Honestly, if you grew up with the 1980s version of Red Sonja, you probably remember the chainmail bikini and... not much else. She was the "She-Devil with a Sword," sure, but for decades she felt more like a pin-up girl who happened to hold a blade than a lived-in human being. Then 2013 happened. Dynamite Entertainment handed the keys of the Hyborian kingdom to Gail Simone, and everything changed.
It wasn't just a reboot. It was a total gut-renovation of a character who had been stuck in a cycle of repetitive tropes since the 70s. Gail Simone Red Sonja isn't just a comic run; it’s the definitive modern blueprint for how you handle a legacy character without losing the soul of what made them cool in the first place.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Reboot
There’s this weird misconception that Simone "sanitized" the character. People see a female writer taking over a famously scantily-clad heroine and assume the fun is going to be sucked out of the room. It’s actually the opposite. Simone made Sonja more of a degenerate—and I mean that in the best way possible.
In the old Marvel books, Sonja was often a "warrior nun" type. She had this vow of chastity where she wouldn't sleep with any man unless he beat her in combat. It was, frankly, a bit of a dated narrative device used to justify why she hadn't settled down. Simone took one look at that and tossed it in the trash.
The Sonja we get in the 2013 run is earthy. She’s surly. She stinks of ale and horse. She’s messy, she’s loud, and she’s canonically bisexual. When Sonja tells a group of people, "I'm Red Sonja, I'm everybody's type," she isn't just bragging—she’s stating a fact of the Hyborian Age. She carouses. She makes mistakes. She’s actually fun to be around now, rather than just being a stoic statue.
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The Origin Story Overhaul
The biggest, and arguably most controversial, move Simone made was rewriting Sonja’s origin. For years, the character’s "motivation" was rooted in a brutal sexual assault that occurred during the slaughter of her family. This was the catalyst that led her to the goddess Scathach, who granted her sword skills in exchange for that chastity vow.
Simone stripped the rape out of the backstory entirely.
In the "Queen of Plagues" arc, we learn Sonja was a tomboy who learned to hunt and survive from her father. When her village was destroyed, she survived through grit and her own burgeoning skills, not because a goddess took pity on her. This shift moved Sonja from being a victim-turned-avenger to a self-made survivor.
It makes her agency real. She didn't need a divine power-up to be the best fighter in the world; she just worked harder and bled more than everyone else.
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Why the "Queen of Plagues" Still Hits Hard
If you haven't read the first volume, it’s basically a masterclass in pacing. Sonja is called back to help a king who once showed her mercy. She’s trying to lead a ragtag army of peasants against a terrifying general named Dark Annisia.
The twist? Annisia was Sonja's "cell sister" back when they were gladiators.
The emotional weight here is heavy. It’s not just two people hitting each other with metal; it’s a story about trauma, shared history, and the different ways people break under pressure. Walter Geovani’s art brings a certain "grubby" realism to the whole thing. The blood isn't just there for shock value—it feels heavy, sticky, and dangerous.
Breaking Down the Creative Synergy
You can't talk about this era without mentioning the all-female creative initiative Simone spearheaded. For the Legends of Red Sonja miniseries, she brought in heavy hitters like Kelly Sue DeConnick, Marjorie Liu, and Tamora Pierce.
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- The Vibe: It felt like a campfire session where everyone was telling their own version of a myth.
- The Art: Instead of the typical "male gaze" poses, the artists (including legends like Jenny Frison and Nicola Scott) focused on Sonja’s musculature, her scars, and her sheer presence.
- The Impact: It proved that Sonja wasn't just a niche character for a specific demographic; she had universal appeal when treated with respect.
The sales backed this up, too. The first issue of the 2013 run had a massive 35,000-copy print run that sold out almost immediately. People were hungry for a version of Sonja that felt like a person they might actually meet (and subsequently get into a bar fight with).
The Nuance of the Chainmail Bikini
Look, the outfit is ridiculous. We all know it. Even Simone knows it.
But instead of redesigning it into a full suit of plate armor—which would have caused a different kind of fan riot—she leaned into it. In this run, Sonja wears it because she likes it. She’s comfortable in her skin. There’s a scene where she’s basically told she should dress more "appropriately" for a lady, and her response is exactly what you’d expect: a middle finger to social norms.
By making the outfit a choice rather than a requirement of her "goddess contract," the bikini becomes an act of defiance. It’s a subtle bit of writing that lets the character keep her iconic look while removing the "service" aspect of it.
Actionable Insights for New Readers
If you’re looking to dive into this run, don't just grab random issues. The Gail Simone era is best experienced in order because the character growth is cumulative.
- Start with Volume 1: Queen of Plagues. This sets the new tone and establishes the revamped origin. It’s the "must-read" of the bunch.
- Move to Volume 2: The Art of Blood and Fire. This expands the world and shows Sonja dealing with more than just physical threats.
- Check out the Omnibus. If you're a completionist, the 2019 Omnibus collects the entire 18-issue run plus extras. It’s a brick of a book, but it’s the best way to see the full arc.
- Read "Red Sonja: Consumed." This is Simone's 2024/2025 novel. It carries the same voice as the comics but gives you a deeper look into Sonja’s internal monologue without the constraints of 22-page comic chapters.
The Gail Simone Red Sonja run basically saved the character from becoming a footnote in comic history. It proved that you can take a "cheesy" sword-and-sorcery trope and turn it into a high-stakes, emotional, and genuinely funny epic. Whether you're a long-time Conan fan or someone who has never touched a barbarian comic in your life, this is the version of the She-Devil you actually need to know.