DEJAH OF MARS #1 Review

Do we really need another tale from Barsoom? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Following the events of Warlord of Mars #100! John Carter has gone missing. And to find him there’s nothing Dejah Thoris won’t break. No one she won’t hurt. No hornet’s nest she won’t kick. But the Warlord of Mars stole an important Helium artifact before he disappeared, so not only is the princess on her own this time – she has to get Carter before anyone else does!

The time has come for the recognizable heroine to jump ahead of her husband and become what Mars needs her to be. Add in a fairly strong creative team and a body of work that pays attention to what came before and we’re left with a worthwhile comic book. To sum up: if you’re already invested than this purchase is an easy sell but if you’re new this might just be the right entry point for you.

I’m not going to lie, when I first heard that my favorite part of the previously released celebratory issue, Warlod of Mars #100, was going to get an extension I was ecstatic. And as Mark Rahner once again takes the narrative reigns I feel perfectly comfortable letting him guide not just his audience but Dejah Thoris. Her lover, John Carter, has gone missing and it’s fallen on our scantily clad heroine to find him despite her grandfather ordering her not to do so. And it’s from that foundation that the author easily builds a compelling ride that stumbles slightly with some stiff bits of dialogue but still manages to impress.

The art by Jethro Morales is capable, as the talent crafts a steady visual language for these proceedings. He never really delivers a singular panel that readily makes the case for a jaw dropping addition to the franchise. But I appreciate how he never over plays the sensuality of our lead. Many illustrators have take her tiny clothes and run with it in a way to overly highlight her assets, but not this talent. That said there are some bland moments that need more detail but thankfully the colors by Salvatore Aiala Studios helps smooth those over before we even reach the conclusion.

Dejah of Mars #1 is a fitting beginning that doesn’t waste it’s time as the creative team almost instantly sets up the trajectory of the overall piece. Recommended.