SENYC Report: Reimagining the Female Hero

Following Marvel’s Next Big Thing, room 1E19 was turned over to a very different sort of panel. At once more important but less serious, Reimagining the Female Hero was my favorite panel at Special Edition: NYC and, judging from the reactions I’ve seen, I get the sense I wasn’t alone in that.

In a stark inversion of horror stories from previous conventions where feminist panels were trolled by attendees waiting out more traditional fare, I noticed many fans sticking around from The Next Big Thing. In fact, despite taking place in the same room as DC and Marvel’s offerings, the panel gave us reason to hope and easily held its own in terms of attendance.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that the panel had some pretty excellent creators. The line-up included Jenny Frison, a talented cover artist for series including Revival and Red Sonja; Emanuela Lupacchino, the artist on DC’s Supergirl and the Superman: Lois Lane one-shot; Marguerite Bennett, the writer of Superman: Lois Lane and Batgirl #25 and #30; Gail Simone, feminist icon and writer on Batgirl; and Amy Reeder, the artist behind Madame Xanadu and Rocket Girl, who arrived from her dedicated panel a short while into the discussion.

It’s also worth mentioning that the panel had an excellent moderator in the form of Professor Ben Saunders of the University of Oregon. While I hesitate to devote too much praise to the only man involved with the panel, Professor Saunders did an excellent job of keeping the focus on his panelists, encouraging their relevant digressions, and recognizing their celebrity while keeping the mood light yet respectful.

In short I left the room with a greater respect for everyone involved.

Red Sonja #7 – Review

by Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist)

The Story: It must take a mean chef to make sure human flesh is worthy of fine cuisine.

The Review: It has been a while since we last saw an issue of this title. With the conclusion of the first arc being actually sound in term of quality, the wait was not exactly the best of things for those who had been won over by Simone’s portrayal of the she-devil with a sword. However, with the beginning of a new arc, does Simone bring enough to sate those whose patience was starting to grow weary?

It is a quality return, that’s for sure, as the more nuanced and definitely entertaining version of the character return in full form, with a mission that is actually quite original and also full of potential as far as story goes.

What works quite well here is the new depths that Simone adds to the character. Adding quite a lot of humanity to Sonja, the motivation behind her quest is a rather noble one, which does work very well in contrast to her methods and her demeanour. The complexity between her rude behaviour and her desire to not inflict violence unless it is absolutely necessary adds a good bit of nuance that makes her an interesting lead. Her reactions, her actions and her code makes for a titular character that can still surprise readers, which makes her more and more compelling with close to every issues being released.

Red Sonja #6 – Review

by Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist)

The Story: As the true culprit of every evils that has befallen the town and Red Sonja lets itself be known, it is time for a little savagery from the warrior woman herself.

The Review: Well played Gail Simone, well played indeed. I’ll be honest here and actually say that I’ve been taken by surprise by this issue and its quality. There are always time when a series become a bit tedious, not because of a lack of quality but only because of a certain lowering of the readers excitation. Gail Simone on this title seemed like it was a match made in heaven, yet the series never did seem to be on the same level I thought it could reach someday. The previous issues were very competent in many regards, yet they did not impress me in the best of ways in a lot of areas.

It seem that this issue does a lot of things in order to circumvent my initial impression of this series, with Gail Simone working very thoroughly in order to not only bring this story to a close in a great way, but provide plenty of opportunity for twists and turns along the way.

One the better aspects of this issue, which had been a staple of the series so far is how Simone writes Red Sonja herself, making her much more than just a mere bloodthirsty barbarian out for battle and alcohol. In this issue, every single nuances is brought forth, with her thirst for vengeance, her personal code, her beliefs, her past and most of everything that can make her an interesting protagonist is present. Being presented in a more nuanced way, Sonja ends up being not only interesting and important, but also serves as a good window to the world Simone has built.

Red Sonja #5 – Review

by Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist)

The Story: Sonja gets cured as she prepares to finally meet Annissia in battle.

The Review: There are certain times when any reader begin to question why exactly he or she is following a certain writer or artist. That particular person may have made some spectacular work before, getting loyalty from a good deal of potential buyers in the process, yet there will always be weaker or stronger work depending on the subject and character. I rather like Gail Simone, thanks to her work on titles like Secret Six and the first volume of Birds of Prey, yet I can’t say I am her biggest fan, with what she is writing right now not exactly doing it for me. I am rather uninterested by Batgirl and The Movement, yet I know that she can do some really great work.

This is the mindset in which I read Red Sonja, with a lot of elements being rather good and fitting with the voice Simone has established for herself as a writer, yet there’s just something missing to make it something absolutely enjoyable and memorable.

Red Sonja #4 – Review

Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist) Adriano Lucas (Colorist)

The Story: Sonja remembers some more of her personal history as she battles some foes sent from Dark Annisia.

The Review: Many people who are really into comics are looking for the next big thing. Be it the next event that delivers on its promises, the big breakout writer or artist who made it big or the next Saga. It’s normal to be anxious to be able to read something exceptional, yet a lot of the time some comics merely pass through, some that don’t quite fit the bill when it comes to superb or unique, but still delivers a certain amount of quality in a consistent manner. Those aren’t the book that will impress readers with impossibly amazing and expansive ideas or cool concepts, yet they are pleasant with but their solidly executed ideas nonetheless.

Red Sonja by Gail Simone is one of the latter, as although it doesn’t really break any new ground, it mostly delivers on things that are promised, notably action and strong female characters. There is some fantasy, a lot of brutality and some potent sword and sorcery tropes to be found in this book, which should please those that enjoy the genre in the first place.

What is enjoyable first and foremost, though, is the characterization that Simone write Sonja with, giving her plenty of different sides. She can be a violent and drunken barbarian as well as rather caring and introspective without really jumping the shark. Showing the readers a bit of the character’s past along with her current predicament allow for a three-dimensional approach to the character as well as a deeper understanding about why she is like this in the first place. Those who merely think of Red Sonja as the objects of countless fetishes could learn a whole lot more about her in this title a Simone treats the character with the respect she deserves.

Red Sonja #3 – Review

by Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist)

The Story: Becoming delirious thanks to the plague, Red Sonja remembers her childhood and how she lost her family.

The Review: Big writers bring their readers with them. When an author has accomplished some very well-received work on a title, usually a popular one, they generally receive a certain following. There are reasons why creators like Grant Morrison, Scott Snyder, Jonathan Hickman and the such always seems to receive high gigs and create their own stuff all the while, as they have an audience that are fully willing to try whatever they will receive from these giants of the industry.

Sometimes, it can lead to people trying new stuff that they perhaps weren’t willing to even touch before said creator decided to write said concept, team or character to begin with. I have no shame in saying that I began to read this title solely because of Gail Simone, who kept me highly entertained with titles like Secret Six and Birds of Prey (the first volume). While I was not a newcomer to the sword and sorcery genre, I had close to no actual desire to read any Red Sonja comics before she even announced that she’d be writing the title from now on. Willing to try the comic, it was with a bit of scepticism that I went along, only to be fairly impressed by what I had read. However, consistency in quality needs to be upheld if the book has to survive beyond the mere mention of Gail Simone’s name. Does this issue provide the quality the first two issues had?

In many ways, this issue does give the readers a lot of good moments, as Simone takes a good chunk of the issue in telling parts of the origins of the character. After all, no strong character actually begins its life with a sword in hand, as the story of Sonjita is told as the character continues to be affected by the plague. While it is not exactly the most original origin for a character to have, to have her family being slaughtered by barbarians, Simone do try to make the most of it as she adapts and deepens some of the lousiest part. It does not lessen the lack of innovation, yet it is competently told nonetheless.

Red Sonja #2 – Review

Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist)

The Story: Red Sonja tries to defend a village from Dark Annisia as she learn a great deal about what is happening to others and herself.

The Review: The propensity to surprise is not something that many writers have the ability to create very often. In a world where perhaps hundreds of stories are produced each and every day, originality and the potential to twist the audience expectation is not something that everyone can pull off.

Thankfully, Gail Simone is not a run-of-the-mill writer, as she do know how to build up a situation, only to subvert it for the readers pleasure. What she has done, in this issue, is construct a premise that could have very well offered a potent, yet unsurprising premise for a sword and sorcery title, only to reveal some key information at the right time, creating a delightful plot twist that bodes well for the future of this title.

The issue opens where the first one left off, as the conflict between the invaders and the village that Red Sonja is trying to defend open. Right off the bat, Simone goes a bit deeper in the first scenes of the previous comic as we get some explanation of just what kind of character Dark Annisia is. What we get from this character is something strange, yet compelling as this new character starts off as a clear foe, yet evolve into something more as the story develops and the connection between Sonja and her is explained. The evolution of the situation from the readers grasp is something that is handled well and that promise more from that specific character, which is something to look forward to.

Red Sonja #1 – Review

Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist)

The Story: To settle a debt of honor, Red Sonja has to train poor villagers how to defend themselves from a brutal horde in a few days.

The Review: I have to confess, I didn’t particularly have high expectations out of this one. It is a sad thing to say, but I have close to no knowledge of who Red Sonja is and what she does, as her character, to me, consist mainly of being a epitome of fanservice. Let’s face it, to those left in the dark, a woman clothed in the thinnest of armour that leaves pretty much nothing to the imagination may lead a lot of readers to think so about the character. The only reason I was interested to begin with, beside the fact that I do rather like the sword and sorcery genre, was that Gail Simone, the writer who brought us the delightful Secret Six was going to be the one telling us stories with this character. With the knowledge that she is quite talented when it comes to strong female characters and female-centric book, could she be the one to make me see the character in a different light?

It is, much to my surprise, pretty much what she did. Not only is Red Sonja a character that has many facets, which Simone manage to show us here, but she also does so in a way that makes it interesting for the readers to explore further. She is a brute, a savage with a sword that can beat most without even thinking about it, yet also able to show mercy and compassion during a fight. She can be bashful and without any reservation, yet has a personal level of honor that shows she has a code even though her violent tendencies may lead otherwise. In the very first issue of this first volume, Simone shows us just who is Red Sonja in a way that feels compelling, proving that she is much more than mere eye candy. I have no problem saying that my initial thoughts on the character were wrong and that thanks to Simone, I have seen the error of my way. The bikini armour may still be there, but the character filling it is interesting.

Queen Sonja #1 – Review

by Joshua Ortega (writer), Mel Rubi (art), Luke Lieberman (executive editor)

The Story: We are introduced to Sonja, the warrior queen of Sogaria, whose realm is being invaded by the Emoran army. Then, flashback to four months earlier, when Red Sonja was hired to help a small territory defend itself against Sogarian raiders. She takes the job, but her first encounter with the enemy turns out to be far different than she expected.

What’s Good: I can’t say enough about Rubi’s art. The action sequences are dynamite, the jewelry, clothing and weapons vivid, the “camera angles” varied and interesting, the faces expressive and the settings evocative. The first page is a great example of the draftsmanship that Rubi brings to the table, with an intricate crown, expressive posture and grip, smooth, but textured skin and shining gems. Rubi treats us to a several splash pages, and it’s worth mentioning that the actual dialogue and text-box writing is quite sparse. Most of the story is told through the art and this was a wise choice by Ortega.

In the parts where we hear Ortega’s voice more directly, the individuality of each character shines through the dialogue. One of the brigands she deals with in the first part of the story doesn’t use pronouns. Another says “prolly” instead of “probably”, which says a lot more about him in one mispronounced word than most writers and artists could show us in a page. Ortega gives Red Sonja a few one-liners, in part because she makes at least three dramatic entrances in this first issue.

There is also a back-up story by Roy Thomas, Estaban Maroto, Neal Adams and Ernie Chan from the mid-seventies that has been recently been re-colored by Jose Villarrubia. It is an excellent story and the new colors and printing on better paper really outshine the pulpy paper and give the story more power. It was also a real treat to see some Neal Adams work re-colored as if it was new.

What’s Not So Good: Very hard to complain about such a great book. For the record, I might have criticized Sonja’s state of occasional or partial undress gratuitous in other settings, but the fact is that this is part of how she was conceived by Robert E. Howard and how the setting perceives her.

Conclusion: You get a whole lot of quality story and first class production for only $2.99 with Queen Sonja #1. I started reading Red Sonja because of podcasts I’d heard from Dynamite, but I’d felt a little lost jumping in mid-story. This is a great issue to get on board.

Grade: A-

–DS Arsenault

Spider-Man / Red Sonja #1 – Review

By Michael Oeming (writer), Mel Rubi (pencils)

The first thought that crossed my mind when I saw this on the shelf was, “Oh God, it’s Archie meets the Punisher all over again, thanks a lot Marvel!” Curiosity got the better of me though, so here we are.

The first issue revolves around the accidental release of an ancient being of the Hyborian age from his amulet prison. After changing NYC into a medieval city and its inhabitants into extras from Monty Python’s Holy Grail, the being sets out to kill the Man Spider (see if you can figure that one out). His explanation for hunting the man spider makes it seem like there was some prerequisite reading that isn’t mentioned as he goes from zero to kill in two panels. He chooses to resurrect a fierce warrior from his own age, Red Sonja, to accomplish this task. And where, pray tell, in the wide world of Spidey are we going to find a hot redhead to serve as a vessel for the spirit of Sonja? Mary Jane, of course! This book leaves the reader at the begining of a showdown between the two. Can you say cliffhanger?

Overall, I liked the book. It wasn’t the greatest thing I’ve ever read but it was decent. The art by Rubi is well suited for the Hyborian subject matter and he draws a nice Spidey, consistent and clean throughout. The writing is not bad. Frankly, I think this story could have been just as good if not better sans Spider-Man. Granted you would lose all of the Spidey characters but the story would be just as good with a less flamboyant male lead. Hell, Wolverine would have been a good choice (Marvel, you can have that idea). All that being said, I liked the book and thought the premise was cool. It’s good enough to warrant picking up the next issue. (Grade B-)

-Chris Williamson