Everything can change so quickly.
Creative Staff:
Story: Mark Russell
Art: Bob Q
Colors: Dearbhla Kelly
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
What They Say:
Hyrkania’s food stores are empty. The king of Khitai has the ability to save them, but he will not. But what he has not considered, is that to save her people, Sonja The Red will do ANYTHING.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The current sprawling saga of Red Sonja has been one of the best things to happen to the character in years, and I say that while enjoying numerous crossover series she’s involved with right no as well. Mark Russell has definitely given us a character that’s engaging to watch, a past to deal with, and a country to save with its people that has her really struggling. Each issue has been strong and this one keeps up that tradition in the story department while also delivering more quality artwork as Bob Q does. It’s just so perfect for this kind of work and keeps me engaged in the right kind of fantasy-ish material. The character designs really deliver and I thoroughly enjoy the settings as they expand throughout the run.
Events have moved in a lot of different directions for a while now and we see how bad things are getting in Hyrkania where it’s been decided that it’s time for a diaspora. The food is gone, the people will not kill their horses, and the land is dead for now. That sets a dark tone for the rest of the book where there’s a lot going on. We see early on about how the ruler of Khitai continues to be a cruel young man that has not learned anything from his life. Flashbacks to his younger days during the “war of uncles” where he nearly lost his life if not for his prized eunuch Tortoise really didn’t help to teach him anything. When the king learns that Sonja has taken over the fortress, he insists on going there with the soldiers he retains in Khitai to see his conquest and to be a part of it so that Sonja doesn’t steal the limelight. It’s not a good course of action as Tortoise knows, but he is sadly beholden to his king.
For Sonja herself, she’s facing the problem of the reinforcement group coming to the fortress and knowing that the group she defeated that retreated will come across them at some point. I love the way that she’s working to ensure that the kids live and we see her taking the veterans to try and stage an ambush, which starts off comically with a signpost and ends with a game-changing death that I wonder if it’ll have long-term effects. It’s a really great piece in seeing how Sonja handles herself here and is basically waiting for permission to do what’s really needed for the greater good, and being the one that’s completely capable of doing so. I’m really interested in seeing where Russell is intending to take the next now that it feels like a lot of things have come full circle, but we do still have Cyril waiting in the wings.
In Summary:
This volume of Red Sonja has been engaging since the start and each issue has built on it beautifully. Mark Russell may be following a somewhat familiar fantasy/swords and sorcery template here but it’s imbued with the talent of a writer of his caliber that gives it life instead of feeling like it’s by the numbers. This issue brings certain aspects to a close while opening doors to others and I’m excited to see what’s beyond them. Combined with the great artwork from the team here, this continues to be one of my favorite series of recent years that hasn’t disappointed.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment | Amazon | ComiXology
Release Date: August 19th, 2020
MSRP: $3.99
