Red Sonja #20

After suffering yet another loss, Red Sonja has abandoned Hyrkania haunted by a lifetime of guilt, loss, and blood which lead her back to Shadizar. The city with ties to her past has a new king as Cyril, son of Dragan the Magnificient, has assumed the throne. However, Cyril isn't on hand to greet Sonja as he's taken the army to the Aquilonian border to conquer through a series of quick attacks that seem insignificant at first but show a wisdom, patience, and deviousness far older than his outward appearance suggests.

About half of the issue is set aside to introduce readers to Cyril. Cyril has his father's bloodthirsty and vicious nature (willing to cull the unwilling from his own soldiers in order to toughen the rest) but also a cunning that, along with a visage that hides just how dangerous he truly is, allows for far different kind of opponent for Red Sonja to face off against in this arc. As Cyril earns the fear, if not the respect, of his men, a Sonja as lost as she's ever been haunts the path of her past waiting for events to come into focus once again.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

• Title: Red Sonja #20
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Russell
• Artist: Alessandro Miracolo