Legends of Red Sonja #4 Review

Is there enough here to justify a purchase? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

The all-star celebration of Red Sonja’s 40th anniversary continues, as legendary fantasy novelist Mercedes (Valdemar) Lackey tells her first comics story of a child’s encounter with the She-Devil, and how it changed them both forever with artist Nei Ruffino! And fan-favorite Marvel Comics writer and novelist Marjorie M. Liu teams with the amazing Phil Noto for a sexy, scary tale of the forest at night! All wrapped in a story by Gail Simone and Jack Jadson!

As we enter the penultimate release of this series I have one word to describe it: solid. This is a fine example of how you take an icon and usher in a milestone in her literary life. And to the credit of those involved, great care is taken and before this is done there’s plenty to be pleased with.

Each author brings their own unique spin to the table as Gail Simone opens up the book with a decent set-up. The story flows along as Mercedes Lackey takes the reign for a stint that’s refreshingly comedic but a tad bit corny. And finally it concludes with a portion penned by the talented Marjorie M. Liu. The scribes work in concert to develop a saga that carries a good deal of quality minus a few instances that felt off. It’d be fair to say that their differences were apparent but never overbearing.

When it comes to the art I’m hard pressed to decide who nails the arc best. Jack Jadson gives us a detailed rendition oppose to the simplified vision of Phil Noto. Nei Ruffino hops in right in the middle to yield a section that’s wholly different from either the beginning or conclusion. A few of the renditions during each chunk seemed a bit rushed but for the most part these illustrators kept their skills in sync largely in thanks to the consistent colors done by Salvatore Aiala Studios.

Legends of Red Sonja #4 is a considerably sturdy continuation that earns a spot on your pull-list. Recommended.