Sonja is Coming

It’s really happening. Red Sonja. June 2011. Be there.

I’ve been a comic book nerd for almost thirty years, starting back in 1982 with X-Men #162. I’ve blogged about this before.

Since that fateful day, I have read thousands of comics. Tens of thousands, I’d wager. This was waaay before I started reading fantasy novels, and not only was I reading, but I was drawing and writing scripts for my own comics. Before I wanted to write fantasy, I wanted to write comics. I’ve blogged about this, too. Having my own comic come out is a dream come true, and it’s really happening.

I read pretty much every Marvel comic and most of the DC ones in the 80’s, and one of my favorites was Red Sonja, which was done at the time by writer Louise Simonson and artist Mary Wilshire. I even have a copy of issue #12 that I got Mary to sign at a comic convention. I was that hardcore. So when the folks at Dynamite Entertainment asked me to write some of the continuing adventures of the red-headed she-devil with a sword, I leapt at the chance, and started writing a story that was part part hardcore action, part comedy, part drama, and all homage to 80’s Sonja, even going so far as to put her back in her 80’s costume (left). Have I blogged about all this? Of course.

You may recall that this story was scheduled to be issues #51-54 last year, but it was later decided that for various reasons, the book would be done as a one-shot instead. I turned in the script a couple of months ago, and knowing in advance that it was assigned to the great Sonja artist Walter Geovanni, I wrote it with his pinuppy style in mind. I haven’t seen the pencils yet, but I know he is going to do an incredible job.

I wasn’t sure when the book was set to come out, but then Dynamite released their June 2011 solicits, and there it was, complete with cover art:

RED SONJA: BLUE ONE-SHOT

40 pages FC  •  $4.99 •  Teen +
Written by PETER BRETT
Art by WALTER GEOVANNI
Covers by MEL RUBI (50%), WALTER GEOVANI (50%)

Peter V. Brett, New York Times bestselling author of the Demon Cycle, takes the reins for this special issue, teaming up with fan favorite artist Walter Geovani to take Red Sonja back to her barbarian roots-and the She-Devil isn’t going without a fight! When an unfortunate encounter with a demon deprives her of her trademark chainmail bikini, Sonja is forced to don a familiar blue fur tunic for the remainder of this adventure. Brett brings a mix of deft characterization, wry humor, and hard action to this one-shot homage to the Sonja legacy, honoring longtime fans while offering the perfect self-contained story for new readers.

There is even an alternate cover that is an homage to 1970’s Frank Thorne Red Sonja by the great Mel Rubi:

I did an interview about the book some months ago for Suvudu. You can read it here.

Psyched!

Posted on March 24, 2011 at 6:46 pm by PeatB
Filed under Pimpage, Red Sonja, Writing
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