Comic Review: Red Sonja #16

Red Sonja #16

Dynamite Entertainment

Writer: Mark Russell

Artist: Bob Q

I haven’t reviewed an issue of Mark Russell’s Red Sonja since its debut, but I’ve been keeping up with the run. Russell’s Red Sonja has been a fresh take on the character, focusing on politics and royalty in addition to the typical hacking and slashing. The run is now on “Year Two,” adding a new element to Red Sonja’s story: The aftermath of war.

War isn’t pretty for anyone, and that includes the winners. Red Sonja is going to extremes to help her kingdom survive the resource scarcity that is plaguing it. This new element has also led to Russell giving the character the new role of “Master of War” for a rival kingdom. Russell has done a fantastic job of giving readers fresh, smarter take on the character. The new approach might have lost some readers since its a much slower story, but it feels like everything is building up to something important.

This is another dialogue-heavy issue with little to no action. Instead, tons of lore is added, further enhancing the run’s themes of hopelessness and loss. Despite the slow pacing, everything is full of intrigue and is compelling.

Bob Q’s art continues to be satisfactory. It doesn’t do anything sensational, but it certainly doesn’t take away from the experience either. Some of the panels don’t flow too smoothly due to a lack of sequential art, but everything is still easy enough to follow. Dearbhla Kelly’s colors enhance the art significantly. There aren’t any special palettes used to affect the tone of the issue, but some much-needed depth is added.

Red Sonja #16 is another fine issue of this unique run. The storytelling is fantastic, even if the plot is moving along slowly. The art won’t astound anyone, but it doesn’t take away from the experience which is more than I can ask for.

Click For More Comic Book Reviews

Read Red Sonja #16 On Comixology