THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #5 – Review

In THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #5, available from Dynamite Comics on October 27th, 2021, Red Sonja resists Brelaq’s control spell while Prince Ederik and Princess Zaria pay Bahira, the master thief, a visit.

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 A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: October 27, 2021

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Was It Good?

It was just okay. This issue could reasonably be described as a “fill in the gaps” issue with plenty of flashbacks around Bahira’s life, how he came to be in Erkhara, and why he holds a grudge against Red Sonja. That’s all well and good, but the central question of why Brelaq’s son stole the crown remains unanswered, and the cliffhanger ending was anti-climatic.

That’s been the feeling of this series since issue #1. It’s a very middle-of-the-road story that lacks emotional punch or energy. Things happen that generally fit within Robert E. Howard’s vision for Red Sonja’s world, and the general tone of the story sits neatly in the Sword & Sorcery genre with a swashbuckling patina, but there’s something missing. There’s no wit or charm or anything that makes this story memorable. Your mileage may vary.

On a positive note, there is a lot of backstory information provided in this issue that builds out the Bahira character. You get clarity on his motivations about his indifference towards the request to kill the king and his abject hatred towards Red Sonja. His motivations make sense, and his history winds up turning him into quite a complicated character as both the abused and the abuser.

Moritat’s art is generally serviceable for the story but there’s an odd downgrade in quality in both the pencils and the coloring once you get past the opening prologue. It’s unclear if the downgrade is due to a lack of time or some other factor, but the prologue and the main body look like they came from two different books.

In all, it’s a mildly okay issue with inconsistent art quality, a story that answers a lot of questions (except the most important one), and a so-so ending.

What’s It About?

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

If you’re not sure how Red Sonja got caught in Brelaq’s control spell, first read our THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #4 review.

We begin with a lengthy collection of narration captions explaining how we got to this point (Or you could read our reviews first 😉). Red Sonja is forced to fight off the Erkhara forces who’ve come to kill or capture Brelaq for killing the king. This prologue takes us back to the point where the series first started. Red Sonja is an unstoppable killing machine as Brelaq’s spell not only controls her every move but it renders her immune from all damage.

We shift to a flashback where Brelaq and a younger King Madacon are inspecting prisoners after conquering another rival kingdom. A young boy, and prisoner, is defiant in the face of execution, and King Madacon, impressed by the boy’s spirit, orders Brelaq to wipe the boy’s mind so he can be brought back to Erkhara to be raised as a companion for his son, Prince Ederik. We later learn that boy will grow up to be the master thief, Bahira

Now, Prince Ederik and Princess Zaria visit Bahira to enlist his help in stopping Brelaq. He’s indifferent to their pleas until he learns Brelaq is using Red Sonja to avoid capture. We’re then treated to another flashback where Bahira and a younger Red Sonja spent years together as partners in crime. When Bahira’s thoughts turn toward forcing Sonja to bear his children, their relationship ends when Sonja ensures Bahira won’t bear children with her… or anyone else.

We conclude the issue with an appeal to reason, a rescue attempt, and the end of one conflict leading to the start of another.

Final Thoughts

THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #5 fills in a lot of backstory on the character of Bahira and brings the first conflict with Brelaq to an unsatisfying close. While the issue is generally okay, the rushed, inconsistent art and overall lack of wit or charm make the series somewhat forgettable.

Score: 7/10

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