Even though I have been running my comics reviews over on SHOT'S SHACK recently, I decided that I'd post one here. Since Parting Shots was created to allow me to post this type of thing to begin with I figured I'd go back and forth. Annoying, huh?
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RED SONJA #0 published by Dynamite Entertainment was a twenty-five cent promotion for the up-coming regular series from that company. According to online sources, this particular item garnered sales of around 200,000 copies which were higher than many Marvel & DC titles solicited at the same time. Personally, I think the price tag and the possible future collectable status of the book pushed up the figures beyond what you’d normally see. While there is a core fan base for the character I don’t know that all of that audience will be able to locate this item in some stores. I’m sure we’ll be seeing it showing up (if not already) on eBay.

If it wasn’t for the metal bikini/stripper outfit for which she has become famous, I think I’d have an easier time accepting this character. I just find it impossible to believe that a woman-warrior (preceding a certain warrior-princess by a couple of decades or so) would purposely run around in such an outfit. First off, it offers no protection from the weapons of her opponents, and secondly, all but begs for the leers and low opinions of the type of men she generally encounters. I don’t see it screaming “Hey, barbarian, respect me!”

As far as I know it was only in her initial appearances in the pages of Marvel’s CONAN title, as written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith, that she wore anything remotely comfortable or suitable for her profession (which was more thief than warrior back then). I believe it was artist Frank Thorne who first put the lady in the metal coin peekaboo, which led to her becoming the highlight of many a comic book convention costume contest. (I remember seeing the pre-Elfquest Wendi Pini winning one such contest in San Diego back in the mid-1970s.)

Having said all that, I can certainly say that Red Sonja, as she appears in this preview, seems suited for those fanboys who like to ogle. The story is written by Michael Oeming and Mike Carey, who present a done-in-one tale of Sonja seemingly falling into a pretty obvious trap and then turning the tables on her attackers. There's nothing new here and not one of Oeming’s better efforts (since he is given joint credit I really don’t know how much to blame him), but it is not something to be ashamed of either.

The art is by Mel Rubi, with coloring by Ceasar Rodriguez and Richard Isanove. Rubi does a nice John Buscema riff, solid work but nothing we haven’t seen in hundreds of other barbarian titles. I will give Rubi credit for not filling each panel with a lot of T&A, even though he doesn’t shy away from showing Red Sonja’s physical attritutes to their fullest. Fans of this type of thing won’t be disappointed. By the way, the cover of this preview is by Greg Land.

Obviously, I’m not the intended audience for this type of thing. However, it you are you’ll probably already be picking up the regular series. Two stars out of four for effort.