Broken Frontier

Sonja’s enemy—and the consequence of her recent actions—catches up to her at last.

For days now, a mysterious man clad in a hooded animal skin cloak has been on the trail of Red Sonja, intent on besting the warrior woman in combat and breaking her spirit for his dark master. Now at last the combatants face each other in the emptiness of the Northern Wastelands. There is nothing to conceal or hinder their attacks and the final showdown seems at hand. But the mystery man has one last surprise up his sleeve, a deadly price which Sonja has in many ways brought upon herself and those around her.

Ostensibly, this issue is little more than an extended fight scene, albeit one that has been some time coming. That in itself seems largely expected and perfunctory for a fantasy series such as this and it comes with the standard melodramatic dialogue and angrily exchanged insults between foes. However, the story also brings with it a shocking development that I for one did not expect (though I probably should have). It’san emotional sucker punch that left me floored and makes perfect sense based on what has come before. Michael Oeming’s non-linear approach to the script skillfully builds the tension throughout the issue, culminating in the tragic reversal of where I thought this plotline was headed. Perhaps that was just my naïve optimism at work but regardless, the writer still has the ability to surprise me. I stand by my assessment that despite the eye candy and the transparent intent of the marketing (enough with the variant covers already!), Red Sonja remains more than just a T&A comic.

Speaking of that lovely eye candy, Mel Rubi’s artwork is still as lush and vivid as it was from day one. Sonja couldn’t ask for a better illustrator. In this issue, Rubi’s action sequences are clean, dramatic, and well-choreographed. Building on a recent theme, this issue also contains a flashback to a character’s past, this time the villain’s. Lee Moder provides the art for this segment and while I like his slightly more caricatured style, it’s a somewhat awkward fit for the dark moments being chronicled.

The mastermind behind this arc has already been leaked in various ads and press releases so fans know that the She-Devil is involved in something big. If you’re digging the fantasy comic renaissance, give Red Sonja a look.