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Red Sonja: Black, White, Red #1-4
Red Sonja: Black, White, Red Volume 1
Dynamite proudly presents a prestige project by the world's greatest storytellers! Red Sonja, like you've NEVER seen before...all presented in beautiful black, white, and red!
KURT BUSIEK (Astro City, Marvels) and BENJAMIN DEWEY (King In Black: Namor) take you to The Mountains Of Night, a foreboding haunt where the She-Devil With A Sword seeks a precious, priceless item...
The Comic Industry's top writers and artists add to Red Sonja's legend with tales of action, adventure, horror and Romance in beautiful black, white, and red!
Get wound through a mysterious adventure of crimson and ebony...
Find an aging Queen Sonja, face-to-face with a long-forgotten foe who threatens to change the world for the worse...
Toss Sonja into a living sentient fungus bog, with no easy exit out...
Meet a creature from myth, with a craving for the blood of a She-Devil...
All these tales and more in, Red Sonja: Black White Red.
KURT BUSIEK (Astro City, Marvels) and BENJAMIN DEWEY (King In Black: Namor) take you to The Mountains Of Night, a foreboding haunt where the She-Devil With A Sword seeks a precious, priceless item...
The Comic Industry's top writers and artists add to Red Sonja's legend with tales of action, adventure, horror and Romance in beautiful black, white, and red!
Get wound through a mysterious adventure of crimson and ebony...
Find an aging Queen Sonja, face-to-face with a long-forgotten foe who threatens to change the world for the worse...
Toss Sonja into a living sentient fungus bog, with no easy exit out...
Meet a creature from myth, with a craving for the blood of a She-Devil...
All these tales and more in, Red Sonja: Black White Red.
- GenresFantasyGraphic Novels
136 pages, Hardcover
Published March 29, 2022
6 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Kurt Busiek
1,859 books626 followersKurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 27, 2024
A great book, and it's exactly what I expected from a Black White RED book starring Red Sonja. The hardcover art is great. The book contains 12 different medium-sized stories.
As with stories written and drawn by different artists, there are a couple of stories I enjoyed more than others (the Iron Queen and The Night She Arrived are my absolute favourites), but the reason this was 5 stars for me was I did enjoy each story.
If you are a fan of Red Sonja, you are probably expecting this book to bring violence, and it does. The book delivers for me, and I can't wait for volume 2. The book finishes with a cover gallery that includes all the variant covers of issues 1 - 4.
As with stories written and drawn by different artists, there are a couple of stories I enjoyed more than others (the Iron Queen and The Night She Arrived are my absolute favourites), but the reason this was 5 stars for me was I did enjoy each story.
If you are a fan of Red Sonja, you are probably expecting this book to bring violence, and it does. The book delivers for me, and I can't wait for volume 2. The book finishes with a cover gallery that includes all the variant covers of issues 1 - 4.
April 18, 2024
This...was...fabulous! Everything I could want from a Red Sonja collection. There are different artwork styles throughout. Some I liked better than others but for the most part I thought the artwork was stunning! I read this for free with Comixology Unlimited...but immediately ordered the hardcover versions for this and Volume 2 because I NEED them. So good...highly recommend.
October 28, 2025
A 'Red Sonja' anthology comic collection with the most gorgeous black, white and red colours. Really, all the artwork looks fantastic; there is not a single dud. And they tell some excellent, gruesome, and bloody brilliant epic tales.
My favourite mini-stories with the She-Devil are 'The Sorcerer of Shangara!', 'Seeing Red', 'Proelium Finalis', 'Edible', 'Small Tales', and 'The Iron Queen'. Then there's that speedrun of Gail Simone's entire arc for Sonja, with Walter Geovani's art (but when the hell did she have a baby?!).
I like nearly all of these epic, bloodstained, feminist and even funny medieval yarns. A few are kind of weird and end disjointedly and unsatisfactorily. I just wish there was more to the collection, and less of the cover gallery at the end, which is overabundant in every 'Red Sonja' comic volume ever. Could have used more overt LBGTQ+ content, as well.
Red Sonja as a character, as a durable icon, as a marching symbol of rebellion and bravery, is what is meant by the saying, "the stuff of legend". She's a merciless, menacing, overpowering, untouchable, unstoppable deadly force as a barbarian warrior, who is also cunning and caring when she needs to be. She has the brightest red in her hair, her blood, the blood on her weapons, sometimes on her lips, and in her heart. You, and by that I mean I, truly want to believe she is an immortal legend - in-story and one who transcends comics and pulp fiction - because of the awesomeness of her. She's a mythical hero worth admiring and idolising. There is so much complexity, and so many layers to her. She lends herself strikingly well to stories with feminist social commentary; she has more to offer than blades and boobs (*sigh*). Forget her forever impractical chainmail that isn't armour (when she's usually practical about everything else!), but do remember her love of pubs and booze. And sex and rabblerousing.
Red Sonja is, and always will be, her own hero and person, independent from anyone else. Even when she teams up with others, and in IP crossover events. Conan the Barbarian doesn't even exist to her anymore, and hasn't for decades.
Everyone she meets - every life, even the lives she ends up taking - is equal to her. Class, status, hierarchy, bureaucracy, power (im)balance, the corruption of politics, they do not matter to her. She serves nobody but herself. She lives her own life on her own terms. Whatever her religious proclivities varies from comic to comic, though seeing as most of them do establish gods actually existing in her world, her attitude towards certain deities depends on if they are "good" or "bad" gods. But regardless, Red Sonja will help any innocent who needs help (usually for coin or the promise of a tavern afterwards, but still, her moral compass works above capital), and will slay whatever threat to innocents' safety needs slaying. It is that simple to her.
'Red Sonja: Black, White, Red Volume 1' showcases many of these attributes of Red Sonja. It is the writers' and artists' tribute to the Red Devil. As a grand heroine who is indicative of the violence, death, tragedy, brutality, cruelty, and battles and wars throughout human history - the atrocities of man - but who manages to shine through all of that and become a symbol of humanity's hope, resilience and endurance. To overshadow that overshadowing. And to demonstrate that someone's capacity for kindness is not as deeply buried as they'd thought, no matter the pain, tragedy, hardship and darkness in their life.
Sonja is not a paradox (not a time paradox, either, but that's another matter entirely). She is not a literal devil. She is not a demon. She is human, trying her very best to survive in a cruel world, for herself, and for other people.
My favourite quotes in the treasure trove that is 'Red Sonja: Black, White, Red Volume 1':
'"'You ever meet a brainwashed person who was funny?"'
'"The role of the jester has always been to speak truth to power. [...] But to rule? [...] You must speak power in place of truth."'
'[...] The feeling that they are of service to some greatness they don't understand. [...] And the simplistic beauty of life under an uncast spell.'
'Whatever the BATTLEGROUND--whatever the foe... [...] I shall NEVER FALTER! [...] The world of men will not shrink or fail... [...] For it is led by a woman.'
'"[...] You don't want to be me, kid. Heroes are all alone. But you, you've got a chance to grow up with a family that loves you, with a village, a home. I think you should take it. [...] But if you do decide to become a hero... at least learn to use a weapon."'
'She is no royal figurehead. She is ill-suited to lead armies from behind, or to buy loyalty with speech or with gold. [...] She is a warrior. [...] She is the she-devil. [...] She is Red Sonja. [...] So will she ever be.'
A near-perfect holy grail of 'Red Sonja' tales. Recommended to fans of the fiery red heroine with the blade - the battle master (never a mistress, or a maiden, or a vixen, or a queen) of blood, debauchery, and justice and never giving up, never giving a shit. She is the warrior of hearts, in an ever-flowing river of ways.
Final Score: 4/5
My favourite mini-stories with the She-Devil are 'The Sorcerer of Shangara!', 'Seeing Red', 'Proelium Finalis', 'Edible', 'Small Tales', and 'The Iron Queen'. Then there's that speedrun of Gail Simone's entire arc for Sonja, with Walter Geovani's art (but when the hell did she have a baby?!).
I like nearly all of these epic, bloodstained, feminist and even funny medieval yarns. A few are kind of weird and end disjointedly and unsatisfactorily. I just wish there was more to the collection, and less of the cover gallery at the end, which is overabundant in every 'Red Sonja' comic volume ever. Could have used more overt LBGTQ+ content, as well.
Red Sonja as a character, as a durable icon, as a marching symbol of rebellion and bravery, is what is meant by the saying, "the stuff of legend". She's a merciless, menacing, overpowering, untouchable, unstoppable deadly force as a barbarian warrior, who is also cunning and caring when she needs to be. She has the brightest red in her hair, her blood, the blood on her weapons, sometimes on her lips, and in her heart. You, and by that I mean I, truly want to believe she is an immortal legend - in-story and one who transcends comics and pulp fiction - because of the awesomeness of her. She's a mythical hero worth admiring and idolising. There is so much complexity, and so many layers to her. She lends herself strikingly well to stories with feminist social commentary; she has more to offer than blades and boobs (*sigh*). Forget her forever impractical chainmail that isn't armour (when she's usually practical about everything else!), but do remember her love of pubs and booze. And sex and rabblerousing.
Red Sonja is, and always will be, her own hero and person, independent from anyone else. Even when she teams up with others, and in IP crossover events. Conan the Barbarian doesn't even exist to her anymore, and hasn't for decades.
Everyone she meets - every life, even the lives she ends up taking - is equal to her. Class, status, hierarchy, bureaucracy, power (im)balance, the corruption of politics, they do not matter to her. She serves nobody but herself. She lives her own life on her own terms. Whatever her religious proclivities varies from comic to comic, though seeing as most of them do establish gods actually existing in her world, her attitude towards certain deities depends on if they are "good" or "bad" gods. But regardless, Red Sonja will help any innocent who needs help (usually for coin or the promise of a tavern afterwards, but still, her moral compass works above capital), and will slay whatever threat to innocents' safety needs slaying. It is that simple to her.
'Red Sonja: Black, White, Red Volume 1' showcases many of these attributes of Red Sonja. It is the writers' and artists' tribute to the Red Devil. As a grand heroine who is indicative of the violence, death, tragedy, brutality, cruelty, and battles and wars throughout human history - the atrocities of man - but who manages to shine through all of that and become a symbol of humanity's hope, resilience and endurance. To overshadow that overshadowing. And to demonstrate that someone's capacity for kindness is not as deeply buried as they'd thought, no matter the pain, tragedy, hardship and darkness in their life.
Sonja is not a paradox (not a time paradox, either, but that's another matter entirely). She is not a literal devil. She is not a demon. She is human, trying her very best to survive in a cruel world, for herself, and for other people.
My favourite quotes in the treasure trove that is 'Red Sonja: Black, White, Red Volume 1':
'"'You ever meet a brainwashed person who was funny?"'
'"The role of the jester has always been to speak truth to power. [...] But to rule? [...] You must speak power in place of truth."'
'[...] The feeling that they are of service to some greatness they don't understand. [...] And the simplistic beauty of life under an uncast spell.'
'Whatever the BATTLEGROUND--whatever the foe... [...] I shall NEVER FALTER! [...] The world of men will not shrink or fail... [...] For it is led by a woman.'
'"[...] You don't want to be me, kid. Heroes are all alone. But you, you've got a chance to grow up with a family that loves you, with a village, a home. I think you should take it. [...] But if you do decide to become a hero... at least learn to use a weapon."'
'She is no royal figurehead. She is ill-suited to lead armies from behind, or to buy loyalty with speech or with gold. [...] She is a warrior. [...] She is the she-devil. [...] She is Red Sonja. [...] So will she ever be.'
A near-perfect holy grail of 'Red Sonja' tales. Recommended to fans of the fiery red heroine with the blade - the battle master (never a mistress, or a maiden, or a vixen, or a queen) of blood, debauchery, and justice and never giving up, never giving a shit. She is the warrior of hearts, in an ever-flowing river of ways.
Final Score: 4/5
December 31, 2022
overall very solid. there's a couple stories that aren't spectacular and the art quality ranges wildly from story to story, but the base level of quality is a lot higher than other red sonja books I've read. plus the costume that jonboy meyers puts her in absolutely slaps
March 15, 2023
So much red. Some great stories and adventures.
October 21, 2024
Dynamite has decided to jump in on the black, white and red game. Red Sonja does make a lot of sense here for it. My favorite story was the opener from Mark Russell and Bob Quinn. That's no surprise though considering they had a great run on Red Sonja itself.
January 16, 2025
Some entertaining short stories featuring one of the best redhead characters in the history of fantasy. The different art styles were incredibly well done and contribute to the lore of Red Sonja.
November 30, 2023
Red Sonja is an obvious choice for the black, white & red format, and this book doesn't disappoint even though the quality of the stories & art within varies. The first issue is great throughout both in terms of content and illustrations, and the third issue has two excellent silent stories. The second and fourth are weaker, but still contain two beautifully drawn stories, one by Jonboy Meyers and the other by Steve Beach. Overall, a great book to read and to own.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews