Many tales are told of the woman warrior called Red Sonja. In many ways she is the quintessential fantasy heroine. This is ironic, given her background as a pastiche character that was created for the American comics market. And yet, as with many legends, she grew into something far greater than could be imagined. With a new Red Sonja movie releasing in 2025, it seems appropriate to look back on her history and her best stories.
The story of Red Sonja begins in 1934, with Robert E. Howard‘s historic short story “The Shadow of the Vulture.” The story featured a mercenary called Red Sonya of Rogatino, whose fiery temper matched her crimson hair. Years later, Marvel Comics began adapting Howard’s Conan the Barbarian character for comics. They also had permission to adapt Howard’s other stories.
This solved a problem that writer Roy Thomas had regarding providing Conan with a feminine foil. While the classic Conan stories were full of strong-willed women, Conan didn’t encounter them until later in his life. With the aid of artist Barry Windsor-Smith, Thomas transposed Red Sonya into the Hyborian Age and Red Sonja was born. She soon became popular enough to command her own series and saw a cinematic adaptation in 1985.
Best Red Sonja comics as of 2025
Like most legendary comic characters, many creators have had a hand in shaping Red Sonja over the years. Accordingly, there has been a wide variety of stories featuring the She-Devil with a Sword. Sadly, many of them were decidedly generic or more concerned with fan service fueled artwork than an epic narrative. What follows is a list of the best Red Sonia comics, which helped establish her history and personality.
The Song of Red Sonja
Red Sonja made her first appearance in Conan the Barbarian #23, which adapted Howard’s “The Shadow of the Vulture.” It could be argued, however, that the first Red Sonja story came one issue later in “The Song of Red Sonja.” The story opens with her and Conan escaping a tavern brawl, prompted by Sonja’s provocative dancing. She then talks the barbarian into helping her with a bit of burglary, before riding off with the treasure and leaving him behind.
“The Song of Red Sonja” went on to win the 1973 Shazam award for Best Individual Story (Dramatic). Beyond that, it solidified many aspects of the heroine’s personality. The story presents Sonja as a flirtatious woman, who did not think twice about flaunting her body. This was a far cry from many later interpretations, where she would threaten men for looking at her. While a copy of the original comic will set you back a pretty penny, it can be found along with other early Conan stories in the Conan the Barbarian Vol. 1 Omnibus.
Conan/Red Sonja
In time, Red Sonja became managed by her own LLC, apart from Conan the Barbarian. The two have interacted sparingly since then, with only two official crossovers since the days when Marvel managed both. The best of these was Conan/Red Sonja, which was co-published by Dark Horse Comics and Dynamite Entertainment.
Set in the new continuities forged by both publishers, the miniseries reintroduces Red Sonja and Conan to each other. Each chapter finds the heroes reunited after several years apart, dealing with the machinations of the serpent priest Thoth-Amon. All in all, Conan/Red Sonja is a worthy tribute to both characters and it is a shame more crossovers could not be arranged.
Ballad of the Red Goddess
While now famous for her chainmail bikini, Red Sonja originally dressed in leather breeches and a chain-shirt. Her more familiar costume came about because of a pin-up page crafted by Spanish artist Esteban Moroto for the fanzine ComixScen. Roy Thomas liked the look and asked John Buscema to use it for her next appearance in Conan the Barbarian. He also hired Moroto to draw Sonja’s first solo story for Savage Sword of Conan magazine.
Years later, Thomas and Moroto would collaborate again on Ballad of the Red Goddess. This 2019 graphic novel retells the origins of Red Sonja, making her an avatar for the Celtic war goddess The Morrígan. While undoubtedly non-canon, it is still interesting to see the heroine reimagined by the two creators who first established her.
Queen of Plagues
In 2014, comics legend Gail Simone revamped Red Sonja for the 21st century. No more was she a peasant girl blessed by a random war goddess. Now, she fought to kill the raiders who slaughtered her village guerilla-style as a teen and spent three years as a gladiator slave before becoming a sell-sword.
Simone’s story detailing this new history, Queen of Plagues, is a wonderful introduction to the Hyborian Age setting. It may also be the single most adapted Red Sonja story ever. Queen of Plagues served as the basis for part of the story of the 2025 film. It was also adapted into an animated motion comic movie.
Scorched Earth
Originally published in 2019, Scorched Earth opened the fifth volume of Red Sonja’s monthly comic. Written by Mark Russell, it offered a satirical take on the classic fantasy formulas. The story found Sonja unexpectedly being made monarch of a land besieged by the egotistical Dragan The Magnificent.
While containing more humor than most comics of its kind, Scorched Earth also had deeper characterization. Both Red Sonja and Dragan are developed into more complex characters than is typically seen in sword-and-sorcery. Small wonder then that this comic was also adapted into the 2025 film.
Legends of Red Sonja
This five-part anthology was built around a simple premise. Take some of the best female fantasy writers in the world and give them a chance to spin the wildest Red Sonja stories possible. All of this is framed within a story detailing a brute squad of mercenaries hired to take down the She-Devil with a Sword once and for all.
Legends of Red Sonja is notable for the creators involved, including Tamora Pierce, Mercedes Lackey, Kelly Sue DeConnick, and Rhianna Pratchett. However, the series is also notable for establishing the conceit that any story that conflicts with the current canon is just a “legend” told by an unreliable narrator.
How we chose the best Red Sonja comics
Some of these comics were chosen because they are origin stories or are otherwise good stories to start with. Others were chosen because of their role in inspiring the 2025 film staring Matilda Lutz. Still others were picked because of their historical significance in establishing Red Sonja as the first lady of sword-and-sorcery.
Other Red Sonja recommendations
While not a comic, we would also recommend newly forged fans of the She-Devil with a Sword check out Red Sonja: Consumed. The first full novel written by Gail Simone, the story finds Sonja fleeing a bad romance with a stolen treasure. Unfortunately, the golden trinket is tied to dark magics and further connected to an undead army that threatens her homeland of Hyrkania. Beyond being a rousing adventure story, it is also a wonderful encapsulation of everything that makes Red Sonja unique as a character. Audiophiles may also want to check out the audiobook version, which is read by geek icon Felicia Day.
