It was the non traditional nature of this book (as i read your descriptions of the early issues) that got me interested, ironically!
As a kid, What If numbers 13 and 43, and more importantly, Sonja in Marvel Team Up 79 were among my favorite books ever.
I guess its just an idea thats stuck with me.
BUT
I totally get wanting a more traditional book. The fish out of water deal can only be mined for so long before it gets strained. Plus it'd be nice to give fans of the character (but not the current setting) a choice.
I'm all in favour of a Sonja stuck in the modern day book as long as there's more traditional fare as well. At one point, I thought it would be cool to do a buddy cop comic about Max and Sonja solving crimes in New York City. Obviously, you couldn't have as much blood as in a standard Sonja story but the interplay between the characters would've been great. However, revealing Max as a Meruvian wizard has kinda thrown a spanner in those works. It also doesn't help that Amy writes Sonja as such a quick study, picking up English in the space of a couple of issues, learning to ride a motorbike just by watching Max etc. Half the fun would've been Sonja getting to grips with modern American customs but she's too smart to struggle with that.
I'd like to see another Sonja title, though, or at the very least, maybe have the odd issue that's a standalone adventure or quest; that's how all the old Frank Thorne issues were. Sonja would get a mission at the beginning of the comic, she'd do it and then she'd be off to do something new the next issue. At one point, Dynamite had two big-selling Sonja ongoing titles plus they've done so many one-shots, crossovers and mini-series over the years. Sonja is one of the company's most popular brands and with a video game coming out and a possible movie, she's never been more popular. No reason why a second title couldn't sell well with a capable creative team.
Did you ever read the second Sonja/Spidey team-up? It's not earth-shattering but it's worth a look. It came out soon after Dynamite relaunched Sonja and was drawn by Mel Rubi, who handled the Sonja relaunch and who is fucking AMAZING when he's on his game.