#sonja

This issue focuses on Red Sonja, as she's transported to Barsoom seemingly centuries before John Carter was transported there. Here, she uncovers a conspiracy that'll kill the Barsoomians, and is frozen in stone for her heroism. The artwork by Mariano Benitez-Chapo is really good, displaying the action and emotion from Sonja really well. The only real issue I had with this book was probably the layouts. Most of the artwork is bathed in darkness, with the edges of the comic being black as well, making it sort of difficult to tell the reading order of panels. It's not impossible, but still. I'm really curious how Vampirella or Tarzan is going to fit into this narrative!

★★★★

What would normally be considered a downtime issue, is used to give these characters some depth by interacting with each other. I love how Oeming used the "man can't sleep with her unless they best her in battle" as more of a legend than outright truth, with Sonja's characterization being the most consistent. Osin is really a character that's starting to grow on me in these past couple of issues. Like I said earlier, there's a certain depth to his character that makes him more than a one-off sidekick for Sonja. The artwork yet again by Mel Rubi is especially gorgeous to look at. My favorite sequence has to be the fight in the castle. The action flows very nicely from one panel to the other. I can't wait to read the next issue!

★★★★★

I just love how these past two issues paint the town of Athos. Even freed from their apartheid state, they are still a society filled with bloodlust, which explains how they got in that situation in the first place. I love the character of Cyphax, the reluctant leader of the Reptiles of Chimu. After many generations of being on Earth, his people have grown into bloodthirsty monsters, but he can't bring himself to do harm to his people. I just love the brief connection he had with Red Sonja before he was killed, it really is a testament to these old comics with the writing. It also shows how complex of a character Red Sonja is, and isn't just a warrior for battles sake. This run is just so enjoyable, I love it!

This comic introduces The Cult of the Rising Sun, a seemingly revolutionary force trying to take down a tyrannical government. At first, I was confused why Sonja would be opposed to that, but the clever writing did a great job explaining. She says that plenty revolutionary forces seem to forget the people they are fighting for once they grab power. I'm really looking forward to how this story plays out, the writing is just so engaging. The artwork, while taking a bit to get used to, admittedly, fits the story its trying to tell. Very good at the calm bits, but knows when to get energetic when need be. This was really good, and I looking forward to continuing!

★★★★½