Review: Dejah Thoris Vs John Carter of Mars #1
Following on from Dejah Thoris: Winter’s End, Dejah and her man John Carter have their next challenge on the horizon. But with John suffering a recent loss of memory and now a crisis of confidence coupled with a sense of disassociation means that Dejah could be facing off against her former Warlord!
With a war criminal still at large, Dejah heads off on her quest unknowing that greater dangers lie in wait. John, on the other hand is still “healing”. Greater challenges await them both with the reemergence of “gods” called Longborn who have arrived to reclaim that which they think is theirs…. Mars!
Dan Abnett has been with Dynamite for a while, having written for the majority of their female led books in one form or another. Each one has their own requirements, meaning that Abnett need to find different voices, which he does with great aplomb here. The writing is distinct and carries the correct tone and vibe for a Dejah book. Despite the normal lack of clothes, Dejah isn’t a character I am that fond of to be honest. Maybe I don’t have time for whole new world with odd names and politics. That said, I do have a lot of time for Dan Abnett whose writing has a nice pace and flow to it. Abnett simmers his little “plot-boiler”, edging John Carter towards a new situation that could offer something new to the whole Dejah and John dynamic.
The art is provided by Alessandro Miracolo who has a style that feels more unique, more defined somehow than his previous work. He has created an alien world for Dejah that feels consistent with previous Dejah books. There is a change to proceedings of sorts. Dejah is wearing more clothes and John is wearing less; guess this is equality in play. The figure work is angular with some great camera angles to get the most of each interaction. Colors are supplied by Dearbhla Kelly who delivers a a washed out scheme that gives the book an older look. Simon Bowland delivers his usual high quality of lettering, utilising emphasis well to make the character’s point of view. Finally, it’s a Dynamite book so there are a range of variant covers to choose from; cover A from Lucio Parrillo is a good choice, though my personal favourite is Joseph Michael Linser’s (see top of the review).
Dejah Thoris is a staple of Dynamite’s comic book line; in that regard, Abnett and Miracolo do not disappoint, I am sure that fans of Dejah and John will find plenty to enjoy in this book.
Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 3.5 Stars
Colors – 4 Stars
Overall – 3.5 Stars
Written by; Dan Abnett
Art by; Alessandro Miracolo
Colors by Dearbhla Kelly
Letters by; Simon Bowland
Published by; Dynamite Entertainment
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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