Red Sonja #10: Unworthy of the Axe

Once more we follow up on the ongoing war between the Zamoran forces and Queen Sonja the Red. Though the war has seemingly ground to a complete halt, there is fight in the Hyrkanians yet, and Sonja will undoubtedly lead the charge.

But when?

That seems to be the ongoing question in this latest reboot of Red Sonja. When is $#!* going to hit the fan? I’ve been a fan of the endgame storytelling of the series so far, but this is the first issue that I really found myself wondering just when things were going to really pick up. Now that we have found once Queen Sonja the Red abandoned and in a truly dark place psychologically, the series feels poised to explode at any moment. It’s just a matter of when.

Outside of the pacing of this issue, it really is a pleasure to read. The moving pieces of this expansive war have been a real treat to follow and things are starting to finally line up. So issue #10 of Red Sonja does hit on some enjoyable notes, especially as we find Sonja searching for something extra inside herself that we haven’t really had a chance to see yet. I understand the process thus far is necessary in order to get her to that point, I only wish it could have happened with a bit more action thrown in for good measure.

The visuals are akin to the storytelling in this issue, mainly because there just aren’t many chances to truly shine given the nature of the story unfolding. The expressions are dynamic enough and the colors for the backgrounds work excellently, but it just leaves a bit to be desired. The pacing doesn’t create a flow that typically punctuates a Red Sonja book. This might be a contributing factor to the low point being experienced by the Hyrkanians, but it also comes at a particular cost to readers as well.

While I am still very much on board for what this series is offering, Red Sonja #10 was just not as exciting as previous issues. In a series focusing on a long-term arc, that can be particularly dangerous waters to tread. Despite this, it’s still fun to read just to follow up on these characters and their rather dramatic situations!