Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Noah Salonga
Release Date: 30th July 2014

In this one shot issue we are introduced to the man who claims to be Red Sonja’s husband, Red Malak, who has run up debts in her name all across the land, and is using her notoriety to strengthen his own reputation and standing. Sonja returns from two years at sea on the trail of Kothian Privateers seeking only some ale, a bed, and someone to lay with, but instead must face a string of angry creditors before dealing with Malak himself.

My knowledge of Red Sonja is pretty limited, restricted simply to what I learned from Richard Fleischer’s laughable 1985 movie starring Brigette Neilsen, but it would appear the character has undergone some revision over the last few years. Now under the stewardship of Gail Simone (arguably the industry’s top female writer, who has helped redefine some of comics biggest female characters; including Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, and most notably of all, Batgirl), Simone’s interpretation of Sonja eschews the notion of divine intervention in the character’s origin, instead favouring a more self-determined heroine whose strength and power are the product of her own will and unyielding fortitude.

Most surprising for me was Sonja’s depiction as an uncompromising, belligerent, hard drinking mercenary; traits more commonly associated with her male equivalent, Conan the Barbarian. It’s a refreshing change and Simone accentuates this role reversal with volleys of biting sarcasm, creative profanity, and some ingenious turns of phrase. On the down side, there is a lack of explanation regarding the initial story hook; i.e. why the villagers and Malak thought Sonja dead to begin with. Secondly, and more frustrating, is the way in which Malak’s characterisation routinely swings from barely literate to thoughtful and poetic over the course of his arc.

Noah Salonga’s art moves the story along nicely, although character spatial placement seems a little off at times, breaking the narrative flow of the panels especially in the action sequences. The addition of dainty little hearts around some character faces felt out of place with the overall tone and personally I could have done without them. I also found the decision to fill Sonja’s thought boxes in red to be jarring.

Overall, the story is the kind of tangential anecdote that could quite easily have been condensed into a few pages as part of a larger story and perhaps doesn’t warrant an entire issue, but it works as a serviceable introduction for those unfamiliar with the character’s most recent iteration.

Rating: 3/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Martin Doyle
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