The Shadow of the Vulture

Infobox short story
name = The Shadow of the Vulture
title_orig =
translator =
author = Robert E. Howard
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Historical fiction short story
published_in = "The Magic Carpet Magazine"
publication_type =
publisher =
media_type = Pulp magazine
pub_date = January 1934
english_pub_date =
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Shadow of the Vulture"" is a short story by Robert E. Howard, first published in "The Magic Carpet Magazine", January 1934. The story introduces the character of Red Sonya of Rogatino, who later became the inspiration for the popular character Red Sonja, archetype of the chainmail-bikini clad female warrior.

Unlike Howard's better-known fantasy work, "The Shadow of the Vulture" is historical fiction, set in the 16th century. It uses the career of sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (also known as Sultan Suleiman I), the aftermath of the Battle of Mohács and the later Siege of Vienna of 1529 as a backdrop for imaginary characters and events.

In the story, Red Sonya is a gun-slinging warrior woman of Polish-Ukrainan origin with a grudge against the Ottoman sultan, the eponymous red hair and a fiery temper to match.

Red Sonja in the Hyborian Age

Howard's Red Sonya had no connection to his Conan the Barbarian character. It was Roy Thomas and Barry Smith in Marvel Comics' "Conan the Barbarian" title who transposed Red Sonya into the Hyborian Age, changing the spelling of her name in the process.

Legal

In June 2006, Red Sonja, LLC, the owners of the rights to Red Sonja initiated a court case against Paradox, the claimants to the rights to Red Sonya, claiming unfair competition and trademark infringement. However, no renewal records for "The Shadow of the Vulture" exist.

External links

* [http://www.howardworks.com/storysa.htm#shad6 The Works of Robert E. Howard] - Publication history of "The Shadow of the Vulture"