Warlord of Mars #34 Review

Can our remaining heroes do anything to stop the escalating threat hanging over Barsoom? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

John Carter is hunted, hounded and on the run from the brutal tyrant laying waste to the Red Planet. At last, Carter and his family discover the tyrant’s true identity, but they’re no closer to stopping his campaign of planet-wide slaughter. The tyrant kidnaps Carthoris in a bid to lure Carter out into the open, only to discover Carthoris is a chip off the old block. Soon, very soon, the tables are turned.

There’a a lot at stake as the removed Warlord of Mars has to deal with the coming forces baring down on him. What we get is a wobbly but somewhat competent entry that may be a bit off from what fans might expect.

To his credit Arvid Nelson pens a competent script, as the author reveals a plan of attack that might just free the planet from the clutches of this poser. Sadly though the way in which this is discovered is skipped over and relegated to a conversation piece which in a way cheapens the find. That could be the most disappointing facet of this yarn but on top of that the dialogue suffers under the weight of a corny array of words that will leave fans less than amused by their implementation. Still as a set-up piece enough is done to gain traction for what should be a rousing final chapter for this journey.

Rafael Lanhellas handles the art and the talent delivers a discernible display that suffers from moments of inconsistency. In these instances the renditions of these characters look odd at best, as misshapen form gives way to awkward facial expressions. Even so when truly called upon these pencil strokes can be up to the task, as they yield sturdy panels in their wake. The single most rewarding bit of this visual barrage is the colors done by Inlight Studios.

Warlord of Mars #34 is an imperfect entry that’s a bit shaky as it earns a light recommendation from me.