RED SONJA (VOL. 6) #9, from Dynamite Comics on May 25th, 2022, pits Red Sonja and Sitha against a demonic sea captain hungry for battle. When the ship takes the brunt of the damage, Red Sonja, Sitha, the captain, and his crew must join forces on an island overrun with all-seeing horror.
The Details
- Written By: Mirka Andolfo, Luca Blengino
- Art By: Giuseppe Cafaro
- Colors By: Chiara Di Francia
- Letters By: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover Art By: Mirka Andolfo (cover A)
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: May 25, 202
Was It Good?
RED SONJA (VOL. 6) #9 is a mixed bag of a comic in a series that started strong but seems to have lost its way. It’s a mixed bag because the character designs are truly creative, there’s plenty of action, and some solid ideas are percolating to the surface, but all those good points are weighed down by a plot that doesn’t have a clear start or finish and some really rough-to-the-point-of-looking-unfinished art. in short, there are some strong good points, equally strong bad points, and everything else swirls around in the middle.
First, let’s cover the good points. The character designs for Captain Krancher (the initial villain turned reluctant ally) and the hideous, flying eye monsters are imaginative and memorable. The energy of the issue hits a high point early and doesn’t let up, so you get a clear sense of movement. And the concept of Red Sonja fighting side-by-side with an enemy to face a greater threat opens the door for plenty of drama and tension.
Now, the bad points. The story picks up in the middle of a scene without much setup or transition, so you’re disoriented right from the first page. The plotting and pacing feel imbalanced as the story bobs and weaves to get from point A to point B. You can accept that the point of the story was to get everyone to the island, but the ship and the dangers they encounter leave you feeling like a wobbly, drunken sailor getting there.
The second down point is the art. It looks rushed, unpolished, unfinished, and in some panels, barely a sketch. The panel composition and perspective angles save the visuals, but the quality of the art looks barely better than a storyboard outline with good coloring. It’s unclear if Cafaro ran into a time crunch or something else happened, but this comic looks unfinished.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Refresh your memory of how Red Sonja and Sitha wound up on this ship by reading our RED SONJA (VOL. 6) #8 review.
We begin mid-battle with Red Sonja facing off against the crew of the ship she discovered (see last issue) was a slave ship. The battle is furious and Sitha lends a hand with a number of fires to create chaos. Suddenly, the mysterious Captain Krancher emerges amid smoke and flame to join the battle as he sees Red Sonja might be a worthy opponent. The captain’s demonic form shatters wood and bone, but soon, the ship takes more damage than it can stand.
Surrounded by dangerous mists and sinking fast, the crew has no choice but to join Red Sonja in abandoning the ship for a nearby island. the island, however, is not without its dangers. The strange-looking rocks on the shore are warm and have a single eye embedded on their surface. Soon, a flock of lying, one-eyed monstrosities swarm the beach to attack the survivors. Red Sonja and the Captain do their best to strike down the flock, but they’re overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
We conclude the issue with a stolen prize, a desperate handhold, and a watery cliffhanger.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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RED SONJA (VOL. 6) #9 has cool ideas and cool character designs, but the uneven plotting and barely finished art severely hurt the finished product. Good panel composition, perspective, and coloring save the issue, but not by much.
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