What do you think?
Rate this book
Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword (2005) (Collected Editions)
Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword, Vol. 1: She Devil With a Sword
The legend of Red Sonja begins here with all new tales featuring the She-Devil with a Sword! This new collection features the first five issues of Dynamite's Red Sonja, as well as the introductory #0 issue. Written by Michael Avon Oeming (Thor, Powers) & Mike Carey (Hellblazer, Elektra, Neverwhere) and illustrated by Mel Rubi (X-Men), Caesar Roderiquez (Sojourn) and Richard Isanove (1602). Inspired by the works of Sonja and Conan creator Robert E. Howard!
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
19 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Michael Avon Oeming
823 books64 followersMichael Avon Oeming is an American comic book creator, both as an artist and writer.
His 1998 comic book Bulletproof Monk was made into a film of the same name.
The previous mentioned collaborations are The Mice Templar from Image Comics, which he draws and co-authors with Bryan J.L. Glass,[1] and Powers from Icon Comics which he draws, and sometimes co-authors, with Brian Bendis. His creator-owned projects include Rapture, on which he collaborated with his wife, Taki Soma,[2] and The Victories, both for Dark Horse Comics.
As of 2010, he is employed as a staff member of Valve Corporation, working on Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress 2 and Portal 2 webcomics.
His 1998 comic book Bulletproof Monk was made into a film of the same name.
The previous mentioned collaborations are The Mice Templar from Image Comics, which he draws and co-authors with Bryan J.L. Glass,[1] and Powers from Icon Comics which he draws, and sometimes co-authors, with Brian Bendis. His creator-owned projects include Rapture, on which he collaborated with his wife, Taki Soma,[2] and The Victories, both for Dark Horse Comics.
As of 2010, he is employed as a staff member of Valve Corporation, working on Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress 2 and Portal 2 webcomics.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 14, 2022
A bad start to series that spawned 80 issues, multiple spin-offs, and now a new volume (the new volume is pretty good too).
It's a wonder how the series survived after this story. The art is good, but is pretty inconsistent. The story is nonsensical and I stopped caring. The publisher is shamelessly trying to duplicate the success Darkhorse had with its reboot of the Conan series. This comes a year after and imitates the art style as well as the opening story line - Conan goes to a half-mythical perfect society and trouble ensues. Here, Red Sonja happens along a member of a half-mythical society and brings his dead body to the gates. A bunch of stupid shit happens after that. Where the Conan story had an interesting background for the city and interesting characters and an intriguing story line, this story has none.
It's a wonder how the series survived after this story. The art is good, but is pretty inconsistent. The story is nonsensical and I stopped caring. The publisher is shamelessly trying to duplicate the success Darkhorse had with its reboot of the Conan series. This comes a year after and imitates the art style as well as the opening story line - Conan goes to a half-mythical perfect society and trouble ensues. Here, Red Sonja happens along a member of a half-mythical society and brings his dead body to the gates. A bunch of stupid shit happens after that. Where the Conan story had an interesting background for the city and interesting characters and an intriguing story line, this story has none.
September 30, 2023
This was a worthy recreation of the Red Sonja stories which spawned 12 sequels and many more books.
Sonja is drawn into battle with odds stacked against her. We see her as a champion of the oppressed and one who is willing to risk her life for the common people.
Trying to save a messenger and carrying his message to his town turns fatal when the guards turn on her and she faces and defeats terrible odds before being captured and sentenced to death at the altar of the city's god.
Her subsequent escape and fight of redemption to free the city comprises the rest of the story.
Sonja shines as a champion fighter and more than capable in battle even against unequal odds. The dress code and armor obviously dictates that this is a novel for a mature audience. The art is good and is in sync with the story arcs.
Sonja is drawn into battle with odds stacked against her. We see her as a champion of the oppressed and one who is willing to risk her life for the common people.
Trying to save a messenger and carrying his message to his town turns fatal when the guards turn on her and she faces and defeats terrible odds before being captured and sentenced to death at the altar of the city's god.
Her subsequent escape and fight of redemption to free the city comprises the rest of the story.
Sonja shines as a champion fighter and more than capable in battle even against unequal odds. The dress code and armor obviously dictates that this is a novel for a mature audience. The art is good and is in sync with the story arcs.
May 24, 2018
Primera vez que leo algo de Red Sonja y lo he disfrutado. Ahora tengo pendiente el nuevo que ha sacado Planeta, a ver qué tal..
October 13, 2018
The main character supports freedom and the right of the common people to live their own lives, not just sacrifice themselves and others for a corrupt figure. She is also a capable fighter, often victorious in battles that are stacked against her. While the character was created in the fantasy world of Conan the Barbarian, which would suggest a simplistic universe centered on battle, death and too-sexy, impractical armor, the story is more mature. Religion, race, the ruling class, slavery, self-sacrifice, as well as courage, dedication and battle strategy are all explored in this surprisingly enjoyable fantasy world. The cover gallery is quite spectacular too.
Red Sonja saves a messenger from Gathia from his attackers. He dies on the way back to Gathia, so Sonja returns his message and his dead body to his home city. The citizens are weary of outsiders and the guards attack her for bearing bad news. The guards are no match for her, but the ogre she defeats weakens her, allowing her to be captured. Because of her prowess in battle she is sacrificed to the city's lord, the Celestial One who is viewed as a god. But her death is not the end. There is a plot against the lord of the city by a group that doesn't support the human sacrifices and slavery that have become the norm in the city, even though the same lord brought peace to the land.
Red Sonja saves a messenger from Gathia from his attackers. He dies on the way back to Gathia, so Sonja returns his message and his dead body to his home city. The citizens are weary of outsiders and the guards attack her for bearing bad news. The guards are no match for her, but the ogre she defeats weakens her, allowing her to be captured. Because of her prowess in battle she is sacrificed to the city's lord, the Celestial One who is viewed as a god. But her death is not the end. There is a plot against the lord of the city by a group that doesn't support the human sacrifices and slavery that have become the norm in the city, even though the same lord brought peace to the land.
October 23, 2023
Eski tip bir çizgi roman karakterinin eski tip bir macerası. Kulağa şikayet gibi gelse de aslında değil. Ezilenleri korumak için, kötü hükümdarı devirmek için savaşan Red Sonja'yı okurken epey keyif aldım. Çizimler ve Sonja muazzam. Oldukça basit ve yüzeysel bir hikaye sunsa da aksiyonu çok güzeldi. Şiddetin tonu da iyi seçilmişti. Barbarlığı ve vahşiliği hissediyorsunuz fakat bunu okuyucuyu usandırmadan kararında veriyor. Sonja dişi şeytan lakabının hakkını veriyor.
June 22, 2014
Free comic! (actually a review of issue #0)
Why not just buy porn? There is nothing to this comic except a barely concealed female body. And it's not even that well drawn. Her face changes so much between panels that the reader wouldn't be able to recognize her if it wasn't for the utterly bizarre costuming. I often wasn't sure what I was looking at, or what I was meant to be looking at. When she is kicking that person, are we meant to be looking at her vagina? Right. If not, are we meant to care what is going on with the mostly naked lady? Or with the woman behind the bar who isn't naked, but has very prominent boobs? Or with the ape-like men who are being killed off by the mostly naked lady? What about the other mostly naked lady outside?
Why not just buy porn? There is nothing to this comic except a barely concealed female body. And it's not even that well drawn. Her face changes so much between panels that the reader wouldn't be able to recognize her if it wasn't for the utterly bizarre costuming. I often wasn't sure what I was looking at, or what I was meant to be looking at. When she is kicking that person, are we meant to be looking at her vagina? Right. If not, are we meant to care what is going on with the mostly naked lady? Or with the woman behind the bar who isn't naked, but has very prominent boobs? Or with the ape-like men who are being killed off by the mostly naked lady? What about the other mostly naked lady outside?
January 20, 2020
Marmara Çizgi'den Cenk Könül'ün çevirisi ile "Kızıl Efsane"ye bir saygı duruşu. Daha şimdiden söylemeliyim, kendimi tutamıyorum; o sondaki, her biri harika özel illüstrasyon nedir? Sırf o kapak tasarımları, Red Sonja"var için bile alınması gereken bir cilt. Conan ve Red Sonja benim kırmızı çizgim olduğu için tamamen taraflı bir tutum sergileyeceğim; çok beğendim. daha fazla hayat daha fazla Red Sonja!! :)
April 19, 2016
Awful. Just awful.
Art is bad.
Art is bad.
December 9, 2019
Mostly blah. Lots of heads rolling. Decapitation seems to be the preferred way to kill people in this universe.
September 30, 2023
Oh my god this one is my shitttttt!!
We jump ahead a solid 30 years from her Marvel intro to the mid-00s and a switch in publisher (Dynamite Entertainment); now I'm not saying we'd quite perfected pop feminism here, but 30 years do make a bit of a difference.
Most of all, I feel that for all the gendered beauty standards still in evidence here, Sonja is first and foremost a badass. You could honestly easily rewrite it into a Conan adventure. This series having launched in 2005, the year of Batman Begins and Casino Royale, it feels the need to briefly explain the chainmail bikini like Christopher Nolan needs to explain a utility belt or a batmobile. "Men usually do not even notice I also carry a sword before it is too late" -- haha okay queen you do you! I mean look, I picked up the bikini babe book, that's on me; you don't have to justify the bikini, sweet writers. This volume was co-plotted by Michael Avon Oeming (not sure if I'd ever read anything by him) and Mike Carey (Vertigo's Lucifer, which in my book makes him one of THE great comic book writers of all time) and by gum they do a good job!
Sonja is truly laconically cool (kudos to artis Mel Rubi for a trademark "I'm so done with this" look they give her); the twists and reversals keep coming at a good pace; everybody's motivations are spelled out clearly; and it even manages to be morally grey without any straw man fallacies. The wizard king is taking away everyone's free will! But the region was ruled by petty warlords before him! But the warlords have a legitimate grievance against the wizard! etc etc
Anyway this fucking rocked and I'm psyched for volume 2.
We jump ahead a solid 30 years from her Marvel intro to the mid-00s and a switch in publisher (Dynamite Entertainment); now I'm not saying we'd quite perfected pop feminism here, but 30 years do make a bit of a difference.
Most of all, I feel that for all the gendered beauty standards still in evidence here, Sonja is first and foremost a badass. You could honestly easily rewrite it into a Conan adventure. This series having launched in 2005, the year of Batman Begins and Casino Royale, it feels the need to briefly explain the chainmail bikini like Christopher Nolan needs to explain a utility belt or a batmobile. "Men usually do not even notice I also carry a sword before it is too late" -- haha okay queen you do you! I mean look, I picked up the bikini babe book, that's on me; you don't have to justify the bikini, sweet writers. This volume was co-plotted by Michael Avon Oeming (not sure if I'd ever read anything by him) and Mike Carey (Vertigo's Lucifer, which in my book makes him one of THE great comic book writers of all time) and by gum they do a good job!
Sonja is truly laconically cool (kudos to artis Mel Rubi for a trademark "I'm so done with this" look they give her); the twists and reversals keep coming at a good pace; everybody's motivations are spelled out clearly; and it even manages to be morally grey without any straw man fallacies. The wizard king is taking away everyone's free will! But the region was ruled by petty warlords before him! But the warlords have a legitimate grievance against the wizard! etc etc
Anyway this fucking rocked and I'm psyched for volume 2.
June 13, 2024
Red Sonja has been a character connected to comics since her debut in the original Conan comics from Marvel, by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith, been a mixture of other Robert E. Howard characters brought to Conan timeline for crossover opportunities. It developed a fanbase of her own that, to this day, lives in small portions of the Sword and sorcery comic fandom.
Enter Dynamite Entertainment, that circa 2004, started with this comic as one of its main courses for new readers. It has two competent writers: Michael Avon Oeming plotting the story, and Mike Carey giving his welcomed input and word arrangements.
The story, ilustrated by Mel Rubi, gets Sonja embroiled in a fight between a savage tribe and an almost utopian city, which order and "purity" is protected by a nefarious power.
There goes Sonja, like a force of nature, ending anything in her path now that she reluctantly have to take a side.
This doesn't offer nothing new to the fold of the genre, but for fans of this type of material, and and an introduction to the character and publisher, it can be a fun adventure an introduction to the character, if not way to much 2000's in its style, in a word in which she might not cross paths with the Cimmerian of legends, but will have the opportunity to walk her own myth.
Enter Dynamite Entertainment, that circa 2004, started with this comic as one of its main courses for new readers. It has two competent writers: Michael Avon Oeming plotting the story, and Mike Carey giving his welcomed input and word arrangements.
The story, ilustrated by Mel Rubi, gets Sonja embroiled in a fight between a savage tribe and an almost utopian city, which order and "purity" is protected by a nefarious power.
There goes Sonja, like a force of nature, ending anything in her path now that she reluctantly have to take a side.
This doesn't offer nothing new to the fold of the genre, but for fans of this type of material, and and an introduction to the character and publisher, it can be a fun adventure an introduction to the character, if not way to much 2000's in its style, in a word in which she might not cross paths with the Cimmerian of legends, but will have the opportunity to walk her own myth.
December 23, 2020
It wasn't great, but it was fine. I wanted to get a feel for the character in another writer's hands before reading the Gail Simone stories, but the body of this book was about as illuminating as the cover. It's fine? I mean, you know what you're getting into with this one, and you will not be even kind of surprised. It's sexist, it's violent, it puts on philosophical airs and just whiffs the chance to do anything interesting or meaningful when the time comes. Ah, well.
April 21, 2020
Η καλή εικονογράφιση δεν μπορεί να σώσει την ασυνάρτητη ιστορία αυτού του τόμου.
Thank you next
Thank you next
December 5, 2022
I am again on Red's adventure but I have to remember not every one of them would be my cup of tea.
I blame KU for that...
I blame KU for that...
Read
March 29, 2023Their art style was too distracting for me. I just didn’t like the art style. They went with in this book and because of that I decided to drop it.
June 25, 2025
It was an enjoyable set of comics with beautiful art, but I read it because I enjoy Mike Carey’s novels and these are not a good example of his writing skills. They were well-written, but they came across like Robert E. Howard’s style from the Conan works rather than something original and unique.
June 16, 2017
The good:
1. The stories were perfectly decent little sword & sorcery stories.
2. I really liked the art style. Reminded me of a mix of more modern comic art and old "Savage Sword of Conan" art.
The bad:
1. Even though they *directly* addressed it, I can't (and have never been able to) get past the stupid outfit. Assuming that scale hasn't completely severed her nipples, they must be mangled, calloused things. And who knows if she's even wearing anything under the scale bottoms (I hope so with all that horse riding, I mean, she's not Deadpool!) In their defense, that's often been a problem with Conan as well. Artists seem to not understand that Conan liked wearing armor for battle.
2. The creators claimed they were trying to avoid sexualizing her, but the majority of full length shots still depicted her in stupid Playboy-like stances and poses. And they drew her skin as flawless, when she should have a body that looks like a map of scars. Especially since she's practically naked.
Also, someone involved seemed to think that Sonja is a REH creation. She is not. She is the creation of Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor Smith, back in '73. She's *inspired* by a couple of Howard's characters, but she is not one of his.
1. The stories were perfectly decent little sword & sorcery stories.
2. I really liked the art style. Reminded me of a mix of more modern comic art and old "Savage Sword of Conan" art.
The bad:
1. Even though they *directly* addressed it, I can't (and have never been able to) get past the stupid outfit. Assuming that scale hasn't completely severed her nipples, they must be mangled, calloused things. And who knows if she's even wearing anything under the scale bottoms (I hope so with all that horse riding, I mean, she's not Deadpool!) In their defense, that's often been a problem with Conan as well. Artists seem to not understand that Conan liked wearing armor for battle.
2. The creators claimed they were trying to avoid sexualizing her, but the majority of full length shots still depicted her in stupid Playboy-like stances and poses. And they drew her skin as flawless, when she should have a body that looks like a map of scars. Especially since she's practically naked.
Also, someone involved seemed to think that Sonja is a REH creation. She is not. She is the creation of Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor Smith, back in '73. She's *inspired* by a couple of Howard's characters, but she is not one of his.
November 3, 2019
Eu tinha gostado tanto do encontro da Sonja com o Homem-Aranha, que resolvi ir atrás dessa minissérie- Crânios Flamejantes - publicada pela Dynamite e, aqui no Brasil, pela Panini. Não sei por que razão eu tinha na minha cabeça que era a Gail Simone quem escrevia essas história. Ledo engano. As revistas são escritas em conjunto por Mike Carey e Michael Avon Oeming, dois caras que eu costumo curtir bastante aquilo que escrevem. Mas, amigos, me desculpem, vou ter que furar com vocês. Não curti nadica essa história em quadrinhos. Ela lembra em muito aqueles quadrinhos de bad girls dos anos 1990, até porque, pensem, amigas leitoras, o primeiro quadro da revista é um close na busanfa da Sonja. Cool, huh? Os desenhos são realizados por Mel Rubi, que é um expoente dos anos 1990 nas revistas mais diversas possíveis e que sempre tinham uma beldade beldando. A história é bem qualquer coisa, tanto é que nos Estados Unidos o encadernado nem subtítulo tem. Só no Brasil a minissérie em 3 edições se chama Crânios Flamejantes. Não, leitores, a nossa cabeça não pega fogo lendo essa HQ. Está mais pra congelar de chatice.
October 28, 2015
I was actually inspired to read this because I saw the movie for the first time. There were a lot of different variations of Red Sonja but I really liked the art work in this one so I chose it. I really really loved this volume. It was simple and action packed and gorey. The story is one that's been a little over used but that just made it a simple read. The last story in the volume I could had done with out, it didn't really go with the rest too much and was set up a lot different than the rest. I also really liked that at the end there were just a bunch of pages of various Red Sonja art, It was interesting to see different artist's variations of her.
I'm glad I finally discovered a fantastic red-headed heroin that isn't just a side character. She kicks so much ass
I'm glad I finally discovered a fantastic red-headed heroin that isn't just a side character. She kicks so much ass
August 26, 2014
Trash. I read this out of interest because I see a lot of cosplayers as Red Sonja. I just can't get my head around the fact that a hero would wear a tiny triangle around her privates and a chainmail bikini. It's disgusting and unlikely.
Every frame that they don't show her whole body they at least slip in her breasts or butt to make up for the non-existent story. I suppose people don't read it for the story anyway.
Trash.
Every frame that they don't show her whole body they at least slip in her breasts or butt to make up for the non-existent story. I suppose people don't read it for the story anyway.
Trash.
March 21, 2015
Red Sonja finds her self working with some shady characters that are not to be trusted. Together they invade a city that seems to perfect so it must be hiding something. its an intertaining story but kind of predictable, a couple of plot twist that don't make mush sence & don't realy have a good reason for happening.
April 6, 2016
Red Sonja intercedes in a situation full of moral end ethics dilemmas, and faces a villain who makes a compelling case for his side. Oeming and Carey also try to address and explain the issue of Sonja's armour (or lack thereof)...
November 21, 2016
Not too bad start for this run of Red Sonja.
I remember when this came out and I read it, I really liked this. Now this seems more so-so and art a bit clumsy. But then again, so it seems to be in Diamond comics all around. But at least there was a Sonja's nipple shot. Yay!
I remember when this came out and I read it, I really liked this. Now this seems more so-so and art a bit clumsy. But then again, so it seems to be in Diamond comics all around. But at least there was a Sonja's nipple shot. Yay!
August 5, 2013
Boring and generic, that is what I recall as I choose to donate this book. Sorry Sonja, your extra large female parts and skimpy armor can't sway me.
April 17, 2014
2* for the story in this first book.
4* for the artwork of Mel Rubi.
So a total of 3* for the book as a whole.
4* for the artwork of Mel Rubi.
So a total of 3* for the book as a whole.
September 12, 2016
The version I own features a cover by Michael Turner.
February 15, 2016
I prefer the way the character is portrayed in this series over the anti-hero portrayal in the Gail Simon series. A solid sword and sorcery tale with great artwork.
February 3, 2017
Read issue #1 of "She devil with a sword"
April 20, 2018
Hells yeah. Love reading about the exploits of Red Sonja, even though this a slight remastered edition of the originals. I'm very happy with it
Peace out or in this case; blood out
Peace out or in this case; blood out
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews