Writer: Erik Burnham, Tom Defalco, Anthony Marques, Liam Marques
Artist: Tom Garcia, Anthony Marques, Avery Marques
Colors: Morgan Hickman
Lettering: Taylor Esposito
Cover: Reilly Brown
Publisher: Dynamite
Spoilers
This special is comprised of two stories, the second being a brief little number at the back. I am usually down for a decent Red Sonja tale, and these two were pretty typical of the stories we all associate with the She-Devil. I’m not sure if I was expecting much more than what I got, but it would have been nice to be surprised, especially for a holiday themed oneshot. However, I wasn’t let down or anything, so that’s always a plus.
The first story is titled Curse of the Wolf and features an even bustier than usual Sonja encountering the supernatural during a festival that marks the time of year when spirits can cross into the fleshy world most easily. I liked the premise, but the missing word in the second text box immediately had me on my guard. It ended up being a pleasantly creepy plot, if a little predictable. The dialogue seemed somewhat bland and not quite up to par with the epic dialogue in many of the other stories of Conan and Red Sonja.
I did like the art of the first story quite a bit, despite the exaggeration of certain anatomical parts. The faces were drawn really well and the colors were great. Likewise, though a completely different style, the art in the second story, Hail Halcoose was also appealing. It had a more animated feel to it, that made it super fun and refreshing to read.
Although the plot of this second story was lightning fast, it served its purpose. I enjoyed the cheekiness and light-hearted kind of feel (though the stakes were high in the tale).
All in, a solid holiday read, if not the most memorable. It’s nice for a short break during a rainy October afternoon.
Overall: 7/10
Tee LaFrance Todd writes, edits, reads, explores, and creates whenever she can find the time. When she’s not engaged in some form of storytelling, you can find Tee traversing the world with her husband and her dog, making things, reading tarot cards, and generally striving to live a life beyond anything she can imagine.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeeLaFranceTodd
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeeLaFranceTodd
