Remember The Name – Red Sonja: Birth Of The She-Devil #1 Reviewed
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
We return to the younger days of Red Sonja. She already had a reputation as a great warrior throughout the lands, and she has crashed the party of a sultan. The sultan is a glutton, hungry for both flesh and food. Sonja would be happy to kill and rob the sultan on principle, but she is also looking for and old friend, Shashana, whom has been taken by Raka the Forsaken. Meanwhile, Ozzyus, the man who raised Red Sonja, is tracking the she-devil.
Red Sonja: Birth of the She-Devil #1 takes us back to earlier days in the saga of Red Sonja. Even then, she was a skilled warrior and eager adventurer. She also had a short temper and a penchant for drinking.
Oddly enough, the legend of Red Sonja is already built by the time this comic starts. The name, Birth of the She-Devil, would imply that this is how she gained her reputation.
That aside, this is definitely a younger Red Sonja. She’s more reckless, less deliberate, and holds a degree of uncertainty about herself.
It makes an interesting contrast to the currently-running Red Sonja series, where she is more mature, patient, and even kind. I hadn’t realized how long it had been since I read a comic where Red Sonja got drunk until it happened in this issue.
The story is engaging, and it will clearly force Sonja to think more about her actions. The villain, Raka, is cruel and frightening. Ozzyus will likely play an interesting role as well.
Sergio Davila is the artist on this venture, and he does a hell of a job in this opener. Sonja is represented as mighty and confident, the action is frenetic and fun, and the world has a vivid texture to all of it. Ulises Arreola’s color art is bright and well-contrasted. It looks great.
Red Sonja: Birth of the She-Devil #1 gives us a younger, angrier, and more impulsive Sonja. We get to see her fight and kill with more abandon, though her victims still have it coming. Between a solid story and great art, this one is worth a recommendation. Check it out.
Red Sonja: Birth of the She-Devil #1 comes to us from writer Luke Lieberman, artist and variant cover artist Sergio Davila, color artist Ulises Arreola, letterer Taylor Esposito, and cover artist Lucio Parrillo.
Final Score: 8/10