brightestdaycare's Swords of Sorrow: Red Sonja & Jungle Girl #2 review

    Avatar image for brightestdaycare

    Sonja Teaches a Class on Swearing, and also Other Stuff Happens...

    I have really been enjoying the Swords of Sorrow series, even if some of the tie-in books seem to be a bit “off the rails” when it comes to the main story continuity. This book has a bit of that problem, but only because (as is the case with most big event book tie-ins, and the issues with release schedules) this book is coming out after the main series has already had the main characters in the story rejoin their group. So, like the story at Marvel with Lando getting into trouble with the Empire, it is rather simple to draw the conclusion that he will almost certainly live through whatever danger comes his way, because **SPOILERS but not really- you should know Return of the Jedi by now** Lando has to help pilot the Millenium Falcon and be a part of the rebellion and be alive for the fall of the Emperor.

    But this book, once you put aside the fact that you know nothing bad is going to happen to our two main heroines, really gets off on the right foot. I love the way that Red Sonja looks in this book, and I think that I am starting to like Jungle Girl enough to maybe give her solo series a shot (I assume she is getting a solo series, because I would hope most, if not all the ladies of Swords of Sorrow are going to get more opportunities for standalone series). I think that the way the book looks also acts as a nice contrast to a lot of the content of the story, with giant dinosaur/dragon monsters under the control of Mistress Hel attacking Sonja and Jungle Girl, and the local tribes turning on our two tough ladies- not to mention the scene that made me laugh out loud- when Sonja is trying to get Jungle Girl to curse more effectively, in order to make her attacks for formidable and vicious.

    I like how Marguerite Bennett writes these characters, being fun and sassy ladies, but not letting Sonja lose her characteristic bawdiness even when she is paired with the much more tame (hah- pun intended) Jungle Girl. I think that this has been a fun bit of side story to the main Swords of Sorrow event. Both books have good moments of humor, but this book leans more heavily on the wit I have come to expect from Red Sonja- and it pays off in spades.

    I think that these creators involved on Swords of Sorrow have really created a beautiful thing with this event- there are lots of rather unknown and lesser known characters taking center stage in this book, and I am glad to see strong and talented women get a shot to be the head honcho when something cosmic and “end of the world”-level is thrown their way.

    These ladies (both creators and characters) have crafted something very unique- and I think that the idea that something like this can be helmed by a kickass female creator (Gail Simone) and that so many different awesome ladies can be involved in an event like this, shows people that there is room for a lot more awesome women in comics, both on the pages and behind the scenes.

    I hope everyone is reading Swords of Sorrow, even if you aren’t branching out into the tie-in books (I would still recommend this one) you should totally be reading Swords of Sorrow- it is a fun and interesting book, it takes a big twist on some existing characters and stories most everyone is aware of, not to mention it is a great universe spanning event book from a publisher that (hopefully) wont let this book trail off and end with an unceremonious whimper, like some of the other events of late have done.

    Red this book if you like fun comics- and go check out Swords of Sorrow, and definitely go read Gail Simone’s Red Sonja if this book tickles your fancy- and if you like tough lady books go read Marguerite Bennett’s “Angela: Asgard’s Assassin”.

    Other reviews for Swords of Sorrow: Red Sonja & Jungle Girl #2

    This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Comic Vine users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.