RED SONJA (VOL. 7) #16, by Dynamite Comics on 11/27/24, brings Red Sonja one step closer to being rid of Erlik’s soul, but she has to enter the Forbidden Lands to meet her fate.
Credits:
- Writer: Torunn Grønbekk
- Artist: Walter Geovani
- Colorist: Omi Remalante Jr
- Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover Artist: Lucio Parrillo (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: November 27, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of RED SONJA (VOL. 7) #16:
First Impressions:
As time and this series move on, we had serious doubts about Torunn Grønbekk’s tale of woe, but at the very least, Red Sonja (Vol. 7) #16 feels like the story is headed toward a specific direction with loosely defined stakes. At this point, we’ll take what we can get.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the She-Devil with a Sword in Red Sonja (Vol. 7) #15, Red Sonja used the power from Erlik’s trapped soul to predict when and where a person would die to escape the cannibalistic Trajan tribe. The issue ended with Red Sonja escaping the Trajan’s clutches but with a poisonous scratch for her trouble.
In Red Sonja (Vol. 7) #16, Red Sonja continues on her path to reach the Forbidden Lands, enter the Underworld, and destroy Erlik’s soul. Still infected by the poisoned scratch, Red Sonja can feel malignant forces pulling at her whenever she enters shadow or darkness. Unnar, saved from becoming a meal for the Trajan, chooses to follow Red Sonja to show her the way to the Forbidden Lands to repay the life debt.
Torunn Grønbekk improves on the beginning of the arc by narrowing the focus to just Red Sonja and keeping the plot threads concerning side characters to the absolute minimum. You’ll notice no appearances by the god of the Wild Hunt or the various wars in play, which is a net positive because they were little more than a loud distraction.
Unnar leads Red Sonja through a swampy bog to reach their final destination. The bog is known for containing crab-like creatures called Kabra, who are prized for their meat, but men who risk their lives to catch Kabra but get trapped by the sinking ground become food for the Kabra in a slow, painful death.
When Red Sonja and Unnar encounter one such Kabra hunter who begs for a quick death rather than remain stuck as Kabra food, Red Sonja learns her visions of death are not immutable. She sees the Kabra farmer drowning, but she gives him a merciful death with a dagger thrown to the head. Red Sonja now knows the death she sees can be changed.
Since Red Sonja acquired Erlik’s soul, the revelation that the death visions are not set in stone is, or should be, a big deal. You could surmise that the deaths of those around her are preventable, but it’s unclear how that revelation will play out.
Meanwhile, Kulan Gath wanders through the battlefield of Erlik’s soldiers in his hunt to find Red Sonja to attain Erlik’s soul for himself. Elsewhere, Erlik and his army tear through the places Red Sonja recently visited, and Atali, Erlik’s daughter, scouts ahead to catch up to Red Sonja’s path.
The issue ends with Kulan Gath’s power growing with the dying of the light and Red Sonja reaching the water’s edge too late.
Overall, Red Sonja (Vol. 7) #16 is a decent enough issue that brings the arc into sharper focus and reveals interesting tidbits that could come into play later. That said, the larger conflicts have all been put on the back burner, which confirms how messy this arc started, and the consequences if either Kulan Gath or Erlik succeeds in getting the soul first are unclear.
Artwork and Presentation:
Walter Geovani’s art is clean, expressive, and dead perfect for this script. This issue has an above-average amount of gore, particularly during the battle scenes with Erlik, and the gore is handled tastefully. Plus, Omi Remalante Jr.’s coloring looks fantastic.
Art Samples:
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
RED SONJA (VOL. 7) #16 brings the series into sharper focus as the end of the arc draws near. Torunn Grønbekk’s script has all the right elements of a standard sword & sorcery adventure, even if the stakes and consequences of Red Sonja’s quest aren’t clear, and the art team delivers.
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.