Review: Warlord of Mars #5

Writer:  Arvid Nelson

Artist:  Lui Antonio

Colorist:  Adriano Lucas

Publisher:  Dynamite Entertainment

Release Date:  March 16h, 2011

This series just keeps getting better and better.  I sure hope it’s selling well as it’s one of the best high fantasy cosmic comics on the shelves today and it deserves a long run.

The cover art continues to astound and amaze.  Each issue has four to eight variant covers and they’re all jaw droppingly gorgeous.  These covers will go down in history as some of the finest John Carter oriented art ever produced.  The interior art and coloring are also quite good – suffering only in comparison to the cover art. 

Nelson’s writing is spot on.  Not since Burrough’s himself has a writer so clearly captured the essence of John Carter’s Mars.  Nelson clearly understands Burrough’s conception of Mars and remains faithful to it as he interprets the classic Carter stories for this series.  Each chapter is carefully adapted – remaining faithful to the original stories while adding additional depth and back story that serves to enhance the classic high fantasy cosmic tale rather than detract from it as other writers have in the past.  For instance, Nelson devotes quite a bit of time developing the classic John Carter and Dejah Thoris love story – more time than the original novels did themselves.

If you’re not buying this series, you’re missing out on one fine cosmic comic.  It’s at the top of my most anticipated comics list.  If Disney’s upcoming John Carter movie is half as good as this comic then we’re in for a special treat when the movie is released.