Dynamite Entertainment has announced that the She-Devil With a Sword is set to heat up the summer with the launch of the new prestige series Red Sonja: Black, White, Red, with the first issue set to feature stories from Kurt Busiek and Benjamin Dewey, Amanda Deibert and Cat Staggs, and Mark Russell and Bob Q.
In the first issue, the legendary Kurt Busiek returns to the Hyborean Age for his first ever Red Sonja story. Alongside frequent collaborator Benjamin Dewey, the duo take readers to the Mountains of Night, a foreboding haunt that calls Sonja to it, in search of a precious artifact.
“I’ve gotten to roam around in the Hyborean Age before, and even wrote Kulan Gath in Avengers. But the one part of those classic comics that I never got to write was Red Sonja,” said writer Kurt Busiek. “So it’s great to have a chance to correct that, and do a full-on Sonja story, where we can showcase what makes her great — her quick wits, her anger and her unique way of dealing with the world’s rough edges. Plus, it’s always a joy to work with Ben Dewey, and we came up with a way to use the limited palette that I think will be very striking.”
Artist Benjamin Dewey shared, “Seeing the element of full color stripped away lets me and Kurt emphasize what the Red in Red Sonja means; it’s her hair, spilled blood, and any other special feature we want to showcase. It’s like listening to a great song when everything in the arrangement drops out suddenly to isolate the bass for a breakdown section, feature a soulful a capella vignette, or launch into a blazing guitar solo.”
Amanda Deibert (Wonder Woman) and Cat Staggs (Smallville) step to the plate with a mysterious adventure of crimson and ebony. The power couple bring an exciting level of close collaboration to the fierce sword and sorcery icon.
“I think most of us are drawn to heroes who fight for the underdog and at her heart, Red Sonja is a character who protects, defends, and gets revenge for those who cannot,” said Amanda Deibert. “That is deeply appealing to me as a writer.”
“I am really looking forward to the limited palette,” said Cat Staggs. “This kind of dynamic can create some striking imagery and make the impact that much stronger. It will be really fun.”
Last but certainly not least, fans of the She-Devil with a Sword will be excited to see the return of Eisner-nominated writer Mark Russell (Fantastic Four, Second Coming) and artist Bob Q (Way of X, Champions) to put their final stamp on the character with an unforgettable coda to their beloved recent run.
“She’s a warrior who’s been forced into violence because of her past,” said Mark Russell. “I think of her as sort of being like Clint Eastwood in the Outlaw Josey Wales. Someone who didn’t choose this way of life so much as it chose her, but now she knows nothing else. When I write her, I try to make space for that sense of fatalism.”
Collaborator Bob Q added, “You’d think that limiting the palette would be extremely limiting, but I find that when I have to play within specific boundaries that’s when technique, rendering approach, etc. starts to come into play, and there’s a TON of options in that arena.”
Red Sonja: Black, White, Red #1 will go on sale in July 2021.
