Red Sonja – The Black Tower: My Thoughts and Review

More than Just Chainmail and Steel

Alright, let’s get this out of the way first: Yes, Red Sonja still rocks the iconic chainmail bikini, and, sure, it’s eye-catching. But if you’re only focusing on that, you’re missing out on some serious adventure potential—and I’m talking D&D gold here.

Red Sonja – The Black Tower kicks off with the Hyrkanian swordswoman riding into the city of Lur, where a mysterious black tower has risen out of nowhere overnight. Now, if you’re a fan of eerie locations and unexplained happenings (and who isn’t?), this is right up your alley. The people of Lur? Losing their minds. Paranoia spreads, and you can feel the tension creeping in as citizens are either driven mad or become zealots of the tower’s unseen inhabitants.

The setting itself—this sudden tower appearing out of nowhere—has all the hallmarks of a perfect D&D hook. It’s got everything: a creepy location, an air of dread, and NPCs flipping out over what it all means. You can almost see the dungeon crawling possibilities unfold. Players would be drawn back to it over and over, just like Sonja is in the story. There’s something about that ominous presence looming over a city that screams “adventure.”

What makes this more than just swordplay and bloodshed (though don’t worry, there’s plenty of that too) is the underlying mystery. Who are the Soulless? What do they want with Sonja? These questions add layers of intrigue and make it more than just hack-and-slash. It’s almost Lovecraftian in that way—unknowable forces working behind the scenes, slowly pulling the heroine (and readers) into a deeper, darker plot.

There’s something cool about the way this comic weaves action with horror. Sonja’s not just fighting for survival; she’s dealing with psychological warfare. The tower isn’t just a physical threat; it’s messing with her head, which gives it all the more weight. You could easily mine this for a campaign where your players face off against an entity that’s more than just a big bad to defeat—it’s something that digs into their minds and fears.

For those who say Red Sonja’s all about the skimpy outfit—yeah, it’s there, but if that’s all you’re focusing on, you’re missing out. There’s a gritty story here with some serious potential for any tabletop campaign, especially if you love mysterious settings and twisted villains.

In The Black Tower, Red Sonja shows us that not all threats can be solved with a blade, and that’s what makes this a great read. So, grab your dice, because there’s a lot you can take from this comic to throw at your players—just maybe leave the chainmail bikini at the door.