With those words, Red Sonja took her first steps into the active imagination of adventure author Robert E. Howard. Howard was no stranger to buxom, dominating, crimson-haired sword-wielding beauties. It was a known fact that Howard adored the character of Jirel of Joiry, the red-tressed heroine of C.L. Moore’s fantasy stories. Upon becoming familiar with the Lady of Joiry, REH wrote several short stories about another red-haired beauty living in the middle ages; this was Agnes De Chastillion, otherwise known as Dark Agnes. Agnes appeared in the story “Sword Woman” and in two other short stories written toward the end of Howard’s life.

Although Agnes never came right out and swore off men as Red Sonja did, she certainly never allowed herself to be a damsel in distress. Often found riding beside a man (yet never sleeping by one), Agnes wore ill-fitting boys’ clothing and tried to fit into a male-dominated world.

The Red Sonja character REH created in the early 1930s was actually Red SonYa of Rogatino. She was a Russian woman who became a sword for hire when her twin sister Roxelana was kidnapped and forced to become a favorite in a sultan’s harem. Sonya, out to avenge her family’s honor, donned a chainmail shirt, men’s breeches, and boots that came nearly up to her thigh. (On the “History of the Hyborian Players” page, you can find a picture of writer Diane Dekelb Rittenhouse in a very accurate Red Sonya costume ~ WP)

(from the comic adaptation of the Wizard and Red Sonja stage show)

Red Sonya only appeared in one of REH’s stories, “Shadow of the Vulture.” In the 1970s writer Roy Thomas saw some potential in the Sonya character while he was scripting Marvel Comics’ adaptation of REH’s Conan the Barbarian. So Red SonJa appeared in issue #24 of the original Marvel Conan comics. This time she wore a briefer chainmail shirt and Hyborian “Daisy Dukes” short shorts. Sonja found her niche right away. Soon Marvel Feature was boasting a monthly Sonja story with Thomas at the writing helm.

Marvel Feature #1 starring Red Sonja hit the stands with not one but two stories for the eager reader. Written by Roy Thomas, with art by Dick Giordano from a “freely adapted” REH story, Big Red was an instant success. Fans wanted more of this captivating redhead.

(Half of my collection of Red sonja comics ~WP)

It is unclear exactly who created Sonja’s signature “chainmail bikini” look. (Update: turns out it was Esteban Maroto ~WP) Most people presume it was erotic (not to mention eccentric) artist Frank Thorne who designed the costume. Although he didn’t actually create Sonja, it’s safe to say Thorne loved the character far more than anyone else who has ever worked on the Red Sonja saga.

In 1976 SonjaCon 1 was staged in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The spectacle was the first convention ever devoted to one single comic character! Red Sonja was famous! A musical ballad recorded to vinyl, t-shirts, posters, novels, stickers, a stamp, and even a skit co-starring none other than Frank Thorne himself followed in the aftermath of Sonja’s Marvel début. Sonja even teamed up with Spider-Man. (But then again in the 1970s who didn’t? ~WP) Universal Studio’s theme park even added Red Sonja to their Conan show/ride. In the 1980s Red Sonja hit the silver screen. The character appeared in the form of then little-known actress Brigitte Neilson. (A.K.A. “She-Devil with a Mullet” ~ anonymous) Although the movie barely resembled the comic and left a lot to be desired it placed Red Sonja smack dab in the middle of the public eye once again.

Karen Sheperd as Red Sonja at Universal Studios

Cross Plains Comics resurrected Sonja in the late 1980s after Marvel had temporarily retired her. However, with new writers and a new look, the Cross Plains series was short lived.

Red Sonja made several other notable appearances over the years in Conan comics, and was featured in comics such as Kull and the Barbarians and The Erotic Worlds of Frank Thorne. She visited the small screen in the late 1990s in the television series Conan the Adventurer starring Rolf Mueller; this time Sonja was played by actress Angelica Bridges, who suited the role far better then Neilson had. Alas, Sonja appeared again without the chainmail and was dressed in a stylized two-piece leather and armor costume.

In 2005 Michael Avon Oeming and Mike Carey began writing Sonja’s saga all over again for Dynamite Entertainment. With an army of cover artists and Mel Rubi doing the interior artwork, Sonja hit comic stands again. Dynamite’s issue #0 debuted at the amazing price of a meager 25 cents! The comic sold out immediately; sales on the “two bits” issue of Red Sonja matched and then topped sales on Dark Horse Comics’ own 25 cent issue of Conan! Once again, the She-Devil with a Sword was making comic book history!