Karavansara

East of Constantinople, West of Shanghai


7 Comments

A very fit 50-something: Red Sonja’s 50th anniversary

Red Sonja (with a J), sometimes known as She-Devil with a Sword, debuted in 1973, fore Marvel Comics – written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith.

The character was a very free interpretation of the character Red Sonya (with a Y), that appeared in a single Robert E. Howard story, The Shadow of the Vulture, published in The Magic Carpet Magazine in January 1934. The story is currently reprinted in the excellent Sword Woman and other Historical Adventures, by DelRey Books.


The comic book Sonja had a long and distinguished career as a Marvel character, before being retired in the mid ’80s (there was an extra one-shot story in the ’90s). Sonja went on to star in an abysmally silly movie, portrayed by the statuesque but wooden Brigitte Nielsen, and starred in a series of six paperback novels, penned by Richard L. Tierney, with covers by Boris Vallejo.
(confessions of a sword & sorcery fan: I first discovered Red Sonja, in the mid-80s, via the Boris covers – so sue me)


2023 marks therefore the 50th anniversary of the coming of Red Sonja and Dynamite Entertainment (that revived the character in 2005) is offering a HUGE collection of digital comics via the Humble Bundle platform. For less than 17 quid, you get 21 collections – for a total of over 100 individual volumes – featuring the She-Devil with a Sword. Part of the money will go to a charity – in this case, the Hero Initiative, benefiting comic artists.


Great value for money, I think – especially considering the selection includes three volumes of Marvel reprints and a couple of weird cross-overs and stand-alones.
Because yes, reader, I purchased it – and I am toying with the idea of doing a Red Sonja 50th Anniversary reading somewhere. Who knows, someone might be interested.


2 Comments

Researching the Cimmerian

It is always good when a new job provides the opportunity to go back to a character we love. Right now, I am struggling with doctor John Watson’s voice as I try and finish my first Sherlock Holmes pastiche (the editor’s waiting), but in the meantime, I’ve had to dug out a few books about my old friend Conan the Cimmerian.

Of the various books, none is as thorough as GURPS Conan, but certainly none is as gorgeous as Roy Thomas’ huge Conan – The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Most Savage Barbarian (classy title, uh?), that has been sitting here on my shelf for ages, waiting for the right moment to be something more than a private pleasure, and turn into a research item.

Continue reading