Warlord of Mars Volume 3 TP by Sampere, Daniel (2013) Paperback

Warlord of Mars (collected editions) #3

by Arvid Nelson

John Carter has freed Mars from Issus, the false goddess whose tyranny once ruled the entire planet... but at a great personal cost. Dejah Thoris, his beloved princess, was taken by Matai Shang, a renegade priest determined to avenge the planet's shattered religion. Activating a doomsday device to destroy the fragile Martian atmosphere, Shang flees into the unknown regions of the north. Carter, aided by his son Carthoris and trusted alien pet Woola, must unite the many races of Mars -- despite the ages of distrust and open warfare among them -- for the singular purpose of averting Judgment Day!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction

Paperback

First published June 11, 2013

About the author

Arvid has worked on everything from film to video games, but he’s best known for his original comics title, Rex Mundi, published by Dark Horse Comics. The Band of the Crow has occupied his creative memory banks ever since Rex Mundi ended.

Reviews

[47Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not recommended for feminists. I should have mentioned this before. The portrayal of women is overly romantic and they are often treated as being inferior, a commodity. This is likely because of the source material: books written between 1912 and 1941. It's just a heads-up for feminazis or people who think this book is deeper that it really is.

John Carter is still depressed over not being able to free Dejah Thoris from her prison in the Temple of the Sun. He gets help from Linea of the First Born, a captured woman he decides to release. She helps Carter and his son to disable a factory built to destroy the atmosphere and consequently all life on Mars. She is revealed to be Issis's granddaughter and dies in the conflict after commanding her people to cease hostilities.

The longer story that follows introduces several new characters, locations and races that add to the complexity of the martian universe. It's a bit difficult to follow all the names, but the story is simplistic enough that it's still an enjoyable ride, paced like the previous major arcs.

Matai Shang and Thurid reach an agreement where the latter reveals a way inside the Temple of the Sun where Shang's daughter is imprisoned, if the former punishes Dejah and thus hurt Carter. Carter follows them from the Temple of the Sun, to the jungles around Kaol where Carter gains an ally in Thuvian Dihn, Thuvia's father, and to the frigid North where they go against the yellow martians in their domed city of Okar. In each location they receive help from opponents of the First Born who recognize Carter even though he never visited these places.

Reunited with Dejah, Carter is unexpectedly rewarded at the end of this long journey: all the peoples of Mars declare him jeddak of jeddaks, sort of a supreme ruler.

[El Shnookmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arvid has a new original comic book, Band of the Crow. Check out the trailer https://youtu.be/Z16wRyYKl2A?si=gEEFy...