Comic Review: Dejah Thoris #14

So we'll celebrate Edgar Rice Burroughs' birthday with reviews of two comics based on his classic work. First up the finale of the worst case of possession since Linda Blair's head spun around.

While the Boora Witch continues with her plans of world conquest by sending Tardors Mors and Mors Kojak to trial and eventual death, Kantos Kan explores the Toonolian Marshes and eventually makes a shocking discovery-a bunch of well preserved female bodies! He also finds an orb where he discovers the witch's true identity-an outcast Orovar who fell into the dark arts-as well as her still living body. Carrying that back to Helium, Kantos has to stop the execution and restore Dejah's spirit before it's too late.

I admitted in my review of the last issue that I wasn't a big fan of this storyline and I'll stand by that. Part of it is the attempt to meld Burroughs' Barsoom with elements of sword and sorcery and they just don't go together as well as you would think. Maybe it's that Burroughs usually provided a scientific explanation for almost everything in his world-no supernatural hocus pocus or magical cause was ever mentioned. Still writer Robert Place Napton does an OK job keeping the story moving and the final page is an interesting setup for the next story arc as Dejah (SPOILERS) decides to turn her back on those she loves to make up for her betrayal.

The usual comments apply to Carlos Rafael's artwork-nice and bright. There are two things though-first we get some lizard creatures that attack Kantos that resemble Michael Whalen's Woola from his cover art for The Warlord of Mars and if you take off the goatee Kantos looks like Taylor Kitsch. How's that for a weird twist?

So the good news is this storyline is finished and hopefully the next one will be better. I'll be back tomorrow with the weekend's other ERB inspired comic book. Until next time then.