Travelling Man's Blog

Written by Gail Simone (‘Legends of Red Sonja’), Nancy A.Collins (‘Eyes of the Howling God’), Devin Kalile Grayson (‘La Sonja Rossa’), Meljean Brook (‘The Undefeated’), Tamora Pierce (‘Double Edged’), Leah Moore (‘The Palace of the Necromancer’), Nicola Scott (‘Gertrelle’s Lament’), Rhianna Pratchett (‘Gerd’s Story: What Lies Beneath’), Mercedes Lackey (‘Jenny’s Story: Parallax’), Marjorie M. Liu (‘She Who Lives Still’), Blair Butler (‘The Pazyryk’) and Kelly Sue DeConnick (‘The Play’s The Thing’)

Art by Jack Jadson (‘Legends of Red Sonja’), Noah Salonga(‘Eyes of the Howling God’), Carla Speed McNeil (‘La Sonja Rossa’)Mel Rubi (‘The Undefeated’), Cassandra James (‘Double Edged’), Tula Lotay(‘The Palace of the Necromancer’), Doug Holgate (‘Gertrelle’s Lament’), Naniiebim (‘Gerd’s Story: What Lies Beneath’), Nel Ruffino (‘Jenny’s Story: Parallax’), Phil Noto(‘She Who Lives Still’), Jim Calafiore (‘The Pazyryk’) and Valentine De Landro (‘The Play’s The Thing’)

Colours by Salvatore Aiala Studios

Letters by Simon Bowland

Published by Dynamite

£14.99

Some of the best creators on the planet come together to tell stories about one of the finest warriors in all of fiction. Red Sonja is a legend but even legends can be hunted and as the men searching for her travel, they tell stories of how they came to meet Sonja, what she did to them and why…

The framing story by Gail Simone and Jack Jadson is one of the smartest ideas you’ll see in comics this year and it provides an opportunity for an all-star cast to tell some staggeringly good stories. There’s not a single weak link here but there are several stories that really stand out and it’s those I’ll chat about. First off ‘La Sonja Rossa’ sees Grayson and McNeil tell the story of Sonja’s death in mortal combat with a sea god. Except as this is the end of the first issue there’s a lot more to it than that. McNeil’s expressive, friendly art is a perfect carrier wave for Grayson’s clever, sweet story about how Sonja effects people and the final sequence in particular is a real kicker.

That sweetness is carried through into ‘The Undefeated’ by Tamora Pierce. The hunters seek information and what they get, and what we see, are very different. There’s a dark playfulness to the piece that’s helped immensely by Mel Rubi’s art and sets the tone for the rest of the book. This isn’t a one sided battle; the hunters are being hunted too.

Leah Moore and Tula Lotay’s ‘Palace of the Necromancer’ is another standout. Moore’s story neatly explores the perils of being the most competent person in the room and shows just how pragmatic, quick thinking and brutal Sonja is sometimes forced to be. It’s one of the darkest tales in the book and the always impressive Lotay really heightens the atmosphere. It’s particularly interesting that this is the only time we see Sonja carrying scars too. Legends can bleed too and that gives the story a welcome humanity and again, further darkens the tone.

Rhianna Pratchett and Naniiebim turn in the best story in the collection with ‘Gerd’s Story: What Lies Beneath’. Gerd is a former warrior woman turned Blacksmith and her tale is shot through with humour, compassion and a glorious piece of meta fiction. This is the key to a puzzle that’s bothered a lot of people about Sonja for a long time and to say anymore would spoil it. Trust me it’s worth the read.

Marjorie M. Liu’s ‘She Who Lives Still’ is both the darkest and sweetest story in the book. This is Sonja as instrument of destiny coupled with full on Fortean high strangeness. It’s beautifully illustrated by Phil Noto, Salvatore Aiala Studios and Bowland do great work on the colours and letters and thes tory itself is a haunting, beautiful piece suspended halfway between dream and nightmare.

‘The Play’s the Thing’ is the last story before the wrap up and again, one of the strongest. DeConnick has had an incredible year and this story is proof of just how great she is, combining some gentle Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead nods with a look at how Sonja changes the people she saves. This is flat out funny, as well as again being very sweet and swings the book onto its final act with a smile on its face.De Landro’s art, especially on one character in particular, is perfect, full of huge gestures and subtle comedy.

This is the best possible introduction to both Red Sonja and some of the best creators in the business. Every story sparks with wit and action, every writer and artist turns in great work and the entire thing is wrapped in an elegantly designed framework. Exuberant, brilliant, brutal fun.