RED SONJA ATTACKS MARS #1, by Dynamite Comics on 3/12/25, sends red Sonja and a wizard on a quest to save a girl from slavers when they encounter a plot by Martians to attack Earth… again.
Credits:
- Writer: Jay Stephens
- Artist: Fran Strukan
- Colorist: Miroslav Mrva
- Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
- Cover Artist: Joseph Michael Linsner (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: March 19, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of RED SONJA ATTACKS MARS #1:
Plot Analysis:
Red Sonja Attacks Mars #1 begins with a brief prologue depicting a small group of Martians “creeping” on humanity from a distance. The main “creeper,” Dr. Xi’Zom, wants to know why his blood-sibling was so fascinated with humanity – enough to invade and name himself King (see Mars Attacks Red Sonja).
Meanwhile, Red Sonja battles a group of serpent man slavers who attack a small village to capture more slaves for selling. Red Sonja wins the day, but several elders in the village are killed helping Red Sonja. One of the elders asks Red Sonja to rescue her daughter from the slavers who got away. Red Sonja agrees and enlists the help of the village Matamorlock, Kanawt.
To reduce the chase, Red Sonja and Kanawt take a shortcut across a desert. When they’re overcome by a savage sandstorm, they take refuge in an ancient temple. They quickly learn the temple is infested with ghuuls who chase them into the temple’s upper sanctuary. There, Red Sonja and Karawt find the one-eyed head of an ancient alien and three Akakhuull – the zombies of Martians.
The head lured the Martians to the temple with the promise of finding a valuable ruby, and they’ve been trapped in the temple ever since. Red Sonja and Karawt defeat the Akakhuul and use a rocket sled to escape the temple, heading off to stop a new Martian uprising on Earth.
First Impressions:
Huh? Who? What’s happening? Red Sonja Attacks Mars #1 is a jumbled mish-mash that’s about as random and as confusing as you’d expect after reading the synopsis above.
Artwork and Presentation:
Fran Strukan’s art style is, to be generous, rough. Strukan’s line work is adequate but by no means clean. The character work loses a lot of detail in the wider shots, and the overall visual appeal looks like a small indie book put together on a shoestring budget.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
To Jay Stephens’s credit, he doesn’t shy away from the action. There are plenty of sword-slashing thrills to keep you interested and divert your attention away from the plot’s many flaws. With a cleaner, tighter, script, this issue would be a good start to a serviceable Red Sonja adventure.
The Negatives:
The plot’s a mess, the dialog is terrible, and by the end, it’s not even clear what’s happening. We know that Red Sonja rides off on a rocket sled to do something, but it’s unclear where she’s going, why, or what she’s going to do when she gets there. In effect, Red Sonja Attacks Mars #1 is a collection of random scenes loosely strung together to form a less-than-coherent story.
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
RED SONJA ATTACKS MARS #1 is a mess. The dialog is terrible, the plot doesn’t make any sense, and the art is sub-par. If you’re looking for a gimmick book, this issue barely qualifies.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.