Dynamite has done something that no one else, including Disney films, has been able to do…keep the Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars universe alive. Issue 0’s tend to be all about the back story. And this one’s no different. But it’s a back story that’s perfect for the reader that’s never looked into the Mars universe of ERB before. This story begins with the protagonist as a little girl in her father’s Palace. Her grandfather is relating to her how Mars went from a rich, abundant world full of water and life, to the parched desert world it is today.
The Creative Team:
Amy Chu has proven to be one of the best writers in the medium of comic books. In this issue she’s tasked with giving us about 5 out of 18 pages for simple exposition, which, in the wrong hands, could make for a boring chapter, but she does her best with what she’s been given to work with and it’s an engaging re-cap of the planet’s history. She brings the story into today’s era when Deja’s grandfather tells her that they rule over a dead world, then she wanders into an isolated part of the desert and looks down at a plant and thinks: You were wrong Grandfather, this planet isn’t dead, just old and tired. I will bring it back to life. Chu then has Thoris discover some of the darkest secrets of her world and she has to grasp the reality that all is not joy in Muddville. Her world is not the rose-colored universe she thought it was. This is great stuff!
Pasquale Qualano gives us a bleak opening splash that tells us right away we’re in for a despairing view of the angry red planet. A young child has to grow up and accept certain things that she may not like. He goes from the world as bright and teaming with life and then shows that world quickly disintegrate into a barren waste with little life left in it. his work compliments Chu’s words in a strong way. An excellent splash is when Dejah kneels before the plant. No great action scene but a poignant moment. The look on Thoris face is awesome as she contemplates what could be done to bring her world back to life. The white ape is another highlight in this introduction piece,
In Conclusion:
Amy Chu has done it again! I have seen a trend lately in the comic books I’ve been reviewing. Many of them deal with childhood and innocence and having that innocence taken away abruptly and shattered. This, of course is the theme in Dejah Thoris # 0. Dejah sees the conditions in the Palace prison and is visibly upset. So upset that she can’t eat. Her good nature leads her to want to do something about it, but what she does leads her to trust the wrong person and she just might have put her home world in jeopardy…to be continued! ***1/2 (8.4 rating)
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer – Amy Chu
Art – Pasquale Qualano
Colors – Valentina Pinto
Letters – Thomas Napalitano
Publisher – Dynamite
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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