DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #5 – Review

In DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #5, available from Dynamite Comics on November 24, 2021, Dejah and John race through the maze of Rotak Gall’s palace to find a way out. Meanwhile, the Longborn accelerate their plans to invade our solar system.

The Details

• Written By: Dan Abnett
• Art By: Alessandro Miracolo
• Colors By: Dearbhla Kelly
• Letters By: Simon Bowland
• Cover Art By: Lucio Parrillo (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: November 24, 2021

Wait! Don’t Forget To Sign Up For The Comical Opinions Newsletter.

Was It Good?

DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #5 is another excellent entry in the series with plenty of action, an exciting chase that lasts almost the entire issue, a bit of satisfying comeuppance, and a cliffhanger that (finally) lives up to the title. There’s a lot of good stuff in this issue, and thankfully, nothing to criticize that throws the reading experience off. This is a solid issue from front to back.

Admittedly, there isn’t a lot of forward momentum on the plot. On the one hand, you could argue this is one of the better examples of decompressed storytelling. There are developments that move the story along, but in terms of time and getting the story from point A to point B, we’re effectively at point A.3 since Dejah and John arrived in Rotak Gall’s palace-out-of-time.

While the timeline is stretched, a lot happens in those minutes to keep the reader engaged and the heart rate up. Readers are treated to everything from sword fights against dreaded Black Pirate clones to an encounter against a dinosaur (yes, you read that right). The palace-out-of-time has many wings that connect to alternate points in Mars history, and you get a sort of walking tour of evolution on the red planet. Again, the main plot doesn’t move forward by leaps and bounds but there’s so much cool stuff to see that you don’t mind. If you’re going to write a decompressed story, this is the way to do it.

The art work by Miracolo and the team is a perfect fit for this kind of story. There’s a personality Miracolo infuses into the characters through their body posture and their actions to give the characters life. In particular, Miracolo makes every movement flow through the use of exciting body positions in mid-jump during battle or mid-stride while running. You can practically feel the draft from the bodies moving with speed, and it amps up the energy higher.

What’s It About?

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

If you’re already wondering how Dejah and John found themselves in a palace-out-of-time, first read our DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #4 review.

We pick up immediately after Dejah and John escape Rotak Gall’s lab before John’s genetic material could be extracted to create new host bodies for the Longborn. We find Rotak Gall in a telepathic meeting with the Longborn where they insist he take a reckless step by creating two host bodies for the Longborn to come through and aid in the recapture of John Carter. Gall warns them the bodies won’t last long, but they order him to proceed as their patience has run out.

Meanwhile, Dejah and John run through the palace-out-of-time looking for a way out. With each new wing they enter, they find the palace is connected to a different point in Mars history. The scenes vary from ancient ruins in a deserted wasteland to swampy jungles populated with hungry dinosaurs. As they work their way through the maze, they have to dispatch what seems like an endless army of Black Pirate clones.

After Rotak Gall completes the temporary hosts, he’s told the mortals of this solar system will be wiped out in favor of a re-engineered ecosystem that will support the Longborn. Gall reminds them of their promise to make him immortal so he can live on past the devastation. The Longborn break their promise by breaking Gall.

We conclude the issue with Gall leading Dejah and John to find the key needed to escape and the appearance of a new host body with a very familiar face.

Final Thoughts

DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #5 is an example of doing decompressed storytelling the right way. Even though the issue doesn’t make significant progress on the plot, there are enough cool developments to keep things moving, and the entire issue is peppered with exciting action from beginning to end.

Score: 8.5/10

As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.