reign to the common folk of Hyrkania and subvert everything she stands for!

Sonja has fought whole armies before, but this is a battle that cannot be fought with blades or bows. Thankfully, Sonja knows an orator who is to words what she is to battle. Unfortunately, The Black Talons are already on her trail...


Marguerite Bennett continues to impress on Red Sonja. This is a spirited action tale in the same spirit as Gail Simone's run, which redefined the She Devil With A Sword for a new generation. It is also a wonderful commentary on jingoism and racism, which delivers its message without being preachy.


Aneke is joined on the art duties this month by Diego Galindo. They bring Bennett's script to life wonderfully, with Jorge Sutil's colors completing the package perfectly. All in all, this is a worth continuation of the Red Sonja legacy and a must read for all sword and sorcery fans.

Red Sonja #3 - A Review

Sonja is ill-pleased to discover that the new war-mongering king of Hyrkania is a former ally - a merchant named Savas who once hired her as a guard. She is even less-pleased to learn that everything he has done was part of a misguided attempt to win her heart and that he would have her as his queen... one way or the other!

With Red Sonja #3, Marguerite Bennett does more than merely pay tribute to the first Red Sonja solo story, which saw a power-mad king try and claim Sonja after deciding she'd better serve him decorating his harem than leading his army. Bennett's story here is a rather neat metaphor for Sonja's treatment by long-time sword-and-sorcery fans who disliked Gail Simone's recent revamp, with King Savas playing the role of the angered fanboy whose image of Sonja as a pure and perfect goddess has been spoiled by the reality of who Sonja is.  Metatextual analysis aside, this issue is also a damn good action story and Bennett does a masterful job of developing the supporting players, with Raka - a hunter and another former lover of Sonja - being particularly noteworthy as a counterpoint to Savas' obsession.

Aneke's artwork for the issue equals Bennett's script. I regret that I cannot show you some of the beautiful two-page spreads this issue contains, due to the size of my scanner. Suffice it to say that Aneke is a great artist and the beauty of her work is matched only by her skills in telling a story visually and blocking a fight scene. The colorists for this issue - Jorge Sutil and Morgan Hickman - deserve praise for working together so seamlessly, you would never know that one artist did not do the color art for this issue. And Erica Schultz delivers some stunning-looking lettering.

Red Sonja #2 - A Review

Sonja refused the throne of Hyrkania fearing what kind of queen she would be, yet she now finds herself cursing the decision. The new king, while having ushered in a new era of prosperity, has also given rise to a horde of ills. Among them are maddened soldiers killing the families of those who refuse the "honor" of serving in the army and generals forcing plays to be rewritten to insult the previous king and honor Hyrkania superiority to the point of paying insult to other nations - even those friendly to Hyrkania!

Alas, there are some evils even Red Sonja cannot fight. And this darkness plaguing the soul of Hyrkania may not be born of spells and sorcery but lie within the heart of humanity itself...


Red Sonja is not overly famous for social commentary, save in the most vaguely philosophical terms regarding women being as capable as men. Before now I wouldn't have thought it possible to tell a story about the dangers of jingoism and racism in a sword-and-sorcery setting. Margureite Bennett not only makes this timely statement but does so without getting preachy or making any on-the-nose comments about building walls to keep the Turanians out and making them pay for it.

There's also an interesting dynamic in how Sonja - the ultimate outsider - is the one who takes action to save a system she has no wish to be a part of.  Sonja lives the life she does so that no one else suffers as she did, yet she's a stark individualist. It's an interesting dichotomy and Bennett explores that wonderfully.


The artwork of Aneke skilfully captures the essence of Bennett's script. Aneke has a wonderful sense of staging and there is a sense of motion in every panel, even in the more static scenes of two characters just talking. Jorge Sutil's colors are well chosen, with the palettes offering a variety of subtle gradients to indicate light and shadow, even in the skin tones.

Swords of Sorrow #6 - A Review

The final battle is begun! And as the Traveller and her chosen defend themselves against an army of the dreadful Shard-Men, the trio of Red Sonja, Dejah Thoris and Vampirella move to strike down Prince Charming himself. But how will the prophecy be fulfilled when a cowardly attack by Purgatori sees Vampirella staked and near death?!


Sergio Davila's artwork on this series has been nothing short of phenomenal. Given that many of the heroines involved in this series were born of the 1990's bad-girl movement and served little purpose other than providing wanking material for boys too young to buy Penthouse, it is gratifying to see them rendered with realistic proportions. The action flows smoothly and their are no impossible poses or Escher-Spines to be had!


I must say with all honesty that this final chapter of Swords of Sorrow is not Gail Simone's greatest work. Simone is wildly successful in keeping the plot moving and tries to give all of the large cast of characters at least a panel or two to showcase their skills. But I fear that it is all too much, too quickly.

Had this been a 12-issue mini-series rather than a 6-issue one, maybe it could have handled the sheer scope of what Simone has tried to convey. In the end, I think this series - much like the original Secret Wars - will be remembered for what it set-up rather than for the story that it told. But that is not a bad thing when what it sets-up is a shared universe that will allow other writers to freely team these heroines in the future.

Swords Of Sorrow: Red Sonja & Jungle Girl #3 - A Review

Ice continues to plague the mysterious island that Jungle Girl calls home. Only the mystic Heart of the Mountain can repair the damage done by Mistress Hel and her ice wyrm. And only Jana and Red Sonja can guide the witchworker Bel'lok to its resting place.

Alas, what started out as a promising mini-series falls apart in this final chapter. Curiously, Sonja and Jana have no real function in this chapter other than to protect the male protagonist who knows what is going on and must be the one to use his magic to fix everything. This is a decidedly curious message for a series that was meant to be centered on pulp heroines!

Marguerite Bennett's script also goes a bit too far in hanging the lampshade on the silliness of the whole affair, with Sonja praying to "the gods of this absurd island of incongruous mystery" at one point. What is worse, the Sonja and Jana we see in this issue seem to act differently from the characters we saw in the first issue, with Sonja playing matchmaker to her companions and Jana acting, at times, like a teenage bimbo.


The artwork doesn't aid in this impression, with Mirka Andolfo's style leaving everyone looking like teenagers. Still, the artwork is competently rendered and the action sequences are good. Yet I can't help but wonder how this series might have looked with a more traditional pulp artist handling it. Such speculation is pointless, however, and the artwork is good for what it is, though I may question how well it matches the setting.

Swords of Sorrow #5 - A Review

The Traveller has assembled her army, just as The Prince once called Charming has redrawn reality to merge various worlds into one great battlefield. Now - as Red Sonja, Dejah Thoris and Vampirella go to confront The Prince in his place of power - the rest of the assembled heroines must stay to fight an army of evil the likes of which has never been assembled! But are they all resolved to face the battle ahead of them? And are all of the so-called Women of Chaos committed to serving The Prince?


I find myself of two minds about this issue's script. Jungle Girl's sudden crisis of faith makes her a distinct point-of-view character in a book where most of the cast - due to the nature of crossover storylines - have had little chance for characterization beyond battle-hardened bad-ass or opportunist rogue. On the other hand, her sudden "But I'm just a girl"attitude seems contradictory to what we've seen of the character in this book so far and the Red Sonja/Jungle Girl tie-ins.

That said, I have faith that Gail Simone is building up something big for Jana in the final chapter and that the Jungle Girl will prove to be a true woman rather than the "jiggling jungle babe" Frank Cho established. Or maybe Dynamite Entertainment will be revealed to have licensed the rights to Sheena and we can get the true Queen of the Jungle for the final chapter?  A pulp fanboy can dream, right?



Whatever reservations I may have about the story going into the final chapter, I have no complaints about the artwork.  Sergio Davila's pencils and inks remain as fine as ever. The color art by Jorge Sutil further enhances the original art, crafting quite the set of pretty pictures.

Swords Of Sorrow: Red Sonja & Jungle Girl #2 - A Review

Sonja and Jana's confrontation with Mistress Hel was cut short, thanks to the actions of a trickster sorcerer named Bel'lok. Wounded and weary, the three make their way back to Jana's village. Unfortunately, Jana's people are less than tolerate of outsiders at the best of times. And with Hel's dark magic corrupting the already xenophobic tribal leaders, this is definitely not the best of times!


I think it's safe to say that most readers are more familiar with the world of Red Sonja than Jungle Girl. As such, Marguerite Bennett wisely uses this issue to explain the rules of Jana's world to both her new outsider friends and, by proxy, the readers. It's an effective decision and the action of the issue seems less like route exposition as a result. Indeed, it's quite enjoyable!


The artwork operates with similarly subtle efficiency.  I am hard pressed to find words to describe the light, airy style of Mirka Andolfo but I do know what I like. And I like this style!  Everything is smooth and sketchy, with an inherit quickness that keeps the story moving briskly.

Swords of Sorrow: Pantha & Jane Porter

Egypt. 22000 BC. The shape-shifting priestess Pantha guards the faithful of Sekhmet from demons and monsters. Monsters like those in the thrall of Purgatori, who even now is invading a tomb right under Pantha's nose!

London. 1913 AD. Jane Porter - the newly dubbed Lady Greystroke - has just arrived in town, piloting one of Wright Brothers' new aeroplanes. She had been planning to use this new vehicle to deliver supplies to her husband in the jungle, but the sudden appearance of a pyramid over the skies of London changes her plans.

Two women warriors.  Separated by time and space. United by circumstance and the unusual swords that have been gifted to them by a mysterious man. The latest women to join a war that is being fought across all of reality...


Swords of Sorrow: Pantha & Jane Porter follows the standard team-up formula used in most team-up comics... to say nothing of most of the Swords of Sorrow tie-ins thus far!   The heroes meet, have a misunderstanding, fight and then join together against the real enemy before becoming, if not the best of friends, then at least allied acquaintances  Thankfully the script by Emma Beeby moves beyond such trite plotting, bringing out the personalities of both heroines.whilst giving them a chance to showcase their skills.


I've seen several comics that paired Rod Rodolfo with Nanjan Jamberi before and this is the best of the lot.  The overly heavy inks I noted before in previous works Roldfo drew are not as pronounced here. And the colors are much more vivid than in the duo's last pairing.  All in all this is an enjoyable slice of pulp fiction.

Swords of Sorrow #4 - A Review

Becoming a harem slave to a wicked prince or dying under a much harsher form of bondage isn't much of a choice. Still, this is the offer the demon known as Purgatori brings before an assemblage of time-displaced adventurers. And it is an offer that is swiftly declined.  Now this odd assemblage of killers, criminals and vigilantes must traverse the whole of time and space and seek out "the trinity" spoken of in the prophecy - the princess, the warrior and the vampire who will lead them to victory!


Swords of Sorrow #4 works on several levels. It works quite well as an adventure comic of the old school, with thrilling and chilling action sequences. It also works quite well as a comedic piece, with Gail Simone showcasing her gift for ribald humor that rises below vulgarity throughout. There is also some subtle satire of the genre and industry, with Purgatori - a 90's bad girl heroine who served little purpose beyond being the poster-girl for cheap fan-service - offering safety to the women who break the mold and refuse to be exploited.


Sergio Davila's artwork equals Simone's scripts in quality.  Davila manages the neat trick of drawing women who are beautiful and scantily clad without the whole affair seeming exploitative or unnaturally posed. This is one of the best looking books in recent memory.

Swords of Sorrow #3 - A Review

This third chapter of Swords of Sorrow is largely devoted towards the method and madness of its villain, Prince Charming. Thus far his motives have been unclear beyond a general desire to control all women. Yet this issue reveals that some once-noble quest may lie at heart of matters, even as the champions chosen by The Traveller learn of their own role in the battle to come.


Gail Simone's script for this issue is generally solid. As before, this series' chief flaws are the presumption of familiarity with its large cast and too little time being devoted to introducing our heroines. However, the action flows well enough in spite of this, though it would be a good idea to pick up all of the series tie-ins if you weren't already.


The artwork remains equally delightful. Sergio Davila's pencils and inks continue to shine. Unfortunately, the colors by Jorge Sutil muddy the artwork at some points. It's a bit hard to follow some of the action when most our heroines are wearing black and/or red costumes.  Despite this, Swords of Sorrow is still an enjoyable read.