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Queen Sonja (Collected Editions)
Queen Sonja Volume 2: The Red Queen
After the thrilling opening adventures of the all-new, all-different Queen Sonja, Dynamite proudly presents the next chapter in the She-Devil with a Sword saga! Featuring the Dynamite debut of writer Arvid (Kull) Nelson and artist Jackson (Avengers/Invaders) Herbert, Sonja finds herself warily upon the throne and facing a new and deadly threat from within... and without! Collecting issues #6-10 of the series along with a complete cover gallery.
136 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2011
17 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Arvid Nelson
323 books20 followersArvid has worked on everything from film to video games, but he’s best known for his original comics title, Rex Mundi, published by Dark Horse Comics. The Band of the Crow has occupied his creative memory banks ever since Rex Mundi ended.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 1, 2021
I might just give up on the Dynamite run. The second volume of Queen Sonja, which puts Red Sonja on a throne, is full of more ridiculous plot holes that have plagued the entire run, no attempt whatsoever to make either medieval warfare or swordfighting realistic (now Sonja is joined by a bunch of former princesses who dress in belly-baring V-neck armor but can still fight like heavily-armored men), and worse, Sonja's character is virtually destroyed.
As queen, Sonja is terrible, which would have been an interesting angle for the story to take. No surprise that a woman who's been a solo adventurer and a hack'n'slash warrior with no love for monarchs all her life would have no real idea how to rule. But she doesn't just mismanage her kingdom, she turns into a spiteful, petulant tyrant. At one point she orders an enemy's entire family to be put to the sword. This would have been interesting as an exploration of Sonja descending to the dark side, but it's all undone when she meets said enemy, who turns out to be a hot Bishounen with a cute little sister. Sonja repents, and then they fight a duel where he defeats her... kind of.
If you are familiar with Sonja's backstory, part of her story canon is that she will "not lie with any man unless he can defeat her." In various versions of her origin, it's implied that this was a vow she took, usually after being raped by the bandits who sacked her village, but here it actually becomes a prophecy, and Sonja worships the goddess Scathach (who was a Celtic warrior woman), and the whole story is kind of a mess, where we flirt with the idea of Sonja actually taking a lover but then there is a twist that I totally saw coming, and she's back to being lonely, oh so lonely, on her throne again. And all the people she treated like crap while she was raging and being tyrannical are feeling guilty because they let her down.
Meh, the only thing this series really has going for it is lots of Sonja T&A, and it's such blatant fanservice that it's not even very entertaining.
As queen, Sonja is terrible, which would have been an interesting angle for the story to take. No surprise that a woman who's been a solo adventurer and a hack'n'slash warrior with no love for monarchs all her life would have no real idea how to rule. But she doesn't just mismanage her kingdom, she turns into a spiteful, petulant tyrant. At one point she orders an enemy's entire family to be put to the sword. This would have been interesting as an exploration of Sonja descending to the dark side, but it's all undone when she meets said enemy, who turns out to be a hot Bishounen with a cute little sister. Sonja repents, and then they fight a duel where he defeats her... kind of.
If you are familiar with Sonja's backstory, part of her story canon is that she will "not lie with any man unless he can defeat her." In various versions of her origin, it's implied that this was a vow she took, usually after being raped by the bandits who sacked her village, but here it actually becomes a prophecy, and Sonja worships the goddess Scathach (who was a Celtic warrior woman), and the whole story is kind of a mess, where we flirt with the idea of Sonja actually taking a lover but then there is a twist that I totally saw coming, and she's back to being lonely, oh so lonely, on her throne again. And all the people she treated like crap while she was raging and being tyrannical are feeling guilty because they let her down.
Meh, the only thing this series really has going for it is lots of Sonja T&A, and it's such blatant fanservice that it's not even very entertaining.
January 29, 2018
There seems to be confusion what makes a good monarch and the writer could not seem to agree with how to proceed. Sonja is portrayed as a woman of action so it's not surprising that she will leap at the opportunity to track down assassins or ward off an invasion. However, I find it so baffling for an experienced warrior to not realize the potentials dangers within her own court, especially when her advisors are the former monarch's daughters. Even they seem surprised by the treachery. This part of the story fell flat and to add to the misery, there is a famine which is then miraculously resolved by spring. Too many convenient plot devices thrown in without any sense of how it all fits in except that Sonja is not going to last long as a monarchas she is going to abdicate. Somehow I won't be too surprised if that is what happens.
February 26, 2022
QUEEN SONJA continues with the story of Ariok and his sister. Queen Sonja has managed to keep her throne for a year but already has a rebellion from her nobility. Like Queen Elizabeth, her followers wish for her to marry to either shore up alliances [pragmatic] or because they're uncomfortable with a female ruler [misogynist].
The comparison is a bit too on the nose, especially when Duke Ariok is defeated, Sonja makes a lot of uncharacteristic decisions. She almost has his family exterminated and gets defeated in a duel with Ariok, which causes her to become deeply attracted to him. It's kind of hilarious that he "wins" the duel by accidentally cutting her bikini top and her covering up, which make this seem less like Red Sonja and more like Porky's.
However, Ariok is very clearly based on Elric of Melnibone with his cursed sword as well as coming from a long line of decadent demon-worshiping kings. I think as a love interest that makes him an interesting character. I saw the twist coming but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a good set up for it. My big issue is that Sonja acts so very wildly out of character.
So a flawed but entertaining story.
The comparison is a bit too on the nose, especially when Duke Ariok is defeated, Sonja makes a lot of uncharacteristic decisions. She almost has his family exterminated and gets defeated in a duel with Ariok, which causes her to become deeply attracted to him. It's kind of hilarious that he "wins" the duel by accidentally cutting her bikini top and her covering up, which make this seem less like Red Sonja and more like Porky's.
However, Ariok is very clearly based on Elric of Melnibone with his cursed sword as well as coming from a long line of decadent demon-worshiping kings. I think as a love interest that makes him an interesting character. I saw the twist coming but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a good set up for it. My big issue is that Sonja acts so very wildly out of character.
So a flawed but entertaining story.
April 14, 2019
Sonja books are always fun. Lots of blood, gore, magic and intrigue. This one was no different in that regard. I felt that naming one of the characters Ariok gave me some twinges of expectation from the Moorcokian multiverse. There were other echoes of that as well. Not sure if it was meant to be an homage or borrowed. Different enough, though.
March 20, 2018
Sonja which is not really Sonja but some crazy, religious fanatic, who has no problem to give the order to murder innocents but has an issue with seeing her people to actually execute someone... Plus story is just about her trying to get some :D
July 21, 2018
What fun.
I was not sure, if Sonja as Queen works, but here it does.
What fun.
I was not sure, if Sonja as Queen works, but here it does.
What fun.
December 30, 2018
An improvement on volume 1, still wouldn't recommend it really.
March 25, 2019
Great! Great great !!!
Great read for not expect the ending. If I say anymore it will ruin the plot. So read for yourself
Great read for not expect the ending. If I say anymore it will ruin the plot. So read for yourself
July 23, 2022
It might have gotten more than 1 star of the Kindle book showed more than twelve pages. Utter failure.
July 14, 2023
This one haa a strong storyline, properly supported by exquisite art. Here we see Sonja facing deadly menace, conspiracies, and her own self.
It was taut and very compelling.
Recommended.
It was taut and very compelling.
Recommended.
October 7, 2025
She is sexy! Arvid has a new original comic book, Band of the Crow. Check out the trailer https://youtu.be/Z16wRyYKl2A?si=gEEFy...
December 19, 2025
4/5 - Graphic Novels
3/5 - High Fantasy
2/5 - Characters
2/5 - Story
2.75/5 - Rating
3/5 - High Fantasy
2/5 - Characters
2/5 - Story
2.75/5 - Rating
March 8, 2023
More bad babe hack n slash swords and sorcery from Dynamite Entertainment. This is one of my fave Sonja series', and it's a treat to re-read it. I used to have a bunch of the original issues with the awesome Parillo covers, but unfortunately I sold them. I may still have a couple. End of story arc. On to TPB #3.
August 31, 2013
A nice self-contained story. Much less rushed and compressed than the previous volume.
September 19, 2016
A good suspenseful tale with a twist a didn't see coming.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews