In some ways, it feels like a miracle that Red Sonja has become the myth that she is. There’s a world where Robert E. Howard’s original concept for the character languished in obscurity, as countless other pulp heroines have. There’s also a world where—following her comics introduction in 1973—she remained in the Marvel Comics tapestry long after her exit in 1986. There’s no telling how Sonja’s sword-and-sorcery gimmick would have fit in the ever-sprawling world of modern Marvel, or if she would have been Flanderized or cast aside in recent years. Instead, since jumping over to Dynamite Entertainment in 2005, Sonja has become the fodder for countless cycles of stories. There has been tons of fantasy fare, as well as different genres, ultimately leading to a literal multiverse of different Sonjas. While it has been fun diving into those various interpretations, it has also meant that it takes a bit more for a good Red Sonja story to stand out. Unfortunately, based off of its debut issue, Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned likely won’t do so.
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Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned #1 sees the titular heroine presented with a new challenge: finding a dead city supposedly containing great riches. This city, left behind in the ruins of a great war, could very well be impossible to locate, but that doesn’t stop Sonja and a new ally from embarking on a quest to try.
On paper, the general conceit of Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned has the potential to be compelling. Sure, it may not reinvent the wheel with the driving force behind one of Sonja’s spookier sword-and-sorcery adventures, but there’s plenty of fun to be had in seeing her creatively escape a seemingly impossible scenario. While future issues of Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned might hit the ground running in that regard, this debut leaves something to be desired. A good portion of the issue is dedicated to explaining and re-explaining the gimmick of the lost city, and once Sonja has a valid reason to embark on her quest, it becomes an afterthought instead of a moment of curiosity or empathy. Beyond that, Steve Niles’ script is littered with cliche lines of dialogue, which ultimately make the reading experience more superficial than it could be. By the final few pages of the issue—when Sonja is presented with a genuinely compelling choice—there isn’t nearly enough reason to feel the weight of the moment.
Aesthetically, Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned #1 is about as disconnected as its narrative. Alessandro Amoruso’s art possesses effective moments, especially with regards to landscapes and panel construction. But the actual subjects of each panel are presented with a surprising inconsistency, whether through unflattering framing or half-baked facial expressions. This is especially clear in how Sonja herself is rendered, as some awkward and unsuccessful leaps are taken to deliver her cheesecake tradition. Part of the problem might be Salvator Aiala’s color work, which flattens some of Amoruso’s more unconventional visuals into an image that looks like an unfrequented webcomic. With every new panel, I found myself feeling more baffled by the shading and light sources utilized on Sonja’s fiery red hair. Amid all of this, Dave Sharpe’s letters are essentially unobtrusive, delivering necessary information without challenging the reader any further.
For better or for worse, Red Sonja has become a profoundly malleable character, to the point where she can sustain multiple miniseries and creative teams at a single time. As much as that publishing trend can lead to work that challenges the conventions of comics or the expectations surrounding a female heroine, it can also lead to work that is frustratingly unremarkable. Unfortunately, Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned #1 falls into the latter category and is unable to be saved by the potential of its premise or the reputation of its creative team. While there’s a chance Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned could ultimately wow me, this debut issue doesn’t provide much confidence.
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
On April 3, 2024
Written by Steve Niles
Art by Alessandro Amoruso
Colors by Salvatore Aiala
Letters by Dave Sharpe
Cover by Joshua Middleton
