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Erik Burnham's Writers Commentary on Red Sonja #24

Published Sun, 30 Dec 2018 09:30:46 -0600

Erik Burnham's Writers Commentary on Red Sonja #24, out now from Dynamite…

Erik Burnham here, about to throw down some thoughts about the penultimate issue of Red Sonja vol. 4, issue 24.

This one has a story by Amy Chu and Alex Chang; me and Chu wrote the script. Pasquale Qualano laid down the lineart for Omi Remalante to color up, and Taylor Esposito lettered the bejeezus outta this.

We got covers! Cover E was our cosplay variant; sometimes it feels like I should be crediting a cosplayer or a photographer for this, y'know? I don't have the info or I would! Cover D was by Reilly Brown; Cover C by Tom Mandrake and Sian Mandrake; Cover B is by Moritat, and Cover A by Mr. Mike McKone.

How's about that? Reverse order for your entertainment!

On to the story…

PAGES 01-04

Sonja is chasing a bunny rabbit through the woods, looking to have a light dinner, and nearly runs over an old woman. This is the kind of thing that can happen when you're galloping among the trees.

I'd like to talk about the armor Pasquale drew on the horse for a second; it wasn't noted in the script, so it was his own call — it reminds me of Battle Cat. I kind of want to pitch a Red Sonja / Masters of the Universe crossover now. I wish I would've thought of that sooner!

Where were we? Oh yeah, the old woman.

PAGES 05-07

Sonja is irritated with the old woman who was in the road — man alive, she looks like an EC horror comics host, doesn't she? — and inexplicably removes her traveling cloak to argue about right of way.

The old woman insults Sonja, Sonja insults the old woman back — this is all part of Amy's plan to do a road rage story. You never know what the person you sass off to might be capable of.

In this case, the old woman is a witch.

Sonja, you and your temper…

PAGES 08-09

And now, here we go with Sonja finding a convenient inn in the middle of the forest. Just a lone woman inside.

There's a mirror in the back — it's… not what I expected when I asked for it, but hey, it's there.

And Sonja's got something weird going on with her back on page 09. Don't look! She may get a complex.

PAGE 10

You'd think Sonja might have realized something weird was going on when the table was up to her neck — but who among us can think clearly when we're hungry? I ask you.

PAGE 11

And now, Sonja wakes in the forest. I really like the composition of this first panel. With the trees reaching in and the reappearance of the white rabbit in panel 3, it had a nice unintentional Alice in Wonderland vibe.

Sonja would so not be down with the Cheshire Cat, I'm saying it now.

PAGE 12

This is the STUFF. I specifically asked for the demon to be designed this way; if you wondered, that skull is a rabbit's skull.

Pasquale did a hell of a job rendering this. Really turned out great.

PAGE 16

Yes, I jumped ahead a few pages. You'll have to deal with it.

This little girl in the first couple of panels was intended to be a young Sonja. I find it hilarious that Pasquale dressed her in pants and a shirt. AND THAT BELT! I love it.

Followed by a final panel appearance of Gray Sonja! (Or Old Woman Sonja, if you prefer.)

PAGE 17

Gray Sonja hits so hard people fall the opposite direction. She mocks gravity. That's right!

PAGES 18-20

And of course, Gray Sonja defeats Red Sonja — this was partly inspired with the Norse story of Thor visiting Utgard-Loki's hall in Jotunheim, and wrestling with the old woman. The visual, anyway. Just a piece of random trivia.

In any case, Sonja wakes up from her dream back in the inn, to discover it was all a whammy put on her by a witch.

Did she learn her lesson?

I mean, your guess is as good as mine……..

And that's Red Sonja #24. One more issue to go. It's been a hoot, hasn't it?