Lords of Mars #3 Review


This crossover event continues, as characters from very different stories come closer to a confrontation.  But should you even care?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

At long last, the Lord of the Jungle and the Warlord of Mars meet… head on! A furious battle turns into a desperate two-man stand against the evil forces that have manipulated the ape-man into hating John Carter. No one, not even pulp fiction’s greatest heroes can stand against a hundred of the terrible white apes of Mars. Fortunately, our adventures have a secret weapon: their wives!

Considering that Tarzan and Jane merely just arrived and the beats of a new battle edge ever closer, it can be said that the landscape of Barsoom is ripe for conflict.   The creative team capitalizes on that fact by birthing a literal calm before the coming storm.

Arvid Nelson lends his talents to a series I’m sure many fans of Edgar Rise Burroughs failed to envision as a possibility.  We see a lot of structure with some minor character development, as two titans prepare for their first meeting.  At the moment it seems obvious where this tale will go, but the author has managed to keep it grounded and entertaining. As an audience member you’ll buy into the text and the subtle beats of the expanding narrative as it carries the property forward.  There are some missteps along the way, as some stiff dialogue leads to predictable outcomes.

The art by Roberto Castro is truly beautiful to behold.  Thick and thin lines work together to yield a crescendo of talent and innate skill.  From the background designs to the players themselves, it’s very clear that the illustrator took the time to give the panels the care they deserved.  The end result is a fitting visual component that uplifts the narrative and even excuses some awkward bits here and there that did little to sully the overall presentation.

Lords of Mars #3 continues to prove itself as a worthy undertaking.  Despite all the potential negative effects the creative team has scored yet again.  Recommended.

4/5

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