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COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Legends of Red Sonja #1

November 11th, 2013 by Irwin Fletcher Comments

Writers: Gail Simone, Nancy A. Collins and Devin Kalile Grayson

Artists: Jack Hadson, Noah Salonga and Carla Speed McNeil

Publisher: Dynamite Comics

What happens when you take some of the best female writers working today and give them the task of writing one of the most badass women in the history of literature?

You get the Legends of Red Sonja!

Helmed by current Sonja writer Gail Simone, this series follows the narrative of a band of assassins on the hunt for Sonja. During which they are told fantastic stories of her exploits around the world, each story written by a different author and with different art.

Simone handles the interludes of the tale simply titled Legends of Red Sonja. This offers us a look at the assassins who are hunting her and why. The issue then goes into the first story “Eyes of the Howling God” written by Nancy A. Collins with art by Noah Salonga. In this tale we are told of Sonja’s journey to steal the titled Eyes from a monastery in Stygia. While you can clearly see the change in art when you go from Gail’s part to this one, it isn’t like when you read a book and you notice it and are like, “ok what the heck?” The beginning of the book clearly tells you there are different artists, and for a collaboration series it works fantastically. The action is there right from the start. The cockiness and fiery temper that we have all come to love from Sonja is present in this tale as well. The fantasy is also ever present with the main antagonist of this tale being a werewolf and Sonja knowing exactly how to defeat it.

After another interlude with Gail we get the other story in this issue “La Sonja Rossa” written by Devin Kalile Grayson with art by Carla Speed McNeil. Once again a different artistic take on Sonja’s world but one that fits with the narrative that is being told. This time taking place on the high seas and dealing with a colossal squid. Told from the perspective of the Captain of the ship Sonja was sailing on and how she, according to him, lies at the bottom of the sea with his beloved ship. Once again everything we have come to love about Sonja is present: her tenacity, her fearlessness, and her willingness to save others who are in danger. This outing is superb and fits in so well with the rest of the issue.

With a character like Sonja who is larger than life and has many tales to tell about her, this series is primed to be fantastic with each and every issue. There are so many paths that could be traveled. With Gail leading the way with guest writers coming each issue, we are going to get many different looks at this character. I am sure we are going to see stories filled with fantasy, magic, sword play, and romance and that is what we have come to expect from the world of Red Sonja.

This is a great series already and it has only been one issue! With Simone doing fantastic work with the ongoing Sonja title, this one is following right in its footsteps. Dynamite is proving why they are quickly becoming a publisher to be on the lookout for.

So from Spin to you I give this red headed beauty of a book:

4.5 Out of 5 nerds

 

I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.