Red Sonja Vol. 3: Children's Crusade

Red Sonja Vol. 5 (Collected Editions)

by Mark Russell, Bob Quinn (Artist)

Year Two of MARK RUSSELL's epic tale kicks off here, joined by artist BOB Q (Captain America, Fantastic Four). In this issue: Sonja The Red has won. Now comes the impossible part...

Sonja is queen but has nothing. She will wager everything to save her people.

Genres: Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2022

About the author

Mark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonja finds a lover

I wasn’t sure what sort of lover Sonja would accept. Well, it’s a bro. And it’s different to have a few love scenes in a story given over to war, scheming and betrayal, with Sonja fighting to save her destitute people in the midst of it all.

3.75


OTHER REVIEWS

"This book continues to be one of the most exciting ongoing series currently on the market." - MONKEYS FIGHTING ROBOTS

"Russell's storytelling has me eager to see each new chapter and Bob Q's duration on the book is always welcome with a solid grasp on how to present this world in tone and style."
- THE FANDOM POST

"Red Sonja continues its strong run with another beautifully illustrated issue centered around the difficult choices that must be made in times of war.” - COMIC WATCH

[Timo · Rating 1 out of 5]

So sad state has reached Sonja. And this time, it is not Sonja's life but the quality of comic itself.
Way too much flashbacks made story hard to follow, clumsy simplistic art crappy to watch and since when did Sonja drop her moral not to have sex with men who has not won her in battle?

[Julia Cannistra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Good Volume of Red Sonja

Good writing and art that are consistent with the previous two volumes. Same issues with occasional dialogue that doesn’t fit well within the Hyborian age. Additionally, there’s something that Red Sonja does that’s not in fitting with the canon I’m familiar with - Dynamite’s original series. I don’t want to write it, as it’s potential spoilers. It might be a non-issue if you aren’t familiar with their original run.

Alternate covers are included. Some are beautiful, some are mediocre.

Overall, I have enjoyed this run and would recommend it. I’d score it around an 8/10.

It seems that the major conflict is competed, but the story does continue into a fourth volume and it’s unclear what’s in store moving forward. I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far, so I will continue reading.

[Daniel Kovacs Rezsuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not as strong as the previous two story arcs were, the Children's Crusade is still a fresh and profound take on rusty old sword and sorcery tropes. The series invigorated my interest in the future of the character and the genre as a whole, but I just learned that Russell had cut all ties with Dynamite Entertainment due to the publisher ComicsGate connections back in 2020. It's their loss. This run could have been an excellent basis for great things to come, no matter how hard toxic anti-fans pretend it was awful.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though Red Sonja won her war, the people have no food. She heads to another nation to beg for food and the tyrant prince puts her in charge of his armies in exchange for food for her people. The only problem is that all the able bodied men have already died leaving her with boys for soldiers. It's a unique take on the nature of war and if it's worth it. I will say that things get settled a little too quickly. Bob Quinn's art is good too.

[BookishDramas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fresh pastures

Sonja learns the pangs and pains of being a queen.
The sad side effects of war on the people and country is part of the debate here.
People have no food in Hyrkania and Sonja has to solve her people's problems.
There is another tyrant in the story and a tryst with Sonja's old destiny.
The story meanders on occasions.

[Luana · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Russell's) Sonja's musings on war and civilization would do Howard proud for sure. This almost feels like a Malazan Book of the Fallen plotline excised from that series and given its own comic book adaptation. It's so good that Sonja has a heterosexual romance and I am fully on board with it. That takes some goddamn writerly skill, lemme tell ya!

[Pepe · Rating 3 out of 5]

El mejor arco de esta serie con diferencia. Por fin se da cierta profundidad a algunos personajes,tampoco muchos,pero en los anteriores la.accion era tan acartonada que este volumen es infinitamente superior.

[Mariano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best volume yet. Really cool story and even Bob Q's narrative feels better than the previous issues. Almost a standalone story with a lot of Gameofthrony twists and turns. Too bad there is only one volume left 😔

[John Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dull follow-up to the previous arc.