Red Sonja PF!!

[Monger]

I can't get a piece unless I know the character well. What is good Red Sonja and as an extension Conan stuff in general?

 

[The Josh]

As consumers we have the right to bash and critique them as we see fit. If they cannot handle the criticism, to which I don't blame them, then they shouldn't be here anyway. Having the artists hang around the forum creates an artificial environment where people endlessly praise the piece or sugar coat any negative things they have to say. Through the process those who just straight up critique the piece get alienated and look bad because of it. We shouldn't have to pull our punches.

Just as we can bash a movie, a sculpt, a book, etc... we should be able to do the same to statues and their artists. Think of how often we all bash movie directors based on their previous creations. Those directors can handle it and so can these artists. They are being paid big bucks to make this stuff if they can't handle random people mocking them then they should probably save face and just never go onto the internet or ask anyone in real life for criticism, advice, etc...

They don't need defending. If you disagree though feel free to just delete this post since having active moderators also creates nearly the same environment I was talking about: an artificial one.

You don't have the right to say whatever you want. The sooner some of you learn that the better you'll be and the better this place will be.

 

[Bullseye]

/\Well stated. This is people's livelihood we are talking about.

 

[New_Kryptonian]

Red Sonja is the creation of either Roy Thomas (legendary comics writer) or Robert Howard (novelist, Conan's creator), and her stories are set in the Hyborian Age, which is the same fictional "primordial" age in which Conan stories are set.

The story goes like this: Robert Howard created a character named "Red Sonya" (like that, spelled with a Y, instead of a J), in a short story, that featured a young russian gunslinger woman of red hair. She was NOT related to Conan or the Hyborian Age.

In the 70s, after the release of the "Barbarella" movie starring Jane Fonda in 1968, Roy Thomas created a character named Red Sonja (with a J) at the pages of the Conan comic-book published by Marvel Comics. It was in issue #22 or #23, if I recall correctly.

Her impact was enough to warrant her a series of her own, and monthes later, she was starring in her own book, written by Thomas himself, and pencilled by some great fantasy artists, like the legendary Frank Thorne.

Personally, I credit Roy Thomas as her creator, but the general consensus is that her creator was Robert Howard, for some reason. Of course, it's a matter of personal critteria.

Currently, her comics are being published by Dynamite Entertainment.

 

[Collectorcol]

Turns out anything like that picture and she will be mine.
Looks really good, just my opinion.

 

[Monger]

Red Sonja is the creation of either Roy Thomas (legendary comics writer) or Robert Howard (novelist, Conan's creator), and her stories are set in the Hyborian Age, which is the same fictional "primordial" age in which Conan stories are set.

The story goes like this: Robert Howard created a character named "Red Sonya" (like that, spelled with a Y, instead of a J), in a short story, that featured a young russian gunslinger woman of red hair. She was NOT related to Conan or the Hyborian Age.

In the 70s, after the release of the "Barbarella" movie starring Jane Fonda in 1968, Roy Thomas created a character named Red Sonja (with a J) at the pages of the Conan comic-book published by Marvel Comics. It was in issue #22 or #23, if I recall correctly.

Her impact was enough to warrant her a series of her own, and monthes later, she was starring in her own book, written by Thomas himself, and pencilled by some great fantasy artists, like the legendary Frank Thorne.

Personally, I credit Roy Thomas as her creator, but the general consensus is that her creator was Robert Howard, for some reason. Of course, it's a matter of personal critteria.

Currently, her comics are being published by Dynamite Entertainment.

Which of her comics are good? Same with Conan what comics of his are worth reading?

 

[Monger]

You don't have the right to say whatever you want. The sooner some of you learn that the better you'll be and the better this place will be.

We've the right to say anything that fits within the forum guidelines.

As for people's livelihoods. No their occupation isn't reading criticism online. We can critique their works because that's how it has always worked. Creators create and consumers critique and/or consume. Artists are not above this. They have trained for this they can handle criticism. If they can't, then they picked the wrong job. From what I understand this forum has had some kind of history where artists rage quitted from the forum out of frustration. So what? Did they not realize their works would be seen by tens of thousands of people? Are the words of a few enough to push them away forever? That's THEIR problem.

It sounds cruel, but that's how the world works. The stuff people like or consume a lot of stays and the rest is critiqued heavily and dies. You don't just walk in and say "Hey I worked hard on this you guys better like it!"

Sounds to me like you guys want to pander the artists just so you can more easily ask them questions. I've noticed on the Statue Forum board that all this leads to is abuse of that closeness, where people pester Jerry and others constantly with pointless and obnoxious licensing requests and shipping date updates, while at the same time quietly complaining about quality control issues when he's not around.

 

[Darklord Dave]

A couple of things - I've seen the Red Sonja in person and have to say it's one of my favorite pieces. As with Vampirella comiquette, I have no connection to the character but will buy it just because it's a great looking piece.

And I also have to say that it is the official policy of this forum to be respectful of the artists who create these items. Constructive criticism may be okay, but what I've read in this thread is unacceptable. We encourage the artists to participate in the forum. If it means that we have one less person that's just around to post negativity - then so be it.

 

[NorthernLadMSP]

Dave, is Red Sonja a 1/4 scale piece?

 

[Collectorcol]

A couple of things - I've seen the Red Sonja in person and have to say it's one of my favorite pieces. As with Vampirella comiquette, I have no connection to the character but will buy it just because it's a great looking piece.

And I also have to say that it is the official policy of this forum to be respectful of the artists who create these items. Constructive criticism may be okay, but what I've read in this thread is unacceptable. We encourage the artists to participate in the forum. If it means that we have one less person that's just around to post negativity - then so be it.

Well said on the respect issue

I'm totally with you, bought Vampirella purely because she looked amazing and this could just go the same way.
Edit: I actually got the PF Vamp.

 

[Tbolt]

Were posts deleted? Because i dont see anything that has been commented on that is out of line. A couple of well known cases were let downs by bad factory QC...even moreso because the proto's were amazing. Unless a bunch of stuff is gone, thats pretty much all that has been said.

Another instant order for me. Hope we get a Conan companion piece.

 

[BarryAllen]

really like what i see so far, but i missed out on Vampi ex so will pass on this one.

 

[Ex-Parrot]

Some people need to learn that there is a big difference between offering an honest opinion, preferably with constructive criticism, versus launching into petty snipes, personal attacks, insults, and just basically acting like a **** because something isn't to your taste and/or doesn't meet your own personal standards. It's the old 'not what you say, but how you say it' factor.

Honest critique and healthy debate should always be encouraged, whether the views on a piece lean towards good, bad, or indifferent. But it should always be done in a respectful manner. And those that cross that line, and resort to petty attacks, insults and arguments, or who try to bully others into agreeing with their own views fully deserve to be stepped on.

At least that's my take on such things, anyway. Not that anyone asked.

 

[Ish]

Who's the artist for this one?

 

[Ex-Parrot]

I always liked, and have considered getting, this Red Sonja statue...

based off of Frank Cho's cover...

It's not everyone's cup of tea but I'm a big Frank Cho fan.

Personally, unless you are a huge fan, and can get it at a very much discounted price, or plan to have it repainted, I wouldn't bother. As I'm a huge Red Sonja fan I do own this piece, and to be honest the paintjob is lacklustre, at best. The hair is a dingy dark orange (nowhere near the red shown in that pic), the skin tone is quite waxy, some of the detail work is a bit sloppy (that wood effect on the shield is now pretty much just a flat brown), and it just doesn't 'pop', and so overall it looks nowhere near as good as the prototype pics floating around make it out to be, unfortunately.

If size matters to you in your statue collecting, it's also only maybe 8 inches or so tall, so don't expect something anywhere near 1/6 scale. Which, like much of DF's releases, makes it quite poor value unless you can find a significant bargain. It's also lost a little bit of detail in production, particularly around the face, making the face sculpt look a little 'sharper' and angular as a result. Oh, and beware the arrows, which are brittle as hell. One of mine snapped just trying to (very carefully) plug it into the shield.

It's not an awful piece, but even as a huge, long time Red Sonja fan, and despite getting mine at a fair discount, it's still a disappointing one. Especially when the original core sculpt had such potential. I also own the Marc Silvestri, Michael Turner, Paolo Rivera, Joseph Michael Linsner, and Hard Hero Red Sonja statues, and though Cho's is one of my favourite depictions of the character, the statue based on his work is my least favourite of all the Red Sonja statues that I have actually decided to purchase over the years. I'll probably pick up the J. Scott Campbell one if I ever see a nice bargain price, too, but I never rated the Adam Hughes version at all personally.

Anyway, just my view.

 

[Ish]

As consumers we have the right to bash and critique them as we see fit. If they cannot handle the criticism, to which I don't blame them, then they shouldn't be here anyway. Having the artists hang around the forum creates an artificial environment where people endlessly praise the piece or sugar coat any negative things they have to say. Through the process those who just straight up critique the piece get alienated and look bad because of it. We shouldn't have to pull our punches.

Just as we can bash a movie, a sculpt, a book, etc... we should be able to do the same to statues and their artists. Think of how often we all bash movie directors based on their previous creations. Those directors can handle it and so can these artists. They are being paid big bucks to make this stuff if they can't handle random people mocking them then they should probably save face and just never go onto the internet or ask anyone in real life for criticism, advice, etc...

They don't need defending. If you disagree though feel free to just delete this post since having active moderators also creates nearly the same environment I was talking about: an artificial one.

I feel bashing is unnecessary quoting you critique could be good bashing is more assertive-aggressive, I mean you would bash you mom cause you didn't like the pancakes, right? So why do it to a total stranger, not to sound silly would you bash an artist or any person who puts their efforts out to the public to his/her face? How about in a dark alley with no witnesses? While they have a gun in their hand?

My point is that when people put forth their deepest heartfelt efforts(I doubt that any sculptor, painter does not stride to do their best) they may be deeply hurt, forget offended, hurt, when bashed, their work comes from a need in the very core of their being to express thru their work the skill set that has become the reason for their existence, that they couldn't even fathom the thought of being able to be happy and not do what it is they do.

Believe me I'm not promoting *** kissing either, just common courtesy and manners, I think everybody deserves that, you can say what you dislike about whatever is being shown without resorting to unnecessarily aggressive and confrontational comments.

 

[Monger]

It's basically like that right now, but with Pop Culture Shock. Even with complete disasters like Chun Li I still read endless praising on Jerry's stuff. I find it funny too when they will compare it with statues that are amazing, but still insist PCS is the best. It's no surprise their videos and reviews get posted on the official Facebook and such. That kind of pandering just shouldn't be there.

 

[New_Kryptonian]

Which of her comics are good? Same with Conan what comics of his are worth reading?

The stuff published by Marvel in the 70s is quite good, and has all been collected in trade paperbacks. Dynamite collected all this material in 3 volumes titled "The Adventures of Red Sonja", to separate them from their stuff which is titled simply "Red Sonja".

Her series by Dynamite is good, but slow paced. It reads better in trade paperbacks, than in single issues.

There's also a second title published by Dynamite, "Queen Sonja", but I didn't like the concept.

Personally, of the Dynamite stuff, I like the mini-series and one-shots a lot better than the ongoing series.

All of it is published by Dynamite Entertainment.


About Conan, Dark Horse is the company publishing it, and has been doing a great job ever since the mid-2000s, but at some point they relaunched the series. The prior volume was better than the current one, and it adapted the contents of the better known novels by Robert Howard with great art by Tim Truman, Cary Nord, Richard Corben, and others.

Of the classic Marvel stuff, "Savage Sword of Conan" is the most sought after, but finding the single issues isn't easy, and the Hardcover volumes collecting it, are a little pricey.

Hope this helps!

 

[Pork Chop Express]

If you read any of the original REH stuff for Conan you cant go wrong. I have some of the Dark Horse trades which are good because you get the visuals, but the small pulp novels are great reading. Truly reading for guys. Adventuring, killing, wine and women. Not a single mention of washing dishes or paying bills...

 

[comicbookguy]

It's basically like that right now, but with Pop Culture Shock. Even with complete disasters like Chun Li I still read endless praising on Jerry's stuff. I find it funny too when they will compare it with statues that are amazing, but still insist PCS is the best. It's no surprise their videos and reviews get posted on the official Facebook and such. That kind of pandering just shouldn't be there.

Pcs is really customer friendly. Jerry comes on personally to answer questions, he personally repaints mess up statues for fans which no other company will do, and great gives low ES for less profits to make fans happy. He's also getting lots of new license coming up. He deserves it. Way to go Jerry! I have nothing bad to bad about his company except it's great! But as for this red Sonja! Wow! I want to see the full pics now!
Mark must have done this masterpiece! Please include a COH!