Dynamite Entertainment will relaunch its three top female characters in new series in Q1 2016, with new costume designs and narrative backgrounds for Red Sonja, Dejah Thoris, and Vampirella.  Gail Simone is creating the “road map” for the newly redesigned characters, and Nicola Scott (Birds of Prey, Superman) is designing their look. 

“Our mission here is to spruce up their look and remind people that these were the original female ass-kickers that inspired Xena, Buffy, and Lei a Organa,” Gail Simone said of the reboots.

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Red Sonja #1 will launch on January 13, with script by Marguerite Bennett and art by Aneke.  In the new story, the title character will return to her homeland of Hyrkania, but finds it changed dramatically.  Bennett described the story as “nearly to ‘Red Sonja vs. The Iron Age Nazis.’”  Artist Aneke, who worked on Dynamite’s Legenderry:  Red Sonja, Damsels) calls herself a devotee of first comic Red Sonja artist Frank Thorne, a fitting influence for the new title.

A variety of covers will support the launch, including Cover A by Marguerite Sauvage; Cover B by Jay Anacleto, which will interconnect with the Cover B editions of the other two relaunches; Cover C by Tula Lotay; Subscription Edition (Cover D) by Tony Fleece, interconnecting with the sub variants of the other two relaunches; Shared Retailer Exclusive by Robert Hack; and incentive variants by Ming Doyle and Nicola Scott.     

Scott’s new look incorporates the hair and chain mail, but replaces the bikini with a tank, and gets the hair off the face.

Click on the gallery below to see Red Sonja #1 covers.

Dejah Thoris #1 will launch in February, written by Frank J Barbiere.  In the story, outlined by Simone, Dejah Thoris goes into exile as a rookie soldier in the outer reaches of Barsoomian civilization. 

Nicola Scott’s new design for Dejah Thoris uses plaited leathers, swooping, organic shaped armor, and gossamer fabrics. 

Vampirella #1 will be released in March, with story by Kate Leth (Adventure Time, Bravest Warriors).  In the new series, Vampi will return to her roots as a horror hostess with a public costumed identity, while she uses her celebrity to find the link between a film killers and a real conspiracy of monsters. 

Scott describes the new look for Vampirella as “part biker, part roller-derby.”