Red Sonja Conquers Mars in Dynamite’s Wildest Crossover Yet: "Altered States: Warlords" Unleashes a Multiversal War
Dynamite Entertainment is set to launch an ambitious new crossover this June with Altered States: Warlords, a sweeping, multiverse-spanning adventure that unites some of its most iconic heroes. Crafted by writer David Avallone and artist Mariano Benitez-Chapo, the series expands the publisher’s Altered States line with its biggest and boldest story yet.
Built around alternate realities and unexpected twists on legendary characters, Altered States takes inspiration from classic “what if?” storytelling. With Warlords, that concept evolves into a full-scale epic.
The story begins when Red Sonja, the fierce She-Devil of Hyrkania, is suddenly transported from her familiar Hyborian world to the red sands of Barsoom—Mars as imagined in pulp legend. But her arrival is far from accidental. In fact, it becomes the catalyst for a massive shift in history, triggering ripple effects that alter the fate of entire worlds.
As the timeline fractures, a host of legendary figures are drawn into the conflict. John Carter and Dejah Thoris—rulers of Mars—find their world changed in ways they never expected. From Earth, Tarzan enters the fray, while Vampirella, the mysterious heroine from the planet Drakulon, brings her own power and intrigue to the unfolding war.
Writer David Avallone revealed how the concept took shape and how Red Sonja becomes the key to everything:
“Joe Rybandt asked me if I’d be interested in doing an Altered States series using Dynamite characters, all centered around Barsoom – the Mars of Edgar Rice Burroughs. That sounded like a whole lot of fun, and right up my alley.
My first thought was ‘Red Sonja: Warlord of Mars.’ Red knocks over the first domino, so to speak, challenging the cult of the Holy Therns at its founding, and setting off a whole alternative timeline where John Carter isn’t the first human from Earth to reach Barsoom… with seismic repercussions for Martian culture, religion, and society. Naturally the Therns, and their goddess Issus, are none too happy about that.
Over the course of the series we’ll see how that affects Carter’s arrival and reception, and new adventures with Tarzan and a mysterious princess from the planet Drakulon — you know her as Vampirella — as they all find their way to the Red Planet.”
Known for his sharp character work and love of pulp storytelling, Avallone teams up once again with rising star Benitez-Chapo, whose dynamic art continues to gain attention following previous collaborations.
The series will also feature a wide range of eye-catching variant covers. Artists Joseph Michael Linsner and Mike Rooth spotlight Red Sonja in the debut issue, while Benitez-Chapo provides a connected series of covers across the run. Fans can also look forward to a special photo cover by cosplayer Jackie Goehner, along with a collectible blind bag edition of issue #1 that includes randomly selected premium variants.
Blending sword-and-sorcery, science fiction, and pulp adventure into one explosive narrative, Altered States: Warlords promises a high-stakes journey across worlds—where one warrior’s arrival on Mars changes everything.