CONAN-RED SONJA #1, the first team-up between these two sword & sorcery titans in over 15 years, arrived in stores on Jan 14th. Co-written by Gail Simone and I with artwork by Dan Panosian and Dave Stewart, let’s see what critics thought of our first chapter…

• All-Comic: 4/5 “All in all, Conan Red Sonja #1 was a treat. The second issue can’t get here fast enough.”

• Big Comic Page: 4/5 “Dynamic, exciting and filled to the brim with character, this is a series that delivers on its potential and provides a thrilling look at the undisputed ‘power couple’ of the fantasy world.”

• Bleeding Cool: “Panosian’s artwork is beautifully detailed. I really enjoy his interpretation of the two characters.”

• BSXcluded: “Dan’s art is awesome. I love the style of it. It just feels right for the part.”

• Comic Book Resources: 4/5 “All told, Conan Red Sonja #1 is a blast. Fans of either character should definitely check this issue out.”

• Comic Check: 5/5 “This is probably one of the best drawn books that I have read in a long time. The art style of Panosian is perfectly complemented by Stewart’s colours, having the right tones in the right spots.”

• Comic Crusaders: 4/5 “Simone and Zub have really nailed these characters and made them interesting to both old and new readers alike.”

• Comic Spectrum: 4/5 “Simone/Zub/Panosian are weaving a sharp story that gets off to a great start in this issue and I’m looking forward to seeing it play out.”

• Comics Alliance: “…the first issue breezes through the mandatory fight before the inevitable team-up in a way that’s actually pretty engaging, setting up an adventure that seems every bit as exciting as the two characters deserve.”

• Comics: The Gathering: 8/10 “There are no two people better suited to tackle this team-up than this duo. The two writer’s styles mix so well that its hard to tell just who is influencing whom.”

• ComicWow!: 9/10 “The mark of great writers is that they are constantly learning, developing, and growing.”

• Comix I Read: 5/5 “With such a strong story, the art by Dan Panosian’s and colours by Dave Stewart put this book over the top. I recommend this book for everyone.”

• Eat Your Comics: 8/10 “Zub has an ability to pack punch into every step of the story, and keep you not only involved, but in a constant state of anticipation and curiosity. This book is no exception.”

• Fandom Post: “Hopefully this will be the start to a fun, bloody romp through Hyperborea with my two favorite barbarians.”

• Fangirl Nation: “Dan Panosian captures both the movement and vitality of combat and the quieter moments with equal deftness.”

• Fellowship of the Geeks: “The first issue delivers on all of that promise with a save-the-world story and beautiful artwork.”

• Geek Rex: “it’s a gorgeous, well-made comic that sets up a promising story and delivers some solid character work.”

• Geeked Out Nation: 8.5/10 “It’s action packed, dramatic but a ton of fun thanks to the humor Simone and Zub inject in the script. It’s the perfect entry way into these two characters”

• Geeks With Wives: 8.5/10 “Zub and Simone are perfect team to give these characters the right amount of heroism and heart to make anyone become a fan.”

• Hulking Reviewer: “Conan Red Sonja #1 is an excellent start to the crossover series with its entertaining portrayal of classic characters, and a story that brings them together in an organic way.”

• IGN: 8/10 “it’s a down and dirty good time, bolstered by a stellar creative team that appears eager to show us more.”

• I Reads You: “Conan Red Sonja #1 makes me want to keep reading. I hope that the rest of this series lives up to my high expectations.”

• Kabooooom: 5/5 “be ready to recall the days of high adventure as never before. This is a great comic that will please sword-and-sorcery genre enthusiasts and newcomers alike.”

• LA Examiner: “The premiere issue makes each adventurer accessible for those who know little to nothing of the history of the characters and just want to get in on the beginning of a large scale story.”

• Major Spoilers: 9.5/10 “Simone and Zub hit all the right points that lead the heroes naturally through the tale, and set up multiple villains that will be hot on the trail of our heroes in future issues. This is an excellent first issue.”

• Mightyville: 8/10 “Dan Panosian’s artwork blends exactly the right amount of fun, gore, and fantasy.”

• Newsarama: 8/10 “Conan/Red Sonja is a must-read for fans of the genre.”

• Omnicomic: “Simone and Zub bring their best to the work and the way they deftly weave together the talents of the main characters is effortless and makes for a fascinating read.”

• Panel Patter: “it’s a joy to watch when two of my favorite characters get such a great, highly recommended, treatment. I can’t wait to see what issue two brings!”

• Rhymes With Geek: 10/10 “If you are looking for something to remind you of how much fun comics can be, Conan Red Sonja #1 hits the spot”

• Rock! Shock! Pop!: “…a good sword-and-sandal duet between characters that take no crap and can stand by their boasting and, at just one issue in, this looks to be a fun series.”

• Rockin’ Comics: “Gail and Jim are delivering a solid Sword and Sorcery tale with two iconic characters and Dan is bringing some fantastic images. This is a fun one.”

• Sci-Fi Pulse: A+ “The Gods are smiling down on readers for allowing them to have this ancient tale. So fun, so well written, so gorgeous. By Crom, this is good!”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 10/10 “The key thing about this first issue is that it does a great job of introducing both characters while also keeping things fresh for long-time fans such as myself.”

• Sound On Sight: “…an incredibly stylish barbarian/heist story filled with plenty of humor and bloodletting.”

• Super Team AU: 8.5/10 “…a fun debut issue, with good character work and art, that sets up a lot of potential for the rest of the series.”

• The Beat: “This book is awesome! Conan/ Red Sonja #1 kicks the series off with the right balance of intrigue and good ol’ beat ‘em up action.”

• The Pullbox: “Since Conan and Sonja are both presented in their relative youth, both brash and boastful, there’s plenty of time for this relationship to percolate into something bigger and infinitely more violent.”

• TM Stash: 10/10 “We see a younger Conan and Sonja in their first meeting, handled in a way that allows both to shine without seeming contrived. It is everything you could hope for from this title…and more.”

• Topless Robot: “The pedigree of the creators on this book is outstanding – Gail Simone and Jim Zub are both terrific writers”

• TrekScribbler: “I always celebrate first issues when they’re well done, and CONAN/RED SONJA #1 is brilliantly crafted. Highest recommendation possible.”

• Unleash the Fanboy: 9/10 “The dynamic duo attacks the literary page using the correct amount of familiar verbiage while giving fans proper context in order to make this meet-and-greet fun but not too tongue-in-cheek.”

• Zeitgeeks: “Simone, Zub, and Panosian thoroughly understand what makes these characters great.”

Today sees the arrival of CONAN-RED SONJA #1 in stores at last!

Getting the chance to write two of the biggest fantasy characters of all time has been an absolute dream come true. Getting to do it with such a skilled set of collaborators is sweeter still. I’m so grateful to everyone involved.

A deep and hearty thank you to editor Dave Marshall at Dark Horse for keeping the whole thing rolling and well organized through rain or shine. You’ve been a rock throughout the project and I deeply appreciate your support and hard work on this.

Thank you to co-writer Gail Simone for bringing me on board. Your instinct for dramatic storytelling and enthusiasm for our story enhanced every scene. I’ve learned a ton on this project and it’s been a real honor collaborating with you on this sweeping tale of steel and sorrow.

Thank you to Dan Panosian for delivering stunning line work that ranks right up there with the best our heroic Cimmerian and Hyrkanian have ever had. Old School Sword & Sorcery flows through your veins, bud.

Thank you to Dave Stewart for building mood and intensity with his colors on every page. You took Dan’s lines and made them even more powerful, always enhancing and never taking away.

Thank you to Comicraft for pulp fantasy-perfect lettering. These characters always ‘sound’ right with your confident dialogue placement and sound effects.

All of us on the team worked hard to deliver a strong first chapter to this epic, something worthy of the legacy of these incredible characters. I hope you give it a read and enjoy the ride. As always, your support of my work makes this all possible and I’m so very thankful.

Comics Bulletin has posted a new interview with Gail Simone and I discussing our writing work on CONAN-RED SONJA #1, which arrives in comic shops on January 15th. Click on through to read about working with two legendary characters, our love of the genre, and co-writing together.

CONAN-RED SONJA #1 arrives in stores January 14th, so expect to see a lot about that over the next couple weeks. I can’t wait for people to read the story we’ve put together and see what Dan Panosian and Dave Stewart have done with the art to take it to the next level.

Gail Simone and I chatted with Forrest Helvie at Newsarama all about the mini-series, our co-writing approach, and what readers can look forward to in this epic team up!