A heroine dealing with an affliction sounds interesting, but is this really a story worth telling?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

The Crimson Well” (part 1 of 6) – The She-Devil has been suspiciously absent for nearly a full season. There are many rumors and tall tales surrounding her disappearance, but the truth of the matter is far more outlandish, and terrifying, than any tavern story. Following the PROPHECY event, Red Sonja has placed herself in exile, desperately hoping to protect the world from the demonic influence that threatens to consume her very soul.

There’s no doubt about it, following her recent time traveling escapades our protagonist has returned changed by her experiences.  The question now facing both her and the creative team is: where does she go from here?  It’s certainly a very good quandary to consider.

Brandon Jerwa has seen fit to throw fans into the fray as the aftermath of Prophecy leaves some bodies in its wake.  Red Sonja is doing what she can to deal with her issues but sadly there doesn’t seem to be a solution in sight.  The script yields just enough tangible exposition to allow fans who missed the event book to get a sample of it, but sadly if you didn’t follow that series you may find yourself confused by this arc.  And that right there is the only real detriment to be found within these pages.

The art by Sergio Fernandez Davila echoes a slightly minimalist pallet, but nonetheless the talent finds a way to deliver the details the narrative requires. Each bit of line work yields a solid visual foundation that’s engaging as even the most critical eye will find pleasant renditions that complement the final product. From time to time there were several sequences where bodily forms looked a tad bit underdeveloped, as misshapen actions yielded some lackluster illustrations.

Red Sonja #76 is a fitting extension that sits within the confines of Prophecy but may be a bit confusing for those that are unfamiliar with it.  Despite that the skills on display handily earn this release a recommendation.

3.5/5