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Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Red Sonja: Age of Chaos #2

Published Tue, 03 Mar 2020 07:30:52 -0600

Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Red Sonja: Age of Chaos #2, on sale now from Dynamite.

Erik Burnham here — let's talk about Red Sonja: Age of Chaos #2.

First, the credits.

Jonathan Lau drew it up, Andrew Dalhouse colored it, Carlos S. Mangual provided the lettering.

Cover A was by Lucio Parillo, Cover B by Alan Quah and Komikaki Studio, Derrick Chew drew Cover C, Ale Garza, Mostaffa Moussa & Omi Remolante, Jr. were responsible for Cover D, and on Cover E, it's cosplay.

PAGE 01
We pick up right where we left off — with Sonja saying goodbye to the sailor who had been killed by vampires at the end of issue 1.

Uh… spoilers?

Anyway. Chastity was waiting at the end of that issue, and was looking a lot like she was going to attack.

And she does —

PAGE 02
– An unseen vampire, that is. And she does him in good. Jonathan really sold the "ain't a big deal" of Chastity's dispatch of the lesser vampire. It's an action hero moment sold in one panel.

Also, the change in her face between all-business in panels 1 and 2, and a more human reaction in panel 4. It's great acting, and Jonathan expressed it beautifully.

PAGE 03
Speaking of acting, Jonathan nails it again here. Chastity wincing from the sword pointed at her; she's worried — even though she just ripped a vampire in half — and Sonja is confident, even though she just saw Chastity rip a vampire in half.

It's characterization in a second.

It also shows you that, yes, this is the same version of Sonja that Amy Chu sent to New York City back in Red Sonja volume 4.

I picked that because… well, that's my Sonja, too — and also because it gets us around the language barrier. (Sure the other Chaos! characters have a degree of telepathic power that'd allow them past it, but I don't think Chastity does.)

And yes, that means Chas is on the side of the heroes.

PAGE 04
[Chastity] also acts sometimes. (That bit made me chuckle, and was written right about the point that I'd scripted my first issue of Chastity, #3. I really got to like ol' Chas.)

PAGES 05-08
And now, the final as-yet-unseen member of the Chaos! crew appears: Lady Demon.

That seagull fleeing in the foreground cracks me up.

And of course, what would Sonja do when faced with a demon?

That's right. She'd attack.

Doesn't go well.

Lady Demon is at full power; she can repel attacks and heal herself easily. It's my "this is why we gotta lower the power of some of these characters a skosh for this story." Haha.

PAGE 11
Skipping ahead a bit, the first panel on this page is one of my favorites. I wanted a realm of death unlike what you always see in fiction. An underworld that isn't a cavern or fiery pit of damnation. The trees in the background, the flowers, Jonathan interpreted it differently than I expected, but man, do I love it.

PAGES 12-14
Bad Kitty got the short shrift when it came to the Hyborian journey. Initially, she was going to be right there with Sonja and Chastity… but that started to feel too crowded, so we removed Kitty from later moments.

But that allowed for this scene, where we can show Kitty's chops as a monster hunter.

Additionally, the origin of her "magic bullet" from issue 1, and why it reacted so strongly with the magic amulet.

Also, I had asked for Lady Demon in an angelic disguise. Jonathan came back with this — no horns and a subtle difference to the dress. Simple, and perfect. The reader still knows who she is immediately.

PAGES 18-20
Lady Demon taking on Sonja's face is sure to ruffle some feathers. It helped sell the really angry reaction Sonja has when she figures out that the quest will involve the resurrection of Kulan Gath.

But the thrown dagger and the result shown as a splash on page 20? So much fun.

Action in the exposition.

And that's it for this month!

Next time, Evil Ernie resurrects a monster and Purgatori fights a group of barbarians in the snow, so be here for that.