Red Sonja #1
The problem with finding a wider appeal for Red Sonja has always been that her perceived image is that of a one-note heroine drawn for a specific demographic. Indeed, the cheesecake covers that have graced the front of Dynamite’s many variants over the better part of the last decade have done very little to dissuade us of the notion that a warrior in a metal bikini is not the sort of thing that sophisticated modern comics connoisseurs should digest. Which is precisely why the character was ripe for a writer like Gail Simone (or in this case, someone exactly like Gail Simone) to take a crack at the She-Devil with a Sword. Simone has consistently proven to be a dab hand at writing for female characters, a mark of her work on Wonder Woman, Secret Six, Batgirl and in particular, Bird of Prey. Simone gives us a terrific introduction to the character, allowing us to ease into her take, one that takes us back to Sonja’s earliest days. What characterises this take is a decent dose of self-deprecating humour, another of Simone’s trademarks, and it just makes for a fun adventure with a strong, smart, funny and occasionally hungover hero. Artist Walter Geovani is no stranger to the character, having previously worked with Brian Reed and Eric Stephen Trautmann’s respective versions of the character for Dynamite. It’s going to be great to get to see him cut loose on some battles in the next issue. This is also one of those rare instances where its worth checking out the variant covers, as there are some beautiful takes from all-star women artists Colleen Doran, Jenny Frison, Fiona Staples, Amanda Conner and regular collaborator Nicola Scott worth investing in.