Red Sonja comics, Volumes 1-3

Updated 27 May 2020 with Conan collections

I’m not sure where but I’d seen covers of old superhero comics recently and, though I read mostly sci-fi comics growing up, it made me nostalgic for some classic 60s/70s pulp art cheese. Enter, somewhat unrelated, Comixology. I had resisted them in the same but greater way that I resist ebooks: physicality is important and especially so with art. However, also as with ebooks, for much of what I purchase physicality is not needed because some of the books are more… ephemeral? In other words: some are worthy of taking up space on a shelf and others not so much.

So I finally hooked up with Comixology a few weeks back and have been reading on my laptop/tablet (Dell Inspiron 15, 5579 Series, 15.6″ screen). A little heavy, but in tablet mode and with that large screen it’s perfect for comics.

Cut to Red Sonja.

I had wanted to dive in with Conan the Barbarian but the original runs and reissues are kind of a mess (going through Wikipedia and online comic shops I have yet to figure out what was published when and by whom). The Red Sonja reissues are also a mess, but Comixology had the three volumes of the original Red Sonja series so I went with those. The Adventures of Red Sonja, Volumes 1 (#1-7, from the Marvel Feature series 1975-1976), 2 (#1-7, from the 2nd Marvel series 1977-1979), and 3 (#8-15). There’s a 4th volume they do not yet have and so there’s another reason to purchase physical copies: they are more certain to exist. (I take that back. Nobody has a copy of #4 to sell although it’s available from the publisher in digital form.)

The entries at Comic Vine provide covers, credits, character appearances across each issue, and location:

Recommended if only to track every time she exclaims “Mother of Mitra!” or “Erlik’s Tears!” or “By Erlik’s fiery breath!” or “Tarim!”

map of Hyboria taken from Bobby Tilley on Pinterest
the cover of issue #1, Jan 1977, where she is given the same opening quote as on the Conan #1 cover below, also note the mirrored poses
the cover of issue #1 (of 275!), Oct 1970

Conan

There are two sets of early Conan that are available in anthology form from Comixology. Later series listed after (incomplete):

Conan The Barbarian Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years – The Coming Of Conan – Conan the Barbarian (1970) #1-13, material from Chamber of Darkness (1969) #4. This is the very first series of 275 issues published from 1970-1993.

Conan The Barbarian Giant-Size (1974-1975) – Five 68-page issues. Though listings and cover are say there are 68 pages, the digital Comixology copies I have only have 33 pages. Adapts the Robert E. Howard book Hour of the Dragon.

Summaries, taken from Comixology:

  1. The mighty King of Aquilonia, Conan, wakes from his sleep by the sound of footsteps, but is unable to see who’s making them! Conan finds that he must take down a resurrected dark sorcerer.
  2. Conan must free the innocent residents of the villages that are in Zukala’s control. In addition, he must save Zephra from a dreadful demon!
  3. The mighty Conan cannot be defeated! Nobody can stop him in his quest to find the sacred Heart of Ahriman!
  4. In this thrilling adventure, Conan saves the Lady Aztrias from a pack of snarling wolves! The grateful Lady Aztrias asks Conan for another favor in which he must steal from the wealthy merchant, Kallian.
  5. Conan and Elric take on the hordes of Hell in a series of sword-slaying adventures!

Savage Sword of Conan – 235 issues from 1974-1995.

Conan the Adventurer – 14 issues from 1994-1995.

Conan – 11 issues from 1995-1996.

Conan – 50 issues published by Dark Horse from 2004-2008.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 1, 2: The Life And Death Of Conan Book One, Two – 6 issues from 2019. 6 issues from 2019-2020. Ongoing.