THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #2 – An Honest Review

In THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #2, available from Dynamite Comics on June 2nd, 2021, Red Sonja’s bodyguard duties take a turn for the worse when an old grudge puts a bounty on her head and traitors try to kill Princess Zaria.

The Details

• Written By: Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner
• Art By: Moritat
• Colors By: Matt Carter
• Letters By: Dave Sharpe
• Cover Art By: Amanda Conner
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: June 2, 2021

Was It Good?

It’s a significant improvement over the first issue.

Issue #1 wasn’t bad but it lacked a little oomph due to the vanilla story, the odd choice to turn Sonja into a pirate who murders innocents, and the lackluster art.

Here, the story is a little more focused with an amusing twist or two, and Sonja is acting a little more in line with her character. We get to see some character moments between Sonja and Zaria that up the amusement factor, and the overall plot shifts towards a theft mystery with no clear culprit.

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That said, the art quality is about the same. In the previous issue, the art team couldn’t seem to settle on a design for Sonja’s lips. First, it was no lips for Sonja, then just the bottom lip in pink, then the bottom lip was black, then both lips are visible as pink and pouty. It was just weird.

This time, it’s the noses. Sonja has no nose in at least a third of the panels in this book. It’s just weird.

When you buy this issue, you’ll see what we mean, but check out our THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #2 preview to tide you over in the meantime.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

The prologue starts with a wizard and his son approaching the heavily guarded treasure vault of Erkhara. It holds, among many treasures, the crown of many jewels used in wedding ceremonies. Princess Zaria will wear the crown for the welcome and wedding ceremonies, and now the wizard passes the knowledge of how to access the vault to the future wizard of Erkhara, Naijel.

From the way he looks at the jewel and the way he mutters to himself over the possibilities of its wealth, Naijel looks and sounds like the greed monster’s got a hold of him already.

Cut to Princess Zaria and Red Sonja arriving in the bustling harbor town of Erkhara. Before they make it too far, an assassin barely misses the group with arrows fired from a nearby rooftop. The guards get Princess Zaria to safety while Sonja follows the assassin down in an exciting rooftop chase.

Check out our THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #1 review to see how these two met.

Eventually, Sonja catches up to the assassin just as soon as they fall down into a deep pit where the town keeps a tentacled monster for executions. The location and existence of the monster are… strange. It looks like a paved hole that’s simply in the middle of the street. Why would a town have a deep pit housing a dangerous monster simply in the middle of the street?

Before the monster eats the assassin, he admits Sonja was his target due to a bounty placed on her head after the last time she was in Erkhara. Sonja escapes the pit but the assassin does not, so she heads to the palace where Zaria is being kept in safety.

Sonja and Zaria relax, bathe, and get a little drunk talking about the wedding. The next morning, Sonja wakes up just as one of the servants attempts to kill Zaria. Sonja kills the servant by throwing her out a window.

We conclude the issue later that day with all parties arriving for the welcome ceremony.

How Does It End?

Erkhara’s king is a man of peace. Not all attendees are thrilled for the happy couple. Something is missing and the king will pay a high price to get it back.

Final Thoughts

THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #2 improves on issue #1 with more focused storytelling and some personality. The art is passable, and the ending sets up the main mystery that could lead to a genuinely intriguing whodunit.

Score: 8/10