REVIEW: RED SONJA: AGE OF CHAOS #1
Red Sonja has to be one of the most team-up friendly characters in the comic industry, maybe more than even Batman, Spider-Man, Superman and the Thing put together. As well as currently partnering up with both Vampirella and the girls of Riverdale in the shapely forms of Betty and Veronica, she has worked with every female character in the Dynamite universe. Now, however, is the time of Chaos as her universe gets invaded by the bad-ass Chaos girls!
After yet another battle, Sonja finally thinks she has defeated Kulan Gath. By beheading the wizard, her plan to leave him un-resurrected goes awry as the Chaos characters look to usurp his power for themselves. Which of gang will seize the power and how will that power affect Sonja and the Hyborean Age is yet to be seen.
The series is written by Erik Burnham who is no stranger to Sonja, though to be honest, you couldn’t tell from this issue. The book is very less about Sonja; rather it is an introduction to the Chaos clan. Each one gets a few pages and panels in which to state their name, their purpose and to some extent what to expect from them, whether it be wannabe god or demon hunter. Given that the book is expository in nature, Burnham does well to give everyone a breath of life and intent, before getting back to the problem at hand, the resurrection of Kulan Gath’s power. It will be interesting to see how each character interacts with Sonja as she is a fight first, fight second, fight again then if they are still awake, ask questions kind of girl. The pace and events within this series is up for grabs as it could go in one of several ways; some of which may turn out to be nothing more than than numerous fight scenes.
The art is supplied by Jonathan Lau who delivers a mix of styles. At times, his Sonja has a John Romita JR. feel, especially reminiscent of his Typhoid Mary. At others, it can seem a little, not bland, but samey in the vein of a Dynamite house style. Between the two there is a level of disconnect, but for the most part the book feels like a mature book. Lau does well not to fall into cheesecake; the Chaos girls have a similar almost naked wardrobe as Sonja herself. The vibe of the book is generated by the excellent colors from Celeste Woods, who shrouds the pages and panels in darkness and shadows to great effect. Finally, letters are provided by Carlos S. Mangual who gets to layer word boxes over art in a way as to not to interfere with proceedings too much.
This is an odd book in a way, as I am not certain who will enjoy it. There isn’t enough Sonja in it for Sonja fans and the explanations are unnecessary for Chaos fans. Burnham, Lau and company may need to hope for a little charity from both fan bases in order to deliver on the promise of this very solid first issue.
Written – 3 Stars
Art – 4 Stars
Colors – 4 Stars
Overall – 3.5 Stars
Written by; Erik Burnham
Art by; Jonathan Lau
Colors by; Celeste Woods
Letters by; Carlos S. Mangual
Published by; Dynamite Entertainment
Author Profile
- 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
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