Dynamite Entertainment 2015
Written by Marguerite Bennet
Illustrated by Mirka Andolfo
Honestly I haven’t been following the whole story but I thought that a team-up between Red Sonja and Jungle Girl was something I’d be interested in reading about. Turns out I was right this isn’t your ordinary team-up and both women have their own unique worlds from which they hail making their encounter that much more interesting.
We start off this story with Sonja on Mars, presumably having just had an adventure with Dejah Thoris, seeking a portal back to her home. She does indeed find a portal though and with what comes through it before she leaves well let’s just say I doubt it’s the one she’s looking for. Going through the portal with that very unique looking cat she ends up somewhere she’s never been or seen before. The look we get at the land she sees is magnificent however it’s prehistoric looking and it’s home to Jungle Girl.
After the initial misunderstanding battle where both women can get a guage on the other it’s very quickly realized that they should be allies not enemies. For two scantily clad women I have to hand it to Mirka for what he manages to do with them, it doesn’t seem rally fanboy to me just more like their normal everyday attire making them less sexualized in some weird way and that’s appreciated by me.
Marguerite’s writing here is excellent as well I mean the banter the two women have is actually endearing and makes me think why haven’t these two met before? They seem to both be speaking Hyrkanian which is kind of fun since both worlds language seems to have stemmed the same way meaning they can of course communicate easily enough even if some words haven’t be created on Jana’s.
The pacing of the story and the information we get through their discussion, and the hint of who’s watching them, flows very well. Not feeling rushed, three issues isn’t always a lot to tell a story in, this is a comfortable pace and a bonding moment. I have to say I am appreciating Sonja’s swearing it’s phrases like these that make wish to adapt them for myself. Also the way she was able to weave in a most unexpected villainess into this story was nicely done.
From the interesting premise that leads to an even more interesting team-up and one heck of foe to fight this story is one that shows incredible promise. Plus with some very nice artwork Dynamite has found another way to interweave it’s characters to create something new and unique and thrilling.