Pathfinder: Worldscape #6 - A Review

The city of Shareen is razed and the Empress Camilla lies dead. Alas, the sorcerer Kulan Gath has acquired her scepter and what remains of Camilla's circle of advisors have joined him to acquire the magic crown that, coupled with the scepter, will give them power over The Worldscape and the three worlds that feed it! It is now a race against time as John Carter, Red Sonja and their new friends among The Pathfinders must meet with The Council of Jungle Kings and rouse the bearer of the crown - the one called Tarzan - from his contemplation to join the battle!


Alas, this engaging bit of pulp fiction has fallen flat in its final chapter. The strength of Erik Mona's story has lain in the interactions between the heroes of different worlds, such as John Carter discussing religion with a priestess whose magics he cannot explain. Those interactions are tossed aside here, as we are introduced to a horde of public-domain jungle kings whose only purpose is to serve as canon fodder until Tarzan can be bothered to put in an appearance. The artwork by Jonathan Lau remains astonishing but this ending feels rushed and might have benefited from a few more issues to develop the larger cast.

Pathfinder: Worldscape #5 - A Review

The warrior Valeros and priestess Kyra have been reunited in the cells of the Empress Camilla's arena, Their newfound allies - Red Sonja and John Carter - stand ready to lead a rebellion against the Empress and the dark forces allied with her. Yet Kyra is troubled by the revelation that Merisiel - their party's rogue and her lover - stands among Camilla's inner circle...

It would have been a simple matter to throw together a fantastic epic utilizing the world of the Pathfinder roleplaying game and Dynamite Comics' rich stable of pulp heroes. Thankfully, Erik Mona chose a more challenging path in writing this story. It's thrilling enough as a fantasy tale yet the heart of the story lies in the interactions between the various characters. It's as amusing watching the hard-drinking and harder-loving Valeros and Sonja play off of each other as it is touching to see John Carter in a rare reflective mood as he speaks of romance with Kyra.


Jonathan Lau's art proves a perfect pairing with Mona's story. He draws a damn fine action sequence yet instills even the most basic scenes of two people having a conversation with a sense of motion. Omi Remlante's colors are well chosen throughout, with interesting gradient effects used to simulate torchlight also aiding the appearance of the completed artwork.

Pathfinder: Worldscape #4 - A Review

Merisiel had a shady past but reformed (somewhat) and used her skills as a thief to aid her allies in exploring the wonders of Golarion. It was a surprise then when her allies learned that Merisiel was part of the villainous council that ruled the city of Shareen, which lay at the heart of the prison dimension known as The Worldscape. Here now is the untold tale of how Merisiel found herself fighting alongside the dark wizard Kulan Gath, the sky-pirate Phondari and the Empress Camilla!


The plot thickens in this time-twisted issue of Pathfinder: Worldscape, though the actual story doesn't advance much. Despite this, the story at hand is a wonderful character study of Merisiel. And the artwork by Jonathan Lau and Omi Remalante continues to impress.

Pathfinder: Worldscape #3 - A Review

Kyra is a priestess of Sarenrae - goddess of light and healing. Separated from her companions and trapped in the prison plane known as The Worldscape, she has taken refugee in the city of Shareen - a dark and wicked place in need of Sarenrae's light. Yet when an act of compassion brings Kyra to the attentions of The Tharns - death priests aligned with the evil ruler of Shareen - the priestess will win the aid of another hero - John Carter, Warlord of Mars!


The artwork for this issue suits the grim and gritty setting well. Artist Jonathan Lau does a fantastic job layering each panel, with thin inks barely outlining the characters and thicker inks crafting defining shadows. This enables colorist Omi Remlante to finish the art with similarly varied palettes.
What truly sells this issue, however, is writer Erik Mona's command of the characters and his brilliant ideas for playing the heroes of different settings off of one another. The issue's best sequence sees the inquisitive Kyra asking John Carter about the gods of his world.  It's an interesting point, not often examined in this kind of crossover, that the gods of worlds like Golarion offer continual evidence of their existence compared to the indifferent gods of Hyboria. I also love how this fact is more disturbing to the faithful than the faithless. John Carter doesn't put much store in gods or priests of any kind, but the practical warrior knows good souls and good things when he sees them. It is ironic then that Kyra winds up seeking an affirmation of her faith in the face of True Darkness from the humanist.

Pathfinder: Worldscape #2 - A Review (SPOILER ALERT!)

Separated from her companions, the sorceress Seoni finds herself in a strange rain forest. Thankfully Fantomah - the self-proclaimed goddess of the jungle - sees Seoni's noble heart and leaves her unharmed. Soon Seoni is met by new companions - the former soldier of Earth turned jungle lord known as Thun'da and the Green Martian warlord Tars Tarkas - who tell Seoni of the strange world where they have all been marooned.


Pulp fans and gamers alike are sure to enjoy this series. The rich, vibrant artwork by Jonathan Lau and Omi Remlante proves spell-binding in its beauty and this month's gamer supplement provides Pathfinder statistics for the Green Martian race. What really sells this issue, however, is the story by Erik Mona and the sheer logistics of what he's accomplished.

Much like Gail Simone's Swords of Sorrow, Pathfinder: Worldscape draws upon a variety of classic fantasy and science-fiction in building its world. While advance reviews told us we'd see the likes of Red Sonja, Tarzan and the whole of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom, the inclusion of Fantomah (credited by many as the first superheroine) and Frank Frazetta's jungle hero Thun'da was a pleasant surprise.

John Carter - Warlord of Mars #14 - A Review

John Carter and Dejah Thoris have returned home to Helium. Yet the streets are deserted and there is something else odd about their home city, which defies their senses and calls into question the very nature of reality around them! Is there some science or sorcery at play? Or has too much time in the desert wastes driven the royal couple mad?!

Ron Marz and Ian Edginton deliver an epic conclusion to their original saga of Barsoom. I'm sad to see this series end but I'm glad to see it go out on a high note, with the quality undiminished. It's truly amazing what these two writers accomplished together, crafting tales true to the spirit of Edger Rice Burroughs.

The artwork by Ariel Medel remains equally impressive.  Medel's a great artist, capable of rendering loud action and quiet reflection with equal ease. He's also one of the few artists who can draw a Dejah Thoris who can look sexy and strong without being objectified. The final art is realized by the excellent colors of Nanjan Jamberi.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #13 - A Review

John Carter and Dejah Thoris have been trapped in the desert wastes for five days. Things look grim until they find an oasis... and barely survive a deadly encounter with a creature dwelling in the inviting waters. This leads them into an underground city... and a deadly secret that could lay waste to all of Barasoom!


This story by Ron Marz and Ian Edginton proves exciting enough and worthy of the legacy of Edgar Rice Burroughs. I particularly like how realistic survival skills are depicted throughout the issue. Though I question the efficiency of bullets that explode upon being exposed to sunlight underwater, I'm willing to write that off as pulp science being pulp science and merely enjoy the fact that it is the scientist Dejah, not John the adventurer, who takes the lead in this adventure.


Ariel Medel continues to deliver some impressive visuals. Of particular note is the two-page spread where we first see the vast underground city John and Dejah discover and we see their conversation unfold as they move through the great backdrop Medel has created. The colors by Nanjan Jamberi perfectly finish Medel's pencils and inks.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #12 - A Review

John Carter and Dejah Thoris have jumped from the frying pan and into the fire! The tomb raiders who held them hostage inadvertently awoke the last of The Orovar - the ancient race who ruled Mars centuries earlier. But now he intends to awaken the rest of his people and conquer all of Barsoom!


This issue, while enjoyable, is perhaps the most weakly written script Marz and Edginton have composed to date. While the story is well written and we do learn a far bit about the past of Mars, the sad truth is that John and Dejah are more passive figures in this story than usual and their actions do nothing to stop the villain. Still, we do get several good character moments along the way.

The artwork remains top-notch throughout. Ariel Medel is a true talent and this issue boasts some of the best work on the series to date. The colors by Nanjan Jamberi are applied with equal skill.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #11 - A Review

Things have gone from bad to worse for John Carter and Dejah Thoris. Their transport was grounded by a sandstorm, leaving them stranded in the wilderness. Then they were abducted by a gang of bandits turned grave-robbers, led by a rogue general of Helium with a grudge against Dejah's family. But could even greater dangers be in store for our heroes? In the wilds of Barsoom, almost certainly...
The story by Ron Marz and Ian Edginton continues to engage readers. Though John and Dejah are held hostage for much of this issue as the exposition unfurls, what little action exists proves exciting. And the exposition proves riveting, despite largely being set-up for one hell of a cliff-hanger.


The artwork remains equally impressive. Ariel Medel is one of the finest sword-and-sorcery artists working in the field today. Colorist Nanjan Jamberi does an effective job in subtly applying different tints and gradient effects to enhance the original artwork. And letterer Rob Steen's print is clear and efficient.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #9 - A Review

The good news is that Dejah Thoris has solved the mystery of what has been happening to the disappearing townsfolk of a distant village. The bad news is that she discovered this by being captured by the golem-like creature that was abducting the missing people! Now, as John Carter gives chase after the beast, Dejah must free herself and the captive women before the golem forges them into his perfect mate!


In all honesty, this book should be titled John Carter and Dejah Thoris, rather than giving John Carter solo billing. The scripts by Ron Marz and Ian Edginton treat the two as equal partners in adventure. Indeed, recent issues have seen Dejah playing the hero more than her husband!

While she may be a captive in this issue, Dejah is no damsel in distress and she uses her knowledge of science to free herself and her fellow prisoners.  As Dejah notes at one point, while she will always need John Carter, she doesn't need him to rescue her. Nor does she allow John to send her off with the rest of the women, staying behind to fight by his side with a sword in hand. It's a refreshing change of pace from the usual pulp tropes.

The artwork for the issue is equally excellent. Ariel Medel's only weakness is an occasional tendency towards forcing some poses, such as Dejah's unusual fighting stance in the page above. Thankfully, these moments are few and far between. The color art by Nanjan Jamberi is also impressive, as is the lettering by Rob Steen.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #8 - A Review

As John Carter and Dejah Thoris continue to search for a way to restore a dying Barsoom, they stumble across a more urgent mystery.  A farming community in the distant deserts has been terrorized by an unknown threat and all their attempts to summon aid have failed. It should be a simple matter for the Jeddak of Jeddaks and a warrior princess of Helium... but the key word there is 'should'.


If you like classic pulp action, you should be reading John Carter: Warlord of Mars. There's a lot to like about this series, which - unlike the previous Warlord of Mars book by Dynamite Entertainment - is devoted to original tales involving Edgar Rice Burroughs' characters rather than adapting classical works. And despite the title the book is just as much about scientist/princess Dejah Thoris, who is presented as an equal partner to her Earthly mate, John Carter.


The scripts by Ron Marz and Ian Edginton are innovative while still holding true to the Burroughs oeuvre. The artwork by Ariel Medel and Nanjan Jamberi proves vivid and exciting  I'd recommend this series without reservation to anyone who enjoys classical adventure fantasy.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #7 - A Review

With the invaders that threatened the city of Helium banished, John Carter and Dejah Thoris can turn their thoughts to more pleasurable pursuits. Of course their trip to the ruins of Gulondra are also part of a quest to restore the dying atmosphere of Barsoom but they also view the scientific expedition as a welcome chance to some quality time alone. Alas, another enemy seeks revenge upon the young couple and their vacation may prove to be short, if not fatal!


Ron Marz has done an amazing job in fleshing out the characters of both John Carter and Dejah Thoris. Their relationship is presented as one of equals and mutual respect, in stark contrast to most pulp hero romances,  Both are capable of great intelligence and great savagery, as Dejah proves when it falls to her to protect her injured husband.


The artwork by Ariel Medel proves a welcome change of pace.  A caricaturist by trade, Medel has a great grasp of expression and his characters' faces broadcast emotion well. Yet Medel is also a gifted fight choreographer and the action of the issue is well illustrated.

John Cater: Warlord of Mars #6 - A Review

An army of both Tharks and Warhoons stand united against the invading Kahori. But even as the Green Martin hordes lay siege to the city of Helium, John Carter faces his rival Joshua Clark in a duel for the fate of all Mars. Meanwhile, a treacherous scientist with designs on Dejah Thoris plots to flee the city with John Carter's wife as his prize!


The final chapter of Ron Marz's opening arc on this new Warlord of Mars series proves as thrilling as its previous installments. The book is full of action and incredibly well-paced. And Dejah Thoris, despite being a hostage for most of the book, proves to be no damsel in distress who requires rescuing.


Curiously, this final issue was illustrated by a different artist - Roberto Castro.  Castro's style is far rougher and sketchier than the smooth, rounded aesthetic favored by Abhishek Malsuni.  This issue doesn't look bad but it's a jarring change after five months and I must confess a personal preference for Malsuni's artwork.

John Cater: Warlord of Mars #5 - A Review

John Carter has arrived just in time to stop the execution of his true love, the princess Dejah Thoris. But will he be able to escape with his life and his love? Not if the conniving Captain Clark - an old enemy from John Carter's days as a Captain in the Confederate Army - has anything to say about it!


With his creation of Captain Josuha Clark, writer Ron Marz has crafted a worthy arch-enemy for John Carter. Clark is everything that Carter is not while seemingly having much in common with his fellow Captain. Chief among these differences are their motivations, with Carter being motivated to battle by love and a desire to protect those in need.  Clark, on the other hand, is motivated by hatred and a need to win, being more barbaric than Carter despite his veneer of civilized courtesy.


The artwork on this books continues to impress. Abhishek Malsuni brings the world of Barsoom to life as few artists have. The inks by Zsolt H. Garisa perfectly enhance the original art. And Nanjan Jamberi provides one of the finest color art jobs I have ever seen.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars 2015 Special - A Review

The Warlord of Mars and his queen are newly returned home from an adventure on another world, with little on their minds but rest and taking comfort in one another. Alas, it is not to be. For the Morgors of Sasoom haven chosen this night to invade Barsoom! And to retake their world, John Carter and Dejah Thoris must travel the stars again in search of allies... however unlikely they may be.



I have mixed feelings about the script by Robert Place Napton.  This issue draws upon the setting of Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom quite well and Place takes care to explain various minutia (i.e. who all the various leaders are, what race lives on what planet, etc.) for those who have not read all of the original stories, both through the dialogue and the caption boxes. At the same time, I have to wonder if it was really a good idea to do such a continuity-rich story with the monthly John Carter: Warlord of Mars comic only recently rebooted and many newer readers ignorant of who Bandolian and Ul Vas are.



The artwork is similarly conflicted. Rod Rodolfo's original art is clear and serviceable enough. Yet his inks obscure more of the pencils than it enhances in some panels.  This is particularly vexing given the bright colors used by colorist Nanjan Jamberi, which seem at odds with Rodolfo's heavy inks.

Despite these flaws, the John Carter: Warlord of Mars 2015 Special is an enjoyable enough read. However, it is better suited to those who have already traveled to Barsoom rather than new readers, who would do well to check out the monthly series.

John Cater: Warlord of Mars #4 - A Review

There's not much action to be found in John Carter: Warlord of Mars #4. What action we do have comes in the form of a flashback. It is here we see how Captain John Carter of Virginia came to blows with Captain Joshua Clark of Pennsylvania during the American Civil War and how both men have a certain shared nobility, with Clark seeing himself as a great liberator and Carter being against slavery personally but also being determined to protect his home. This scene encourages some slight sympathy for Clark, who until now had been portrayed solely as a vindictive madman with a grudge.  Which he is, of course, but knowing the motive for his madness enriches his character.


Such moral complexity is typical of Ron Marz. It would be relatively easy to spin a simple tale of princesses held hostage and great warriors doing battle in a weird world as countless other pastiche authors have done so before. But Marz is above such lazy writing and his Dejah Thoris is no damsel to be rescued no matter how distressed she may be. Even in the darkest hour, she still has the baring and dignity of a warrior queen.


The artwork is equally complex while seemingly simple.  Penciler Abhishek Malsuni's character designs are crisp and clear, while possessing an extraordinary amount of fine detail.  The inks of Zsolt H, Garisa perfectly enhance the pencils without a single moment of overshading. The colors by Nanjan Jamberi are all well-chosen. Even the lettering by Rob Steen is impressive, with slight variances in boldness and font size emphasizing key words.

John Cater: Warlord of Mars #3 - A Review

The cover of this book may read John Carter: Warlord of Mars, but the focus of this issue is firmly upon John Carter's wife, Dejah Thoris. Though she may be held hostage in the dungeons of Helium, Dejah is no princess to be rescued!  She is a warrior queen, as cunning as she is bold, but even she will be tested as never before as she makes her escape to join her husband in taking back their home.


Many of the covers for this series have either depicted Dejah in provocative poses and/or in bondage.  Artist Abhisher Malsuni is to be commended for avoiding such silliness.  His Dejah is beautiful, yes, but clearly depicted as a woman of action.  Malsuni's work is further enhanced by the wonderful palette choices of Nanjan Jamberi and deepened by the inks of Zsolt H. Garisa.


Dejanh's strength of character is further revealed through Ron Marz's script. This issue proves the power that was only hinted at earlier in the series, as Dejah joins the fighting herself.  Dejah is revealed as a woman of poise and dignity - a true queen worthy of the respect and adoration of her people.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #2 - A Review

John Carter is used to facing bad odds. Yet  the current state of affairs on Barsoom is bleak by even his standards. The city-state of Helium has been captured, his warrior-queen Dejah is in bondage and the enemy responsible is a treacherous soldier who has chased him all the way from Earth seeking revenge. Thankfully, John Carter is also used to finding allies in the most unexpected places and he will need the gift of diplomacy as much as his superhuman abilities and fighting skills to succeed.


Ron Marz's script captures the aesthetic of the old pulp adventures with style.  The story here is not a subtle one but it is not meant to be.  This tale is a melodrama where the heroes are heroic, the women as bold as they are beautiful and the villain is one step away from twirling his mustache as he kills a captive just to prove he is willing and capable of doing so.


The artwork matches the script in its epic scope.  Abhishek Malsuni perfectly portrays the awesome grandeur of Edgar Rice Burrough's world.  The inks by Zsolt H. Garisa enhance the artwork without obscuring the original pencils.  And the dry, dead world of Mars has never seemed quite so alive with color as under Nanjan Jamberi's palettes.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars #1 - A Review

Some may call reviving John Carter: Warlord of Mars a fool's errand.  Did the public not already make it clear they had no interest in this property after Disney's John Carter bombed?  Weren't Marvel's John Carter comics a creative disaster on every level? Did anyone buy Dynamite Comics' earlier Warlord of Mars and Dejah Thoris comics for reasons other than collecting all the fan-service heavy covers?

At first John Carter: Warlord of Mars #1 offers little hope that it will be better, as it opens with warrior princess Dejah Thoris in bondage and at the mercy of an unseen villain. And then, an amazing thing as one turns the pages.  She test the chains.  She stands up when the villain enters her cell.  She carries herself as a queen and a warrior as she questions him. And she strikes out at her captor, revealing why they should have chained her legs as well as her arms.

It was at that point that I knew we were in for something special.  No fan-service heavy fantasy here, boys and girls!  This was to be pulp action the way it was meant to be.  And if the opening scenes were not proof of that, the exposition regarding the world of Barsoom killed whatever doubts I had left.


With this book, Ron Marz crafts an epic worth of the name.  His script is filled to the brim with the same dry humor and raw action that made the original novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs so memorable and the inspiration for a goodly portion of modern science fiction and fantasy. They even call Carter a superman, in reference to the fact that it was he - not Kal-El Of Krypton - who first leaped tall buildings in a single bound to protect his adopted home planet.


The artwork by Abhishek Malsuni perfectly captures the essence of Barsoom. His depictions of the various exotic creatures and races of Mars stays true to the general descriptions in the novels while remaining unique.  His Dejah Thoris is drawn as a shapely but strong woman, with strength and steel under her silky skin.  The strong pencils and defining inks are further enhanced by a wonderful color mix, chosen by color artist Nanjan Jamberi.

John Carter: The Gods Of Mars - A No Flying No Tights Review

SOURCE: John Carter- The Gods of Mars

I stand as one of the few who seems to have appreciated the 2012 movie John Carter. I firmly believe it to be a good film that was destroyed by bad marketing. Originally titled A Princess of Mars after the pulp novel that inspired it, the film that became known as John Carter had its title changed repeatedly.  Reportedly, various executives worried that fathers and sons wouldn’t pay to see an action movie with the word “Princess” in the title. Never mind that the plot of the story focuses on a soldier traveling to another planet and gaining superpowers! Then they demanded all reference to Mars be removed from the title and the advertising in the belief that – since no movie with the word Mars in the title had ever been a blockbuster hit – people hated Mars.
 
Throw in an ad campaign that emphasized generic CGI desert landscapes over any of the truly alien wonders of Edgar Rice Burrough’s Barsoom and you can see why John Carter may have been doomed from the start, cinematically. To my mind this is a crying shame, because it had the potential to be so much more. The script had a perfect blend of action, comedy, drama, and romance. You had a strong, likeable hero. You had an equally powerful heroine. Heck, you even had the boy and his dog angle in the form of John Carter’s loyal companion Woola the calot! What more could a franchise ask for?

I mention all this because John Carter: The Gods of Mars is a direct sequel to said film, presented in comic book form. I also mention this because this graphic novel is similarly troubled in its presentation. The artwork on the front and back cover bears no resemblance to the interior artwork by artist Ramon Perez. Perez’s artwork is competent enough, though his panel-flow is confusing at times and his character designs leave much to be desired. Far too many characters resemble one another and it is fortunate that the story keeps John Carter’s true love – the warrior princess Dejah Thoris – out of the action for most of the book, as there is no way of distinguishing her from Thuvia, another Red Martian warrior woman, who teams with John Carter for most of the story.

A larger problem is the book’s coloring which, according to the credits page, was handled by no less than four individual colorists/coloring companies! The palette changes wildly from chapter to chapter, with the coloring used for John Carter’s skin changing frequently. Why is this a problem? Because coupled with so many characters looking alike, it is hard to keep some of the characters straight when Carter’s skin is as red as the Red Martians in some panels or as white as the White Martians in others. Things become even stranger in the flashback sequences, where Green Martians are yellow and the Earthman is the same shade of blue as the Black Martians.

The story, at least, is action packed and a fair adaptation of the original Gods of Mars story by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In fact, I dare say it’s a good enough adaptation that anyone who hadn’t read the original A Princess of Mars or seen the film John Carter will be completely lost as to who is fighting whom, and why. Sam Humphries’s script could have benefited from a recap at the start.

Another eyebrow raiser is this book’s all ages rating. Considering that the John Carter film was rated PG-13 and the language used in this adaptation is at a higher level than what I’d consider fitting for the “under 8” audience Marvel’s all ages works are aimed at, I’d recommend this book for Young Adult collections if I were inclined to recommend it at all… which I’m not. Give this a miss and consider the excellent Warlord of Mars series published by Dynamite Entertainment instead.

John Carter: The Gods Of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sam Humphries
Art by Ramon Perez
ISBN: 9780785165132
Marvel Comics, 2012
Publisher Age Rating: All Ages