by Joe Iconic, Reporter
Since her fearless debut in 1973, the She-Devil with a Sword has redefined the fantasy genre thanks to the efforts of acclaimed writers including Gail Simone, Roy Thomas, Luke Lieberman, and Eric Trautmann! Joined by first-time Sonja writer Cullen Bunn and a handful of amazing artists, these titanic talents each contribute tales of derring-do to this supersized, action-packed anthology. Everyone’s favorite red-tressed heroine battles monsters, rivals, and ne’er-do-wells in Hyborian adventures retro-tinted to capture the flavor of her classic comics era!
Red Sonja 1973 is a celebration worthy of the iconic red-headed barbarian and her fans. This anthology includes six short stories of the She-Devil with a Sword. The writers include Red Sonja co-creator Roy Thomas, and Gail Simone, who sparked the current Red Sonja Revival. This 48 page special commemorates the 42nd anniversary of Red Sonja’s first fiery appearance in comics, and is well worth the $7.99 admission fee.
Red Sonja 1973’s numbering came from Red Sonja’s first appearance in Conan the Barbarian #23 in February 1973. In this issue, Sonja saved the Cimmerian twice from the vile Mikhal Oglu in a storyline named “The Shadow of the Vulture.” Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith created the She-Devil based on Red Sonja of Roganito from Robert E. Howard’s 1934 short story with the same name, which incidentally did not include Conan, and was from a different era than Hyperborea and Hyrkania.
The art by Jonathan Lau, Bilquis Evely, Kewbar Baal, Rod Rodolfo, Rich Buckler, and Ivan Rodriguez pays tribute to the classical Marvel stories in both art and tone. Each story in Red Sonja 1973 highlights different aspects of Red Sonja’s character and skills. The Raiding Party shows her levels of mastery of horsemanship and melee, as well as her compassion for female prisoners. This story and several of the others showed her original long-sleeve chainmail shirt which predated her signature chainmail bikini look, but her original red silk shorts were nowhere to be seen. For Whom the Bell Trolls shows her cleverness, and some great art work which reminded me of co-creator Barry Windsor-Smith in how the would-be rapist and troll were depicted. The Simple Life highlighted her combat skills and the unifying theme of her sense of right and wrong which ran throughout each story. The Hanging Tree was obviously Gail Simone’s contribution, not only from the dialogue, but also the depiction of bawdy as beauty, and emphasizing her deductive abilities. The Arena of Dread found Red Sonja in a gladiator’s pit, a familiar setting for the She-Devil, as well as providing an introduction for the Nubile Barbarians, which we will most likely see again. Sounds like a great name for a fan club, right? And finally, Silent Running was an epic end to the collection. Cullen Bunn, first time writer for Red Sonja, sculpted a wordless masterpiece with artist Jonathan Lau. The majority of the frames are cover art/hang-on-the-wall worthy, and will remind Dungeon & Dragon/Pathfinder gamers of how to stack combat encounters for a great experience.
And speaking of themes, there are almost enough shots to the gonads for this collection to work as a drinking game.
For music to listen to while reading this issue, I recommend Fever Ray, Blue Fountain, or Nightwish stations at Pandora. Anything that speaks to the female mystique kicking butt will suffice.
Red Sonja 1973 is must collect for fans of high fantasy, Red Sonja, and Strong Female Protagonists with Swords. This collection provides an excellent entry point into Red Sonja stories for the uninitiated as well, to be quickly followed by any collection of Red Sonja by Gail Simone you can beg, borrow, or buy.
Rating: 
ComicsOnline gives Red Sonja 1973 5 Nubile Barbarians out of 5 Nubile Barbarians.
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