Red Sonja (2024)

Know also, O prince, that in those selfsame days that Conan the Cimmerian did stalk the Hyborian Kingdoms, one of the few swords worthy to cross with his was that of Red Sonja, warrior woman out of majestic Hyrkania. Forced to flee her homeland and because she spurned the advances of a king and slew him instead, she rode west across the Turanian Steppes and into the shadowed mists of legendry.

The Nemedian Chronicles

Red Sonja is a fictional fantasy swordswoman and adventurer, based on the heroine created by Robert E. Howard and adapted by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. Hailing from the Hyborian Age, Sonja was only seventeen when her family's home on the Hyrkanian steppes was attacked by bandits, leaving her the sole survivor. Swearing revenge, Red Sonja became a fierce and highly skilled warrior at the peak of human condition whose prowess with a sword is virtually unmatched.

Red Sonja debuted in 1973, and her adventures were told in comics published by Marvel Comics until 1986. Sonja was initially a supporting character in the stories of one of Howard's other creations, Conan the Barbarian, before getting her own comic book in 1975. In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment took over the license and have published Red Sonja comics ever since under a variety of creative teams. During this run, the original Red Sonja was killed off and replaced by a reincarnation until a soft-reboot starting in issue #50 by Eric Trautmann. In 2013, the series was rebooted again by Gail Simone with a new origin story. After this, each new main series writer uses a different version of Sonja. Red Sonja has also been featured in a variety of other media, including her own movie released in 1985, starring Brigitte Nielsen. An upcoming film is currently in development.

As originally told, Red Sonja's backstory included her being raped and beaten during the event that killed her family, and her powers were bestowed upon her by the goddess Scathach. Red Sonja also took a vow of chastity and vowed to never lie with a man who could not defeat her in battle. These elements were changed in Simone's 2013 reboot of the character, removing the sexual violence and giving the character more agency as she hones her skills and hunts down her family's murderers.

Red Sonja is also well known for her striking appearance. In addition to her red hair, Sonja is usually depicted in scale mail "bikini armor" which covers her modesty.

Character Origins[]

Red Sonja is a female swordmaster and adventurer, born to a humble family living on the western Hyrkanian steppes. When Sonja is seventeen, bandits raid her home, burning it to the ground and killing her family. Sonja tries to defend herself but is unable to wield her brother's sword. She is then raped by the leader of the bandits. Crying for revenge, Sonja is heard by the goddess Scathach who bestows on her incredible fighting prowess. However, in return for these skills, Sonja would never sleep with a man who could not first beat her in fair combat. Years later, an adult Sonja wastes her talents thieving, fighting, and drinking - trying in vain to drown her pain in blood and liquor. Sonja hunts the badlands of Hyrkania as a mercenary. At one point, she falls in with Ozzyus and his band of misfit mercenaries. As Ozzyus could never replace the father Sonja lost, she moves more jaded than before after a falling out where his moral flaws were laid bare.

Despite her nomadic tendencies, Sonja does have a quest - to find and kill those responsible for killing her family. Along the way, Sonja will settle for killing anyone who reminds her of her tormenters. Ultimately, she learns that her tormentors are agents of the dark sorcerer Kulan Gath, and their greatest goal is to return their master to the Hyborean world.Freeing the world from Kulan's oppression becomes her life's work. Until that is done, shecannot find closer, but along that journey, she develops into a master strategist and matures into a leader. In later years, she frees the kingdom of Sogoria from its oppression and rules it as queen. Throughout the years, a number of royals have offered her a throne, but she always turned it down; she will only sit on a throne she earns for herself.

Because of her history, Sonja has a large circle of compatriots from various backgrounds. She has allies in every land and tribe, but true friends she has few. Too many who have gotten close have died, she has been wounded too deep, so now she rarely lets anyone in.

There have been several incarnations of Sonja's origins beginning with her rape and herfamilies murder as depicted by Roy Thomas. Michael Oeming later revised this to incorporate the incident into her larger conflict with Kulan Gath - the killers now followers of Kulan's cult religion bent on returning him to this dimension through blood sacrifice. Gail Simone later reimagined her origin in 2013 to dispense with the sexual violence and give Sonja more agency; she escapes to hunt down her family's killers and take their lives one by one. These killers have no connection to any larger story. The attack on Sonja's family still occurs, but she is not raped during the assault. Simone's version of the character also does not get her fighting skills from divine intervention but rather learns them as a prisoner and gladiator in her youth. Without the aid of Scathach, Sonja also never undertakes her vow of chastity.

Publication History[]

Marvel Comics (1973—1986)[]

The character of Red Sonja first appeared in 1973, debuting in Conan the Barbarian #23. Writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith adapted Robert E. Howard's character Red Sonya of Rogatino, a female adventurer from the 1934 short story "The Shadow of the Vulture." Transporting the character from the short story's original 16th century setting to the Hyborian Age, Red Sonja became a contemporary of Howard's Conan. In 1975, after a seven-issue run headlining Marvel Feature, Red Sonja was spun-off into her own comic series. Marvel would continue publishing Red Sonja comics until 1995.

Novels and Film[]

Between 1981 and 1983, six Red Sonja novels were published by Ace with covers by Boris Vallejo. In 1985, the film Red Sonja was released with Brigitte Nielsen in the title role.

Dynamite Entertainment (2005—present)[]

In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment acquired the comic license and began publishing Red Sonja comics. In issue #34 of the first ongoing series, the original Red Sonja dies and is replaced by a reincarnation who is also a distant relative of the She-Devil with a Sword. This version of the character lasted until 2013. Gail Simone rebooted Red Sonja in 2013, changing the character's backstory to remove several elements including her rape at the hands of bandits.

Powers and Abilities[]

Peak-Level Athlete: In peak human physical condition and, on occasion has demonstrated low-level superhuman abilities. At her peak, Sonja can vault over a 12-foot-tall demon with ease, move more quickly than an opponent's eyes could follow, and snatch arrows out of the air. She's also strong enough to crush a human skull into dust between her palms.

Weapon Master: A virtually unparalleled sword-master, though she is nearly as proficient with other melee weapons and can gain expertise with unfamiliar ones with minimal training. She is an accomplished archer and demonstrates remarkable accuracy with any distance weapon. Sonja's mastery of arms includes being able to quickly improvise and construct weapons with any available materials at hand, so that even when seemingly disarmed, she is rarely weaponless.

Tracking: Red Sonja has spent much time traveling the diverse and dangerous landscape of the Hybornian age and is a gifted ranger and tracker. She can navigate and survive nearly any form of terrain and hunt down almost any quarry. She is also adept at covering her tracks and leaving little trace of her passing.

Stealth: Red Sonja possesses catlike grace and can move about in near-silence in order to avoid detection, making good use of shadows and any other available cover. She is also highly skilled at disguise, camouflage, and infiltration.

Other Abilities: Red Sonja's diverse physical skills include swimming, acrobatics, and escape artistry. She is a phenomenal climber, expert horseback rider and an accomplished sailor. Sonja is highly intelligent and resourceful and possesses a keen understanding of warfare and battle strategy. Her charisma makes her a natural leader when called upon, though she usually prefers to operate alone. While she distrusts magic, she is well acquainted with it and instinctively understands how to deal with the supernatural – a necessity when battling her greatest enemy, Kulan Gath.

Dynamite Entertainment[]

Current Series

No man knows the place of her birth, nor where she learned to wield a sword to shame many a male. They know only that she is called The She-Devil of The Hyrkanian Steppes. That, and Red Sonja.

Mark Russell (The Flintstones) and Mirko Colak (Conan) bring a savage tale of metal and blood. A world conqueror possesses a massive army and a fatal prophecy. A bastard sorceress craves revenge. And a fearsome red-haired warrior is made wartime ruler of a homeland set for decimation.

Previous Series

A new chapter for the Queen of the Hyrkanian Age. Our favorite warrior has faced the toughest of demons, foes, and strange magic, but nothing has prepared this 6 ft. tall barbarian for…the modern world. Emerging from a subway construction site in New York City, confronted by cops and guns, Sonja fights for her survival in a new and hostile world. Is she here by accident or by design? Who brought her here, and why?

By the creative team of Amy Chu (Poison Ivy, KISS) and Carlos Gomez.

Wild-child, outlaw, mercenary, warrior and, finally, queen. Red Sonja is intelligent, witty and a master with a blade. A nomadic adventurer, she is on a mission to find and kill those responsible for the murder of her family.

Red Sonja gets an overhaul, a new attitude and a reimagined origin story from veteran comic book writer and creator Gail Simone.

Other Dynamite Versions of Red Sonja

Crossover Series with Red Sonja

Films, Animation & Novels[]

To pay back her blood debt to a valiant king, Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, agrees to lead his doomed army to their certain death against the invading plague-ridden forces of Dark Annisia, Sonja's blood sister who's gone mad.

Red Sonja Novels

An upcoming film based on the titular character...

Other Appearances

Red Sonja from the 1998 Conan TV Series

Marvel Comics[]

Marvel Comics Comic Series

She lived in a savage world in an uncivilized age - a world ruled by men and governed by the sword. They called her Red Sonja - for her flame-red hair, and for the smoldering fire of her pride which gave her sword-arm a strength that few men could match, and none had ever defeated.

Other Marvel Versions of Red Sonja