Review: Red Sonja #6

Another week and yet another Red Sonja series seems to meander to its conclusion. Whilst Sonja’s, and her Dynamite housemate Vampirella, popularity never wanes, it is this 5oth anniversary run of Sonja that remains a huge focus for Dynamite Entertainment, which with the quality of the creators involved is a huge boost to her legion of fans.

The enemy stands revealed! Sonja, hosting more power than she knows what to do with stands ready. But how to win the battle and the war when the first step may cost Sonja her life?

Torunn Grønbekk has been around Sonja for a while now. As such, yu pretty much know what you are going to get; solid dialogue, good acton. scenes all well paced. To some extent, this book is the fulcrum issue of the story. Sonja has got her self to a certain point and from there things will change. Grønbekk does a great job in re-establishing Sonja’s motives. leading to her current predicament and her resolution regarding great power. Quick mini-spoiler; it does come with great responsibility and can corrupt absolutely. With these oft-used tropes in. ind, Grønbekk carefully navigates the pulls and eddies of both, instead offering a truly Sonja style of way out. The inclusion of the big bad being, yet again, Kulan Gath is a tad tiresome, but as its Sonja’s 50th, you have to include her greatest enemy.

I have been a quiet admirer of Walter Geovani’s work for quite some time. If you are going to celebrate Sonja than there is probably no better, no more instantly recognisable artist for the red-haired She-Devil! Geovani’s work are full of fine lines and details that serve Sonja well in the various environs she find herself in. Additionally, the different aspects of the book do not seem to faze Geovani at all, who utilises different camera angles to draw the reader through the page. I guess that comes with spending so much tine in the Hyborian Age, Geovani works hard to give us the Sonja stylings that we know and love so much without stepping over into salaciousness. The colors, supplied Omi Remalante Jr. are equally up to the task of Sonja’s sojourn in all-powerfulness with a mix of bright and faded colors, taking a necessary step into more standard colors towards the end of the book. Letters are supplied by Simon Bowland who exemplifies the importance of a good letterer as he ensure an ease of reading whilst not letting the amount of dialogue / monologue detract from the art. Remalante Jr. and Bowland do such a great job, it is a wonder why they both don’t get cover credit? Of course there are a range of covers to choose from, it is truly buyers choice.

Fifty years is truly worth a celebration. There has to be said about the sort of longevity that doesn’t require constant reboots and restarts. Sure, there has been the had “toe dipped in to water’ with alternative Sonja’s but in the end, it’s Sonja herself that remains true to herself thanks to the range of excellent creators, with Grøbekk and Geovani adding to that list.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 4 Stars

Overall – 4.5 Stars

Written by; Torunn Grønbekk
Art by; Walter Geovani
Colors by; Omi Remalante Jr.
Letters by; Simon Bowland
Published by; Dynamite Entertainment

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network