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No doubt you have heard of Red Sonja. Maybe you saw the 1985 movie. Regardless, there is a great comic issue from 1975 you are going to love. In Marvel Feature 2 we see Red Sonja in Blood of the Hunter. Beside the two most important staples from a red-headed heroine story (violence and romance) we also get to see Red Sonja brought to her knees like a slave, weak and defenseless at the hand of a sword.
Red Sonja had always been a paranoid one. She sensed that her enemy was nearby but could not track him. He was always one step ahead and would sabotage her trail to prove it. Whenever she would find water it would be poisoned. Eventually she became dehydrated, weak and desperate. At this point Red Sonja was defeated by her enemy as she crawled to him on her knees. But it turned out that she had one last trick up her sleeve. Her bag had a poisonous snake inside, killing her assailant.
Her enemy turned out to be a man she stole a key from at the beginning of the story. She robbed him and left his horse tied, unable to follow her. She then goes to a bar and encounters a boy who tries to steal her horse and belongings. This subplot serves as a nice bonus in this issue of Marvel Feature 2 as we see Sonja question her vow of celibacy. She tricks a disabled boy into kissing her in order to show his value. This reveals a soft side to Sonja that is not often unveiled. The boy is unfortunately murdered, along with everyone else she encountered along the way. Her enemy had been tracking her and ready to get revenge. Red Sonja’s defeat not last long, as she had the last laugh.
If you especially like Frank Thorne’s artistic talent in this issue, you should then try to find the Artist’s Edition (Affiliate Link) of this story. It shows his intention and art more clearly, albeit without color. Leave a comment with your thoughts about Red Sonja in this story.