Red Sonja #75
Written by Eric Trautmann
Pencils by Marcio Abreu
Colors by Salvatore Aiala Studios
Lettered by Simon Bowland
Covers by Mel Rubi, Erik Jones and Walter Geovani
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 22, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Red Sonja #75 is the last issue of Dynamite Entertainment’s longest running title. Although the series ends on an OK note story wise, in my opinion, it deserved a much better send off than it got.

Writer Eric Trautmann gives us a pretty satisfying ending to the latest story line within the title, but for a title that’s been coming out for the last 8 years, I wanted something WAY more out of this issue than just a last chapter to a the latest 6 month story line. The issue is about 99% war between Sonja and her army against Omaju and his. With, a surprise enemy thrown in for good measure and “shock” value. Again, what it fails to deliver is an ending to the SERIES or this chapter in her life. It’s simply just a turning point in Sonja’s life. This could’ve been issue #34 or #58 or any other natural story break. Simply put, the issue was good. Just not good enough.

Artist Marcio Abreu is where most of my problem with the issue lies. He’s good at drawing Red Sonja herself, but as far as other characters, places and things go, he’s not that great. In my opinion Abreu is a better cover artist than a sequential artist. He fills the book with splash pages, but when ever he needs to tell a linear story, you can see where his weaknesses really lie, and that’s a shame, because I see a bright future ahead for him in the comics industry if he keeps at it. You can definitely tell that he was taught by Ed Benes, but I hope over time he develops a style all his own.

I’m really glad that Dynamite is launching a new series later this year. Unfortunately what should’ve ended with a bang, ended with a whimper.

UPDATE: I guess I hadn’t done my research correctly, because it was brought to my attention that this is, in fact, NOT the last issue for this Red Sonja title. Now, this actually changes my opinion on the book quite a bit, as you can imagine. As an ending to a STORY ARC, this issue serves its purpose pretty darn well. Yes, the book still has things that I didn’t care for, that could’ve been done better, but when so much isn’t hanging on this issue, it’s perfectly good ending for the story line.