Steve Niles is probably most associated with vampires, thanks to 30 Days of Night. But now, the writer is broadening his purview to the generalized “undead” with Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned for Dynamite, a new series that will pit the title character against hordes of evil dead creatures.
“Red Sonja is such a classic character,” said writer Steve Niles in a press release provided to Comic Book Club. “She was ahead of her time, an incredible warrior, pretty much unkillable and always ready to fight. When I was approached about writing her, I made sure it was okay to bring in some violence and great monsters for her to fight.”
Debuting in April, the new series features art by Alessandro Amoruso, and follows your typical Red Sonja story arc… After spending a night in jail, she hears a story of the “Empire of the Damned,” a hidden city where two undead armies are locked in constant battle to defeat a warlock’s curse. Morgo, the dude who tells her the story, says he has a map to a fabulous treasure and can lead her to it – if they only break out of jail first. Along the way, they’ll team up with a young witch named Luna and other characters as they journey to the center of the Earth. Or, slightly lower down in the Earth. I don’t want to promise the center.
Along with Amoruso, the first issue will feature covers by Joshua Middleton, Joseph Michael Linsner, Philip Tan, cosplayer Rachel Hollon, and a negative space cover by John Tyler Christopher.
No specific release date was provided, but Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned #1 will hit Diamond Comic Distributors’ February 2024 Previews catalog and is currently scheduled for an April 2024 release.
Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned #1 Preview:
Check out five covers, and three interior pages from the premiere issue below:
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