In 2001 Comics Buyer's Guide published the list
of 100 Sexiest Female Comic Book Characters (it is of course a mistake, because
my favourite ranked fourth). The first place was taken by Red Sonia, the
companion of Conan the Barbarian. It would not be surprising, but both
characters were invented by R.E. Howard and in his books those two had never
met, they both were separated by about few thousand years.
Howard's Sonia is a heroine of one story - The
Shadow of the Vulture - initially published in Magic Carpet in 1934 (currently
this story remains in public domain). The main hero is the Hospitaller -
Gottfried von Kalmbach - who took part in fierce fightings for Rhodes and was
remembered by Turkish janissaries as "Undefeated Frank". Later on, he
participated in further fights that were taking place in the period between
Battle of Mohacs and Battle of Vienna (1526-1529). During his adventures he met
a beautiful female warrior named Sonia of Rohatyn (Ukraine). This gently born
fighter arouses fear in the hearts of the Suleiman's people. At the same time
her sister, abducted during the Tatar invasion, Roksolna, builds herself a
powerful position in the harem of the Sultan.
Roksolana of Rohatyn is a historical figure
that both Poles and Ukrainians consider to be a representative of their
nationality. To make it even more interesting it is worth mentioning that
Orientalist Wacław Seweryn Rzewuski (1784-1831) emphasised that she came from
Galician Podolia. Thus, Roksolana and her literary sister Sonia were Polish
noble women coming from Stanisławowo.
Gottfried von Kalmbach wasn't the most popular
of Howard's heroes, so, similarily as many other stories, also The Shadow of
the Vulture was transformed into another one Conan story. This time the
literary rape was not comitted by Lyon Spague de Camp (well-known as the person
who added resolutions to unfinished Conan stories and who put his name under
them next to R.E. Howard, dead for two decades), but by somebody who is known
as Richard Cameron (up to this day the lovers of Howard's talent do not know
who it was). Von Kalmbach was replaced by Conan, and the setting is transformed
into the eastern edge of the Hyperborean civilisation. What is worst is the
fact that in some coutries the Cameron's version is better known than the
original one. For instance in Poland only the version situated in the Hyperborea
was published.
In 1973 the story was transferred to the comic.
The comic Sonia after the debut at the side of Conan began to live her own life
- she was repeatedly dying and reincarnating as another heroine, engaged in
love affairs with heroes - time travellers (such as Spiderman or Howard the
Duck), and met Conan from time to time, losing contact with the Howard's
original more and more.
 |
| Just when you think it can't get any worse... |
 |
| It can. |
And finally, a reflection on where Howard could
come up with the idea of the name of Sonia (not very frequent in the interwar
USA). Well, that was the name of the Ukrainian amateur writer and wife of
Howard Philip Lovecraft - Sonia Greene's (family name Haft).
Bibliography:
1) B.
Frankenhoff, 100 Sexiest Women in
Comics, 2011, ss. 64.
2) The
Shadow of the Vulture
3) Conan
the Barbarian #23, February 1973, ss. 22.
4) G. I. Yermolenko, Roxolana in European Literature, History and Culture, Ashgate 2010,
ss. 318.
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