The rise of the Orovar!
Creative Staff:
Story: Ron Marz & Ian Edginton
Art: Ariel Medel
What They Say:
In this issue, the fate of Mars hangs in the balance as John Carter and Dejah Thoris race to revive the planet’s dying atmosphere. Standing in their way are killer robots, savage Tharks and villains of all stripes. Will John and Dejah sacrifice themselves if it means saving their world? The first year of the series official approved by Edgar Rice Burroughs estate roars to a conclusion!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Dipping my toes in the John Carter world the last time around was something that had me nervous simply because I’ve had mostly lackluster and not terribly compelling experiences before. Marz, Edginton and Medel definitely drew me in with the first of a two-part tale that didn’t require an immense amount of character knowledge or backstory. Though a familiar enough tale to be sure, it offered up its own series specific wonders while having some great artwork and character designs, even if there was the usual array of female posing going on that can get tiring from time to time. The book offered me a chance to get in on this world in a good way and this second installment helps to cement it more.
With Dejah, John and the small group they’re within having been captured by the mentors and the now revived Orovar, there’s a good sense of dread as to what’s going to come next. There’s plenty of aggression to go around as Pallias and the others are ready to make a move, but it’s thankfully made clear that their rash actions will not end well. Instead, it shifts more to the Orovar seeing usefulness in at least some of those in this group as Thoris is a means to an end, an emissary that he can use to reveal to Barsoom that the Orovar are back and ready to rule once more. Carter, on the other hand, is something he can’t quite figure out for obvious reasons. When it’s revealed that he’s from Jasoom, that triggers the history lesson of the Orovar.
Though this kind of exposition can be problematic, it works well within the confines of this second part of the two-part story. Aron, as his name is revealed to be, talks about how over 500 millennia ago the Orovar realized the end was coming for Barsoom and made their way to Jasoom to bring their maritime culture back in full and dominate the primitives that were there. There’s some neat little inferences and outright statements about what happened to the Orovar once there and it’s an area that can be explored and expanded on in interesting ways. But I really just liked that as Aron goes on with trying to get things rolling here on Barsoom, both Carter and Thoris realize that his hibernation has left him mad – and he may have been left behind all those years ago because it’s the kind of person who he is. Naturally, it all devolves to some basic action and quick destruction of the remnants of the lost empire, but the seeds of potential are certainly here for something sprawling.
In Summary:
While I’m not chomping at the bit to pick up earlier issues in this run, my second issue exposure to the property after years away has me interested in continuing on with it. This was a fairly fun diversion storyline that could be expanded upon and it has a certain kind of grand fun about it as it builds a larger historical backdrop. I liked the interplay between Carter and Thoris for a lot of it and some of the banter as there’s a naturalness about it. I have no clue what’s next, of course, but this was fun. Medel’s artwork is a big selling point for it though as he really brings the dynamic alive and captures the flow of it really well with the panel layouts and the designs for both character and backgrounds to make it feel lived in.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: October 28th, 2015
MSRP: $3.99
