The Death Of Red Sonja Begins In March…Maybe

Sometimes publishers put the spoiler right in the title, like The Death of Wolverine. Could that be the case with March’s Killing Red Sonja from Dynamite? The publisher has announced a new crucial piece of writer Mark Russell’s saga featuring the she-devil with a sword. Russell is joined by co-writer Bryce Ingman, artist Craig Rousseau, colorist Dearbhla Kelly, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou for this mini-series that serves as a companion to the ongoing series.


Writer Mark Russell says:

Killing Red Sonja is a chance to offer readers a different sensibility than the main series, and also to allow us to dive deeper into the story of a character who will become the most ominous villain the main series has yet to see. We hope to maintain the balance between humor and the meditation on power that the main series has become.

Killing Red Sonja takes us through the dimly lit corners of the Hyborean Age as Sonja the Red wages war against emperor Dragan The Magnificent. Back in Red Sonja #2, the warlord bid goodbye to his young son Cyril. With his family and birthright gutted, he’ll stop at nothing to exact revenge against Sonja, including dabbling in dark magics beyond his comprehension.

Although you can read Killing Red Sonja on its own, the mini-series is also a vital piece of Russell’s plans for the character. It sets up future adventures and tragedies of characters who will become prominent in the next arc of the main series. It’s a more fantasy-based comic with talking boars and gruesome monsters, where the main series focuses more on sword and sandals warfare.
Writer Bryce Ingman added:

It’s the heartwarming tale of a sweet little boy who dreams of murdering a woman he has never met. It’s a book filled with wild stuff like human-eating giants, flocks of killer birds, amoral dwarfs, double-crossing sorcerers, and a smart-ass, talking boar. We’re working hard to ensure that each issue is thrilling, thought-provoking, and filled with the unexpected.

Each issue of Killing Red Sonja features a cover by Christian Ward. Limited variant covers will also be available showing alternate takes on Ward’s main cover.
Artist Craig Rousseau says:

They had me at ‘talking 400-pound boar,’ and so far, I’ve just been trying to keep up, drawing all the stuff Mark and Bryce are throwing into the script. …Speaking of which, back to the drawing board!

Dynamite has been doing a lot of great work with Red Sonja lately, giving the character a tremendous amount of focus and attention. This sounds like a nice complement to everything that’s going on with the main series and I’m eager to dig into it.

Editor Nate Cosby says:

The world of Red Sonja is too big for just one series! Fans of the ongoing Red Sonja series can expect the same masterful storytelling here, with Mark and Bryce concocting a killer story, and (one of my personal favorite artists) Craig bringing brilliant, visceral visuals…along with fantastic work from Sonja regulars Dearbhla and Hassan!

Killing Red Sonja begins in March 2020.