Red Sonja/Tarzan #3 - A Review

The time-traveling hunter known as Eson Duul has set his sights on the Greystone family. Now, Red Sonja and Tarzan are in a literal race against time. Fortunately, The Greystroke family is far from defenseless, as the son of John Clayton is known to the great apes as Korak - their word for killer! And he does not stand alone in the battle against Duul and his forces, even without his father and the She-Devil With A Sword!


Red Sonja/Tarzan #3 is surprisingly free of either of its title characters. It is not lacking in action, however, with most of the issue focused on the exploits of Korak, Son of Tarzan, and Windia - an African woman warrior who could give any member of the Dora Milaje a run for their money.

Those who have enjoyed this series so far will find the third issue contains more of the same spirited writing and action-packed artwork.The only real flaw, and I admit this is a nitpicky one, is that I expect to see more of Red Sonja and Tarzan in a book called Red Sonja/Tarzan. Thankfully, the final pages promise that in plenty next month.

The Final Analysis: 7 out of 10. Old-fashioned pulp action, marred only by our title characters being largely absent from this issue.

Red Sonja/Tarzan #2 - A Belated Review

United across time and space by an enemy who seems to have the power to breach those same boundaries, The Lord of The Jungle and The She-Devil With A Sword form an uneasy alliance... though this is not the first time the two have crossed paths, though neither remembers the first time they met and came to blows...


Again, real life had gotten in the way of my reviewing this wonderful little mini-series, sure to appeal to fans of both Red Sonja and Tarzan. Gail Simone's script captures the essence of both characters perfectly. This is unsurprising, given Simone's long association with Sonja after 18 issues of the monthly comic and the Swords of Sorrow event, which gave her ample opportunity to indulge her obvious love of pulp fiction. Hopefully we'll get to see Jane in action by this series' end as well.

Walter Geovani proves the perfect partner in this. Again, this is unsurprising, given Geovani's long history of drawing Red Sonja and other pulp works for Dynamite Entertainment. Attention must also be paid to the colors of Adriano Augusto and the letters of Simon Bowland, which are equally amazing. Again, I say it - this is a wonderful series, sure to appeal to fans of both Red Sonja and Tarzan as well as anyone who enjoys a ripping yarn.

The Final Analysis: 8 out of 10. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but that is their loss.

Clean Room #18 - A Review

The Clean Room is back under Astrid Mueller's control. Yet even that patch of sacred ground may not be enough to protect her, her allies or humanity from The Entity's invasion of our reality. Is this humanity's final hour?!
There is little to say about this issue beyond my being sorry it took me so long to get around to reviewing it (Tax/Con Season - am I right?) Clean Room was a unique horror title unlike anything we've seen before in American Comics. Hopefully this will not be its final hour and we'll get to see the Second Season suggested by the sales blurb on Comixology. Still, if this must be the end, it is a fantastic and fitting one.

Final Analysis: 10 out of 10. If you haven't been reading it, get the first TP now! 

Clean Room #17 - A Review

The Entities have unleashed their first major offensive upon our world. It is the moment that Astird Mueller has been preparing for all her life, yet she isn't leading the attack. Instead, she is saving her most loyal follower and her fiercest detractor from the mind of the madman who has taken over The Clean Room...


I apologize for the relative brevity of this review but there's little I can say without giving away the game. How do you describe the ocean to someone who doesn't know what water is?

I can say this. Clean Room is easily the strongest new horror title to come out of Vertigo Comics in years and it is some of the finest work to date from Gail Simone, Walter Geovani and Quinton Winter. If you haven't been reading it, do yourself a favor and get the back issues. You'll thank me later.

Clean Room #16 - A Review

I've seen some critics besides myself complain that Clean Room has been taking too much time in building its tension. While slow-boiling thrillers are an acquired taste (personally, I love them) and I can sympathize with the annoyance of waiting three months for a resolution of issue #14's amazing cliff-hanger, I can't help but scoff at that criticism after reading Clean Room #16. Because this is the issue where everything started to pay off!


I can't say much about this issue to the uninitiated. Suffice it to say the page above - in which an infant possessed by demonic forces explains their plans for humanity - is probably one of the least disturbing and least spoiler-filled in the issue. If you're a horror fan, you NEED to be reading this series!

Clean Room #14 - A Review

Journalist Chloe Pierce had set out to destroy self-help guru Astrid Mueller. That was before Chloe discovered the true purpose of Mueller's empire and the existence of the alien entities that sought mankind's destruction. Now Mueller is trying to recruit Pierce as her second-in-command, bringing Chloe in to confront Mueller's entity-possessed niece. The arrival of one of Mueller's stalkers only complicates matters...


Just when I thought Clean Room couldn't get any more disturbing, Gail Simone has topped herself. Walter Geovani - Simone's partner on her recent Red Sonja run - proves a perfect replacement for the series' original artist, Jon Davis-Hunt. Geovani and colorist Quinton Winter prove quite the dynamic duo when it comes to bringing Simone's scripts to life. If you're any kind of horror fan - even if you don't like comics - you should give Clean Room a try.

Doctor Who: Supremacy of the Cybermen #2 - A Review

Banished from Gallifrey by The Doctor's Twelfth incarnation, the Time Lord President Rassilon has formed an unthinkable alliance with The Cybermen. Granted the power to travel through time, The Cybermen have begun to propagate themselves through time and space, threatening prehistoric Earth, the Sontaran Empire and even Gallifrey itself! Thankfully, The Doctor has a habit of arriving wherever and whenever he's needed... but now the universe needs four Doctors to save it!




The good news is that the artwork in the second issue of Supremacy of the Cybermen is far more consistent than it was in the first issue. The bad news is that the artwork is now consistently awful.

Ivan Rodriguez is easily the worst artist to be employed on any of the Doctor Who comics since Titan Comics took over the licence. At best, his artwork resembles off-model coloring-book pages. At worst, they resemble animation cels from The Legend of Zelda CD-i games. Colorist Nicola Righi doesn't help matters, with her bright-hued palettes being so inappropriate to what is meant to be a dark, disturbing story that it makes even those pages handled by Walter Geovani look terrible!

The most damnable part of this remains that there is a great Doctor Who story underneath all the rushed, shoddy artwork. George Mann and Cavan Scott are two fantastic writers and it's a damn shame they couldn't be teamed with artists who could match their vision. Maybe we'll get lucky and Walter Geovani will pencil the next issue by hmself?

Red Sonja #16 - A Review

The evil wizards which lay siege to a town lie dead and Red Sonja is not far behind them.  Now, as the villagers she has given her all to save face those who have come seeking the She-Devil in her moment of weakness, Sonja must fight the battle of a lifetime... literally!  For Death herself has come to press Sonja into her service and, as always, Sonja refuses to go without a fight.

I've written at great length about the wonder of Gail Simone and Walter Geovani's run on Red Sonja. Yet I can say without hyperbole that this may be the best issue of the series yet. Indeed, the whole of the series so far- grand as it is - exists only to bring us to the many moments of glory this issue holds.


I can say little more without spoiling the saga so I will say only this.  If you are a fan of fantasy in any form, capable heroines and high-adventure, you owe it to yourself to read this book.  It is a true treasure and one of the best books on the market today.

Red Sonja #15 - A Review

Bewitched by a sorcerer's death curse, Red Sonja has lost all capacity for forgiveness.  Even the smallest of slights is enough to send the She-Devil of Hyrkania mad with rage. To save the lives of countless innocents, Sonja has burned her hands and destroyed her sword grip.  Alas, the brother of the wizard who cursed her is out for revenge on all those responsible for his brother's death.  So who will save the villagers now that Red Sonja cannot?


Mark Twain once said that "the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great". By that definition, this story has proved Sonja's greatness as a hero. Gail Simone's script sees Sonja playing the hero, not through daring swordplay and cunning, but by acting as an inspiration to other people. It is an interesting change of pace from the usual barbarian adventure story and very well written.



Walter Geovani continues to display why he stands foremost among the finest artists working in comics today. For my money, Red Sonja has never looked so good as it has under Geovani's pencils and inks.  He is well-matched by a trio of colorists (Adriano Lucas, Alex Guimaraes and Marco Lesko) who keep their palettes uniform, so one does not see the usual tell-tale signs of three artists at work, with a sickly blue tint shadowing the outdoors scenes and the indoor scenes done in warmer, more comforting hues.

Red Sonja #14 - A Review

One might think Red Sonja cursed, even if that weren't literally the case. She has a vengeful sorcerer on her trail, an unwanted sidekick in the form of a magicless apprentice mage and the one surviving member of the war-band that killed her family has suddenly reappeared only to have eluded her once more.  The actual magical curse that removed her capacity to forgive even the smallest of annoyances is just the icing on the cake.  Yet that may prove to be the most dangerous thing Sonja has to cope with this night...


I've spoken before of how Gail Simone has revitalized the character of Red Sonja. It occurs to me, however, that I haven't said much about how good the dialogue on this series is. There is much wit and humor, as one would expect, but there are also a number of bad-ass lines, including a new title for Sonja - The Curse of Hyrkania - that is reminiscent of the Dalek's name for The Doctor - The Oncoming Storm.


Walter Geovani's artwork continues to be excellent. Geovani is one of the foremost Sonja artists, being one of the few who can depict a Sonja that is sexy while still appearing dangerous. He also offers up unique and eye-catching designs for every supporting character, so there is no fear of getting any members of the large cast confused.

Red Sonja #13 - A Review

At first it seems like a fairly typical day for Red Sonja. Kill an evil wizard and save the nearby village. Easy peasy. Of course, that's all before Sonja finds herself with a wannabe sorcerer as an unwanted acolyte.  And before she spots the one man who escaped justice for the death of her family in the local tavern. And well before she discovers that the dying wizard's death curse was more than words...


Funny is not usually a word associated with Red Sonja comics, but Gail Simone's run on this title has been hilarious.  Do not think this means this issue is lacking in action!  Far from it!  This is still Red Sonja, but it bares the unmistakable fingerprints of Simone's twisted hand.


Simone is well matched by artist Walter Geovani.  Geovani is one of the finest artists working in the business today and there are few who can match him in the sword-and-sorcery department.  He is also one of the few artists who manages the trick of making Sonja seem sexy without being sexualized.

If you've had the misfortune to have not been reading this book, this is a fine issue to start with.  The only bad thing about this issue is that it marks the beginning of the end of the best run Red Sonja has seen in some time.  Savor it while you can, readers!  This is one to remember!

Red Sonja #12 - A Review

After 'rescuing' the finest dancer in the world from 'captivity', Red Sonja's current quest is done.  For a month she has traveled across the land, seeking six great artisans for a dying king's party with the promise of one-thousand slaves being given their freedom in exchange. Ah, but when do kings ever keep their word in the world of Hyboria?




That's the rub of this issue and the one flaw in this final chapter of the new Red Sonja title's second storyline. We've known that a double-cross was coming since the beginning. Hyborian kings are inherently untrustworthy. It is a fact that is as sure as water flowing downhill. As such, the sudden but inevitable betrayal robs this final chapter of the punch of the unexpected that fueled the earlier parts of this story.


There is little I more I can say about this final chapter of Gail Simone and Walter Geovani's second Red Sonja story beyond the fact that it proves to be a satisfying conclusion. While the resolution may be a standard piece of sword-and-sorcery, the build-up to this moment continually kept us guessing and every panel of it looked fantastic. I may be a brazen fanboy for saying such but that is not altogether a bad thing to be when you're enjoying a comic this well crafted.

Red Sonja #11 - A Review

I've grown used to Red Sonja being a great read since Gail Simone and Walter Geovani took over the monthly book.  There has been a good mix of action and humor, well displayed and well drawn.  Yet I didn't quite expect Red Sonja #11 to be as good a book as it is simply because I did not expect this book to be about Something Important as well as a rollicking good sword and sorcery tale.

The book opens with an action-filled recap which reintroduces us to the current plot. Sonja's current quest involves the retrieval of six artisans in order to secure the freedom of a thousand slaves.  After the recap, we return to the business of Sonja's efforts to rescue the fifth artisan.  An astrologer by trade, this artisan has some rather revolutionary ideas about the heavens and how they operate.  These ideas have made him a target of the local church, which would rather people looked at the feet of the priests than at the skies above.

The historical parallels of this tale are obvious but the targets of Simone's criticism aren't.  While Sonja herself believes this stargazer to be a madman, her anger is reserved for those who would mistreat another over a belief that does no harm to others.  The tale is not Science versus Religion but Spirituality vs. Theocracy, as Sonja considers the simple faith practiced by her family in a humble hut of a church compared to that practiced by the priests hidden away in a great stone temple with golden statues.  The parallels to the modern conflicts between small churches and the mega-churches that are run like big business are inescapable.


Walter Geovani captures this all with his usual flare.  His linework is simple, yet filled with subtle detailing.  His inks are perfect, being just dark enough to add definition without obscuring the fine pencils.  Simply put, this book's artwork is stunning!

Red Sonja #10 - A Review

Red Sonja #10 continues Sonja's quest to procure six artisans for a dying lord's "going-away" party.  This issue finds Sonja pitting herself against the finest swordsman in the world -  Osric The Untouched.  He is named such because no opponent has ever drawn his blood and because of his unique oath...


Gail Simone continues to display her trademark humor even as she disassembles one of fantasy's great heroines.  On the surface, this issue has many moments of comedy built around the idea of Sonja meeting her match in combat and the deconstruction of how silly the classic Red Sonja oath was by applying it to a male character.  Yet there are some truly touching moments, such as when Sonja's current companion - the courtesan Aneva - takes up a sword to try and protect a humiliated Sonja and the scene in which the thought of failing the lives she's sworn to protect hits Sonja with a force even she cannot withstand.  


Walter Geovani's artwork is, as per usual, excellent.  His linework is clear.  His inks perfectly balanced.  And he varies his angles from panel to panel, creating the effect of multiple cameras filming a scene rather than a static view as from a seat watching a stage play.  It is a small detail but it makes the work all the more vivid.

Red Sonja #9 - A Review

Red Sonja #9 revealed something to me that seems obvious in retrospect as I look back over the previous issues of this series but which did not hit me until just now.  Walter Geovani is one of the few comic artists I've seen who is capable of drawing attractive, nearly nude characters without indulging in fan service.  Despite drawing Red Sonja and other characters who don't wear very much, there has never been a single exploitative pose that I can recall.

This thought occurred to me during the opening scene, in which Sonja attempts to infiltrate a legendary brothel by posing as a customer.  This is all part of a larger scheme to liberate the most skillful courtesan in the world.  The ladies and gentlemen employed by this place are attractive but there is nothing sleazy or gratuitous in their portrayal.  This is a subtle touch but a good one and something more fantasy series would do well to emulate when the subject of prostitution is handled.


Given the above scene as well as the events of the previous two issues, it seems redundant for me to once again praise Gail Simone for having nearly modernized Red Sonja as a character.  Gone are the oaths of chastity and the pledge to only bed men who can best her in single combat.  Simone's Sonja is loudly and proudly bisexual and randy - not necessarily in that order.

Does this defy everything ever said about the character in earlier stories?  Does it ever!  But Sonja is a slave to no one and no thing - least of all the dread beast called Continuity!  Trying to fit all of Sonja's stories since her return under Dynamite Publishing's banner into a single story-line would be an act of madness.  And there is so much more enjoyable madness to be had in Simone's writing, such as when the aforementioned courtesan attempts gives Sonja an extreme makeover!



I've said it before and I will say it again - this is one of the most well-written, well-drawn and just plain great comics on the stands today.  You should be reading it.  Why aren't you reading it?  No!  Don't answer!  I don't want to hear your excuses!  Just start reading it!

Red Sonja #8 - A Review

Were there any doubts left that Gail Simone was dragging the She Devil With A Sword into a new era, they were eliminated with this issue.  There was some thinking that last issue - which had Sonja suggesting she was open to a threesome with two limber-looking swamp-dwellers - was a joke of some kind.  But it's no joke.  This issue confirms that this Sonja has no oath of chastity and is as direct in her romantic dealings as she is in battle.


This is a radical change to say the least!  It is also a welcome one.  While Sonja's infamous oath may have been born of classical literature and the women warriors of myth who required a man prove himself before being able to bed her there is still a serious disconnect between Sonja's status as a feminist icon in the modern day and the idea that her life (romantic and otherwise) is beholden to a war goddess' whims.  In this respect Simone's take on Red Sonja is far closer to the ideals of Robert E. Howard than any other writer to handle the character.

This is ironic because many fans of the Hyborian oeuvre are likely to dismiss Simone's story out of hand given the basic plot of the current storyline, in which Sonja has been recruited by a Stygian priest to recruit six of the greatest artisans in the land so that he may throw the ultimate celebration before his foretold death.  Howard purists may wail that Stygia is an insular country and that an obvious foreigner like Sonja would never be allowed within its borders, let alone allowed to traipse about it on so trivial a quest as finding six artisans.  These people miss the larger point - that Sonja is a heroine very much in the mold of Howard's other heroes and - much like Conan - has little use for gods and priests.


Artist Walter Geovani proves a perfect partner in crime for Simone's work.  I was wowed by Geovani's previous work on Red Sonja before the recent reboot and had hoped he might be given more regular work with the character.  I don't know which god heard my wish and granted it so I shall thank them all on Sonja's behalf.  Because the gods know she'll never do it. :)

Red Sonja #7 - A Review

I would like to open this review by saying a few words about the fantastic artwork of Walter Geovani.  I would like to do that but I won't.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words but for what my words are worth that would seriously short-change Geovani's work.  As such, I shall merely say I enjoy his work and let you look at the scans below to see why.

As for the writing, if there were any doubts that Gail Simone would bring about big changes for Red Sonja, this issue eliminated them.  In fact, Red Sonja #7 does more than eliminate said doubts.  It beheads said doubts and places their heads on spikes before burning what is left of the doubts' corpses.


Yes, fans.  You read that correctly!  Gone is Sonja's infamous oath of chastity, save to any man who can best her in single combat!  And as someone who has written a fair bit and a bit more about the problems with Sonja's oath and her status as a feminist heroine, I for one could not be happier.  But there's more.  Not only is Red Sonja not beholden to an oath of chastity but she's also confirmed to be bisexual.   


Honestly, this has little bearing upon anything, save to change aspects of the character that are rarely touched upon anyway.  Regardless of her oath or who she would like to bed down with, Sonja is still the same grog-swilling, ass-kicking she-devil she's always been.  And in the end, that is all that matters.

The plot of this issue - and apparently the upcoming story arc - is a standard fantasy fetch-quest. Sonja is recruited by a dying noble to track down six great artisans to help him throw the most epic going-away party ever.  Naturally, Sonja is reluctant to sign on for such a frivolous adventure, agreeing to help only after the noble says he will free all his slaves if she can deliver all the artisans within one month.  This leads Sonja to track down the world's greatest chef - currently the captive of the Hyborian equivalent of the family from Deliverance.

Simone's script is hilarious, as one might expect.  Seeing Sonja openly speaking about being randy - a change that might throw off some long-time fans of the character - is thrown into sharp relief as Sonja confronts an enemy that sees her shapely body and thinks of hungers that have nothing to do with the usual urges inspired by a shapely redhead.  Yet there is one sour note in the script that will offend scholars of  Hyborian culture - the concept of Cimmerian Ale.


As any Robert E. Howard purist will tell you, it was established in The Phoenix On The Sword that Cimmerian is a land without alcohol.  As Conan's general Prospero once told Conan, "You laugh greatly, drink deep and bellow good songs; though I never saw another Cimmerian who drank aught but water, or who ever laughed, or ever sang save to chant dismal dirges."

Personally, I think it matters little.  Sonja herself was born of the pastiche - brought forth into the world of Conan by Roy Thomas, based on a heroine from one of Robert E. Howard's historical novels.  And the idea of there being many Sonjas across the whole of reality was suggested by no less than Frank Thorne and Wendy Pini.  So if the idea of a bisexual Sonja, a horny Sonja or Cimmerians who brew beer offend you, consider this tale a view upon another universe and leave the rest of us to enjoy this one.   

Red Sonja #6 - A Review

In these days when the latest comics' news flashes are presented on the front page of USA Today's Entertainment section one day before the comics are released, it is rare for a book to surprise me.  The new Red Sonja series has done that consistently.  And the sixth issue, concluding the Queen of Plagues storyline, has proven particularly astonishing. 


Artist Walter Geovani is an underrated treasure.  I greatly enjoyed Geovani's work on previous Red Sonja books and wished he'd be given a lengthier engagement on the series than he'd had previously.  As in previous issues, Geovani continues to show why he is one of the best sword-and-sorcery artists in the business today.   


Gail Simone's script reveals a number of surprising twists in this final chapter.  Miraculously not a one of them feels tacked-on or added just for the sake of shock value.  Longtime fans of Simone's oeuvre may be surprised to see how straight the queen of comic-book comedy plays things here.  This issue is all action with nary a bit of  snark or sarcasm.  What won't surprise anyone is how good the final product is. 

Red Sonja #5 - A Review

Red Sonja #5 continues Gail Simone's redefinition of the legend of the She Devil of Hyrkania.  This chapter sees Sonja newly retrieved from exile with a promise of a cure for the illness that plagues her.  By the issue's end, she will once again face her former friend and fellow survivor of the arenas of Zamora - Dark Annisia!


The script features much of Simone's famous humor, such as Sonja's bodyguards continuing their efforts to create impressive titles for their mistress.  Yet there are also many mysteries that push the plot forward, continuing to hold the readers' interest despite this issue largely being set-up for the conclusion of the first story arc.  The final page offers a surprising revelation that demands an interesting explanation next month.


Walter Geovani's art continues to impress.  I felt he was one of the most underrated artists to work on the previous Red Sonja title.  It is good to see him sitting on the monthly title on a regular basis.  Hopefully this partnership will continue for a long time to come. 

Red Sonja #4 - A Review

 There may be some debate amongst serious scholars of the sword and sorcery genre as to what aspect of Gail Simone's Red Sonja is the most blasphemous.  I've spoken before about how Howard purists (many of whom take issue with the idea of Red Sonja in the first place) would likely disapprove of an army of sentient beast men working in an organized army under a human leader.  One can only imagine what those same purists of the Howard and Lovecraft oeuvre think of seeing such creatures acting as comic relief!  


I say let the purists hang!  The Hyborian World has grown vast enough under various pastiche novels and comic book adaptations that there is very little that cannot be accounted for somehow.  For instance, the original Dynamite Entertainment series written by Mike Carey and Michael Avon Oeming saw Sonja fighting alongside lion-men and making love to gods.  The series then continued with the idea of Red Sonja being an eternal heroine reborn across generations - an idea seeming inspired by Frank Thorne and Wendy Pini's Red Sonja stage-show.

Sonja and her legends have outgrown the mythos that inspired her and she is become a legend unto herself. Sonja's stories are not histories to be recorded in a dusty chronicle!  They are tales to be told around a fire or between friends in a tavern, with each teller trying to outdo the last in sheer wildness.

In that spirit, Simone is rebuilding the myth of Red Sonja (or at least, this incarnation of her) from the ground up.  Last month's flashback-driven issue eliminated Sonja's rape at the hands of the warriors who killed her family from her history.  This month's issue shows something of Sonja's learning how to fight in the slave pits of Zamora.  Simone shows that while the young Sonja is naturally talented and capable of killing several men in an ambush, she knows little of true battle.  She is a brawler, not a warrior.

Curiously, there has yet to be any mention of the goddess who had previously given Sonja her amazing skill in battle in exchange for a rather vague oath of chastity.  It is this aspect of the Sonja myth which Howard purists find most troubling, preferring the good gods of Hyboria (assuming any exist) be indifferent at best.  It would be amusing indeed if Simone arranged for Sonja's legend to be built upon natural skill and training rather than divine mandate! 



All of this is ably illustrated by the talented Walter Geovani.  I have no word to describe Geovani's work save one.  Perfection.  His character designs are memorable and unique.  His inks not too light or too thick.  His action scenes are well-displayed.  I cannot find any fault in the artwork at all. 

The bottom line?  Red Sonja - as a book and as a character - have not been this fun in quite some time.  This has always been a book I enjoyed reading but now it is a book I look forward to.  The purists can continue their debates about continuity and what constitutes a proper Hyborian tale.  I'll continue laughing my ass off at the funny fish-men, thank you!