Me, Red Sonja & Gail Simone

In comics there is no shortage of strong and capable female characters, in fact, that statement is the majority of the reason I fell in love with the comics medium in the way that I did. Most of my early comic collecting was because I would spend hours upon end digging through dollar bins, always bringing home a fat stack of comics with each one having a gorgeous and powerful woman gracing the cover.

It would affect my comic pulls later on (and still does to this day) and it would only be a matter of time before I discovered and inevitably fell in love with the She-Devil known as Red Sonja.

There she stood, giant sword in hand with hair that looked like fire. Even just donning a chainmail bikini the sense of power radiated off her. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to be with her or be like her (but we’ll talk more on that later)

It was Gail Simone’s famous run on Red Sonja, with those gorgeous covers by Jenny Frison (where’s my Wonder Woman/Red Sonja crossover!) and ridiculously powerful interiors by Walt Geovani that I had my first experience with the She-Devil of Hyrkania. Almost immediately, I fell in love with that warrior woman.

Red Sonja, was bold and brash, strong, unrelenting, and seemingly unstoppable when she put her mind to it. A likable and even loveable character from the first few pages alone. Gail Simone had twisted and transformed the warrior’s backstory. Removing the horrifying elements of rape from her origin story, in the 2014 run of Red Sonja it would instead be depicted that Sonja, the daughter of Hyrkania’s chief would be the sole surviving member after her village is slaughtered by vicious raiders. This would fuel her quest for revenge and her journey into becoming one of the most powerful warriors the world had ever known.

Yet as displayed in Simone and Geovani’s first arc when Sonja comes face to face with the self-proclaimed “Dark Annisia” a woman from Sonja’s past and someone whom she considered a sister, we start to see the warrior stagger displaying moments of relatable vulnerability. Throughout their conflict, we’re given glimpses into their past, as the women shared moments of pain during their time in a Zamoran slave pit as contenders for a cruel gladiatorial arena. These moments took Red Sonja, a punishing force to be reckoned with, and transformed her into a character, even a woman that I could relate to during times of weakness.

The She-Devil would be pushed even further during the first arc when it would be revealed that she was the carrier of an ill-omened plague in which no one could recover from. From there she would become an outcast, forced to live out her few remaining days as a mere shell of the warrior we knew. Believed to be on the doorstep of death Red Sonja was mere moments away from giving up entirely. Yet even in her worst moments, she persisted.

Without fail Red Sonja’s strength and perseverance became my own. I felt like no matter how many times I was knocked down I could get back up and continue.

At one point during the ongoing series a friend lightheartedly joked with me that the only reason I loved the series the way I did was because of how extremely reminiscent the ongoing plot was of Mass Effect 2, which was and still is my favorite video game series of all time. Now I know what you’re thinking. Mars, how could a sword and sorcery book like Red Sonja ever be comparable to a series like Mass Effect, a future bending sci-fi RPG adventure.

Well, I’m glad you asked.

In Gail Simone’s second arc of Red Sonja, compiled across issues #7-12 and entirely collected in the series second trade, Red Sonja is tasked by a dying emperor to track and bring forth six great artisans so that he may throw a grand celebration prior to his ill-timed and inevitable death. With the promise of freedom for over a thousand slaves, Sonja sets out to find and deliver a courtesan, a dancer, a stargazer, a swordsman, a beastmaster and a chef.

Over the course of six issues, Red Sonja does as promised, coming face to face with each artesian, tackling the difficulty at hand until they agree to return to Samala’s great feast. Each moment adds for some really great character development, and even at times helps to delve into the She-Devil’s past. We see instances of broken gender roles and stereotypes, religious influences questioned and more, taken on by the creative team. Without a doubt, if you’re looking to jump into Red Sonja for the first time without feeling overwhelmed by the literal hundreds of stories for the character, this is always the arc I recommend.

But back to Mass Effect 2 and more importantly it’s connection with Red Sonja.

In Mass Effect 2 a majority of the gameplay is spent jumping from location to location meeting and teaming up with various specialists to assist you in a suicidal final mission. So you see where I’m getting at.

Now I’m a sucker for found families, it’s one of my favorite tropes so you can see why this Red Sonja story is particularly special for me. Across these six issues our warrior slowly develops personal bonds with each artisan, and these characters even play a larger role in the series conclusion in its third arc. It’s one of the few times Sonja has ever felt rooted to a cast of characters whereas most one-shots and even extended stories featuring the She-Devil tend to feel undynamic and one dimensional as far as characterization is involved. Just let it be known that I would give anything to see Red Sonja make a return to her found family even if just for a single issue.

In the series third and final arc Red Sonja finds herself coming face to face with her greatest challenge yet. Herself. While aiding a small village, the warrior would soon find herself on the trail of the man she loathes most in the world. The sole remaining member of the marauders who slaughtered her family. Yet in her quest for revenge and inevitable mental peace she slowly begins to lose herself to the darkness.

Finding herself on the brink of death once more, this time Red Sonja finds herself in an internal battle for her life against the wickedness that had been stilled within her all along. It would be her greatest battle yet and all we as readers can do is watch in the hope that our warrior will prevail one last time.

These last few issues would be a fitting conclusion to our epic as key moments and elements from previous issues would return giving our red-haired warrior the ending she deserved. Few books can do what Simone and Geovani have done in giving us a satisfying finale after being along for Red Sonja's journey so long.

And of course, before I wrap things up don't think I forgot how I said I couldn't tell if I wanted to be Red Sonja or be with her. Well believe it or not there are more than a few panels that Sonja’s sexuality is questioned. While not bare-bones confirmed, it’s a little less than subtle when it comes down to the fact that the warrior falls somewhere on the bisexual spectrum. That brothel scene should be enough to make it obvious.

As a bisexual woman myself, it meant everything to see this come from a character who felt like she was originally created with the intention of the male gaze. In fact, throughout the entirety of Gail Simone’s run, it felt like a character we were taking back. Red Sonja wasn’t just a woman in a scantily clad bikini anymore, she was a warrior worthy of everyone.

Throughout the 18 issue series, there would be several transformative moments from the creative team. These moments elevated the character to something more than we had seen in the 40 years since her creation. It put the name Red Sonja on a lot of pull lists, and the front of people’s reading stacks. Suddenly it felt like everyone was talking about Red Sonja and with good reason and intention.

I love Red Sonja. I love the strength, passion, and perseverance she inspires. Sometimes I wonder if it wasn’t for Gail Simone’s transformational iteration on the character If I would have fallen in love with Red Sonja in the way that I did and I hate even considering as such.

But it’s probably true.

So with a final wrap up if you haven’t already read Gail Simone and Walt Geovani’s run on Red Sonja I implore you to do so. With 18 issues compiled in three trades, it makes for the perfect binge-worthy series to catch up on during the Corona Quarantine.

And Gail if by some miracle you read this. Thank you.

Why I Stopped Loving the Rat Queens

The year is 2014. I’m still just dipping my toes into comics, still very unsure I'm just igniting my passion and love for the medium. I’m over eager to hit up my local comic shop the minute the doors open each and every Wednesday. At this point, I’m still pretty much exclusive to reading DC Comics, but there on the enticing ten-dollar introductory Image rack is the entire trade paperback of Rat Queens, first five issues and all. 

If you haven’t read Rat Queens, the fan favored Image Series heavily inspired by Dungeons and Dragons tropes and themes would tell the story of four eclectic women and both the escapades and misadventures they would have. While on the surface Rat Queens seemed simple, darker and more complex themes of identity would be explored throughout its issues. It even featured a prominent trans character (Braga I still love you). It was a story filled with heart along with moments and dialogue that would make you laugh out loud. 

One by one I fell in love with those girls, and I fell fast. Hannah, the Elven mage, fiercely devoted to her friends while simultaneously shutting herself off from everyone as she harbored a dark past. Dee, a human cleric, ironically identifying as an atheist, so unsure of her place in the world. Violet, the angry Dwarven warrior, and the one I personally related to the most as she rebelled against her family’s values and traditions to carve her own path. And of course, the Smidgen Betty because, well who can’t love a character like Betty, always so positive and full of fun. Together these girls would come together, each of them with their own flaws to form a family of their own. Through the good and the bad, they were always there for another. I had such a personal stake in this book and its characters. These girls felt like the sisters I never knew, and I loved and connected with each one.

I immediately found myself shoving this book into the hands of anyone who would read it. I found myself purchasing multiple copies, gifting it to friends and lending it to coworkers that would never return my book, and that was fine if it meant I got to buy another copy in support of my new favorite series.

Which made things so much harder when Rat Queens would eventually break my heart.

Unfortunately, there’s no lack of controversy when it comes to the series. Rat Queens' initial artist and co-creator Roc Upchurch would be rightfully removed from the book after allegations of domestic abuse would arise. Stjepan Sejic would take up the open position before ultimately leaving the series after only two issues and not being able to keep up with his hectic schedule. The role would ultimately fall to Tess Fowler and Tamara Bonvillain as part of the ongoing team, or so it was thought. Rumors went around that Roc Upchurch and co-creator and writer Kurtis J. Weibe were “conspiring” Roc’s ongoing involvement in the series and even a return at its helm.

Amidst a public and might I add quite heartbreaking falling out between Fowler and Weibe right in the middle of an arc it seemed like Rat Queens would cease to exist.

The series would eventually go on hiatus, with Fowler and Weibe moving onto other projects, Weibe would even going on to write a sci-fi series from Darkhorse Comics called Bounty (Despite its gorgeous art the series was awful by the way) that felt oddly reminiscent of Rat Queens. To add insult to injury the creator would publicly announce that he had no intention of returning to Rat Queens as his love and passion for the girls was extinguished. Now I’ll give Weibe credit here. On previous rereads of the series it's evident that as time would go by its the story and by extension it’s characters would weaken up until its abrupt end.

Which is why when Rat Queens would apparently receive a “reboot” a mere 3 months after Bounty’s finale that things just didn’t feel right. Rather than meet this new Rat Queens as a sweet reunion it honestly felt like a cash grab from its creator. After all, at it’s prime, Rat Queens could be argued as one of Image Comics' best new series if not at least one of it’s most talked about. I was hesitant about picking up the new first issue, but my love for these girls outweighed any uncertainty I might have had. I found myself stumbling and confused as to where our story fit within the universe. It didn’t help that Rat Queens was ever marketed as a reboot. and when I reached out to Kurtis J Weibe via Twitter out of love for this book, on where our Queens stood considering the previous series shocking finale, that I was met with a cold response (which Wiebe has since deleted after relaunching his Twitter). After confirmed said reboot I was then essentially told my opinion didn’t matter and if I didn’t like I could stop reading the book.

To be just a tad dramatic, that single tweet was devastating. I loved these girls. Violet, our stubborn headed dwarf, who I looked to as a hero inspired me with the strength and courage to fight even when it felt like I didn’t belong I had framed art I had bought from conventions hanging on my walls and at one point I had even considered getting a Rat Queens inspired tattoo. Guess I dodged that bullet.

While the response from Weibe surprised me at the same time it should have been a little expected. He didn’t love these girls anymore. That issue alone was proof enough when he blatantly replaced them with male doppelgangers making it feel like the Queens alone weren’t good enough.

I’ll be honest when I say I haven’t read a new issue since Issue one of the Rat Queens “reboot”, and returning to previous stories of the Queens feels tainted as if I’m able to watch the stories I loved decay into nothing. Reading reviews from those that have seen the story through have only confirmed it feels like things have only gone from bad to worse. From choppy and unfinished storylines to inconsistent and at times bad art it feels like a nightmare. But there is a silver lining. As of June 2019, Weibe has left the book (a little odd considering his role as a co-creator) and with issue #16 the series would be helmed by the series letterer as it’s new writer, with its original creator cutting ties with the Queens completely to create a publishing company of his own.

While this gives me hope that the Rat Queens can return to form, it leaves me even more hesitant as before. I may have taken this series more personal than most, but these girls meant the world to me and impacted my life in a way I didn't expect. I know I’ll never be able to love the Rat Queens the way I did before but I hope that one day, maybe one day I can love them again. Until then I only wish the best for Violet, Dee, Hannah, and Betty along with their new creative team.