Warlord of Mars Attacks - Team Up's Comic Corner
Warlord of Mars Attacks - (2019, 5 Issues)
There are few things in this world I love more than cheesy sci-fi flicks. The more outrageous the better. If they lost a bunch of money at the box office that’s EVEN BETTER! So, a few months ago when I saw that Dynamite Comics was going to take two things from my favorite genre and slam them together into a mash up comic, I just had to read it. And I was not disappointed. Of course, I’m talking about Warlord of Mars Attacks, which mashed up the John Carter of Mars series and the Mars Attacks franchise. Let’s take a look at why this is so special.
Just look at this gorgeous artwork!
John Carter of Mars has a long history in the sci-fi genre, originally created by Edgar Borroughs in the pulp novels called Barsoom, He is a cowboy from the old west that is transported to Mars and becomes a great hero to the native populations. In all reality its some crazy stuff that I couldn’t summarize well if I wanted to because there is just so much. These books are the bedrock that a lot of science fiction was built on. BUT, in the late 70’s the books where the inspiration for a comic series from Marvel Comics created by Marv Wolfman which ran for 3 years.
Mars Attacks is a movie we all know and love by Tim Burton, but did you know that the movie is based on a trading card game from the early 60’s of the same name? But either way, that series is all about how with mars in ruins, our solar system neighbors come to earth and invade in the most violent way.
So now that we know a bit about each of the franchises let talk about HOW EPIC IT WAS TO WATCH A COWBOY BEAT UP A BUNCH OF BLOOD THIRSTY ALIENS!!!! This is no cowboy vs aliens book though. It opens with a group of scientists landing a rover on the surface of mars, during the celebrations two shadowy figures show up on screen, as they get closer, you see the classic domes of the aliens we know so well. Que the invasion of earth by the evil aliens of mars. During the chaos of the invasion, a scientist holds up some people at gun point and demands they drive him to Arizona. It is there that the scientist had discovered the sleeping body of the fabled John Carter and he intends to wake him up to save the day.
As the series progresses, they go to all the different versions of mars, and there is talk about the quantum stuff that makes it so mars can exist in two different timelines/ dimensions at once. It’s some real crazy sci-fi that is just so much fun to try and wrap your head around. The action sequences are just so great to see, the dialogue is the perfect mix of cheesy and self-aware, if you are looking for a fun time this is definitely the comic for you to check out in the new books section. I had a blast reading it and I bet you will too. That’s all for today, leave your thoughts in the comments and any other comics that you think deserve the spotlight in the coming weeks! See you next week and don’t be afraid to crease the corners on a good panel!