Red Sonja

• Title: Red Sonja Valentine’s Special (One-shot)
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Bill Willingham
• Artist: Giuseppe Cafaro

A witch’s separate encounters with both Red Sonja and Kulan Gath leads the misadventures of the 2021 Red Sonja Valentine’s Special. The first encounter, Sonja attempting to take the witch’s head ends up poorly for the She-Devil with a Sword as she leaves with a head (just the one that was connected to the witch’s body). It’s an interesting stand-off that allows Sonja to keep to the letter of her word.

Had Sonja killed the witch the rest of the adventure would have never taken place as she is later accosted by Kulan Gath who threatens to kill the witch until she tells him she can use magic to find his greatest enemy. What she doesn’t reveal is the method on how he will find her, as her love spell makes him fall hopelessly in love with Red Sonja to the complete surprise and dismay of the Hyrkanian warrior who spends the rest of the issue struggling to get away from the lovesick fool.

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• Title: Red Sonja #22
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Russell
• Artist: Alessandro Miracolo

Red Sonja #22 offers the introduction of a mysterious new character in the Bird Overlord while focusing on Red Sonja‘s quest to kill the child king Cyril, son of Dragan the Magnificent. Most of the action centers around Sonja barely making it out of Cyril’s throne room alive by wounding the giant and then escaping when Cyril uses his magic to nearly squeeze the life out of the She-Devil with a Sword.

I have to admit I was far less interested in the Bird Overlord pieces, including an opening backstory whose narration somewhat fits into Sonja’s desperation as the comic shifts its focus back its title character and a dungeon escape. It’s weaved throughout the issue, leaving me with a mixed reaction.

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• Title: Red Sonja #21
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Russell
• Artist: Alessandro Miracolo

Red Sonja continues to make her presence known in Shadizar as the cloaked figure stalks the streets killing all the guards the child king Cyril, son of Dragan the Magnificient, sends after her. Hoping to whittle away his forces and make him commit more to the city leaving the palace vulnerable, eventually Sonja turns her attention to the the city’s King.

Red Sonja #21 works as a dance between Sonja and Cyril, both plotting their opponent’s demise. Cyril’s use of his decapitated oracles comes in to play once more, giving the tyrant king more understanding about what Sonja is planning. We also see more examples of Cyril’s ruthless style of ruling once he learns of the scarcity of men willing to hit the streets and do battle against the She-Devil with a Sword.

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• Title: Red Sonja #20
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Russell
• Artist: Alessandro Miracolo

After suffering yet another loss, Red Sonja has abandoned Hyrkania haunted by a lifetime of guilt, loss, and blood which lead her back to Shadizar. The city with ties to her past has a new king as Cyril, son of Dragan the Magnificient, has assumed the throne. However, Cyril isn’t on hand to greet Sonja as he’s taken the army to the Aquilonian border to conquer through a series of quick attacks that seem insignificant at first but show a wisdom, patience, and deviousness far older than his outward appearance suggests.

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