RED SONJA: DEATH AND THE DEVIL #4, by Dynamite Comics on 12/4/24, concludes the miniseries with all forces converging on the Cult of Set’s hideout. Can Red Sonja get the Prince out alive?
Credits:
- Writer: Luke Lieberman
- Artist: Alberto Locatelli
- Colorist: Alberto Locatelli
- Letterer: Dave Sharpe
- Cover Artist: Joseph Michael Linsner (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: December 4, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of RED SONJA: DEATH AND THE DEVIL #4:
First Impressions:
If you’re going to finish a story, it’s always best to finish stronger than you started. Writer (and Red Sonja license owner) Luke Lieberman finishes Red Sonja’s latest tale with battles, twists and turns, and a finish nobody could have seen coming. That’s as good as anyone could ask for.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Red Sonja and Bloodless in Red Sonja: Death and the Devil #3, their quest to recover Prince Ashim paused while readers learned the secret history of Bloodless’s introduction to magic as a youth. When his mother was lynched by the townsfolk for being a witch, Bloodless’s power grew to become the necromancer he is today. The issue ends with Red Sonja receiving help from wolves after she endures a venomous snake bite and Bloodless sending a message back to his employer that Prince Asim’s hideout has been found.
In Red Sonja: Death and the Devil #4, the miniseries ends by beginning with a quick catch-up on all players. Bloodless successfully infiltrated the Cult’s hideout, biding his time by observing the Prince and his guards. The general tortures captured scouts to gain intel about the location and method of entry to the Cult’s stronghold. Meanwhile, Red Sonja and her newfound friends, a pack of wolves, corner a pair of escaping scouts for the same information.
Luke Lieberman wisely starts the issue by recapping the status quo of every major character through gruesome action. All players are about to converge on Prince Ashrim, each with competing motives, so it’s unclear who will win and what that means for the Sultan’s kingdom.
Meanwhile, the increasingly tyrannical Prince continues murdering young maidens to satisfy his bloodlust. When he receives word that the General’s army approaches, the Prince orders his closest guard to spirit him out of the stronghold to take advantage of the General’s absence from the Sultan’s throne. To create a distraction, the Prince orders the Cult’s men to form a small force and attack the General at the gates.
Clever. Prince Ashrim may be despicable, but he’s got a strategic head on his shoulders. Lieberman paints the Prince as a young man with an evil heart and a cunning man, which makes Red Sonja’s quest to put the Prince on the throne appear as a lose-lose scenario.
The issue concludes with Red Sonja and Bloodless converging on the Prince at the same time, Bloodless showing Red Sonja that the lesser of two evils is actually the greater of two evils, and a decision made by single combat… but more than once.
Overall, Red Sonja: Death and the Devil #4 ends the miniseries on a high note with clever character work, an unpredictable series of developments, and a satisfying conclusion. While not perfect, Luke Lieberman delivers one of the better Red Sonja stories in recent memory.
Artwork and Presentation:
Alberto Locatelli’s art is perfectly fine. There’s a painterly aspect to Locatelli’s approach that softens the material, and Locatelli’s bright, faded color choices lack the grim grittiness you’d expect to see in a Sword & Sorcery story. That said, Locatelli’s art gets the job done.
Art Samples:
Final Thoughts:
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RED SONJA: DEATH AND THE DEVIL #4 completes the miniseries with a finale that ends the tale stronger than it started. Luke Lieberman’s conclusion delivers the goods with action, surprises, and interesting choices for our hero, and Alberto Locatelli’s art is perfectly fine.
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