DEJAH THORIS VS. JOHN CARTER OF MARS #3 – Review

In DEJAH THORIS VS. JOHN CARTER OF MARS #3, available from Dynamite Comics on September 29th, 2021, John Carter hacks and slashes through Rotak Gall’s Black Pirates to rescue Dejah Thoris, but are his efforts part of an evil plan?

The Details

• Written By: Dan Abnett
• Art By: Alessandro Miracolo
• Colors By: Dearbhla Kelly
• Letters By: Simon Bowland
• Cover Art By: Alessandro Miracolo (cover C)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: September 29, 2021

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Was It Good?

The main oddity of this title so far has been the title. “Dejah Thoris versus John Carter” implies the two are in conflict, yet, there hasn’t been any conflict between the two since the series started. However, we now see the seeds planted, and I couldn’t imagine a better way to do it.

This issue is almost entirely a stereotypical evil villain monologue. While that sounds like a down point, it’s not because the execution is so well done. Abnett delicately interlaces the monologue with Carter’s desperate fight to get to his wife and new information coming (almost) directly from the much-discussed but never-seen main villains. You get a ton of information combined WITH action and dramatic tension, and it completely works.

The other high point of this issue is Abnett’s subversive dig on the damsel-in-distress trope. Dejah Thoris is effectively helpless and exposed in every imaginable way here, and yet, Gall’s monologue points out how the stakes are bigger and more important than any silly trope. Gall is playing the history-shaping long game, and his dismissal of the basic story tropes makes his turn as a villain that much more dangerous.

Miracolo’s art is an excellent fit for this type of story. Between the captions, it’s almost all John Carter fighting through the endless Black Pirate hordes. There’s no complicated set pieces or whimsical dimension design work necessary. It’s just pure heroics, and Miracolo hits the nail on the head.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

Fight along with John Carter and Dejah Thoris by witnessing the evil Rotak Gall has brought to Mars in our DEJAH THORIS VS. JOHN CARTER OF MARS #2 review.

Picking up from the end of the last issue, John Carter forced his way (or did he?) into the Dar Shadeth palace hidden in a bubble dimension controlled by Rotak Gall. Carter hacks and slashes his way through Gall’s Black Pirate army to get to Dejah Thoris.

Observing from a distance, Rotak Gall reveals his intentions to the chained Dejah Thoris. The Longoborn are coming to reclaim Mars, and Gall will do everything they request of him so that he may enjoy the power they will bestow on him as a reward for loyalty. However, the Longborn plans are not delivered from afar. Gall speaks with them directly, and now Dejah will see them for herself.

Within Dar Shedeth rests a massive portal that allows Gall to see and hear the Longborn to take their orders. The Longborn appear to Dejah as massive, armored giants, but only Gall can hear their commands via telepathy. The Longborn admit underestimating Dejah’s intelligence and leadership as her efforts interfered with the Long Winter. If Dejah will not allow their plans to continue, the Longborn have decided to accelerate their efforts.

We conclude the issue with John fighting armies and monsters to a standstill, the revelation that Gall’s Black Pirates are not his only experiment, and the reveal that John was fighting both a winning and losing battle.

Final Thoughts

DEJAH THORIS VS. JOHN CARTER OF MARS #3 is the best-case scenario for an evil mastermind monologue in comic form. Abnett cleverly interlaces the information dump with taut fight scenes and awe-inspiring reveals, elevated by Miracolo’s fantastic art. This is the moment when the series steps up several notches, and it’s a great example of building anticipation for what comes next.

Score: 9.5/10