Mel Rubi

Mel Rubi is a comic book artist best known for his long run illustrating the adventures of Red Sonja, a role he took on with a gritty, dynamic style that brought the sword-and-sorcery heroine to life for a new generation. Born in 1950, Rubi entered the industry in the early 1990s, and over a career spanning nearly three decades—from 1993 to 2020—he amassed credits on over 100 issues as an artist, inker, and colorist. His most prominent work appears across multiple *Red Sonja* and *Queen Sonja* series, as well as crossovers like *Spider-Man / Red Sonja*. He also contributed to titles such as *Excalibur*, *Grifter*, and *Angel*, often collaborating with writers who appreciated his ability to blend detailed linework with a sense of motion and grit. Rubi’s style is characterized by a muscular, expressive approach to fantasy and action, making him a key visual architect of the character’s modern look. While he never achieved the household-name status of some peers, his consistent, professional output earned him respect among fans and peers. Later in his career, he continued to work on licensed and genre projects, leaving behind a solid body of work that helped define a popular fantasy franchise.