Red Sonja #1 | Writer: Gail Simone |Artist: Walter Geovani | Colors: Adriano Lucas | Letters: Simon Bowland | Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment | Price: $3.99 | From my column @ Forces of Geek.com
Gail Simone is one of the more respected names in the industry whose reported firing from DC Comics’ Batgirl title sparked such fan outrage that she was hired back a few days later.
Simone’s take on the red-headed She-Devil generated a lot of buzz going into this past Wednesday.
After journeying through twenty-four pages of superb storytelling and fierce imagery, I’m here to tell you, believe the hype.
Red Sonja’s slightly refreshed origin story wastes no time in setting up a plot where the beautiful barbarian is charged with repaying a life debt.
What makes this moment poignant is how Sonja is portrayed as an unapologetic badass.
There was a fun moment where three would-be thieves attempt to pillage Sonja’s belongings. She is completely unfazed by this and draws the ire of the more daring thief by refusing to engage the trio because she doesn’t want to get blood on her horse. The blood splattering artwork of Walter Geovani shows how exquisite a sword through the head can look.
“I can teach them tactics. I can’t teach them WAR” is Sonja’s motivation as she serves the king who granted her salvation to prevent the slaughter of a kingdom. In my humble opinion, there aren’t enough comic books featuring female leads.
This ongoing series is another great example of why there should be more, and the talents of Gail Simone is the perfect archetype to improve a glaring need.
Grade: A
Ringside Logic 