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The Value of a Tongue of Fire – Mark Russell's Writer's Commentary on Red Sonja #2

Published Mon, 18 Mar 2019 08:30:30 -0500

Mark Russell's Writer's Commentary on Red Sonja #2 on sale now from Dynamite…

Page 1

The big invasion force from Zamora leaves for Hyrkania! Those weird, animal-headed horns in the first panel are based on the carnyx, a 10' tall horn that the Gauls used when they sacked Rome. You can just imagine what it must have been like, hearing the other-worldly howls coming from hundreds of these things, and just seeing these metal animal heads peeking over the city walls, and knowing that your city and your home were about to be destroyed.

Mirko did a good job of showing soldiers in different uniforms, different styles of weapons and dress, giving you the impression that this is the army of an empire, combining the best fighters from many different nations. You immediately get a sense of what Sonja and her grass-hugging Hyrkanians are up against.

Pages 2-4

Family time! Dragan says goodbye to his wife, who clearly resents him, and his son, who adores him. We get a sense of the family dynamics that run this empire and, indeed, every empire ultimately boils down to the story of a family. I wanted to have this feel like a normal family conversation between a dad leaving for work and his wife and son, but since he's an emperor, that conversation is about dealing with rebels and avenging his death.

We are also introduced to Phatmos' religion which will play a larger role in the story as it unfolds as well as Dragan's sulfurous and ever-present bodyguard, Snakes.

Pages 5-7

We've seen how dire the Hyrkanians' situation was from the standpoint of the Zamoran invasion force, now we get to see it from that of the Hyrkanian treasury. Hyrkania is as poor as the Zamorans are rich. As alone as the Zamorans are supported by half the world. Issue 1 was largely about establishing the stakes of Hyrkania falling to the Zamoran Empire. Issue 2 is about the extreme odds they have to beat to keep that from happening. We also get to meet Cerkus, Sonja's "Tongue of Fire". As the most honest man in Hyrkania, it is his job to tell Sonja the truth, even when it's unflattering, which it usually is.

Incidentally, Mirko based Cerkus' appearance on that of Diogenes the Cynic, a Greek philosopher who was best known for creating the "flipping the bird" gesture. Diogenes, who lived in a barrel, was once approached by Alexander the Great, who granted Diogenes one request for anything he wanted in the world. Diogenes replied by asking Alexander to not to stand in his sunlight.

Pages 8-9
We get to see Sonja, finally having the chance to spend a little time with Kryon, the sole living member of a family she thought had been killed off. She's torn, because he's a vital part of Hyrkania's defenses, but at the same time, she can't bear the thought of finding family after so many years only to watch it die in battle. Both Mirko and Dearbhla do a good job of capturing the subtle emotions of this scene in the facial expressions of both Sonja and Kryon.

Pages 10-12
The prelude to the standoff between Hyrkania and Zamora. Whether it's Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, one thing I always find helpful in fantasy epics is the inclusion of maps. I wanted to use a map, not only to show people in geographic terms what is happening on the ground, but also to quantify just how outnumbered the Hyrkanians are. Given this fact, virtually everyone can agree that they're only real chance of stopping the Zamorans is to stop them from crossing the water into Hyrkania. But Sonja sees other possibilities…

Pages 13-19
The Hyrkanians are initially successful at stopping the Zamorans from crossing the Vilayet Sea, which prompts Dragan to call for a parley with Sonja. He (correctly) points out that this is ultimately a futile gesture. If they really have to, the Zamorans can simply march around the sea. He also offers her another chance to surrender. Sonja uses this moment to her advantage, offering to fight him either by backing up and letting him cross or by having him back up and let her cross. This seems like an insane move, given how badly outnumbered she is, but she knows that, as an emperor, he is trapped by his need to keep up appearances as the world's most powerful emperor. He can't be seen retreating, so he has to cross, leaving his army temporarily vulnerable.

This scene is actually taken from a similar conversation that happened between Cyrus the Great and Queen Tomyris, upon whom the main arc of this story is based. In this story, as in history, the over-confident emperor felt that he had no choice but to cross over, putting his back to the water.

Pages 20-22
Sonja reveals her plan. She let Dragan cross into Hyrkania across a bridge, not because she's over-confident or crazy, but because she needs to solve the problem introduced at the beginning of the issue, namely, the Hyrkanians' lack of arms or the gold with which to buy them. As Dragan is crossing the bridge, her cavalry, the Brothers of Misfortune, swoop in from behind and steal the Zamoran baggage train, stealing from them all they will need in true Hyrkanian fashion. In order for this plan to work, though, Sonja needs to get over her personal reticence to send Kryon, her sole surviving kin, into battle.

One of my favorite panels in this issue is the look of shock on Dragan's face as he realizes what is happening. I also love how the narration on Page 22 is coupled with imagery from both Sonja's and Kryon's tragic pasts, suggesting that perhaps these shattered childhoods have, in some way, trained them to save their people as adults.