“Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword #2” Review – A Swing and a Hit!

If you’re just catching up, the last issue of Rory McConville’s ended in a devastating plot twist! Her friend now dead, Red Sonja is left to protect Aretha on her own. Just how much more danger will the She-Devil find herself in as she takes on her deceased friend’s final crusade? And does this issue continue to help create a fun and interesting run? Let’s find out together in this week’s issue!

Writer: Rory McConville
Artist: Pablo De Bonis
Colorist: Salvatore Aiala Neto

The Writing

I feel like it’s safe to say that McConville once again killed it in this issue! In just the first few pages alone, he manages to sum up why Red Sonja has become one of my favorite characters in comics. Here, we first see her in a flashback where she’s set to be hanged for her insane list of crimes. Without going into too much detail, this sets up something for later in the issue.

That’s actually one of the things I wanted to talk about! In doing that with a flashback, McConville makes it clear that not a single thing in this run will be unimportant, no matter how small the detail. He truly surprised me with what he did, as I thought the initial moment in question was meant to just be a side gag. He proved me wrong and I couldn’t be happier about that.

He not only used the flashback as foreshadowing, but also as a juxtaposition to what came immediately after. Going from a more humorous moment to straight up gore and violence truly threw me for a loop in the best way. He does an utterly fantastic job here of leading the reader into a false sense of security before the reminder of how brutal Sonja’s world now is. This isn’t a comic for the faint of heart, and it’s a violent comic with depth.

The Art

I think my thoughts on the art can be quickly summed up: I need to see Pablo De Bonis on more books. There’s absolutely no other way to describe his work other than “striking”. It stands out in a truly amazing way and is such a perfect fit for the world and character. If you love bloody and brutal, De Bonis brings it when it’s needed, but shows the lush beauty when it’s called for.

His work is paired perfectly with the colors of Salvatore Aiala Neto. The colors throughout the book really work to make the art pop in a fantastic way. There’s one specific panel I love where everyone in the background is sort of greyed out, with Red Sonja being the only one in full color. This was a beautiful way to symbolize how important she is to those people. Give me more of that, please.

Final Thoughts

If you love Red Sonja, then I see no reason as to why you won’t love this! Rory McConville and crew are doing an utterly fantastic job at bringing this world to life in a new and exciting way. Full of suspense, humor, violence and fantastic artwork, “Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword” will keep you coming back for more.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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Comments

Are you a fan of Red Sonja? Have you been reading this new run? Let’s discuss in the comments below!