Red Sonja #5 Review


New Red Sonja Banner

After five issues, has this new volume failed to capture the spark that made this a worthwhile property in the first place? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Red Sonja, still recovering from her near-death ordeal, leads a small band of rebels in a stealth war against the invading armada, while the supreme dealer of death Dark Annisia returns to wreak havoc on Sonja’s small band of allies! Blood, lust and vengeance surround Red Sonja as she faces her ultimate foe!

Red Sonja 5_CThe She-Devil with a sword faces dire challenges as this penultimate chapter marches ever onward.  To the creative team’s credit they’ve built up an arc that not only proves the potential of this franchise but highlights what can be done with a storied character if given over to the right stewards.  To put it simply: they honor such a legacy while building up its brand once more.

Considering the landscape of the industry today, Gail Simone is without a doubt an example of a proficient scribe.  And this latest series proves that fact as the author steadily reveals enough additional plot details while not succumbing to the overall weight of this hefty situation.  To have an icon face death and allow the audience to feel it, is a rare treat to be sure and that’s exactly what happened here.  With all that said there were some stumbles, as a couple of the twists and turns came about far too quickly but the nuanced dialogue made each of these moments digestible.

The art by Walter Geovani is an array of beautifully rendered pieces that highlight what works for this comic book.  He uplifts a powerful woman by giving her just enough to match the authenticity of the narrative she’s currently fighting through.  The most powerful panels came during a simple conversation at a grave. The talent had to capture a plethora of believable emotions and the end result was a rip-roaring success.

Red Sonja #5 brings meat to the table, as it proves the power of this feature with enough bits that easily earn my praise.  Recommended.

4/5

fourstar

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