Know also, O Prince, that in those selfsame days that Conan the Cimmerian did stalk the Hyborian kingdoms, one of the few swords worthy to cross with his was that of Red Sonja, warrior woman out of majestic Hyrkania. Forced to flee her homeland because she spurned the advances of a king and slew him instead, she rode west across the Turanian Steppes and into the shadowed mists of legendry 
History
Red Sonja lived with her family in a humble home in the Western Hyrkanian steppes. When she had just turned 17 years old, a group of cruel mercenaries killed her father Ivor, her mother and two younger brothers and burned their house and all their possessions. She survived but at the cost of her own virginity after she was brutally raped by the leader of the group, leaving her in shame. After all this, the goddess Scathach then appeared to her, and instilled in her incredible skill in handling swords and other weapons on the condition that she would not allow herself to be loved by another man unless he defeated her in fair combat.[1]
In her adventures, she often crossed path with Conan the Barbarian[2][3] and the two were constant enemies of the evil sorcerer Kulan Gath. Red Sonja also went to the future on two separate occasions when she possessed Mary Jane Watson and teamed up with Spider-Man in defeating Kulan Gath who had also traveled to the future in one of many attempts to take over modern day Earth.Attributes
Abilities
A sword-master in peak human physical condition, martial arts expert, as well as knowledge and experience of fighting the supernatural.
Notes
- Red Sonja is a character set in the Hyborean Age created by Marvel Comics, loosely based on Robert E. Howard's Red Sonya from the short story "The Shadow of the Vulture", which was later rewritten for Conan comics by Roy Thomas. She is now under license to Dynamite Entertainment. This profile reflects only on Marvel's involvement with the character, and with whatever implied or referenced background is necessary.
- The origin of Red Sonja, "The Day of the Sword", first appeared in Kull and the Barbarians #3 by Roy Thomas, Doug Moench and Howard Chaykin, and was later redrawn by Dick Giordano and Terry Austin for Savage Sword of Conan #78.
- In the current Dynamite comic book series, Sonja's origins are portrayed in "flashbacks" within each issue beginning with issue #8. The goddess makes her first appearance in the new series in issue #12, which also marks the return of the deadly sorcerer Kulan Gath.
- Red Sonja writer Frank Thorne, along with Mike and Sal Caputo, wrote a song entitled "The Ballad of Red Sonja" which they performed at a New Jersey nightclub called Lily Langtry's in 1977.[4]
Trivia
- Red Sonja was played by Brigitte Nielsen in the 1985 film "Red Sonja".
- Red Sonja was played by Angelica Bridges in the episode "Red Sonja" on the Conan TV series.
See Also
- 119 appearance(s) of Red Sonja (Earth-616)
- 2 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Red Sonja (Earth-616)
- 7 minor appearance(s) of Red Sonja (Earth-616)
- 16 mention(s) of Red Sonja (Earth-616)
- 3 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Red Sonja (Earth-616)
- 95 image(s) of Red Sonja (Earth-616)
- 10 quotation(s) by or about Red Sonja (Earth-616)
- 3 item(s) used/owned by Red Sonja (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ Kull and the Barbarians #3
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian #66–68
- ↑ Marvel Feature (Vol. 2) #6
- ↑ Marvel Bullpen Bulletins; March, 1977