Red Sonja: Sanctuary

Published by: Dynamite Entertainment
Writer: Marc Mason
Artist: Noah Salonga
Cover artist: Sergio Fernandez Davila

This Red Sonja one-shot lives outside the current series' series of events, but ties in with a previously published Red Sonja one-shot, “Raven”. Red makes her way to a place she heard her friend Eleanor lives, a secret place. Once finding it, she learns just why the place is so secretive. Chrysalis, as the walled-community is named, is a haven for women mistreated by men, and is maintained only by women. No boys allowed. They have a self-sustaining community and life a lifestyle totally void of the evil pigs that seek only to do them wrong. The place is run by Eleanor and they can use someone like the red she-devil in their fold. But Eleanor doesn't run it alone. She has a partner, a fellow sister in the good fight, named Raven. Uh-oh.

Raven swore to kill Red Sonja, after Red defeated her while helping Eleanor. Her father was killed at Raven's hand, but Eleanor has forgiven the warrior, who's abilities match Sonja's as they are of the same ilk. Raven has changed her ways, left the world of violence behind her, and has become a key member of the little utopia they've got going. She wants Red Sonja to join them, which troubles the strawberry beauty due to the obvious trust concerns. She agrees to stick around for a while, just to access Raven and her intentions, and to make sure Eleanor is safe.

A few nights later, Red encounters a mercenary she met on the road earlier, who is out to kill Raven and collect the bounty on her head, and once again kicks his ass as well as the asses of all his men. She lets them live (again) out of respect for Raven's new outlook on life and her vow to never fight again, and sends them on their way naked. She feels good about things and decides to stick around and teach the women to read and write and things are going great, until Red's good intentions backfire. Her decision to let the mercenaries live bites her in the shapely butt and Raven has lots to say about Red's decision.

This one is entertaining enough, with pleasing artwork and a story that opens up a storyline that hopefully will bleed over into the monthly title that Gail Simone writes. Her interpretation of Red Sonja is a tough one to match or beat, and a battle to the death (Raven's of course) would be sweet over in that book. Marc Mason handles Red adequately, but it's vastly different than the attitude mood of Simone's run.

As an extra feature after the 24-page story, is the entire script, taking up the other 15 pages in the book. It seems a waste of space really, as it is nothing more than what was just before it, except without images. A few pages would be interesting as a comparison, sure, but why 15? Aside from being justified in charging another buck for a bigger book, it would seem to suit no other purpose.