Comic Review: John Carter, Warlord of Mars #5

It's near the end here folks as John Carter faces a familiar foe, with Barsoom at stake!

As this issue opens Tars Tarkas, Woola and their new white ape friend are on foot towards Helium when they run into some unexpected Warhoons. Meanwhile Carter faces off with Joshua Clark and barely escapes with just a shoulder wound and Dejah Thoris. The two find brief solace in a cave before Carter returns and offers Clark an offer the egomanical Clark can't refuse: a duel to the death that will decide the fate of Barsoom and John Carter.

With two sword duels, a scientist horny for the incomparable princess and Warhoons, Ron Marz and company do a good job balancing the action and the story. Interestingly the best bit is the sequence where Carter decides that he must face Clark and how his love for both Dejah and Barsoom drives his decision. It's a noble cause, something that Edgar Rice Burroughs understood and sadly Andrew Stanton didn't, that drives our hero and makes for compelling reading.

Again assisting is the amazing art by Abhishek Malsuni that compliments the story well. From the opening onslaught of Warhoons (who Malsuni actually make frightening looking) to the duels to the brief interlude between John and Dejah, it's a nice consistent piece of work from start to finish.

So folks one more issue to go to see if John Carter can stop the Invaders of Mars. Let's hope it can live up and until next time faithful readers.