Red Sonja #21

Red Sonja continues to make her presence known in Shadizar as the cloaked figure stalks the streets killing all the guards the child king Cyril, son of Dragan the Magnificient, sends after her. Hoping to whittle away his forces and make him commit more to the city leaving the palace vulnerable, eventually Sonja turns her attention to the the city's King.

Red Sonja #21 works as a dance between Sonja and Cyril, both plotting their opponent's demise. Cyril's use of his decapitated oracles comes in to play once more, giving the tyrant king more understanding about what Sonja is planning. We also see more examples of Cyril's ruthless style of ruling once he learns of the scarcity of men willing to hit the streets and do battle against the She-Devil with a Sword.

The issue works mostly as a prelude to the inevitable confrontation between Red Sonja and Cyril, with both overconfident with their plans and in their chances with killing the other. The real game is about to begin.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

• Title: Red Sonja #21
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Russell
• Artist: Alessandro Miracolo