Lady Rawhide #1
Written by Eric Trautmann
Art by Milton Estevam
Colors by Dinei Ribeiro
Letters by Marshall Dillon
Cover by Joseph Michael Linsner
Edited by Joseph Rybandt
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 7, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Lady Rawhide #1 really surprised me. I’m a big fan of Zorro and his universe, but in the past, Lady Rawhide was basically the Catwoman to his Batman. That has really changed in this new incarnation from Dynamite Entertainment.

I’ve been a fan of writer Eric Trautmann for a little while. Actually, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with him. I LOVED his work on the excellent Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist miniseries. He was doing such a great job on that book, I was really hoping that it would turn into an ongoing series. Then, I didn’t really care at all for his Red Sonja issues. So, when I heard he was writing another book with a female lead, I was more than a bit skeptical. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by this issue. It wasn’t just good, it was GREAT!!!

Red Sonja #78
Story by Brandon Jerwa
Pencils by Sergio Fernandez Davila
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Lucio Parillo
Edited by Joseph Rybandt
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: July 3, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Red Sonja #78 starts, just how I like my comics to start. In the thick of things and with enough action to fill TWO blockbuster summer action movies!!

Brandon Jerwa continues this five part story line with a middle chapter that is chock full of story and action, and some pretty epic twists and turns. As this issue begins, we’re in the thick of battle between Sonja and her crew are battling the forces of the oncoming Lord Dracula. That’s right, kids. DRACULA. Yes, that one. Now, these two have battled before but never like this. This is a full out all hands on deck throw down between Sonja and Dracula. And it’s EPIC. This is one of the best issues of Red Sonja that I’ve read in a long time, and that’s saying something because I’ve certainly read my fair share of them. Some great story telling by Jerwa, here.

Red Sonja #76
Written by Brandon Jerwa
Art by Sergio Fernandez Davila
Colors by Salvatore Aiala Studios
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Lucio Parrillo
Edited by Joseph Rybandt
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 29, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Red Sonja #76 begins a brand new five issue story arc by new writer Brandon Jerwa. Some BIG things happen this issue, and as usual, I’m not going to tell you what they are, but I WILL tell you why you should pick this book up!

Brandon Jerwa begins his run with a bang!! It’s unusual that a new writer can shake things up this much. The story starts as a normal Red Sonja adventure, but Jerwa incorporates some mystery into the action, which is a very welcome change and addition to the title. The action, which is plentiful, is fast and hugely entertaining. In this issue, through happenstance, he turns the heroin into a villain while still keeping the readers just as confused as Red Sonja. It all leads to a fantastic last page reveal that not only solves the mystery, but gets the reader VERY excited for the next issue.

Red Sonja #74
Written by Eric Trautmann
Pencils by Marcio Abreu
Colors by Salvatore Aiala Studios
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Walter Geovani
Edited by Joseph Rybrandt
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: April 17, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Red Sonja #74 is CLASSIC sword & sorcery stuff! It’s a really fantastic book that took me back to reading this title and Conan when I was a kid. Classic stuff, told with modern storytelling.

Eric Trautmann does a great job here with the script and the overall story, which has been building for some time now. This is the penultimate chapter of both the story AND the series, so it’s fitting that he would choose to tell a “gather everyone for the big fight” tale. A bunch of mysteries are explained, things get heavy with the villains chasing Sonja & company, and it’s a perfect cliffhanger ending to lead up to the next issue.

Red Sonja Unchained #1
Story by Peter V. Brett
Pencils by Jack Jadsen
Colors by Marcelo Pinto
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Mel Rubi & Walter Geovani
Edited by Joseph Rybandt
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: February 13, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Red Sonja: Unchained #1 is a different kind of Red Sonja comic than we’ve had in a while. It has many of the classic elements we’ve come to know, love, and expect from a Red Sonja book, but it’s got a little bit more that makes this a great start to this comic series.

I’m not sure where writer Peter V. Brett‘s tale takes place continuity-wise, but it seems like Sonja is a little bit older here. Not as old as say, Queen Sonja, and by no means near the end of her life, but it seems like she’s more experienced about the facts of life and is a little more battle weary and skeptical about life. This is a really entertaining story about Sonja and her falling ass-backwards into a plan to rob a hidden tomb of its riches. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Half the book is an awesome fight between Sonja and a group of barbarian wanderers that are (naturally) up to no good. Any more story details than that would be spoiling, so I recommend you pick this one up and find out for yourself.