Comic Review: Dejah Thoris #24

Another late review, this time finding Dejah and company on the run and about to become lunch!

Following their crash landing escape from the assassin Boll Rem and meeting some unfriendly rats, Dejah and Kantos Kan struggle to protect the bratty princess Tash Lia from Boll Rem and to get her to safety. But an assassin is not their only problem. Soon they go from hungry ulsios to hungry humans as they discover a race of cannibals who plan on serving them as lunch, dinner and dessert. Lucky for them they're saved as a white ape is offered up. Unlucky for them Boll Rem has found them, leading to a surprise final confrontation between Dejah and the relentless killer.

Looking at this short two issue arc I have to admit it's a fun tale that manages to at least keep the temp running from start to finish. Robert Place Napton does bring in some grisly elements-what is it with the recent cannibalism on Barsoom?-but otherwise keeps the suspense and action flowing pretty smoothly. The only complaints here is that Tash Lia is annoying character who engenders little empathy until the end but otherwise this short story is one of the best so far in this series.

After a one issue absence Carlos Rafael returns and as usual it's a clean visual look, even for those who think Dejah should put some clothes on. He also manages to make those cannibals look gruesome and handles the action with ease. In other words, a good job.

For fans this is a nice short winner. Just don't read it after supper.