Sonja Reborn #4 Review

 

Writer: Christopher Priest

Penciler: Alessandro Miracolo

Inker: Raffaele Semeraro

Colorist: Giovanni Caputo

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Editor: Matt Idelson

Cover Artists: Stjepan Sejic, Stuart Sayger, Chad Hardin, Greg Land & Cosplay (Ani-Mia)

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 17, 2025

 

Margaret Sutherland fell in love with her boss’s boss. She told herself that it didn’t matter that the Deputy Assistant to the Junior Adjutant of the HMG Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was embezzling money from the British crown. Then Margaret discovered that Justin Brand was two-timing her with a coworker.

 

Anger consumed her. When two souls lay at her feet, Margaret hungered for a third. Instead, like Alice, she fell down a hole and landed in the Hyborian Age. How is Margaret adjusting to life as Red Sonja? And why is a red bird like a She-Devil with a Sword? Let's grab our swords, leap into Sonja Reborn #4, and see!

 

Story

Despite Justin Brand's infidelity and theft, what put Margaret's anger on turbo drive was his disdain for her feelings. When Justin was running late, he ordered Margaret to drive recklessly. When she struck a child on a bicycle, Justin told Margaret it was her fault.

 

In the Hyborian Age, Margaret struggles with who she is. Unlike Skye Ramsey, who arrived before her, Margaret's soul inhabits a different body in Sonja Reborn #4. Red Sonja's struggle with identity frustrates her squire Faolān. Worse, she displays classic feminine weaknesses in a world that values strength. Trevor, a Pict warrior, has pledged his loyalty to Sonja. But Gaeric the Gunderman is a slave merchant, and his only loyalty is to himself.

 

Christopher Priest tells his story across a sweeping tapestry. While portraying Margaret’s actions in the 21^st Century and the Hyborian Age, he also highlights Kade’s dilemma and Skye Ramsey’s plight. All this takes place as Dark threatens to remove itself from creation unless Light returns its child. Like the gods, Margaret yearns for return also. She hopes that the cellphone or "Fire box" Trevor found will provide clues to return to the world and body she left behind.

 

Amid this story stuffed with players and moving parts, Margaret's dilemma is how she moves forward. Whether she stays in this world or returns to her own, Margaret cannot erase the result of her dangerous driving. But, as Faolān points out, Sonja inhabits a male-dominated world. Margaret still holds onto 21^st-century perspectives on slavery, the rights of women, and the dignity owed to displaced indigenous people like the Picts. But if she is to remain a free woman and lead others, Margaret must act like Red Sonja. Ironically, that means hurting and killing others, something she seems more reluctant to do in the Hyborian Age than in the 21^st Century.

 

Art

Alessandro Miracolo and Raffaele Semeraro’s detailed art imbues the Hyborian Age and the Modern world with depth and believability. Two splash pages convey incidents of otherworldly terror in Sonja Reborn #4. Yet even half-page panels have an epic quality. The characters express their emotions as they discuss their dilemmas or engage in rapid action. Margaret moved with surety past a familiar figure from the Dynamite Universe in New York. Yet in the Hyborian Age, Margaret looks out of place in her chain mail bikini.

 

Giovanni Caputo introduces what drives the Hyborian Age by showcasing Kade the Slaver’s love of gold. Scenes from New York inhabit a green world, reminding us how Justin Brand’s avarice altered Margaret’s course. Sepia tinges memories of killing and death. Yet red makes the strongest statement. Clothing, saddlecloths, curtains, and upholstery all showcase red. Trevor and Gaeric, two people from tribal communities caught between more aggressive nations, wear red body paint or tattoos. Sonja’s red hair makes an intriguing link with the avian avatars of the Light. And then, there is the red that occasionally splashes the pages in Sonja Reborn #4.  

 

Taylor Esposito fills white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes with black uppercase text. The letters grow bold for inflection, swell for volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Panels featuring white letters locate readers in time and space. Sound effects accompany nightmarish attacks, and a condition that could prematurely end Margaret's visit to the Hyborian Age. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment and Comic Book Dispatch for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Margaret's soul awakens in Red Sonja's body after the Battle of Venarium. Unlike Conan, who decided to leave his home country and travel the world, Margaret takes no joy in the slaughter. As the She-Devil with a Sword struggles to embrace her new life, a battle between the gods threatens to strip Margaret of the people supporting her in Sonja Reborn #4.

 

Rating 9.6/10

The Terminator: Metal #3 Review

 

Writers: Declan Shalvey & Rory McConville

Artist & Colorist: Colin Craker

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Declan Shalvey, Bob Layton, Sebastian Piriz & Paolo Antiga

Packager & Editor: Nate Cosby

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 17, 2025

 

In the future, Humanity's war with Skynet ravages the Earth. Humans still fight among themselves. Still, they take heart in every Resistance victory. But the Machines are intelligent and relentless. When they lose one battle, they find new ways to exploit Humanity's weaknesses. How will Skynet attempt to secure its power over Earth next? And how will an unsuspecting populace respond to merciless killing machines? Let's grab our weapons, leap into The Terminator: Metal #3, and see!

 

Story

In 1899, an outlaw treks through Oregon’s Blue Mountains. After a shootout, he needs a place to lie low. As he leads his horse uphill, a cave seems a heaven-sent hideout from pursuers. Still, he's wary. You never know who else might make a cave their home.

 

Forty miles west, in the town of Pendleton, a young Deputy comforts a grieving widow. Her husband was the Sheriff. After a shootout with Bill Donovan, the Deputy is in charge. He may not know what to do, but the widow knows what she wants.

 

In The Terminator: Metal #3, Humans react to what they’ve seen or heard as they think best. But the chief protagonist in Declan Shalvey & Rory McConville’s story is an isolated T-800. When Skynet sent it back through time, something went wrong, and the Terminator arrived too early to kill its target. Left with no other instructions, the robot tells early 19^th-century Oregon, "I'll be back." Then it seeks the shelter of a cave and enters stasis mode to conserve its power, waiting out the decades until it can carry out its assignment.

 

Sadly, batteries drain when not in use. By the time Bill Donovan awakens it, the Terminator realizes it has lost too much power to achieve its objective. After gathering information, the T-800 fixes upon a more immediate goal. Then, the Terminator travels west, toward a town filled with angry people, a grieving widow, and a young Deputy anxious to prove himself.

 

Art

Colin Craker opens The Terminator: Metal #3 with a page of panels revealing machinery underwater, turning gears, a locomotive rolling along, and a lightbulb. In this era of innovation and progress, Bill Donovan climbs the hill with his horse in tow. Multiple layers of clothing, gloves, and a hat cover him. His beard and mustache expose little beyond his cheeks to the elements.

 

Back in civilization, a woman kneels beside a corpse. The Deputy stands across from her, gazing down at the hole in his former boss’s forehead. Cables hang between the wooden poles lining the street. When the widow looks up, she points at a wall of wanted posters. A newspaper proclaims Oregon's relationship with the international community and the state's accomplishments in this technological age.

 

A rainbow shines amid a waterfall, signaling the treasure hidden at its end. The yellow sun brightens the pink air between two brown mountains, while evergreens pack the crowded hillside. Yet as the T-800 walks outside via the James Bondian gun barrel, it sees everything through red eyes. When it reaches the town, the world becomes a contrast of red and yellow. A red sun hangs in the yellow sky as the Terminator, clad in Bill Donovan’s hat and clothes, reaches for its revolvers in The Terminator: Metal #3.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons with lowercase black lettering. The narrator’s voice and off-camera dialogue appear in colored boxes. Beige lowercase block letters locate us in time and space, while white block letters overlay the T-800’s red vision. Sound effects amplify moments of shocking violence. Yet most injuries and deaths in Oregon transpire silently, while some residents of the state fight, die, and kill their fellow Humans in the Spanish-American War. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy. 

 

Final Thoughts

With the 20^th Century approaching fast, news travels faster as an ailing T-800 races against time. Long before Percy Dalton hacks a T-800 and names it Tex, another Terminator strives to complete its objective while civilization builds the foundation for Skynet. The Terminator may not feel pity, remorse, or fear. Yet the T-800 struggles against its programming to preserve its life in the Sci-fi/Western, The Terminator: Metal #3.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1 Review

 

Writer: Paulina Ganucheau

Artist & Colorist: Kendall Goode

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Will Robson, Francesco Biagini, Reese Hannigan & Kendall Goode

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $5.99

Release Date: December 3, 2025

 

Ava is leading her squad on a scavenging mission through Orchard Mall when she gets a call. Her base reports that they've spotted a drone scanning the mall for Humans. Chris is new to her squad. He's a kind lad who is eager to support Beta Team. But Chris anticipated a training mission, not a combat situation. Can Ava and her team make it back to base? And can Ava help Chris survive his first tour of duty? Let's grab our weapons, leap into The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1, and see!

 

Story

The snow is falling outside the shattered mall. Still, as Ava and her team search for food and supplies, they have their combat gear to keep them warm. Ava put Chris in charge of the radio. But when he forgets the new call sign, Ava acknowledges the warning and orders their return. Since Judgment Day, everything has changed. Instead of gathering with family members and friends to celebrate the holidays, Ava leads her squad through the wreckage of a parking structure on Christmas Eve.

 

In The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1, a new generation has grown up in this New Normal. They consign holidays like Christmas to ancient history. Chris is rattled but wonders what life was like before Skynet stripped Humans of their culture. As they battle dangers from their Skynet oppressors, and her squad suffers casualties, Ava shares her Christmas memories with Chris.

 

Before Paulina Ganucheau's story follows Ava's team, she begins with a Terminator reaching Orchid Mall. Like Chris, the Terminator knows nothing about Christmas traditions. And like any T-800 transported through time and space, it also scavenges for what it needs. When its sensors detect the Human Resistance Platoon, the Terminator finds a clothing store and selects an appropriate disguise.

 

The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1 reminds us that even in our darkest hours, memories of brighter days lead us through. It's a testament to the importance of family and cherishing the people life brings our way. Moreover, it's a lighthearted, action-packed nightmare that Ava and Chris must endure if they are to awaken to a better future. Or at least, face tomorrow's battles.

 

Art

Snow drifts lazily to the parking lot outside the shattered mall entrance. Skeletons occupy damaged and overturned cars. Inside, manikins inhabit a shop in the litter-strewn mall. Energy arcs from a ball of light. When it fades, a figure rises. As the muscular "man" strides through the shop, words and numbers overlay his vision.

 

Kendall Goode shows the Terminator in limited tones of brown and blue. He perceives the world in shades of red. When the Human Resistance captures the narrative, Ava and her team wear blue, gray, and green, while Ava wears a red bandana in her blond hair. A drone pierces the purple sky and gray rubble with a beam of red light. Then, Ava’s rifle turns the sky orange in The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1.

 

Jeff Eckleberry portrays dialogue with lowercase black letters in white balloons. The Terminator’s thoughts and readouts appear as giant white letters. Sound effects evoke the brutal firefight that erupts whenever Kyle Reese closes his eyes. And none of the Skynet death machines say “Roger, Roger.” Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Faced with Skynet’s insatiable need to destroy their creators, Human survivors struggle for meaning in their shattered world. A training mission to a former shopping mall becomes the crucible in which a woman fights for the world she lost, and a frightened recruit tries to forge his future in The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my reviews at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Die!Namite: Blood Red #1 Review

 

Writer: Fred Van Lente

Artist: Marco Finnegan

Colorist: Ellie Wright

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artist: EJ Su, Godtail, David Cousens & Will Robson

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 5, 2025

 

Jennifer races through the ruins. When she reaches a fence of sharpened wooden poles, she utters a desperate cry. Warriors spring into action. The women attack the males transformed into shambling corpses with a taste for Human flesh. They rescue Jennifer and bring her inside. What will the newcomer find in this enclave of healthy Humans? And what of the inhabitant who isn’t Human? Let’s grab our weapons, leap into Die!Namite Blood Red #1, and see!

 

Story

When the X virus struck, it attacked males, cutting short Humanity’s future. As in Y: The Last Man, healthy males are in short supply. Women must stick together to defend themselves and protect the few males who can ensure Humanity's survival. But preserving these remnants of civilization demands ruthlessness wielded by an iron hand.

 

In Die!Namite: Blood Red #1, Vampirella’s voice guides us through this apocalyptic tale of Deadmen hunting, swarming, and hungering for their next meal. Inside the enclave, Vampirella hides a dark secret. She was an ambassador for her planet. Now, she is a refugee, forced to take on detective work to survive.

 

Fred Van Lente’s story puts Vampirella on the back foot. She needs the safety of Purgatori’s enclave to survive. Yet she wants to protect someone from her ruler’s harsh justice. So Vampirella plays things cool. She asserts her importance by pursuing investigations vital to the enclave’s future. Vampirella knows that if she displeases them, her hosts could throw her outside to become the Deadmen’s next meal. Or worse, she could lose her last link to her homeworld in Die!Namite: Blood Red #1.

 

Art

Dark figures stumble down a broken road between tilted telephone poles. Crumbling tower blocks rise in the distance, their exposed infrastructure a reminder of the collapse of civilization. The Deadmen stumble or crawl after a woman fleeing in jeans and a string top. A small purse holds her few possessions. When she reaches the gates, a diesel truck with a grapple bucket on the front roars into view. Warriors cling to each door, while a third fires the roof-mounted machine gun.

 

While Marco Finnegan reveals the essentials of this brutal world, Ellie Wright lavishes bright colors on the silhouettes and thick inks in Die!Namite: Blood Red #1. The colors glow as the women radiate vitality in this dying world. The face of their benefactor emerges from a smudged, dirty billboard rising above the barbed wire barriers. Vampirella’s cosmic route back to civilization juxtaposes with a glowing gladiatorial arena.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills these spectral glimpses of the wasteland with black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation. They swell and threaten to burst balloons when danger threatens. Sound effects fill the hazy air and silhouetted backgrounds in this Mad Max zombie apocalypse. Yet Vampirella strides through it all in her long red coat and dark boots, seemingly impervious to the dangers surrounding her, in this futuristic sci-fi noir. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

In a bleak future, an alien who can never return home helps her foreign hosts eek out each new day of existence, so that someday, somehow, a brighter future can dawn in Die!Namite: Blood Red #1.

 

Rating 8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Sonja Reborn #1 Review

 

Writer: Christopher Priest

Artist: Alessandro Miracolo

Colorist: Giovanni Caputo

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Editor: Matt Idelson

Cover Artists: Stjepan Sejic, Joshua Middleton, Chad Hardin, Greg Land, Cosplay (Ani-Mia) & Blank

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 27, 2025

 

Margaret Sutherland hungers for revenge. She fell in love with a man, only to have another woman steal him. It’s a familiar tale, and as the saying goes, there are more fish in the sea. But the facts don’t matter to Margaret. All she feels is the aching loss from Justin’s departure. So she uses her connections and crosses the Atlantic. Will a routine traffic stop in New York City prevent her from killing the woman who took Justin away from her? And how does Margaret’s plight relate to Red Sonja? Let's grab our swords, leap into Sonja Reborn #1, and see!

 

Story

Margaret inhabited a world of wealth and privilege. Yet none of that made her happy. Justin brought a ray of sunshine into her empty life and gave it meaning. Working for the Duchy of Lancaster meant the rules governing everyday life in Britain didn't apply to Margaret. Securing a gun and emulating pop culture icons seemed like an easy solution.

 

In New York City, Margaret gets a rude awakening. The police officer acts on his experience and pulls her over. But he is more interested in flaunting his importance than in why Margaret is in this neighborhood so early in the morning. Thus, he doesn't intuit her intentions and follow her into the subway tunnel. 

 

Christopher Priest tells Sonja Reborn #1 from Margaret’s perspective. When danger threatens, she compares her dilemma to classic stories. Unlike in Amy Chu’s series, where Red Sonja travels to New York City, Christopher Priest transports Margaret to the Hyborian world. Like John Carter, Margaret finds navigating her new surroundings a challenge. Her world might have descended into a nightmare in Justin's absence. But everything in Margaret's altered existence is unfamiliar, appalling, and threatening.

 

Still, Margaret senses that a part of her belongs in this strange land. If Margaret can channel that aspect of herself, perhaps she can find a way to survive. But first, Margaret must embrace who she has become. In Sonja Reborn #1, Margaret's soul inhabits the body of the Hyrkanian She-Devil With A Sword.

 

Art

The emergency lights atop his cruiser alternate between painting the officer red and blue. Red and blue also illuminate figures who crouch in darkness. Yellow dominates a treasured memory of Justin. Margaret wears a yellow shirt and gold jewelry. Giovanni Caputo's light pink and blue butterflies represent Margaret's hopes for the future. The yellow field they visit finds a companion later in Sonja Reborn #1, when two other beings meet to share their concerns. One shines with a radiant palette, while the other prefers black and white.

 

Alessandro Miracolo signals Margaret's determination from the first page. She doesn't bother to face the cop as he writes her up. Instead, Margaret clutches the steering wheel, tilts her head down, and fixes her smoldering gaze straight ahead. The visor of the officer's cap casts a mask-like shadow over his eyes, reducing them to white slits as he smiles down at her. With his black hat and jacket, the shadow-mask suggests he sees himself as a hero of the night. But he doesn’t halt her evildoing for long.

 

When she arrives on a dusty slope, Margaret tumbles when she pulls the gold hilt of her long sword from its scabbard. But it's not long before flame-haired Margaret rises again in her silver armor and brown gloves, boots, and cape. As black smoke rises in the distance, Margaret approaches a mounted stranger. Instead of regarding him as he answers her questions, “Margaret” leans toward the horse’s nostrils, as if expressing dominance.

 

As Margaret pursues her quarry, Taylor Esposito fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text. Margaret’s thoughts, observations, and reactions during her journey appear as white letters in red narrative boxes. Like her jewelry, translations of British terms appear in yellow-gold boxes, and most of her sound effects are yellow. Yet while sound effects and enlarged dialogue are color-coded to characters and emotions, white letters in black balloons signal a threat to Margaret's future in Sonja Reborn #1. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When Margaret Sutherland plunges into the Hyborian world, she unwittingly becomes a pawn in a battle between cosmic forces. While one embraces reason, all the other knows is the pain of losing a loved one. Christopher Priest reshapes Cimmerian history and challenges Red Sonja's traditional orientation to men in Sonja Reborn #1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Zootopia #5 Review

 

Writer: Jeff Parker

Artist: Alessandro Ranaldi

Colorist: Dearbhla Kelly

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Trish Forstner, Craig Rousseau & Alessandro Ranaldi

Packager & Editor: Nate Cosby

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 13, 2025

 

Someone in Zootopia is orchestrating a daring series of crimes. What started with a blown-up blimp has escalated to jewelry and art thefts. None of the thieves know who they are working for. They drop off the goods and receive a big box of money. ZPD Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde have risked their lives, and their nostrils, to catch the anonymous, untraceable caller organizing these thefts. Can they find the master villain? Or will Chief Bogo give them another assignment? Let’s pop in our earbuds, crank up Gazelle’s latest single, leap into Zootopia #5, and see!

 

Story

When Nick gives Judy a six o’clock wakeup call, the rabbit figures it must be serious. It’s Saturday, and they’re supposed to be off duty. Instead, Judy learns that Nick has volunteered them for community outreach. Stunned, Judy happily accompanies him. Then she realizes that Nick has signed up to chaperone his former Junior Ranger troop. While the kids who terrorized him and drove him away have grown up, Nick has given up his cons and sworn to uphold law and order. In Jeff Parker’s story, Nick wants to see if the environment within the scouts has changed. Is this generation of children more accepting of predators?

 

In Zootopia #5, the young troop expresses no fear of Officer Nick Wilde. Miss Bev urges her junior rangers to welcome the rabbit and the fox. But Nick has made a crucial error. While the children are kind to him, he fails to gain their respect. Nick is crestfallen when Miss Bev announces that her plans differ from Nick's expectations. Still, Nick accompanies the troop. Judy encourages her partner to enjoy the day, whatever it brings.

 

Nick may not have found acceptance as a child. The fox may have missed out on a childhood filled with camping, fishing, and exploring the wonders of nature thanks to the rejection and trauma he suffered. Still, Nick’s concern for others pays off. He also demonstrates his ability to navigate tricky situations. In Zootopia #5, Judy is a competent officer who retains command even if she isn't in her element. Nick demonstrates the resilience that helped him succeed on the streets and now helps him serve the public as a member of the Zootopia Police Department.

 

Art

Judy’s eyes bulge and her ears rise as stuffed bunnies tumble off her bed. Nick looks confident as he gazes up through the windscreen at his partner leaning out the window of her small, upper-story apartment. He grits his teeth, and his eyes express fear, as he steers the bulky cruiser beneath the arbor built from logs. Like their car, Nick and Judy form silhouettes as the beaver addresses the attentive cat, hippo, bear, mouse, and kangaroo. Clad in fishing attire, Nick rests his pole on his shoulder. Judy looks ready for anything in her uniform. But as they prepare to meet the troops, Nick smiles confidently, while Judy grimaces.

 

Despite flashing his best smile, Nick must leap out of the way when the troop rushes past him. Dots occasionally swarm like bees around foreground figures as Alessandro Ranaldi focuses on characters further away. Characters also appear before banners punctuated with dots, like targets at a ZPD shooting range. Dearbhla Kelly lavishes a palette of bright, cheery colors on the vibrant plants and trees surrounding the nearby city. Light blue bubbles and currents flow along a strikingly blue river that glows with the sun's radiance in Zootopia #5.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation. The letters swell amid high-flying outrage, Nick awakening his partner, and the children's rejoicing. Balloons accompany faces in inset panels amid panoramic shots. Laughter rises when a character doesn’t watch his step, and sharp sounds fill the air when hunters achieve their objective. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Nick Wilde suffers disappointments when his plan to gain recognition backfires. The Pawpsicle-loving fox may not don a wingsuit and leap off a skyscraper in Zootopia #5. Still, he navigates a fast and furious pursuit with style and validates Judy Hopps’ faith in him.

 

Rating: 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4 Review

 

Writer: Tim Seeley

Artist: Jim Terry

Colorist: Carlos Badilla

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Editor: Joe Rybandt

Cover Artists: Bjorn Barends, Tim Seeley, Tom Raney & Nikkol Jelenic,

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 6, 2025

 

Ash Williams traveled back in time to reunite with his beloved Sheila. Instead, he awakened in the Hyborian Age. Once again, the Necronomicon Ex Mortis created an Army Of Darkness. General Lanses hired Red Sonja to slay the Deadites infesting the land. Can Ash and Sonja reclaim the Necronomicon before Kulan Gath leads the Nemedian Deadite army in a recruitment drive across the Hyborian world? Let’s grab our swords and chainsaws, leap into Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4, and see!

 

Story

Ash Williams is a haunted man. He lost his girlfriend Linda to the Necronomicon. Ash failed to return to Shiela in 1300 AD. But despite his confidence and swagger, he has slept through too many centuries in confined spaces. So, as he fights to prevent anyone else from falling prey to the Deadite curse, Ash battles claustrophobia in Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4.

 

Red Sonja is a haunted woman. She pledged her life to defending the innocent and weak after villains slew her family. Yet when Kulan Gath turned children into Deadites, she had to kill them instead of protecting them. In Tim Seeley’s story, Red Sonja hides her blackening arm beneath a long leather glove. Her bond with the goddess Scathach has helped her fight off the Deadite transformation up to now. But Red Sonja knows that eventually, the evil flowing through her veins will transform her into what she abhors.

 

After completing his Army Of Darkness Forever run, Tony Fleecs hands his Kandarian quill to his former Local Man cowriter. Tim Seeley divides the point of view between Ash, Red Sonja, and Kulan Gath. Along with all the action, Tim Seeley increases the drama with a deeply flawed villain. By hinting at Kulan Gath's earlier trauma, readers understand the sorcerer’s desperation for omnipotence, even if they cannot condone Gath’s actions.

 

Art

Carlos Badilla shows Ash holding his beloved Sheila surrounded by yellow and orange. He marries memories of Ash attacking Deadites against a blue background with Red Sonja leaping into the fray beneath a blue night sky. Greenery surrounds the heroes as they journey toward Kulan Gath’s castle. But like Saruman, brown land without a trace of green foliage surrounds his fortress. Clutching the Necronomicon, Kulan Gath his forces from his throne in a high tower in Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4.

 

Jim Terry delivers a folksy art style that, like Ash’s humor, softens the tone of Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4. Scenes evoke the 1992 movie as Kulan Gath clutches the Necronomicon surrounded by burning torches. Red Sonja’s strategy draws on another fantasy icon while showing her concern for her unwilling helper. Another nod to Sam Raimi’s classic shows Ash using his superior knowledge to aid their cause. Yet when Red Sonja’s resistance to the Deadite infection weakens, Jim Terry switches to a glamorous, pinup style to peek inside the She-Devil’s mind.

 

Jeff Eckleberry casts uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. The letters swell for volume, grow bold for intonation, and shrink for lowered voices. Each letter O carries a period at its center among elegant words intended for Red Sonja’s ears alone. Sound effects help us hear slashing swords, death cries, roaring chainsaws, and explosions that rock the Hyborian Age. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As Ash strives to put his past behind him, he wonders if he can trust his bikini-clad Hyrkanian teammate. Red Sonja must bear the weight of the world to save the weak and defenseless in Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4. And Kulan Gath admits to a character flaw that makes him a powerful man with a weak soul.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Red Sonja Noir #1 Review

 

Writer: David Avallone

Artist: Edu Menna

Colorist: Adriano Augusto

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Editor: Joseph Rybandt

Cover Artists: Lesley “Leirix” Li, Joseph Michael Linsner & Cosplay by Molly Stewart

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $5.99

Release Date: June 18, 2025

 

The goddess Scáthach imbued Red Sonja with exceptional fighting abilities. But the men who killed her family and violated Red Sonja left their mark on her soul. So, when Scáthach forbids her intimacy with men, Red Sonja doesn't protest. She may ally with warriors like Conan now and then. But she feels more comfortable around women. What happens when Red Sonja finds a man she trusts? Let's grab our swords, leap into Red Sonja Noir #1, and see!

 

Story

In David Avallone’s story, Red Sonja has set up a business with Tamsin. They’ve established their reputation in town as heroes for hire. Red Sonja and Tamsin have taken rooms in a tavern. Townspeople in need of their services ask for Blade and Archer. But the pattern of their days changes when a beautiful lady arrives. Shawna needs protection from Zander. The slaver has kidnapped her sister and demands a ransom for her safe return. Although Shawna wishes to employ both partners, Tamsin assures the lady that Red Sonja’s involvement is unnecessary. He will protect Shawna as they meet with Zander and rescue her sister.

 

In Red Sonja Noir #1, the town guards awaken Red Sonja early the following morning. They know her well enough that they don’t suspect Red Sonja of killing her partner. When she vows to find Tamsin's murderer, they don't protest. As Red Sonja investigates, we learn more about the beautiful Shawna. The story also introduces Lady Stradaverde. She's less interested in stringed instruments than the occult. Lady Stradaverde, or The Crone, seeks an ancient artifact. Red Sonja, Shawna, and Zander have roles to play in acquiring it for her.

 

Red Sonja’s past prevents her from taking others at face value. The She-Devil With A Sword navigates the dangers of the investigation, unfazed by the intrigues she observes. Unlike those around her, Red Sonja seeks neither money nor power in Red Sonja Noir #1. All she wants is to find her partner's murderer. Red Sonja failed him in life. She won’t fail Tamsin in death.

 

Art

While Red Sonja shines in her armored bikini, Edu Menna dresses Tamsin in pants, a tunic, and a capelet. Together with his eyepatch and Van Dyke beard, swashbuckling Tamsin seems suited to this medieval town. Guards patrol the streets wearing quilted armor and capes. A double-masted ship anchors in the canal that flows through this Tudor-style town. The inhabitants and travelers use gently arced stone bridges to cross from one embankment to the other.

 

Adriano Augusto lavishes a loaded palette on this town of red-roofed houses. Yellow and orange dance across the blue and green waters of the canal. Shawna's purple and magenta clothing outshines most of the town's inhabitants in Red Sonja Noir #1. But her rosy skin exhibits the same healthy glow as Red Sonja's. Amid the realism of the tavern, market, and hotel, light combats the lurking darkness. In the Crone’s domain, illuminated by candles, it triumphs, but just barely.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons and beige narrative boxes with uppercase black letters. Words grow bold for intonation and enlarge for raised voice. Sound effects accompany clanging swords, spraying blood, and an act that dispels the dream of a lifetime. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.  

 

Final Thoughts

What does it take for you to trust someone? Does it require a sterling character or just a knowledge of your partner's capabilities? When the She-Devil With A Sword commits to a man, she discovers that trust is in short supply in Red Sonja Noir #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Where’s Mr. Zip HC Review

 

Writer: Annie Auerbach

Illustrator: Elisa Patrissi

Publisher: Dynamite Kids

Price: $16.99

Release Date: February 12, 2025

 

Everyone knows Mr. Zip. He brings mail and packages to homes and businesses. But where does Mr. Zip travel while delivering mail? What kind of adventures does he have? Let's grab our mailbags, leap into Where's Mr. Zip HC, and find out!

 

Story

No one likes going out when it rains. But Mr. Zip braves slippery streets and traffic accidents because people need his letters and packages. Besides, even when the weather is poor, being a postal carrier takes him to interesting places. There's always a lot going on in the city, and Mr. Zip visits the people who tell everyone all about it.

 

While delivering mail to workers in amusement parks and aquariums in Where’s Mr. Zip, he also helps people get where they need to go. Mr. Zip delivers mail to busy transport hubs like train stations and airports. Amid the hustle and bustle, the postal carrier and B Franklin see the interconnections that bind society together.

 

After giving us a peek into his daily routine in Mr. Zip's Windy Day HC, Annie Auerbach reveals all the places his career takes him. In Where's Mr. Zip HC, the US Postal Service is like any other big business. They need their best workers to help at other locations. Travel enriches Mr. Zip's life, and seeing all the different ways people work, live, and play makes the mail carrier's job more enjoyable.

 

Art

Elisa Patrissi may not be Richard Scarry, but she packs pages with people going about their daily activities. People enjoy work, recreation, and family time while driving, walking, playing, canoeing, swimming, surfing, or ice skating. Mr. Zip delivers mail to people of different cultures and ethnicities as they watch a parade, wait in line, and make snowmen. Readers share the recipients' joy in Mr. Zip's visits when it is raining, snowing, or the sun is shining.

 

While showing the diversity of city life, Where’s Mr. Zip HC takes the postal carrier into the country. Farmers take a break from caring for their animals to greet him, and Mr. Zip rewards a horse with a treat. He visits farms where food grows, letting children imagine how it will reach their homes. The richly colored fields give way to the dark green woods, where Mr. Zip delivers news and goods to people living in secluded forest homes. 

 

Wherever Mr. Zip travels, his friend accompanies him. B. Franklin brings his cheery face to meet animals and make new friends. Big black letters in white fields explain what occurs on each double-page spread. The words at the bottom of each page highlight people, animals, and objects in the art. Thanks to Dynamite Kids for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Mr. Zip doesn't just work at one post office. He fills in at different branches. Readers learn how the US Postal Service meets the needs of people wherever they live. As children watch Mr. Zip and B. Franklin explore the world and make friends, an interactive feature prompts readers to find specific people, objects, and animals in the art. With Where's Mr Zip HC, children of any age contemplate their place in the world and the diversity of the United States.

 

Rating 10/10

Stop That Penguin HC Review

 

Writer: Annie Auerbach

Artist & Colorist: Kyle Beckett

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $14.99

Release Date: January 29, 2025

 

Considering a visit to the North Pole? Yanni the Yeti wants to show you what makes Santa's village great. You can't go wrong by booking a tour with Yanni. Or can you? Let's grab a thermos of hot cocoa, leap into Stop That Penguin HC, and find out!

 

Story

Yanni may be new to this tour guide lark. Still, he carries an official flag. What could be easier than showing off all the places that make Santa's community sparkle? Yanni dazzles his guests with a visit to Reindeer School. The children see young reindeer training in the athletic feats they must master to pull Santa's sleigh. Yanni can't remember Robbie, but he drops enough familiar names to remind children of the importance of physical education.

 

In Stop That Penguin HC, Yanni’s next stop is the Observatory. The Yeti leads his charges up steps inside a tower to join the elf at one of the telescopes. The astronomy elves track Santa so he doesn't get lost during his around-the-world jaunts. Another stop is Santa's workshop, where the elves oversee an automated assembly line. These elves have studied robotics. They programmed the toy-making robots to ensure everyone on Santa's Nice List gets a Tickle Me Elmo, Turbo Man action figure, or whatever hot new toy the good kiddies want.

 

While Annie Auerbach teaches children the importance of physical education and science, she throws her Yeti a curveball. Yanni doesn’t realize that penguins reside at the North Pole. One accompanies Yanni on the tour. But then the penguin gets impatient and captures Yanni's flag. The penguin leads the children to places Yanni would fear to tread, such as Santa's Study. Yanni discovers that more tuxedoed Happy Feet have immigrated from Antarctica to help the elves up north. In Stop The Penguin HC, Yanni realizes he has lost control. He must recapture the flag, or people will start booking penguin-guided tours instead!

 

Art

Kyle Beckett shows the elves putting young reindeer through their paces. The elves carry clipboards, move hurdles on the track, and struggle to ground a novice flyer. Giant radar dishes surround the towers rising from the snow while an elf at ground level studies a computer monitor. Then, Yanni leads the children to the Snowman Mountain Ice Hotel. Unlike Gustav Graves' ice palace in Die Another Day, drones bring steaming mugs of cocoa to the guests.

 

Amid the cats, dogs, birds, and elves at the North Pole, Yanni is the most appealing character in Stop The Penguin HC. His blue fur evokes a Christmas tree. His large eyes and expressions indicate how much Yanni enjoys leading tours and fears losing his job.

 

Kyle Beckett paints his whimsical characters and buildings with bright and attractive colors. The colorful faces suggest that everyone is welcome in Santa's country. Orange and yellow fill the sky over the immense red Cookie Factory. Perhaps it is the source of the Northern Lights? Cutaways reveal a blue interior filled with talented elves and penguin immigrants. Trains deliver cookies, biscuits, and milk to the workers.

 

Large, bold, lowercase black letters show Yanni's dialogue, while words swell and change color for intonation or volume. White or colored uppercase letters introduce each new location or building. The lettering appears in colored backgrounds or white space between vignettes. When Yanni finally makes his play, the Yeti speaks large uppercase red letters into a dialogue balloon. A yellow-and-pink effect helps us hear his desperate attempt to reclaim his flag. Thanks to Dynamite for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When Yanni leads a tour of the North Pole, a black-and-white miscreant takes over the Yeti's job. Stop That Penguin HC reveals the importance of school and sports and how immigration and diversity make the North Pole one of the most wondrous places on Earth.

 

Rating 9.4/10 

 

This review originally published at Comic Book Dispatch.