Now with 40% less cheesecake!
Creative Staff:
Story: Amy Chu
Art: Carlos Gomez
Colors: Mohan
Letters: Tom Napolitano
What They Say:
Deep in the heart of New York City, it’s a showdown between Sonja and the megalomaniac Kulan Gath and his rabid followers. When Max’s secret past is revealed, Sonja must decide between pursuing her revenge and the fate of her new friend.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Kulan Gath, Sonja’s most dangerous and hated enemy, has finally reached the heights of power and influence he’s been striving for since time immemorial. Oddly enough, he found that power and prestige in 20th century New York City.
But Gath isn’t the only time-lost Hyborean in New York. Sonja found her way there, too, thanks to Gath’s spell. Except she arrived nearly a hundred years after him. Sonja now faces possibly the toughest battle of her life. She’s a stranger in a strange land fighting against a sorcerer who commands the will and might of one of the greatest cities in the world.
Thankfully, she’s not alone. Max Mendoza is, in some ways, just as lost as Sonja. An orphan raised by a kind family, Max barely remembers his birth parents or where they came from. All he knows are some songs, a coin trick, and a language reminiscent of Sonja’s. He’s been her faithful companion on this journey, and in this issue, he (and we) finally discover who he is.
It turns out that Max and his parents originally came from Meruvia—a kingdom of sorcerers that Gath attacked. It was this kingdom that hired Sonja, and it was in that battle where Sonja and Gath became time-lost. As Gath puts it, “Time is relative—not precise.”
Where time fails, fate intervenes as these three players reunite once again, but their reunion may prove short-lived as Gath summons the Demon Beast of Khauran—the same creature he used to destroy Meruvia. Now Sonja and Max find themselves in the fight of their lives, and if Max can’t remember any of his family’s magic, they might well lose.
This issue moves super-fast despite it being mostly exposition setting up the third act. Max’s revelation about his origin comes fast and hard, and he accepts it with astounding alacrity. Gath then gives him the old “Join me and let me complete your training” shtick, which Max refuses, and then they get down to business and fight a demon beast. The events tumble one after the other, and while they do maintain the audience’s attention, the overall effect leaves the reader feeling empty. It ends too quickly.
As always, Carlos Gomez does a fine job with action and setting. His character models are also on point, and this time around the comic thankfully avoids the cheesecake. Sure, Sonja still does her thing in the scale mail bikini, but the gaze doesn’t leer at her the way the previous three issues did, so it’s not quite as lascivious and objectifying.
And the man draws a mean Kulan Gath. The sorcerer comes across as old, powerful, and more than a little lecherous. The grin that Gomez puts on the old buzzard is properly disturbing and evil.
This is fitting because it’s Kulan Gath’s show. Sonja and Max merely serve as players. That will change soon, though, as Sonja and Max will undoubtedly engage in a little sword and sorcery in the next issues.
In Summary:
Although the story feels like it ends just as it begins, Red Sonja #4.4 is still an enjoyable comic with decent character development and some nice action. It’s also the least cheesecake-iest of this volume, so that’s something to celebrate. Hopefully, the next issue will have a bit more narrative meat on its bones. Dr. Josh gives this a…
Grade: B
Age Rating: Teen +
Released By: Dynamite Comics
Release Date: 19 April 2017
MSRP: $3.99
