Posted in: Comics, Dynamite | Tagged: dynamite, red sonja, unreakable red sonja

Jim Zub and Giovanni Valletta, to Launch Unbreakable Red Sonja #1

Published Mon, 18 Jul 2022 12:59:11 -0500

Jim Zub has been writing Conan at Marvel Comics. But Marvel doesn't have Conan anymore. So Jim Zub is now writing a new Red Sonja comic book series from Dynamite Entertainment, with artist Giovanni Valletta, in a countdown to the character's 50th anniversary next year.

"I grew up on a steady supply of sword & sorcery novels, comics, and games in my youth and they indelibly imprinted on my mind in ways that inform all my writing," said writer Jim Zub. "I'm absolutely pumped for this. I have a lot more room to explore what drives Red Sonja and the depths she'll go to overcome threats that are wildly stacked against her."

The She-Devil With a Sword is careening toward her huge 50th anniversary this coming year of 2023. To lead fans into that celebratory era, Dynamite is proud to present a sweeping story of high adventure to join the canon. Acclaimed sword and sorcery master Jim Zub returns to write the character, but for the first time with full focus and an extended take. This series follows his collaboration on the beloved Conan/Red Sonja crossover with Gail Simone and Dan Panosian, and the one-shot special Red Sonja and Cub. This project is also following a revered year long tenure on Conan the Barbarian, the final run in Marvel's return to that character. Across the fantasy genre, Zub has also contributed to Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, let alone countless top superhero titles.

Zub is joined for the series by Giovanni Valletta, known for his artistry on titles like John Wick and James Bond. Now he'll be bringing that eye for vicious and thrilling action to the Hyrkanian Heroine for a perfect match. Other celebrated artists contribute to the series through their jaw-dropping covers. Red Sonja luminary Lucio Parrillo paints another masterpiece. Superstar David Finch returns to the character. Judy Jong, one of the biggest rising stars in the industry features with a cover. And Zub's Conan/Red Sonja compatriot Dan Panosian is spotlighted with an incentive variant. They're all joined as well by Celina, Giuseppe Matteoni, and cosplayer Augusta Moore.

In the story, Red Sonja carries a hazy vision that lurks just out of reach in her memories. As she seeks out to figure out this mystery, it will unlock a journey of forbidden magic and searing steel. Moments from Sonja's past, present, and even the future will collide in a quest unlike any other our scarlet-haired hero has faced before! It's a Sonja story different from any that fans have seen before, but at the core is classic sword and sorcery fare with just a bit of a twist.

Sonja is a self-made woman and warrior, from her earliest days to her end as Queen. In her harsh era and environment, death could come at any turn, necessitating an uncompromising and unforgiving approach to battle and life. This is where the Unbreakable title comes into play. The creative team is not out to "break" Sonja, but to put her through one of her most brutal stories yet to truly earn and prove that adjective.

"Red Sonja is one of our flagship characters, and we're always looking for the perfect creators and stories to take her to the next level and maintain the high standard we set for her, on behalf of the fans," said Nick Barrucci, Dynamite CEO and Publisher. "This go around, it didn't take much deep searching [Laughs]. Jim Zub is one of the foremost masters of the genre in comics and beyond, and we hope fans will be overjoyed to see him sticking around in the Hyborian Age a bit more!"