The last issue of this series hinged on one thing: Red Sonja taking a dude’s jewels. Yah, it’s brutal, but it was all in the shadow of a dark and mysterious tower that’s turned people mad with sin.
This issue has a big cliffhanger that’ll make your jaw drop. Is it good?
Red Sonja: The Black Tower #2 (Dynamite Entertainment)
Okay, so last issue introduced a story about Red Sonja coming upon a town that had a black tower with purple windows simply appear out of thin air. Since the tower arrived people have become violent and controlling of one another. The last issue set that up, and then mostly focused on a street fight where Sonja took some peoples’ arms, testicles and eyes.
This issue takes place years later, and the dude who lost his balls is now ruler. Thanks primarily to the mysterious tower this town became the new Sodom, with violence, sex and debauchery the name of the game. The man that no longer has a sword has finally captured Sonja to enact his vengeance; she’s not only lost an eye since they last encountered one another, but she’s looking extra pissed she’s been captured at all.
I guess her job is to just stand around and look pretty?
Writer Frank Tieri takes Sonja to a whole new place in this issue and I’m pretty sure every single Red Sonja fan should crack this one open just to see how far he goes. I don’t want to spoil anything, but for a series that’s always been slightly steeped in fantasy, a decidedly science fiction bent is encountered by issue’s end. Besides that we have ourselves the regular “They don’t think Sonja has a chance” to “Oh no they underestimated her” storyline. Blood flies, Sonja kicks ass and we even get a weird dinosaur monster fight too. It’s very run of the mill outside the premise of this tower, which is still very cool. A very odd choice to stay away from the mystery of the tower in this issue, but I guess Tieri wanted it to be more of a background element… at least until the next issue.
The art by Cezar Razek looks a bit rushed since last issue, but it’s still good. The fight sequence is very well choreographed and the opening pages to show the debauchery are very good. The man is excellent at drawing the human form, sexy women and fighting. He does however need a little work when it comes to monsters. The dinosaur monster is silly and is straight out of some 10 year old fan fiction. It appears for a very brief three pages though so not too much harm is done.
Chaos!
Is It Good?
Call me crazy, but this issue lost my interest until the twist ending. The action is good enough to get you through, but damn is that next issue highly anticipated!
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