DEJAH THORIS FAIRY TALES (ONE-SHOT), from Dynamite Comics on August 24th, 2022, brings readers a whimsical story by adapting the Princess of Mars into a classic fairytale – Dejah Thoris and the Seven Tharks.
The Details
- Written by: Ron Marz
- Art by: Andres Labrada
- Colors by: Ellie Wright
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Soo Lee (cover A)
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: August 24, 2022
Is It Good?
DEJAH THORIS FAIRY TALES (ONE-SHOT) is the latest offering from Dynamite to retell classic fables set within Dynamite’s universe of characters and settings. This time, Ron Marz adapts Snow White with Dejah Thoris in the lead role, and the result is entertaining.
So far, the Dynamite fairy tale adaptations work best when the adaptation includes a twist or approaches the fable from a different angle rather than creating a point-for-point remake. Here, Marz takes a few narrative liberties, but this one-shot is mostly a point-for-point remake except for the conclusion. However, there are enough parallels between A Princess of Mars and Snow White to make the adaptation feel like a familiar twist on Dejah Thoris rather than the other way around.
The narration has a Grimm’s Fairy Tales tone that works for the story, the analogs between dwarves and Tharks make sense, the concept of an evil Queen fits the structure of Barsoom’s government, and John Carter suits the story as the quintessential Prince Charming. In short, this is a slam dunk of a mashup.
The art is serviceable with a few disappointing spots. Labrada draws faces with a strong Manga influence, particularly around the eyes, to emphasize emotional experience. That’s a positive. However, several panels lack detail and look sloppily rushed. There’s no excuse for sketchy, rushed panels with a $4.99 cover price, so plan your purchase accordingly.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Dejah Thoris living a happy life as a princess of Helium, the capital of Barsoom (Mars). Dejah’s father, Mors Kajak, remarried after many years as a widower, but the woman he married quickly grew jealous of Dejah. Dejah’s Stepmother plotted with a palace guard to take Dejah out to the desert to be murdered. The guard lost his nerve once he found a deceptive way to get Dejah out into the wastelands and abandoned her instead of killing her.
Battling harsh weather and hungry bests, Dejah collapsed after days of struggle. She was soon found by a group of seven, outcast Tharks who offered her shelter and food since she was an outcast like them. Dejah accepted the help and agreed to stay with them, joining their group as a formidable hunter in her own right.
Weeks later, the king hears of a group of Thark hunters who travel with a Barssomian woman. Believing his missing daughter is now alive, he sends out search parties to bring her home. The wicked stepmother, now realizing her accomplice failed in his mission, hatches a plan to dispose of Dejah.
We conclude the issue with a deceptive transformation, a deep sleep, a magical kiss, and a fight to the death.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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DEJAH THORIS FAIRY TALES (ONE-SHOT) feels like a tailor-made mashup between a classic fairy tale and modern science fiction. The parallels between Dejah Thoris and Snow White are remarkable, the narration captures the right amount of whimsy, and the resolution includes just enough of a twist to avoid becoming too predictable. That said, the art is very uneven and looks rushed or incomplete in several spots.
Related Information
How many books are in the Princess of Mars series?
There are seven novels in Edgar Rice Burroughs’s original series. A Princess of Mars, Gods of Mars, Warlord of Mars, Thuvia: Maid of Mars, Chessmen of Mars, Master Mind of Mars, and Fighting Man of Mars. There are several authorized continuations of Dejah Thoris’s adventures, but the original seven are widely considered the best.
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