Sonja Reborn #1, by Dynamite Comics on 8/27/25, is a chaotic debut, plunging a British diplomat named Maggie into a New York subway tunnel where she eventually wakes up as Red Sonja.
Credits:
- Writer: Christopher Priest
- Artist: Alessandro Miracolo
- Colorist: Giovanni Caputo
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Stjepan Šejić (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: August 27, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of SONJA REBORN #1:
First Impressions:
What on earth just happened? This comic throws you in headfirst and expects you to swim. The sudden shift from a snarky diplomat to a legendary warrior is jarring, to say the least. It is a bold choice, but one that leaves you more confused than intrigued. Either Dynamite needs to get off the failed Christopher Priest bandwagon, or Luke Lieberman needs to find another Publisher for Red Sonja. Enough is enough.
Plot Analysis:
The story opens in New York’s Lower East Side, where Margaret Sutherland, a British diplomat, is being questioned by a local officer. Maggie, as she’s called, is obsessed with Skye Ramsey, the woman she came to America to murder, believing Skye destroyed her world by taking Justin Brand, whom Maggie had made her entire world. Maggie asserts her diplomatic immunity, but the officer dismisses it, focusing on her “hook wheels” as probable cause.
Maggie flashes back to a scene with Skye and Justin, whom she is clearly furious with. She is then seen in a subway, chasing someone and lamenting having followed “the bitch half-way ’round the world.” She later confronts Skye Ramsey, holding a pistol and accusing her of lying about Justin’s love. Maggie struggles with the gun, claiming murder looked simpler on Netflix, and eventually trips over something while the gun fires.
She awakes in a dark tunnel, disoriented, wondering if it’s abandoned or under construction. She notices the gun has been found by unseen individuals and finds herself more concerned with getting soot out of her lambskin than her previous obsessions. After a falling through another hole in the ground, she wakes up in field after a great battle.
Maggie discovers her clothes are gone. She is now in a different place entirely, the Venarium Foothills in Aquilonia, and has transformed. She is now Red Sonja, clad in her iconic armor, bewildered by her new reality and the burnt landscape. The issue concludes with Maggie riding with Red Sonja’s companion to a nearby castle to conclude the contract of one of Red Sonja’s bounties.
Story
Christopher Priest delivers a script that’s less a narrative and more a series of abrupt, disorienting vignettes. The dialogue attempts wit, but often lands with a thud, relying heavily on British slang that feels out of place against the backdrop of a New York subway. Maggie’s internal monologue is a jumble of petty grievances and sudden, unexplained shifts in focus, making it hard to connect with her. The transition to Red Sonja is a magic trick without the explanation, leaving readers scratching their heads rather than marveling.
Art
Alessandro Miracolo’s art is a mixed bag. The initial scenes in New York have a gritty, urban feel, capturing the tension of Maggie’s confrontation. However, the facial expressions can sometimes be stiff, and the action sequences are frequently muddy. When the transformation occurs, the art shifts, but the panels depicting Red Sonja’s awakening are fragmented and don’t clearly convey the shock or awe of the moment. Giovanni Caputo’s colors provide some atmosphere but cannot consistently salvage the disjointed storytelling.
Characters
Maggie Sutherland is introduced as a woman consumed by revenge, but her motivations are shallow and her character unlikable. Her transformation into Red Sonja is sudden and completely devoid of any earned emotional weight. Skye Ramsey and Justin Brand exist solely as triggers for Maggie’s rage, never fully fleshed out as individuals. The comic fails to establish any character worth rooting for or understanding.
Positives
The initial concept of a modern-day character unexpectedly becoming Red Sonja has a certain pulpy appeal, a bold, high-concept premise that, if handled with more care, could be genuinely engaging. The contrast between Maggie’s diplomatic concerns and her new barbaric reality briefly hints at interesting thematic possibilities. There are moments of visual dynamism in the action, even if they are few and far between.
Negatives
The narrative is a chaotic mess, leaping between scenes and character states with little logic or explanation, making it incredibly difficult to follow. The dialogue, while aiming for sharp wit, often comes across as forced and overly reliant on obscure British colloquialisms. The abrupt shift from a contemporary setting to a fantasy world completely undercuts any build-up or character development, leaving the reader disoriented and detached. The entire experience feels like a first draft, not a polished #1 issue.
Art Samples:
Final Thoughts:
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SONJA REBORN #1 is a baffling misstep, sacrificing coherence for shock value and leaving its protagonist a confused, unlikable mess. It’s a comic that tries to be clever but ends up just being bewildering.
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