*Review: Red Sonja (Vol. 5) #4 – SPOILER ALERT!*

By BOB FREEMAN — Paint Monk’s Library Writer

The Imperial forces have been resupplied in half the time expected by mobilizing the chariots meant to defend the entire kingdom. Emperor Dragan of Zamora explains the perils of leaving his empire undefended, then issues the order to mobilize against Sonja’s ragtag army. If he was going to leave Zamora defenseless for this, he was at least going to put them to good use.

Caught off guard by Dragan’s tactics, Sonja turns the evacuation over to her advisors, while she leads the defensive charge against the invaders.

In a flashback to Khitai, Sonja is in training with Master Domo who chastises her for depending on her strength too readily. He warns that she might not always be the strongest in a battle. He advises that knowing one’s enemy is most important.

Back in the present, Sonja rides with the Brothers of Misfortune, a ragged band of misfit thieves and cutthroats, on unarmored horse against Imperial war chariots.

Hiding in the low hills of the Shallows, Sonja’s much smaller force attacks the charioteers from behind, decimating them. A single survivor slinks back to the Emperor’s camp to report the rout.

Sonja sets up multiple decoy trails to confuse Dragon’s forces, but as the Emperor prepares to execute the fool responsible for the chariot debacle, the survivor mentions that the leader of the Brothers of Misfortune is Sonja’s cousin. The fool about to be execute declares that, based on this new information, he has a plan…

***

This was another solid effort from Russell and Colak, with a tightly woven narrative that is quite meaty. For all of its humor, which is, as I’ve said, a bit more than I care for, it’s a cerebral tale utilizing military tactics in a game of cat and mouse between vastly superior Imperial numbers and the guerrilla tactics of Sonja’s Hyrkanians.

I like the way Russell plots his stories, utilizing flashbacks to spotlight Sonja’s tactics. And the loose artwork, not normally my cup of tea, is nicely contrasted between past and present.

All in all, an enjoyable read and certainly more entertaining than Marvel’s current Conan tales.

I’d give this issue an 8 out of 10 skulls of my enemies.