John Carter: Warlord of Mars #3 Review

Should fanboys and fangirls buy into this title? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Alien invaders have conquered John Carter’s adopted world of Barsoom. John Carter endeavors to reach the occupied city of Helium, where his beloved Dejah Thoris is held captive by the invaders. But Dejah Thoris is no princess-in-peril, as she hatches a plot to escape from her captors and lead her people in bloody rebellion! Classic planetary adventure in tradition of grand master Edgar Rice Burroughs!

I’ve been waiting for a creative that fully grasps the innate potential of this legendary franchise, and after three issues in I’m happy to report that it looks like we might actually have them. The best part about that realization is that they’re just getting started so we should, hopefully, have many more adventure beyond this opening arc.

Ron Marz absolutely understands the simple but compelling landscape crafted by the one and only Edgar Rice Burroughs. If you’re like me then you noticed that in the last two issues John Carter has been the central focus while his wife was simply contained. But in the role of a captive and within the confines of her devotion we see Dejah Thoris take center stage. Our princess rises from her confines in a barrage of text that never fails under the need of over explanation. In other words: this is a lean script that gives its audience exactly what it wants.

The written word has its merits but the art by Abhishek Malsuni is what really allows this issue to be memorable. Each panel is carefully crafted via deliberate pencil strokes that understand the boundaries of their own interaction. The resulting formations are exquisitely detailed and vibrant enough, thanks to the colors by Nanjan Jamberi, to stand out. In short the visuals are, in essence, the caliber workmanship that we, as buyers and enthusiasts, deserve.”

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #3 carries an aged atmosphere with a modern glow. It’s an old machine that can strut its stuff with ease while putting many other popular properties to shame. Highly recommended.