Dejah of Mars #4 Review

Should followers even bother with this four issue mini-series? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

FINAL ISSUE!!! Ruthless! Reckless! Remorseless! Dejah Thoris will shoot, hack and smash her way to her abducted husband – half a step ahead of the Helium Royal Guard. But the Red Reaper may kill John Carter first trying to extract the secret of his immortality. And if he can’t do that, he’s taking everyone on Barsoom with him – by activating the giant red cannons buried around the planet! The death-filled conclusion of Mark Rahner’s brutal meditation on life and death after the end of Issus!

As a whole this interpretation of the literary legacy of Barsoom has had some rough patches. But, for me, I’ve found the majority of the adventures therein to be captivating especially the ones featuring this fiery princess. Born from a unique release, this particular volume reaches its climax while pushing each player along a path that could spell calamity for Mars.

Mark Rahner knows how to write the dialogue from both John Carter and Dejah Thoris. Their banter and ferocity in the face of an impending doom easily yields wit while highlighting their bond. I’ll admit that I wanted the text to be a bit more in depth, but with all things considered, the mini-series as a whole has enjoyed a to the point nature that fits everyone’s favorite Warlord and his allies. However the ending did feel rather abrupt.

The illustrations by Jethro Morales offer a simplistic structure that’s complimentary to the written word. Each page is chock-full of visuals that are minimalist and expertly executed in a barrage of line work that’s quite pleasing, especially the more action oriented sequences. Add in the colors by Salvatore Aiala Studios and the whole of the book enjoys a largely compelling look that may not be for everyone but gets my support.

Dejah of Mars #4 shows us the might and ferocity of our strong heroine but it does lack the necessary depth to push beyond its own boundaries. Even so this earns a recommendation from me.