Title: Red Sonja/Conan: The Blood of a God
Author:
Victor Gischler, Roberto Castro
Genre:
Graphic Novel, Fantasy, High Fantasy
Series: Red Sonja/Conan (#1-4)
A
few starting notes:
I
received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.
NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair
and honest reviews.
This is a crossover between the wonderful she-warrior, Red Sonja, and Conan (i.e. the Barbarian,) which I really was looking forward to (swords and battles and two legends together, what could be better?)
Premise:
Red Sonja and Conan combine (mercenary) forces to defeat the foul schemes of an evil sorcerer - Kal'Ang; is there more to this battle than there seems?
Best
bits:
Nothing does barbarian sword-and-sorcery quite like Red Sonja or Conan do; and if that's your shtick (guilty, as charged!) then look no further than this book.
I also love the art - well executed, and in some places verging on beautiful; certainly striking, though the covers (including the cover gallery included in this volume) are variable in both quality and the amount of anatomy on show.
And the characters rock: that is the major strength here.
Both Red Sonja and Conan (wearing his hair in a heavy-metal style-y - as all the barbarians are doing these days,) are strong and admirable characters, who, quite simply, take no sh**.
Not
so great bits:
I felt like the story could've done with just a touch more fleshing-out. It was nearly there but there was just something missing - I honestly couldn't tell you what.
And I'm going to say it again. And I will keep saying it until it is no longer true. Sonja is over-sexualised in this book.
True, Conan wears very little clothing (though let's be honest, this is for the male aspirational angle rather than anything sexy,) but Sonja nearly pops out of her tiny coverings more than once - and please don't get me started on the horrendous posing, and the cringe-worthy flirting with Conan. (Sigh.)
Also, I imagine chain-mail wedgies are uncomfortable. Just saying.
Oh, and the gore, violence, swearing, and sexual content won't be to everyone's taste (though I honestly don't care.)
Verdict:
I enjoyed this book thoroughly - sturdy sword-and-sorcery fare that's well implemented and excellently illustrated.
I still have issues - but I still love Red Sonja in particular. I just wish she was treated in a way that's worthy of her awesomeness.
I asked my sister for a little back story on those two characters before I read your review because she seems to know all about this sort of thing! It sounds like this was a pretty good comic with a few short points, but mostly good!
ReplyDeleteI *adore* the characters - which is why I end up ranting about the way they're portrayed - they deserve better :)
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