Marvel Feature #1 (Marvel)
Roy Thomas (w) Dick Giordano (a)
With barbarians all the rage in the mid-seventies it was hardly surprising that Marvel chose to add Red Sonja to their line. Having first guest starred in Conan #23 and subsequently had a solo story in Savage Sword of Conan (magazine) #1 it was inevitable that Sonja would get her won series.
However the first issue of Marvel Feature contains only one original short story, The Temple of Abomination because of editorial mores plus a reprint of her first solo tale (this time in colour) simply entitled Red Sonja.
Both are very passable but the "real" adventures begin in issue two when Frank Thorne take the reigns with his distinctive artwork that we all remember.
Blood of the Hunter is a brutal tale of revenge in which everyone that befriends Sonja ends up dead following an altercation with Rejac the Tracker from whom she steals a solid gold key. An unusual tale where Sonja seemingly prepares to break her vows when she kisses a young(ish) crippled lad but is interrupted by his dying father.
Sonja only just survives the confrontation and then heads off on a quest. Balek awaits!
This version of Red Sonja lasted 7 issues before she got her own solo title.
Marvel no longer hold the licence for Red (or Conan for that matter) and her adventures have appeared in recent years under the Dynamite! label.
A new series with a bargain priced #0 issue will be in stores sometime in December. Just 25 cents, slightly more over here, especially with the falling pound!
Order now, it's bound to sell out.
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