Red Sonja (Vol. 3) 1-13

[lettsmonster]

RED SONJA V3 #1 (August 1983)
by Tom Defalco and Dave Simons

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Sabaretus, Thaelik, Barados, Mallus, Festus, Aldernal

SYNOPSIS:

Using a stolen map, the thief Thaelik discovers a treasure hoard and steals a cursed gem from a dead body near the hoard. Months later, Red Sonja is working as city watch commander for King Aldernal of the Nemedian city-state of Aldusa-dar. Sonja is charged with collecting taxes and stopping a religious cult led by high priest Mallus from selling their religious wares in the city. While celebrating payday at a local tavern, Sonja is approached by Thaelik who passes the gem to her. Mallus sends men against Sonja and the city watch, attacking at the tavern. During the skirmish, Sonja inadvertently grasps the gem, summoning a creature to battle for her. Defeated, Mallus researches the history of the gem and finds it was once worn by the sorcerer-king Sabaretus, who disappeared at the height of his power.
Barados is destroyed by the gem when he attempts to steal it from Sonja. Entranced by the power of the gem, Sonja takes to wearing it around her neck. Sonja grows more bloodthirsty in her duties and has erotic dreams at night. Aldernal orders Sonja to raise an army and destroy Mallus. Sonja attacks the temple of Mallus. In the battle, Mallus reveals himself to be a sorcerer and tries to break the spell surrounding Sonja. The spirit of Sabaretus is imprisoned in the gem and had been trying to capture Sonja to take his place. Sonja destroys the gem and leaves the employ of Aldernal. Days later, Red Sonja drinks from a tainted water pool.

RED SONJA V3 #2 (October 1983)
by Tom Defalco and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Byratus, Caldros, Galon, Jurgon, Talmor, Feema, Achmal, Lassusar

SYNOPSIS:
Feverish from drinking tainted water, Red Sonja collapses in a forest. A man named Byratus finds her and nurses her back to health. A group of men (Galon, Jurgon, Caldros, Talmor) chasing Byratus find him and Sonja. Galon kills Byratus and Sonja is left behind unconscious. Awakening, Sonja vows to avenge Byratus. The trail leads to the city of Alwazar. Spying Jurgon in a tavern, Sonja attempts to question him outside as to the whereabouts of Galon. Unsuccessful, Sonja is captured by the city guard and imprisoned. Lady Feema, ruler of Alwazar, releases Sonja to join the army Feema is raising. Eavesdropping twice outside Feema's window, Sonja learns first of an alliance that Feema will make with the army of General Lassusar and second that Caldros has learned that Lassusar has a debt to repay a certain red-haired woman. Now needing to escape the city, Sonja pauses to rescue a prisoner being tortured. The prisoner is Galon, revealed to be the brother of Byratus, slain by Galon to save him from a worse fate at Feema's hands. Feema catches Sonja trying to leave and challenges her to a sword fight. Sonja kills Feema. With the encouragement of the court wizard Achmal, the people declare Galon the new ruler of Alwazar. Caldros leaves in disgust, immediately heading for Lassusar to tell him the location of Sonja. Lassusar marches towards Alwazar.

RED SONJA V3 #3 (December 1983)
by Tom Defalco and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Caldros, Galon, Lassusar, Achmal, Boraxis

FLASHBACK:
Lassusar relates how Red Sonja blinded him many years ago while he was a captain in the Zamoran guard and she led a mercenary band hired by the city-state of Zucarla.

SYNOPSIS:
Lassusar has held Alwazar under siege for four months. The city is running low on food and water yet only a few try to desert. Galon makes a pass at Sonja and she reminds him of her vow. Lassusar challenges Sonja to single combat to end the siege. Lassusar plans to drug Sonja during the battle. Achmal equips Sonja with a magical projectile for the battle. Outside the city, Sonja and Lassusar charge at each other on horses. Lassusar's henchman Boraxis drugs Sonja's horse with a blowdart. Sonja knocks Lassusar off his horse with the magical projectile. Boraxis drugs Sonja, ending the fight. Lassusar sends the unconscious Sonja to his tent to await his pleasure. Achmal rescues Sonja and takes her to the nearby city of Calum'barai. Days pass and Lassusar, forced to leave to attend to other matters, commands Caldros to continue the siege of Alwazar. As Caldros breaks through the gates of the city, Sonja returns leading a force of 500 from Calum'barai. She kills Caldros and rescues the city although it is basically already dead. Red Sonja announces she is leaving to find Lassusar and kill him. Galon and Achmal will accompany her.

RED SONJA V3 #4 (February 1984)
by Tom Defalco and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:

Red Sonja, Galon, Achmal, Lassusar, Althea, Krunn, Grull, Thustus

SYNOPSIS:
Tracking Lassusar's army, Sonja, Galon, and Achmal rescue the remaining villagers of a destroyed village from some scavengers. In Rinjaruin, the base city of Lassusar, the general waits for his wife to hopefully give birth to the Unholy Child. Achmal tells Sonja and Galon the story of the Unholy Child. Seeking a way into Rinjaruin, the three companions seek to disguise themselves. They attack a passing caravan that contains the wizard Grull, who is travelling to aid the birthing process of Althea. They believe they killed him and Achmal portrays him in order to enter Rinjaruin. Achmal has to aid in Althea's labor. Sonja finds Lassusar and fights him. Grull returns as a scaled flying creature, grabbing Galon in its claws. Sonja stops the fight with Lassusar to aid Galon. Fighting in the air, Sonja and Galon kill Grull, jumping clear onto a rooftop as it crash lands into Lassusar, killing him. Althea dies in childbirth, yet the female child is rescued from Krunn by Achmal. The three companions leave the city carrying all the babies that Lassusar had collected to fulfill the prophecy of the Unholy Child. Sonja brings the babies back to Thustus and the villagers they had rescued earlier. Red Sonja, Galon and Achmal ride off together.

RED SONJA V3 #5 (January 1985)
by Bill Mantlo and Pat Broderick

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Galon, Achmal, Amphitria

SYNOPSIS:
Arriving on the shores of an inland sea, Red Sonja, Galon, and Achmal rescue a merman from some soldiers and return him to the sea. They are then captured by some other soldiers and taken to a city down the shore. Presented to the ruler of the city, the three companions escape through Achmal's magic and run down a dark corridor. They fall into a large pool of water and fight a giant octopus. Resurfacing, they meet Amphitria, priestess of the merpeople. She tells the story of why the merpeople and the city dwellers are at war. Sonja wants no part of it but is forced into battle as the war erupts around her. She helps Amphitria escape and kills the ruler of the city. Days pass and peace between the two peoples is restored.

RED SONJA V3 #6 (February 1985)
by Bill Mantlo and Pat Broderick

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Galon, Achmal

SYNOPSIS:
Fleeing tax collectors they have just stolen from, Red Sonja, Galon, and Achmal find themselves on the edge of the Endless Swamp. With no other choices, they are forced to ride into the swamp. Fighting swamp sickness, the three companions are captured by a tribe of Picts. The Picts believe Sonja to be a goddess based on her likeness to a huge wooden statue they revere. The Picts sacrifice everyone they capture by drowning them to the goddess and attempt to do the same with Galon and Achmal. Sonja dives under water to rescue her companions. Below, she encounters the spirits of the dead, who are now willing to serve her every command. She orders them to attack the ones who killed them. Sonja's companions are saved and the Picts are destroyed.

RED SONJA V3 #7 (March 1985)
by Bill Mantlo and Rudy Nebres

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Galon, Achmal, Tsar Nikolai

SYNOPSIS:
Spying a village being put to the torch, Red Sonja, Galon, and Achmal ride down to rescue the villagers from a band of Mongols. Soldiers of Tsar Nikolai, the local ruler, soon arrive and the three companions accompany them back to the tsar's keep. The city is starving with too few defenders to prevent the Mongols from destroying the wheat fields and Tsar Nikolai seems ineffective as a ruler. Sonja fends off an attack by the Mongols on the city in the middle of the night. Sonja lingers longer in the city and watches the starvation grow. She decides to open the royal silos to the city dwellers. Athwart her path is the tsar, who claims the wheat will save them from the Mongols. The captain of the guard fatally stabs Tsar Nikolai, but with his dying breath the tsar casts a spell that creates wheat creatures to attack the Mongols surrounding the city. When the Mongols try to burn the creatures they wind up destroying themselves as well. The companions leave as the city starts to replant the fields.

RED SONJA V# #8 (April 1985)
by Louise Simonson and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Galon, Achmal, Branwyn, Kynon, Alain D'Bruges, Math Mac Llion, Vassilisa Ice-Heart, Vlad Bloodhawk, Yuri

SYNOPSIS:
Red Sonja, Galon, and Achmal are employed by King Carlos to deliver a message to Lord Gym. At Lord Gym's castle, the three companions are attacked by a demon sent by wife and husband Vassilisa and Vlad to capture Red Sonja and her sword. The demon is defeated but Galon and Achmal die. Sonja meets the local blacksmith who turns out to be her old friend Branwyn. Branwyn lives with her son Kynon. She is courted by Alain D'bruges, architect of a drawbridge being built by Lord Gym, but Branwyn still pines for her missing husband, and Kynon's father, Math Mac Llion. Branwyn gives Sonja a new dress to wear while Branwyn tries on Sonja's old chainmail bikini, which Sonja has kept for sentimental reasons. Another demon appears and kidnaps Branwyn, mistaking her for Sonja. Math Mac Llion returns from his absence shortly after Branwyn is abducted. Red Sonja, Kynon, Alain D'Bruges, and Math Mac Llion will all go search for Branwyn.

RED SONJA V3 #9 (May 1985)
by Louise Simonson and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Branwyn, Kynon, Alain D'Bruges, Math Mac Llion, Vassilisa Ice-Heart, Vlad Bloodhawk, Yuri

SYNOPSIS:
Red Sonja, Kynon, Alain, and Math set out. Branwyn is deposited unconscious at the castle of Vassilisa and Vlad. Vlad takes Sonja's sword, believing it will make him a great ruler again. Vassilisa orders her lover Yuri to take Branwyn, who she believes to be Sonja, out into the forest to cut out her heart and bring it back to her. Branwyn convinces Yuri that she is not Sonja, and Yuri spares her, bringing a deer heart back to Vassilisa instead. Meanwhile, Sonja and her companions have been travelling for weeks, surviving a collapsing rope bridge and a bandit attack.

RED SONJA V3 #10 (August 1985)
by Louise Simonson and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Branwyn, Kynon, Alain D'Bruges, Math Mac Llion, Vassilisa Ice-Heart, Vlad Bloodhawk, Yuri, Inar Skalldsson, Llrissa

SYNOPSIS:
A harpy terrorizes the countryside. Branwyn remains held prisoner in a cave by Yuri, who tasks the serving girl Llrissa with feeding her. Red Sonja and her companions come upon a gathering of the Lappuit peoples and a herd of wooly mammoths. Inar Skalldsson, shaman of the Lappuit, shows the companions hospitality for the night and points the way towards their goal. An avalanche buries all the companions except Kynon.

RED SONJA V3 #11 (November 1985)
by Louise Simonson and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Branwyn, Kynon, Alain D'Bruges, Math Mac Llion, Vassilisa Ice-Heart, Vlad Bloodhawk, Yuri, Llrissa, Scathach, Achmal (spirit)

SYNOPSIS:
Kynon goes to seek help to rescue his companions from under the snow. Trapped under a protective ledge, Alain and Math try to tunnel out of the snow. Llrissa tells Vassilisa how Yuri has betrayed her. Vassilisa kills Llrissa. Sonja and Kynon are visited by the spirit of Achmal. The sorcerer hints of larger destinies for the two of them. The goddess Scathach also hovers over Sonja's unconscious form. Kynon enlists the aid of mammoths to dig out his companions.

RED SONJA V3 #12 (February 1986)
by Louise Simonson and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Branwyn, Kynon, Alain D'Bruges, Math Mac Llion, Vassilisa Ice-Heart, Vlad Bloodhawk, Yuri, Alexi

SYNOPSIS:
Riding on the mammoths, the companions reach their destination. Branwyn frees herself and kills Yuri. Vassilisa sends her harpy to look for Red Sonja. Vlad finds the courage to sally forth to protect his people from the harpy. The harpy spies Branwyn as soon as the companions see her as well. A battle ensues with the harpy. The harpy is killed and Vlad dies. Happy reunion between Branwyn and the companions. Vassilisa's troops capture Sonja and her friends and take them to the castle. Vassilisa knocks them out with gas.

RED SONJA V3 #13 (May 1986)
by Louise Simonson and Mary Wilshire

APPEARANCES:
Red Sonja, Branwyn, Kynon, Alain D'Bruges, Math Mac Llion, Vassilisa Ice-Heart, Alexi, Scathach, Achmal (spirit)

SYNOPSIS:
Vassilisa kills Alexi, the captain of her guard and binds Sonja. Now that the stars are aligned, Vassilisa will sacrifice Sonja's living heart to her unnamed dark lord. The spirit of Achmal again appears to Sonja and Kynon, telling them to be ready to move. He then summons dead spirits to wreak havoc on the castle. The chaos frees all of Sonja's companions from the dungeons and they race to find her. They find Sonja as she is being taken into a dark domain by Vassilisa. They follow. Battle ensues and as the dark lord approaches, Sonja is freed by her companions. Alain throws himself into the mouth of the dark lord to destroy it. Sonja kills Vassilisa. Alain dies from the wounds inflicted by the dark lord. Scathach and Achmal appear in the sky as the series ends with Red Sonja crying over the dead body of Alain.

CHRONOLOGIES:

I'll deal with the Red Sonja FB in RS3 3 first. It looks like we currently have this appearance placed, unanalyzed, between COB 44 and COB 48/2. The only chronological clue is that it occurred many years ago, so that allows us a lot of options. I will put it there for now, but one question I have is do we wish to keep all of her chain mail bikini appearances together as much as possible as a chronological indicator? It's not ideal, I know, but I'm asking in regards to this FB simply because she is not wearing it in the flashback. I don't care either way, just asking for other thoughts on the matter.

RED SONJA
COB 43
COB 44
*RS3 3-FB
COB 48/2
KULLB 2/3


Also, named below is Scathach, the goddess who features in Sonja's origin story. Looks like we are tracking her as the Red Goddess so I've combined the two. Let me know if this is in error.

The rest of Red Sonja's chronology for this series is also listed below.

ACHMAL
RS3 2
RS3 3
RS3 4
RS3 5
RS3 6
RS3 7
RS3 8
RS3 11 (ghost)
RS3 13 (ghost)

ALDERNAL
RS3 1

ALEXI
RS3 12
RS3 13

ALTHEA
RS3 4

AMPHITRIA
RS3 5-FB
RS3 5

BARADOS
RS3 1

BORAXIS
RS3 3

BRANWYN
RS3 8
RS3 9
RS3 10
RS3 11
RS3 12
RS3 13

BYRATUS
RS3 2

CALDROS
RS3 2
RS3 3

D'BRUGES, ALAIN
RS3 8
RS3 9
RS3 10
RS3 11
RS3 12
RS3 13

FEEMA
RS3 2

FESTUS
RS3 1

GALON
RS3 2
RS3 3
RS3 4
RS3 5
RS3 6
RS3 7
RS3 8

GRULL
RS3 4

INAR SKALLDSSON
RS3 10

JURGON
RS3 2

KRUNN
RS3 4

KYNON
RS3 8
RS3 9
RS3 10
RS3 11
RS3 12
RS3 13

LASSUSAR
RS3 3-FB
RS3 2
RS3 3
RS3 4

LLRISA
RS3 10
RS3 11

MAC LLION, MATH
RS3 8
RS3 9
RS3 10
RS3 11
RS3 12
RS3 13

MALLUS
RS3 1

RED GODDESS/SCATHACH
M/SSPEC 9/2
RS2 2
*RS3 11
*RS3 13

RED SONJA
SAVSCO 225/2 (7:6-7:7)-FB
RS2 2 (24:7-24:9)
SAVSCO 225/2 (7:8-7:9)-FB
RS2 2 (25)
*RS3 1
*RS3 2
*RS3 3
*RS3 4
*RS3 5
*RS3 6
*RS3 7
*RS3 8
*RS3 9
*RS3 10
*RS3 11
*RS3 12
*RS3 13
[----]

SABARETUS
RS3 1-FB
RS3 1

TALMOR
RS3 2

THAELIK
RS3 1

TSAR NIKOLAI
RS3 7-FB
RS3 7

VASSILISA ICE-HEART
RS3 8
RS3 9
RS3 10
RS3 11
RS3 12
RS3 13

VLAD BLOODHAWK
RS3 8
RS3 9
RS3 10
RS3 11
RS3 12

YURI
RS3 8
RS3 9
RS3 10
RS3 11
RS3 12

Thanks! Any questions, please ask!

[Col_Fury]

I'll deal with the Red Sonja FB in RS3 3 first. It looks like we currently have this appearance placed, unanalyzed, between COB 44 and COB 48/2. The only chronological clue is that it occurred many years ago, so that allows us a lot of options. I will put it there for now, but one question I have is do we wish to keep all of her chain mail bikini appearances together as much as possible as a chronological indicator? It's not ideal, I know, but I'm asking in regards to this FB simply because she is not wearing it in the flashback. I don't care either way, just asking for other thoughts on the matter.

That's where Roy Thomas (and Fred Blosser) put RS3 3-FB in his Red Sonja chronology from CONAN SAGA 96:

In a dreaming trance, Conan is bred with the Afterlings. Later, he and Sonja burn the sanguinary spire to the ground. ["Of Flame and the Fiend"/CB-44]
Interestingly, Sonja and Conan, ere long, both pass through Shadizar the Wicked, capital of Zamora, but don't run into each other at that time. She forms a brief comradeship with a handsome rogue named Sigfal. In the pay of Zucarla, a polis in the Zamorian Mountains, she ambushes a Zamorian troop sent thither to collect taxes. Sonja's sword splits the face of the troop's captain, Lassusar, who swears to exact vengeance one day ["Siege"/RS.III-3].
Still trying to put distance between her self and Pah-Dishah, Sonja continues westward into Nemedia and its sprawling forest called Darkwood. There, looking for a hospitable inn and possibly a reunion with Sigfal, she is menaced by a wizard, Vincentius. She slays him and rescues a young warrior named Henwolf; but he turns out to be as treacherous as any sorcerer, and she must slay him, as well ["Episode"/CB-48].

I guess the bikini came and went depending on her mood?

Also, named below is Scathach, the goddess who features in Sonja's origin story. Looks like we are tracking her as the Red Goddess so I've combined the two. Let me know if this is in error.

Works for me!

Thank you, sir!

[lettsmonster]

Thanks for the Red Sonja chronology excerpt, Col_Fury! Are Roy Thomas' chronologies from Conan Saga online anywhere? I never bought the Conan Saga issues unless they had new material, but the chronologies look to be a great starting point for our purposes. I would like to help analyze some more issues but I really think I need Roy's work to proceed. Thanks again!

[wolframbane]

Are Roy Thomas' chronologies from Conan Saga online anywhere?

link redacted

[Russ Chappell]

link redacted

I've removed your link, because there are some strange things going on, at that site. Unrelated popups, telling me that my software needs to be updated. A little shady.

[Col_Fury]

Here's an MCP-style version of Roy's chronology:

http://chronologyproject.com/phpbb2/vie ... =2&t=14527

(Roy's chronology skipped a few things, like CO@ 6 for Conan and at least SAVSCO 45/2 for Sonja, so there's still a thing or three we have to figure out)

It has Conan, Kull and Red Sonja. It doesn't have the descriptions that Roy's articles had, but I have access to all of those CONAN SAGAs so if you have a question about something I can post an excerpt. Or whatever. Also, it's entirely possible I made a mistake or so when transcribing things, so if there's a question *PLEASE* feel free to ask.

Just 'cause I feel like pointing it out, the chronology articles ran through CONAN SAGA #72-95 (while skipping an issue here and there). The Red Sonja chronology is in #96 and the the Kull chronology in #97 (the last issue of CONAN SAGA).