Red Sonja Reading Order: The She-Devil with a Sword
From her Conan origins to Gail Simone's acclaimed run.
By Web Admin
Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, is one of the most enduring figures in sword-and-sorcery comics — and one of the most misunderstood. Between her chainmail-bikini reputation and a publishing history that spans two very different companies, newcomers often have no idea where to begin. The truth is that beneath the pulp iconography sits a genuinely great fantasy character who has been served by some seriously talented creators.
This Red Sonja reading order walks you from her origins in Marvel’s Conan comics through the long Dynamite era and up to the modern runs that reinvented her for new readers. We will be honest about tone and content along the way, and point you to the single best starting place if you just want the good stuff. Content note up front: this is mature sword-and-sorcery, with violence and, in older material especially, plenty of cheesecake.
Who is Red Sonja?
Red Sonja is a fierce warrior from the Hyborian Age — the same pulp-fantasy world as Conan the Barbarian. She is defined by her red hair, her mastery of the sword, and (in classic versions) a vow tied to the goddess Scáthach. Though her look and legend feel ancient, she is a comics creation of the 1970s, adapted from a Robert E. Howard prose character named Red Sonya of Rogatino and reimagined for the Hyborian setting. Understanding that dual heritage — Howard’s pulp roots plus a Marvel reinvention — explains a lot about how her stories read.
She sits comfortably alongside the greats of the genre; our best fantasy comics guide places her in that wider tradition.
The origins: Marvel and Conan (1970s)
Red Sonja first appeared in Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #23 (1973), created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith, adapting Howard’s character into the Hyborian Age. She quickly became popular enough to headline her own Marvel series. This is where the iconic imagery and her partnership-slash-rivalry with Conan were established. The Marvel material is collected in various Adventures of Red Sonja and Conan archive editions. It is very much of its time — pulpy and dated in places — but it is the foundation, and Thomas’s scripting is stronger than the reputation suggests. Fans of classic runs will find more in our best comic book runs guide.
The Dynamite era (2005 onward)
After Marvel, the Red Sonja license moved to Dynamite Entertainment, which has published her ongoing adventures since 2005. This is a huge, sprawling body of work with many creative teams, relaunches and crossovers. The early Dynamite run (with writers including Michael Avon Oeming and Brian Reed) re-established her for a new generation, and the imprint has kept her in print ever since. Because it is so vast, we recommend treating Dynamite as a menu rather than a straight chronology — pick a well-regarded run and dive in, rather than trying to read every issue in order.
The best modern start: Gail Simone’s run (2013)
If you read one Red Sonja book, make it Gail Simone’s. Beginning in 2013 with Queen of Plagues, Simone reinvented Sonja as a fully realised person — witty, flawed, hard-drinking and genuinely heroic — without stripping away the pulp fun. It is widely regarded as the best modern take, it requires no prior reading, and it is the run we hand to anyone curious about the character. Simone’s Sonja is a landmark, and it belongs on any list of great creator-driven fantasy comics, right alongside the picks in our best graphic novels list.
Reading order at a glance
Here is the path we recommend. If you just want the best experience fast, start at row three — Simone — and work outward from there.
| Order | Era / run | Key creators | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marvel Conan & Red Sonja | Roy Thomas, B. Windsor-Smith | 1973 on | Origins & context |
| 2 | Early Dynamite run | M. A. Oeming, Brian Reed | 2005 on | The modern relaunch |
| 3 | Red Sonja by Gail Simone | Gail Simone | 2013–14 | Best starting point |
| 4 | Later Dynamite runs | Various | 2016–present | More adventures |
| 5 | Crossovers & specials | Various | Ongoing | Completists |
A note on tone and content
Red Sonja is mature sword-and-sorcery. Expect graphic violence throughout, and in the older Marvel and early Dynamite material especially, a lot of cheesecake art aimed at an adult male readership. Part of what makes the modern runs — Simone’s in particular — so refreshing is that they foreground Sonja’s agency and personality over her pin-up image. If the classic costume is a barrier for you, know that the writing underneath is often much smarter than the covers suggest, and that recent creators have consciously pushed the character forward.
- Hyborian Age setting — shared with Conan, full of sorcery and warring kingdoms.
- Warrior first — her identity is built on skill, honour and survival.
- Reinvention over time — each era reframes her for its audience.
How to collect Red Sonja
The Marvel origins are best found in archive and omnibus collections of the 1970s Conan and Red Sonja material. Dynamite collects its runs in accessible trade paperbacks — the Gail Simone volumes (Queen of Plagues onward) are easy to find and the ideal purchase for a first-timer. Because Dynamite has relaunched the title several times, always check which run a trade belongs to before buying. For where she fits among independent-publisher fantasy, our best fantasy comics guide and the Indie hub are the natural next stops.
A word on the sheer volume of Dynamite material: at this point there are hundreds of Red Sonja issues across more than a decade of ongoing series, miniseries and crossovers with everyone from Vampirella to Tarzan. Do not let that intimidate you. No one reads it all, and you do not need to. The healthiest way to approach the character is to pick a single creator-led run — Simone’s is the gold standard, but later writers such as Amy Chu and Mark Russell have taken interesting swings too — read it to its conclusion, and only then decide whether you want more. Each run is designed as its own on-ramp, so you can jump in almost anywhere a new number one begins.
If you came to Red Sonja purely for the iconography and expected shallow pulp, the biggest surprise is how much genuine craft is on the page. The best stories use the sword-and-sorcery trappings to explore survival, trauma, honour and freedom, and they give Sonja an interior life that the covers rarely advertise. She has endured for half a century for a reason — and once you find the right run, it becomes obvious why.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I start reading Red Sonja?
Gail Simone’s 2013 run, beginning with Queen of Plagues. It is the most acclaimed modern take, requires no prior reading, and treats Sonja as a fully realised character while keeping the pulp adventure fun.
Is Red Sonja connected to Conan?
Yes. She debuted in Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #23 (1973) and shares his Hyborian Age setting. She was adapted by Roy Thomas from Robert E. Howard’s prose character Red Sonya of Rogatino and reimagined for the Conan world.
Do I need to read the old Marvel comics first?
No. The Marvel material is great context but is dated in places. You can begin with the modern Dynamite runs — especially Gail Simone’s — and enjoy them with no prior reading at all.
Is Red Sonja appropriate for younger readers?
Generally no. It is mature sword-and-sorcery with graphic violence, and the older material in particular features a lot of sexualised art. The modern runs are more thoughtful, but the series overall is aimed at adult readers.
Explore more of the genre in our best fantasy comics guide, or discover other creator-owned gems in the Indie hub.
