I finally got around to reading the foundation for Red Sonja on April 22, 2007:
Though most are familiar with the Robert E. Howard (creator of Conan
and Kull) character of Red Sonja from the comics and the
disappointing movie of 1985, her first and only appearance in his
writing is dramatically different. The short story was `The Shadow
of the Vulture' (1934) and went something like this:
The year is 1529. An Austrian embassy has arrived in Constantinople to meet with Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Among the members of the embassy is Gottfried von Kalmbach. By chance, the Sultan recognizes Kalmbach as the very knight who wounded him some years earlier during the taking of Rhodes. Though he desires the knight's death, it would be impolitic to kill a member of an embassy. Instead, when the embassy leaves, the Sultan arranges for Mikhal Oglu the Vulture to track down the knight and return with his head.
Kalmbach soon finds himself fleeing across the Balkans and Austria, seldom far ahead of Oglu and his horsemen. The Sultan has launched an invasion of Europe and Kalmbach is only one step ahead of the vanguard. He manages to take refuge in Vienna just as the Sultan begins his siege. It is here while manning the walls that Kalmbach spots Sonya of Rogatino. This foul-mouthed red-headed hellion proves to be a skilled artillerist, a talented swordswoman, and the sister of Suleiman's wife. Twice she saves Kalmbach from death though she otherwise exhibits nothing but scorn for him. As the Siege of Vienna fails, Sonja learns that Kalmbach is being hunted and that he shall not rest easy so long as Mikhal Oglu lives. She quickly devises a plan, sending a messenger to Oglu that lures him and 20 of his men into a waiting volley of matchlock muskets.
During the Sultan's "Victory Celebration" in Constantinople, a package arrives. While the Sultan reads the accompanying note signed by Sonya and Kalmbach, the opened package reveals the head of Mikhal Oglu.
In the story, there is never any hint that Kalmbach and Sonya are anything more than comrades in arms and she shows equal disdain for all men. Also, she wore breeches, thigh-high boots, a red cloak, a green sash, a helmet and a hauberk. She had two pistols and a saber in her sash. It was many years later (1973) that Marvel Comics transplanted Red Sonja into the Hyborean Age of Conan, changed the spelling of her name, and introduced her chain mail bikini.
Currently, a new Red Sonja movie is in the works, scheduled for 2008. I suspect, if it gets made, it will be better than the last movie.
The year is 1529. An Austrian embassy has arrived in Constantinople to meet with Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Among the members of the embassy is Gottfried von Kalmbach. By chance, the Sultan recognizes Kalmbach as the very knight who wounded him some years earlier during the taking of Rhodes. Though he desires the knight's death, it would be impolitic to kill a member of an embassy. Instead, when the embassy leaves, the Sultan arranges for Mikhal Oglu the Vulture to track down the knight and return with his head.
Kalmbach soon finds himself fleeing across the Balkans and Austria, seldom far ahead of Oglu and his horsemen. The Sultan has launched an invasion of Europe and Kalmbach is only one step ahead of the vanguard. He manages to take refuge in Vienna just as the Sultan begins his siege. It is here while manning the walls that Kalmbach spots Sonya of Rogatino. This foul-mouthed red-headed hellion proves to be a skilled artillerist, a talented swordswoman, and the sister of Suleiman's wife. Twice she saves Kalmbach from death though she otherwise exhibits nothing but scorn for him. As the Siege of Vienna fails, Sonja learns that Kalmbach is being hunted and that he shall not rest easy so long as Mikhal Oglu lives. She quickly devises a plan, sending a messenger to Oglu that lures him and 20 of his men into a waiting volley of matchlock muskets.
During the Sultan's "Victory Celebration" in Constantinople, a package arrives. While the Sultan reads the accompanying note signed by Sonya and Kalmbach, the opened package reveals the head of Mikhal Oglu.
In the story, there is never any hint that Kalmbach and Sonya are anything more than comrades in arms and she shows equal disdain for all men. Also, she wore breeches, thigh-high boots, a red cloak, a green sash, a helmet and a hauberk. She had two pistols and a saber in her sash. It was many years later (1973) that Marvel Comics transplanted Red Sonja into the Hyborean Age of Conan, changed the spelling of her name, and introduced her chain mail bikini.
Currently, a new Red Sonja movie is in the works, scheduled for 2008. I suspect, if it gets made, it will be better than the last movie.
The movie never did get made, which is probably for the best since it was going to have Rose McGowan as Sonja directed by then finance Robert Rodriguez. Though Rodriguez has demonstrated a knack for action movies, casting the dainty 5'4" McGowan as an unbeatable fighter would have been difficult. Of course, having read the origin story, why not make the real thing? That would nix the chain mail bikini. Hmm.
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