Monday, July 22, 2013

Red Sonja #1

I was a big, big fan of Red Sonja when she first appeared in the Roy Thomas / Barry (Windsor) Smith version of Conan the Barbarian.

She was a tough, smart character who was a match for the Cimmerian.

But when she traded in her chain mail shirt for a chain mail bikini, it was more difficult to take the character seriously.

I've followed her adventures off and on in the years since, but when a new version of the character was promised, written by Gail Simone, I knew I'd have to give it a try.

And I'm glad I did! It's a well-crafted first issue that provides an action-packed introduction to the character, a glimpse into her past, and a chance for her to display her martial abilities, tempered by loyalty and a good heart.

The dialogue is sharp and the story includes a good dose of humor - and it's compelling, as Sonja allies herself with what seems to be a lost cause.

The art is by Walter Geovani (with colors by Adriano Lucas), and it's quite good, with strong layouts and good character designs.

So it's a good start to this series. I expected that this would be the only issue of this series I'd be picking up, but Simone's story has me hooked - it has me back in the "Red Sonja fan" category again.

Grade: A-

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