Jcomreader-News and reviews from Barsoom, Mongo and other planets!

John Carter News Bits 5-Monsters!

2012-02-02T04:50:00.001-08:00

More news bits for your week. First up John Carter finally gets a cover story! Well a drawing anyway as the latest issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine hits newsstands. But unlike most of the current coverage this issue is paying tribute to Edgar Rice Burroughs with three articles-including a 1948 interview with Burroughs and FM legend Forest J. Ackerman, a look at Burroughs life and an article on where newcomers to Burroughs work can start their reading. You can check out some more info at http://famousmonstersoffilmland.com/famous-monsters-260/.

Next up a new poster promoting the IMAX release of John Carter has been released, showing off Tars Tarkas...in what looks like a dress. I leave it to you to make your own "Princess of Mars" jokes.

Finally a new featurette previously only available on Disney's website has shown up on Youtube showing some new footage-including more Tharks, Dejah Thoris and Woola so take a look and lets us know what you think.

Under the Moons of Mars Turns 100

2012-02-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

Yep another post for the day, this time commemorating an historic event. It was in February 1912 that Under the Moons of Mars, a sci-fi romance written by writer Norman Bean was first published in the pulp magazine All-Story Weekly and would run for the next five issues. By the end the story would help launch the career of it's writer-Edgar Rice Burroughs, who used the Bean byline out of fear people might think he was off his rocker for writing such a tale-and create a new type of science fiction story that would inspire future writers and filmmakers, including the upcoming movie John Carter. So take a moment to raise a glass in celebration and if you're really curious hit ERBZine for a look at the original magazine http://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0419.html. (Special thanks to the site The John Carter Files http://thejohncarterfiles.com/ for the heads up).

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom #5

2012-02-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

And the comic reviews keep pouring in. This time it's the end of the world as we know it...and the Tharks feel fine.

With the Orovars now facing extinction at the hands of the green hordes, general Van Tun Bor continues to fight to rescue the surviving citizens while the Jeddak reveals his ultimate plan-he plans to hide out in the Atmosphere Factory and allow the green and red men to suffocate outside. Meanwhile scientist Tak Nan Lee has taught the controls of the plant to the red woman Anouk. But when a tribe of red men attack and the Jeddak's plan is revealed, Tak must make a decision that could change the entire face of Barsoom's future...

With this last issue, we get tons of action-Tharks on malagors, giant ulsios attacking, evil Jeddaks and and a crazed scientist with a fondness for cutting people up all adding to a surprising ending. Not to say it doesn't have its faults-the story resolution is a little too pat and the fate of the some the characters a little predictable-let's say there is a noble death and a fitting demise for the bad guy-but overall writer Robert Napton has written a good story.

And like the previous issues there is no complaints about the artwork by Roberto Castro. It's nice and colorful and catches the eye.

So wrapping up, this series is an entertaining "what if" story. It may not have pleased some fans of Barsoom but I found it an interesting storyline helped by some nice turns and good artwork. Final rating: ***1/2 out of 4

John Carter News Bits 4-Tharks on Thoats!

2012-01-31T04:51:00.000-08:00

More news for your week.

First some newly released concept art has shown up at http://www.itsartmag.com/features/johncarter-conceptart/. You can check out all of Woola's teeth, Dejah Thoris' wedding gown and more there.

Also hitting the net is the Super Bowl spot for John Carter! Well actually a sneak peek at the spot, along with a new contest to win tickets for next year's Super Bowl. Some new footage shows up so take a peek and see if you can spot them!. And if you want to enter that contest go to http://nfl.com/johncarter for more info.

Comic Review: John Carter-A Princess of Mars #4-5

2012-01-30T08:48:00.001-08:00

Still catching up on the comic reviews. Today we get a two for one deal.

As issue 4, "Flight!" opens, John Carter has just survived his time in the Thark arena when he is pitted against captured Heliumite Kantos Kan. However a clever ruse on Kantos' part allows both to escape unharmed and John continues his quest to find Dejah Thoris. Along the way he meets up again with Woola, discovers the Atmosphere Plant, finds out Dejah is now engaged, arrives in Zodanga, takes flying lessons from Kantos and promptly crashes into Dejah's room, and vows to put a stop to the wedding with some uninvited guests...

Which leads to issue 5, "Revolution!" where finds that Tars Tarkas has been busy-he stabbed Tal Hajus in the back and is now ruling the Tharks. At first reluctant to help, he agrees when he hears the Zodangans have his daughter Sola captive. And well you can guess the rest-John and company crash the wedding and rescue the bride. But a last minute complication results in John returning to Earth...and a young writer beginning his own incredible journey.

As anyone who read my previous reviews of the first three issues of this series knows, my reaction was "Meh." And it remains pretty much the same for these last two issues first. Again we get John Carter the pompous jerk narrating the whole story but also John Carter the idiot who manages to crash land into Dejah's bedroom with all of the skill of Inspector Clouseau. Admittedly most of the plot here is pretty faithful to Burroughs-the arena "fight" with Kantos Kan and the raid on Zodanga-and there is some interesting changes (like Than Kosis' getting the last laugh) but I didn't like the idea of Tars Tarkas just stabbing Tal Hajus in the back-it lacks the nobility of the character or the fact that it's only afterwards he discovers Sola is his daughter-which was the entire reason for his challenging Tal to start with.

And with the artwork-well I already said it before so I'll spare repeating myself.

In conclusion this series was a bust from start to finish. The writing, the artwork, everything just failed to catch fire. Maybe it was having just read Dynamite's treatment of the same story I just wasn't open to another version so close afterwards. I know some people liked this treatment of the story, I just didn't. Sorry folks. Final rating: 1 1/2 stars out of 4.

John Carter TV Spot 5

2012-01-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

Yep another one. This time showing off a little sword action from John Carter and Dejah Thoris and more action. Take a peek and let us know what you think.

Comic Review: Lord of the Jungle #1

2012-01-25T09:06:00.000-08:00

The week's second comic book review takes us from Mongo to the wilds of Africa and the retelling of a classic story...

After a violent mutiny, Lord John Clayton and his pregnant wife Alice are left on the African coast to fend for themselves with the promise of the mutineers they will tell someone of their location. As time passes, John sets up shelter and fights off attacking wildlife while Alice gives birth to their son. But illness claims her and leaves John fighting for both his and their son's survival. But when a group of apes attack their makeshift home, John is killed but the infant is saved by a grieving female ape who takes the baby to raise as her own...

At this point if you read that you know the story is Tarzan of the Apes (which due to copyright isn't being used as the title for this series) and it's pretty close to Edgar Rice Burroughs's original novel. In fact this first issue spends all of it's time with the Claytons, establishing their lives and the birth of their son, something most adaptations skip over in order to get to Tarzan as an adult. Writer Arvid Nelson-whose work on Warlord of Mars also showed a faithfulness to Burroughs' work-sets up the story well. The only offbeat addition is a sequence where a group of tribesmen are attacked by a strange group of ape-man creatures who immediately start eating them. I don't remember that in the original novel-or any of the latter ones-so I don't know where that's going or how much it will pay off later.

For this series, the artwork is being done by Roberto Castro (who also did Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom) and he does a good job capturing the characters of John and Alice and setting up the jungle setting. Admittedly this issue doesn't have much action to show off until the apes show up at the end but he keeps the art steady and with a good color palette. I can't way to see how he draws Tarzan.

So is this issue worth a dollar? If you're a fan of Tarzan I would suggest giving it a chance. It may not be the best Tarzan comic book ever but if this first issue is any indication, fans of the ape man might enjoy the series. Until next time...

John Carter: New Promo Pics

2012-01-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

We've seen the heroes, now we get the bad guys. Courtesy of http://www.comicbookmovie.com/ are two new promo pics of Sab Than (Dominic West) and Matai Shang (Mark Strong). Take a look and let us know what you think.

Comic Review: Flash Gordon-Zeitgeist #2

2012-01-23T10:33:00.000-08:00

I'll try to spend the next few days catching up on reviews of some recent comics. And with that said, let's kick off with a dashing heroic hero, a hot alien babe, gladiatorial combat and evil villains...no not John Carter, the other guy!

Issue 2, "All Hail Ming!" opens with the (spoiler alert!) with Ming and his henchman Klytus voicing their displeasure to their choice for ruler of Earth, Adolf Hitler, and the slow progress he is making in conquering the planet. But Ming has other concerns-the arrival of Flash Gordon and Dale Arden. With Dale taken to Ming's chambers, Flash is dispatched the arena, where he begins fighting for his life and winning the respect of his fellow prisoners. But when a double cross deal with Klytus goes awry, Flash finds his only hope in Ming's hot daughter, Princess Aura. And that isn't much comfort...

I recently talked with a friend of mine who didn't like the first issue of this series. And I could understand why it might not appeal to fans but so far I actually am enjoying it. I do admit the combination of the Flash Gordon story with Hitler might seem an odd fit but in this age of rewriting history for entertainment (see Abraham Lincoln-Vampire Hunter or even the recent X-Men: First Class movie) at least the idea isn't out of left field and writer Eric Trautmann is doing a good job balancing the original Alex Raymond storyline with the new one.

The artwork by Daniel Indro is also quite good. Granted I would love to see more of Mongo-but I figure that's being saved for the next few issues, but so far his work matches well with Trautmann's narrative. He also draws a sexy Aura, which again always raises the one problem I have had with Flash-is he really that blind to be able to avoid her charms? Oh well...

To wrap up if you liked the first issue, this one is just as much fun and a good take on the character. If not I doubt it will change your mind. Hail Ming!

John Carter News Bits 3: Taylor Kitsch Talks

2012-01-20T18:59:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates this past week but here's some news for to start off the weekend.

First up those lucky Brits once again got to see some exclusive footage from John Carter at an event with a follow-up Q&A with star Taylor Kitsch, visual effects supervisor Sue Rowe and animation supervisor Eamon Butler. Some video clips from it have been posted at http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Wolvie09/news/?a=53190&t=JOHN_CARTER_Taylor_Kitsch_On_Why_The_Title_Was_Changed_Opening_Shot_Of_The_Film_Described__More along with some positive reviews of the footage shown. The article also reveals that the film's official running time has been announced by director Andrew Stanton at 2 hours and 3 minutes.

Next up, and please don't shoot the messenger here, Stanton has also hit Twitter to comment on a recent Hollywood Reporter article http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/%20john-carter-taylor-kitsch-47-ronin-keanu-reeves-mission-impossible-283347 that has been posted. Among the article's claims (all without anyone on the record officially) is that the film's budget has ballooned to $300 million, that a rough cut of the film screened for Disney execs was poorly received, that talks about the sequel were put on hold and that Stanton had no support on the film. Stanton's reaction: "Was a DISNEY film that I completed on time, on budget w/ full support." He also refuted the recent claims about the film needing to make $700 million to get the sequel greenlight: "Is it true that JC needs $700 mil+ at the BO to get a sequel?” Nope. U'll get farther in life not believing everything u read." You can see the rest at http://twitter.com/andrewstanton.

Finally another inteview courtesy of Adventures by Daddy, this time with actor Dominic West http://www.adventuresbydaddy.com/2012/01/18/actor-dominic-west-drawn-to-disneys-john-carter-by-andrew-stantons-genius/ where he talks about his playing Sab Than and working on the movie. Take a look and have a good day!

New John Carter TV Spot

2012-01-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

As the build-up continues, a new TV spot has shown up with a few new shots in it. Watch and see if you can spot them! (And before I forget, the caps from the spots and trailers come from http://www.cartermovie.com/.)

Comic Review: Dejah Thoris #9

2012-01-12T12:23:00.000-08:00

This week's comic book review finds our heroine hitting the ice-in her usual skimpy attire.

Following their escape from the pirate Xen Brega, Dejah and Pirate Queen Phondari have headed south and begin drilling under at Helium's main pumping station when they discover what appears to be a man made cavern. But that discovery is trumped when they see a man tied up and devoured by a giant worm (think Dune) and a race of men who believe them to be the saviors they were praying for. But when both women discover the fabled lost treasure-the Sacred Hoard-of Segotha they both have to deal with a potential curse and an unwelcome visitor...

As we head towards the finale of the "Pirate Queen of Mars" storyline, this issue is the usual setup without much payoff. We do get more of the back story of the treasure and Xen Brega, as well as a big worm. Yeah I don't have much to say about that one, except where's the Fremen? Seriously, the issue still benefits from some nice artwork by Carlos Rafael and some interesting twists and turns by writer Arvid Nelson so those who enjoyed the past issues again will find much here to enjoy.

I'll close up by saying this: I know some of you don't like this series or how Dynamite has been handling their John Carter comics and that I might be too hard on Marvel's recent series. I'm not playing favorites OK-I liked both Dynamite's Warlord of Mars series and Marvel's John Carter: World of Mars. But I know what I like and that's how the reviews probably will go. Until next time...

John Carter International Poster

2012-01-11T06:12:00.000-08:00

Another find for the week-the blog AndromedaHigh has posted up this Spanish poster for the film http://wickieblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/john-carter-el-poster-espanol.html, showing off our heroes and faithful Woola hitting the road with the tagline (I think since my Spanish skills are virtually non-existent) "Two Worlds, One Hero." So take a look and tell us what you think.

John Carter of Mars Billboards

2012-01-10T18:15:00.000-08:00

Well it looks like Disney has decided to go big with John Carter...in Los Angeles anyway. A couple of shots of billboards showing off John and company has shown up and some photos of them have been posted at http://barsoomia.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/john-carter-rules-la/. Take a look and once again let us know what you think.

Willem Dafoe On John Carter of Mars

2012-01-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

How about some news this Monday morning? The site Adventures by Daddy has now posted an interview with Willem Dafoe, where he talks about the challenges of playing Tars Tarkas and the influence of Edgar Rice Burroughs and his work on science fiction http://www.adventuresbydaddy.com/2012/01/06/acclaimed-actor-willem-dafoe-chats-about-playing-and-speaking-martian-in-john-carter/ So far I've been impressed with what I've seen with Dafoe and his take on the character and what he says at least confirms that his character might be the best (next to Woola of course:-).

John Carter News Bits 2

2012-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. But here's some news items for you fans. And a brief update!

First up it looks like a new character poster showing off Dejah Thoris as shown above is making the rounds. It looks good, even though if you look closely at the M the date shown says 6-2-12. Maybe I'm just misreading it. Still a good looking poster.

Also hitting the web is a new pic courtesy of the site Adventures by Daddy (yes that's the name of it) showing our heroes riding Thoats. You can see more of the site at http://www.adventuresbydaddy.com/2011/12/12/disneys-john-carter-coming-to-theaters-march-9-2012/

Next it looks like Disney has been releasing already prepared "interviews" with people involved with the film and now have released a new one with Lynn Collins at http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1201/03/lynncollins.htm. Most of it's pretty much fluff but...well I'll let you read it and then you can decide.

Also making news from USA Today is a pretty cool article taking a look back at Disney's failed attempts at a John Carter of Mars movie in the late 1980s and 1990s http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/mouseplanet/post/2012/01/The-Disney-John-Carters-That-Never-Were/596215/1. Definitely worth reading for those unfamiliar with the past attempts (and I have to say, the Ted Elliott-Terry Rossio scripted version might have been a good movie.)

Finally someone apparently doesn't think John Carter stands a chance: The Hollywood Reporter reports that analyst Richard Greenfield from the firm of BTIG-which is a trading and brokerage firm has predicted that "The biggest movie of 2012 will be Warner Bros. release Dark Knight Rises, while the biggest box office disappointment will be Disney’s John Carter." You can read the rest and get your swords ready at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/analyst-predicts-declines-tv-viewing-277670

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars #14

2012-01-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

First a Happy New Year! I hope it will be a good one. And with that out of the way we'll kick off with a new comic book review.

When we last left off, John Carter had just landed in the Valley Dor only to discover instead of paradise a living hell. He has survived white apes, plant men, banths and has just found out that the Holy Therns are not gods but regular men. But being a man of action John decides to leave and takes his friend Tars Tarkas and the princess Thuvia with him. But before they can make their escape, the Thern stronghold is attacked by the Black Pirates of Thuria, one of their raids to claim Thern women. John, Tars and Thuvia almost escape but our overloaded in their flier and to help his friends escape John leaps out and finds himself in the midst of battle. He also meets Xodar, a Black Pirate who he fights and plans to take back to Helium to prove his story, and Phaidor, the haughty-but hot!-daughter of the Therns' leader Matai Shang. And in typical John Carter fashion things take a turn for the worse...

So far so good with this adaptation of The Gods of Mars. As usual here's the good stuff: a faithfulness to the source material-from the revelation of the Therns' vanity to Thuvia getting her revenge on her tormentor Sator Throg and her ability to control the Banths-writer Arvid Nelson has managed to keep true to Edgar Rice Burroughs without going to far off the beaten track (i.e. the Therns don't have glowing blue eyes-thank Issus) but at the same time making it accessible to people who never read the book before.

As for the artwork by Edgar Salazar, I mentioned last time I was a little taken aback by the change in artists but he does a pretty good job in this issue, capturing the look of the characters-even though in his loincloth John Carter looks more like Tarzan-but he captures the action scenes well and makes story come alive with nice uses of color. In short the art is growing on me for this run.

I'll end by saying another top job for this series, helped by some nice covers (including the one by Joe Jusko above-why couldn't they have got Joe or some of the artists working on this series to work on the movie? We might have been spared those tattoos). Enjoy the rest of the holiday!

John Carter Japanese Trailer (And Some Ranting)

2011-12-26T07:32:00.001-08:00

Well I hope you survived Christmas and had a good one. Now to work-during the break a Japanese trailer for John Carter surfaced online, showing off more footage. And well...first if you haven't already watch the trailer below before you continue reading.

OK now we can talk. As you can tell by the headline, there is going to be ranting and it isn't going to be pleasant. As you can tell this trailer is attempting to fill in the backstory of John Carter before his arrival on Barsoom. And that is the part of the movie I am having the biggest problem with. No it isn't the casting of former Spy Kid Daryl Sabara as Edgar Rice Burroughs (which I still feel is a big joke). No it isn't that glowing blue device that looks like has taken the place of Burroughs' astral projection for how John arrives on Barsoom (even if it looks like a silly, cheap prop from the Asylum movie). Nope-it's the former Mrs. Carter and child. Yes apparently to flesh out John Carter's history Andrew Stanton and his co-writers have decided to have John have a family before he hits Mars...and have them killed off. Admittedly this wasn't a total secret. For months-in fact around the time of the reshoots the film underwent after Stanton screened it for his Pixar buddies-an actress named Amanda Clayton was added to the cast list in the Internet Movie Database as "Carter's Wife." Also we've heard constantly how John Carter is a "damaged" war veteran (in fact Stanton himself told an interviewer at Disney's D23 Expo he hired Taylor Kitsch because Kitsch plays "broken" characters well). But a dead child also? How exactly does this add anything to the storyline, especially since by movie's end John Carter is in love and (if that has survived) married to Dejah Thoris?

I have two problems with this addition. First it completely changes the character of John Carter. In the novels we get the impression that John Carter has never found true love until he arrives on Barsoom and finds it with Dejah Thoris. For me that was always an appealing facet of the book and the character-someone who has never felt that emotion and how far he would go to save her. Adding a former wife and child changes that because instead of someone who has never felt love, he's mourning it's loss and it makes him less interesting as a character for me. The second issue is that it's a cliched idea. Recently I watched for the first time in 10 years Ridley Scott's Gladiator. And guess what that film's opening scenes have-a war veteran returning home to find his wife and child killed, which causes him to become broken until he's forced to fight for his life against people trying to kill him. Granted the storylines go off in their own directions-Maximus isn't interested in saving Rome as much as killing the man responsible for his loss-but it's virtually the same idea. And I'm sure it's even older than that. Now some fans have argued that this isn't outside of Burroughs' concept because he establishes in A Princess of Mars that John Carter is possibly immortal-he doesn't remember much of his life and has remained eternally the same age-but Stanton himself already told Empire magazine that the immortal aspect has been removed, leaving him a normal human being, so that defense doesn't apply here.

Ultimately what this brings up for me has been my major issue with this movie-an almost seesaw effect of having one thing that sounds or looks great and something that sounds or looks terrible or is a pointless change or addition. For everything good (Willem Dafoe's Tars Tarkas, the look of Woola, the released pieces of Michael Giacchino's score) it seems something just as bad shows up (tattoos, blue-eyed Matai Shang, silly devices) and now this. I don't know if it will affect the movie Stanton is making (or has seen in his head all those years he claims to have been a fan) but was this really that necessary to telling the story? I doubt it.

The Art of John Carter: New Concept Art Revealed

2011-12-23T04:13:00.000-08:00

Here's the short version: Disney has announced The Art of John Carter: A Visual Journey, a collection of conceptual artwork done for the upcoming movie. And it looks like some of that art (10 pieces in total) are now online at Comic Book Movie http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Wolvie09/news/?a=51749&t=The_Art_of_JOHN_CARTER_A_Visual_Journey_Announced_Amazing_New_Concept_Art_Revealed via http://www.barsoomia.org/. You can check out the remaining artwork there and let us know what you think. (And a note, the cover shown above is not the final cover according to CBM.) So barring anything else new, have a safe and happy holiday season!

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars #13

2011-12-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

And today's entry in the Barsoom comic book battle offers up walking plants, white apes, a banth, hot red chicks in chains and John Carter in action.

This issue opens with a two page text piece, catching the reader up with Edgar Rice Burroughs, who has received a telegram to meet his late uncle John Carter in Richmond. Upon arriving he discovers his uncle alive and the same as before. And with him another manuscript telling of his adventures on the red planet...Upon his return to Barsoom John Carter doesn't land in the Atmosphere Plant but rather in a lush forest near a flowing river and with strange blue, plant-like inhabitants. But he doesn't get a chance to look around long as he rushes in to rescue a group of green men led by his friend Tars Tarkas from the vicious Plant Men and a pack of white apes. Escaping into a cave John learns that his beloved Dejah Thoris still lives and that he and Tars are in the Valley Dor, the promised paradise that all Barsoomians depart to when they believe their time is coming to an end. But as they soon discover they are alone in the cave as John finds a white blond man and a chained up red woman, the Princess of Ptarth Thuvia. When John kills the man he discovers that he was one of the Holy Therns and that contrary to rumor they are very human, a discovery that could rock the very planet itself...

As you can tell, this issue kicks off Dynamite's adaptation of The Gods of Mars and it pretty good style. Writer Arvid Nelson shows that he read the books and manages to keep faithful to the original story, which I respect even more now, especially after Marvel's abysmal A Princess of Mars series. From the opening of John's arrival to the introduction of Thuvia, it maintains Burroughs' breathless pace and tone.

For this run, the artwork is being done by another artist, this time Edgar Salazar. I admit to being a little disappointed that artist Stephen Sandowski, who drew the last three issues, wasn't brought back, but Salazar does a good job, capturing the Plant Men, the Apes and Thuvia pretty well. The backgrounds are a little nondescript though, lacking the detail necessary but hopefully that will change once we head into Issus' kingdom and the action picks up.

In closing, this gets a thumbs up. We'll see how it goes from here. Until next time then.

Comic Review: John Carter-World of Mars #3

2011-12-19T09:23:00.001-08:00

While we wait for the next piece of movie news, we'll return to the dueling Barsoomian comic books clamoring for your money. And what does this issue deliver? Warhoons, savage calots, more kickboxing Dejah and bickering. Yes bickering.

When we last left off, Dejah Thoris had ran off into a sandstorm to escape her captor, Sab Than, when she took a fall down a hole. But instead of landing in Wonderland she finds herself again captured by Sab but shows off her Van Damme abilities and manages to escape...only to run into Warhoons who immediately throw her to the dogs. Literally as she must fight for her life against a pack of wild calots. Meanwhile Tal Hajus, Tars Tarkas and the female Thark Laos continue their quest and spend most of it arguing with each other, especially about Tal leaving everything to Tars to fight off. Eventually our group reaches the fabled Citadel of the fabled Warhoon Gothan, only to find what appears to be an empty space. But it's a mirage, hiding the Citadel where they find what they are looking for...

I have to admit, my opinions about this series has dropped a little from the excellent first issue. The second one was OK but this one is a mixed bag. First the good news-the artwork by Luke Ross is still excellent, capturing the looks of the Warhoons and the Calots (imagine an angry Woola) well while sticking to how they look in the film. He also handles the big action set pieces and manages to keep the reader's eyes glued to the page.

Where the issue falters a little is the writing. Again I don't know if it's Peter David's script or the fact that he's stuck with the ideas that Andrew Stanton has come up with for the film but I'm sorry-Dejah Thoris has become an idiot! Seriously she escapes, and gets caught. She escapes again and gets caught again. For someone who has been now rebooted into a kickboxing, sword wielding warrior woman she's turning into the least plausible one in a long time. Granted even John Carter would have problems taking down a pack of wild Calots but still her constant kicking of Sab's butt and yet being unable to get away brings laughs. The Thark section works fine and in some ways I wish the series was just about that.

In the end if you enjoyed the first two issues this one is entertaining but uneven. With one more issue to go hopefully it will pay off in a big way.

John Carter of Mars Score Preview

2011-12-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

How about some music for your Sunday evening? Last night the New York radio station WQXR had a hour long interview with composer Michael Giacchino and during the show three pieces of his score from John Carter was premiered. I had some problems with the station's streaming audio but if you want to give it a try you can listen to the entire broadcast at http://www.wqxr.org/#/programs/movies/2011/dec/17/. Or you can just listen to the three pieces thanks to Youtube below. Enjoy and again let us know what you think.

John Carter News: Lynn Collins and Gods of Mars

2011-12-17T19:21:00.000-08:00

Some news for you staying in this Saturday night that slipped by. First the site Superhero Hype has posted some brief comments from both Lynn Collins and Thomas Haden Church talking about John Carter http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/169061-exclusive-lynn-collins-a-thomas-haden-church-on-john-carter. Little new info is revealed but Church does talk about the process of becoming Tal Hajus while Collins talks about what she's seen and the approach being taken to the film.

The other news brief comes from Blogomatic, which has a press release announcing Marvel's next Barsoom comic book series, John Carter: The Gods of Mars http://www.blogomatic3000.com/2011/12/16/marvel-announces-sam-humphries-ramon-perez-on-john-carter-the-gods-of-mars/. The series is set to hit in March and as you can tell by the cover art it actually manages to be worse than Marvel's current A Princess of Mars series. Yikes!

John Carter TV Spots

2011-12-16T18:16:00.000-08:00

I guess deciding it was time to ramp up the advertising, Disney has released two TV spots for John Carter online. Both feature more action, more Woola, more Warhoons and more of Dejah Thoris's skimpy wedding dress! Also the site Collider has posted some pics scanned from Empire Magazine, the one above showing John (Taylor Kitsch) with Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and another one showing Mark Strong as Dark Lord of the...sorry holy Thern Matai Shang (It was the robe.) You can see that pic at http://collider.com/john-carter-tv-spots-images/132871/ and check out the spots below and again tell us what you think.

John Carter 3D IMAX Poster

2011-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

Disney has just released a new poster promoting John Carter's release on the REALLY BIG SCREEN and as you can tell, they just took the already released Great Apes banner and added the words "3D" and "IMAX" to it. Talk about being lazy. Oh well have a look and tell us what you think.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom #4

2011-12-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

OK we now go from Mongo back to Barsoom for today's comic book review. Not a snappy opening I know but that's the best I can come up with.

As this issue opens, things are looking bad for the Orovars. The cities of Thark, Warhoon and Korad have fallen and the refugees are being forced to fend for themselves outside the city of Horz, causing them to descend in barbarism. Orovar general Van Tun Bor pleads with the Orovar Jeddak to bring them in but is refused. Fearing the demise of his people Van Tun Bor begins to hatch a plan to save them, unaware that the Jeddak has his own plans. Meanwhile scientist Tak Nan Lee manages to finish and get the Atmosphere Factory running but he also becomes suspicious when the Jeddak informs him he will be there in morning. Fearing that his people's time has come, Tak turns to the captured red woman Anouk to learn how to operate the Factory. And that may be what is needed as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance...(Corny cliche but here a pretty apt description.)

With one more issue to go before the finale, this issue spends most of its time setting up the characters and moving them into position for the final curtain. While short on real action, writer Robert Napton does a good job of keeping the reader interested with the court intrigue involving the Orovar Jeddak, Van Tun Bor's anguish and resolve to save his people and Tak Nan Lee's decision to trust Anouk and face what he feels is his and the Orovar's demise. It's an interesting set of stories leading to the finale we all know is coming.

Also getting an A+ is artist Roberto Castro, who manages to capture the characters and the settings very well. The opening pages, which shows a young Van Tun Bor playing with his brother and talking with his father is so natural looking you almost think you're on Earth before revealing the nasty, brutal fighting that has engulfed the Orovars. It's a subtle touch and I like Castro's handling of it.

With one more issue to go, let's hope the quality remains until the very end. Until next time...

Comic Review: Flash Gordon-Zeitgeist

2011-12-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

OK I promised a review and here it is. Some spoilers ahead so bear that in mind while reading, otherwise FLASHHHH!!!

It's the year 1934 and the Earth is being bombarded by mysterious events and strange phenomena courtesy of the supreme ruler of Mongo, Ming the Merciless. The attacks also have another motive-to speed the conquest of Earth by a "proxy" ruler that was selected. While Ming plans his next move, polo player Flash Gordon and cartographer Dale Arden have to bail out over Geneva, Switzerland when their plane is destroyed. The two land near the house of Dr. Hans Zarkov who plans to launch a rocket into space to stop the attacks and become his unwilling co-passengers. As they head for space, another group comes to Earth, preparing their own mission to stop Ming and his chosen human ruler...

I have to admit I had mixed reaction when Dynamite announced they were going to publish their own Flash Gordon series. While I've enjoyed their Warlord of Mars and Fall of Barsoom series, I've been split on Dejah Thoris and found their Buck Rogers series underwhelming. Well thankfully-so far-this series looks to be going in the right direction. What I particularly enjoyed was the decision to keep the time period of Alex Raymond's original strips instead of bringing it into the future. Writer Eric Trautman manages to keep the basic plot of Raymond's work and add new ideas without destroying the essence of the original. The changes that have been made are also interesting-Dale Arden is now working for the US State Department and the revelation of Ming's chosen ruler (even though the cover art basically reveals the big surprise)-and he even throws in some homages to other versions of the characters that fans might get a good chuckle from.

Art wise the real driving force is Alex Ross, who provided the cover art shown above and the designs for the characters. Here he and artist Daniel Indro replicate Raymond's original looks for the three lead characters while managing to make them look vibrant and appealing. For Ming it looks like they took their cue from Max Von Sydow's Ming in the 1980 film-maybe not surprising since Ross has admitted to being a huge fan of the film-while some female slaves are definitely drawn in a matter that would have been too racy for 1934 audiences.

So in closing this first issue is a cool and fun take on a classic character and I hope the next issue is just as fun and exciting.

Thor 2: And the Next Potential Director Is....

2011-12-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates this week. It might be a little erratic on here for a while but I'll try to keep it updated as much as I can. Now with that out of the way, earlier this week it was announced that director Patty Jenkins had bowed out directing Thor 2, citing the usual "creative differences." Well now according to the Hollywood Reporter, Marvel has zeroed in on two possible replacements: Alan Taylor and Daniel Minahan, both who directed episodes of HBO's epic fantasy series Game of Thrones. The article also reveals that several screenwriters have been approached to pen the sequel, including Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) and Roger Avary (who co-wrote Pulp Fiction.) You can check out the full article at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/thor-2-alan-taylor-daniel-minahan-272033

Famous Monsters of John Carter

2011-12-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates in the last few days. (And I hope to have reviews of the latest issue of Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom and the new Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist comic by this weekend or next week). With that said here's a treat for you old time monster fans: the revived Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine will be paying tribute to John Carter of Mars as they"take a look at the Fighting Man of Virginia, John Carter, as we celebrate Disney's new movie with a look back at Edgar Rice Burroughs and his literary legacy" according to the press release at http://www.tfaw.com/Comics/Companies/Movieland+Classics+LLC/Profile/Famous-Monsters-Of-Filmland-260-(John-Carter-Cover)___398427. You can read more info about the upcoming issue there as well.

John Carter Banners Released

2011-12-02T04:58:00.000-08:00

I guess now the marketing is finally kicking into high gear. In this case Disney has released 3 new banners for the film. Have a look and tell us what you think.

John Carter of Mars Trailer 2!!!

2011-12-01T04:17:00.000-08:00

It's still a little early but for those who didn't watch Jimmy Kimmel here you go! I'll give a longer opinion later but for now it does a much better job than the previous trailer. The caps come courtesy of http://www.cartermovie.com/photos/jcm05.html

Well I got a chance to watch the trailer for a second time and here's my thoughts, both good and bad....

I don't think you could get a more radically different trailer from the first one. That one had two problems: First it lacked the "epic" quality that the movie should possess. I admit that most of that was due to having little finished effects work but the dull, dusty look of Barsoom and the limited action gave little hint of what the story was or the action within and made it easy for people to dismiss it as a Prince of Persia or Cowboys and Aliens ripoff. The second problem was the humorless and rather dour tone of the trailer. Some I know defended this as being on purpose to sell the character of John Carter. But when did John Carter become a clinically depressed individual? It also shows how poor a choice "My Body Is a Cage" was as background music. A trailer should make you excited, not make you want to down Prozac.Well it seems someone must have remembered that this is a sci-fi adventure flick because all of those issues are missing. This one shows the epic scale of Barsoom and the characters off much better (well for the most part). And yes I'll take a cover of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir over Peter Gabriel's ode to mental depression anytime. Someone also must have remembered Disney's unwritten marketing rule which is (FIRST SARCASTIC REMARK ALERT!) that the film needs to appeal to 10-15 year olds with attention deficit disorder. In fact this trailer is so quickly edited that you almost have to play in slow motion just to see what is happening.

So what worked for this cranky fan? Well I'll start with two words: Taylor Kitsch. Yep he finally has convinced me he is John Carter. From handling the action sequences to interacting with the Tharks, he appears he has nailed the role. Surprisingly what sold him was just two words "Yes ma'am" in his response to Dejah Thoris. That's the Virginian gentleman we know.

Also the action sequences that were present were well staged (even though I have a problem with one-see below). The opening fight with the great ape manages to capture the viewer from the first-even though I'm sure countless Attack of the Clones comparisons are already being made-while the aerial battles for the most part looked good.

Now we move onto to the debatable elements: The CG characters. I admit I'm mixed on them. On the one hand Woola comes across as a living breathing creature and the great ape packs a ferocious punch (even if he is still too Rancor-ish for my tastes) but the Tharks are a mixed bag. Some scenes, especially the ones with Kitsch they come across well. But the shots of them cheering in the arena still look rubbery and that might be a problem. I would expect this for a film still six months to year out, not one that was recently announced as "locked" and finished. Maybe they'll still have time to tweak them but I have a feeling this might split the audience.

Also I'm sorry to say I'm still not sold on Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris. I just can't buy her as a sword wielding warrior. Now she looks better in this trailer than the first one-and I'm sure some horndogs enjoyed the flash of leg when she turned around in her white dress-but the problem is that you can have a character that can be a warrior princess but you have to believe the actress playing the part and I just can't. Maybe it will be better in the final film but she's still the biggest question mark of the cast.

Now we get to the bad stuff-the stuff that basically can't be ignored no matter how hard you try. And again that can summed up in two words: Matai Shang. As you've seen the Holy Thern doesn't have blond hair, but he does have baby blue eyes. Seriously whose bright idea was this? It ties the tattoos as the worst, most ridiculous change that Andrew Stanton and his collaborators have made. I've already seen some joke that Shang must have escaped from the planet Arrakis while I myself think someone should do a whole trailer with "Behind Blue Eyes" by the Who in the background. Also it appears that-as most of us thought-Shang has been rewritten into the major villain of the film. I know some have argued that this was a necessary change to make it work better if the planned next two films are made but basically we have a manipulative character, using others to achieve his goals (which usually means world or galaxy domination). In short Matai Shang is now less Holy Hekkador and more Dark Lord of the Sith. How is that an improvement?

The other thing that bothered me was the dialogue. To sample: "When I saw you, I believed something new could come into this world." "You're John Carter of Earth." "That don't look like a fair fight." "We did not cause this. But we will end it!" Jeez how corny can you get? Now this would seem the norm for a screenplay written by George Lucas or even James Cameron but as we keep getting reminded Stanton is an Oscar winning director who has been nominated multiple times for screenwriting (even though all of those were for original not adaptations) and that Michael Chabon is a Pulitzer prize winning novelist. Yet that's the best they could come up with? Suddenly makes Edgar Rice Burroughs himself sound like Shakespeare. Then again it's just a sample so hopefully the final film's dialogue won't be so cheesy.

In the end the feeling I get is that we're getting a visually stunning sci-fi flick but probably a poor adaptation of John Carter of Mars. Yes some of the major points have survived-from John taking out someone (I doubt Tars is really referring to the white Ape) with one punch to the wedding finale but the addition and change of Matai Shang to a Palpatine clone and the decision to change John Carter's major purpose-to save Dejah Thoris-has been replaced by the standard "we have to destroy the Death Star/Ring of Power" plot pretty much proves that. So in closing this trailer does a great job of selling the film as an epic but shows that we shouldn't get our hopes up for a faithful adaptation.

Comic Review: Dejah Thoris #8

2011-11-29T08:15:00.000-08:00

While we wait for the new trailer, here's this week's Barsoom comic review. Just be warned: There will be blood!

When we last left off, Dejah and the pirate queen Phondari and her crew were being led off to be prepared for dinner, in the Hannibal Lecter sense. As this issue opens, they watch the grisly handiwork of the cooks but are saved by Phondari's brother Joktai. But before they make it to Phondari's ship, their host Xen Brega appears, injuring two of Dejah's men and Phondari. Luckily an exploding buoyancy tank allows Dejah and company to escape. Afterwards Dejah discovers the truth behind the mysterious coin she found at the Helium pumping station-the coin is part of a fabled treasure of an ancient red warrior named Segotha-and makes a pact to find it with Phondari. But Xen Brega is not far behind...

From it's opening page, this issue moves pretty quickly, helping setup the threat of Xen Brega and the macguffin that Dejah and Phondari are setting out to find. As mentioned there is a surprising amount of bloodshed here-from the gory dinner preparations to the bloody work of Brega-that might turn off those looking for simple swashbuckling. So if you have a delicate constitution you probably should approach this issue with caution.

That said writer Arvid Nelson is capturing the pulp feel quite well now with the storyline and is equalled by artist Carlos Rafael. It may not please everyone but so far I've been enjoying this storyline more than the "Colossus of Mars" one. Dejah is still well portrayed as a resourceful heroine while her decision to join Phondari-to get funds for Helium to help with its reconstruction-shows the character that is willing to make sacrifices for her people shown in A Princess of Mars. And that's an improvement over kung fu kicking everyone.

So to wrap up it's a bloody tale, but for those who've enjoyed this story arc so far, a good one.

New John Carter Poster!

2011-11-28T15:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Apple, a new poster has now arrived online and...well it's better than the previous one. You can see a full high res version at http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/disney/johncarter/gallery/

John Carter Trailer Premieres 11/30

2011-11-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

If you don't mind staying up late that is. Director Andrew Stanton has confirmed via http://twitter.com/andrewstanton that the new trailer for John Carter of Mars will be shown this Wednesday night: "Kaor! 5 days and counting, folks. Brand new 'Carter trailer coming 12/1 on-line. Carter himself will premiere it on Jimmy Kimmel Live 11/30." Jimmy Kimmel Live starts around midnight (so technically it is December 1) so set your DVRs (or whatever recording device you have). UPDATE Nov 29: It looks like Mr. Kitsch will also be hitting ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday as well http://www.locatetv.com/tv/good-morning-america/7364151. So keep your eyes peeled for any footage that will show up.

John Carter of Mars: New Photos!

2011-11-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lateness but it would figure this would happen on Black Friday. The site SFX has unleashed six new photos from John Carter, including our first look at Woola and new shots of Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) and Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe). Also word has hit that the new trailer for the film will be released next week, possibly around Thursday December 1. To see the rest of the pics hit http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=84625

John Carter: EW's First Look-Great APE!

2011-11-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

How's this for a surprise (and it was good luck I had a scanner on my printer for this). Entertainment Weekly has a "first look" at John Carter in their December 2 issue (the cover story is Stars' Worst Movies) giving us a look at John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) and a great white ape. There is also some comments from Andrew Stanton where he mentions that "these white apes can't see...It gives him a slight chance to not be killed immediately." So what do you guys think? UPDATE Nov 23: Entertainment Weekly has now posted the pic online and I've went ahead and updated the image. They also have a longer chat with Andrew Stanton online so visit http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/11/23/taylor-kitsch-john-carter-white-ape-first-look//

John Carter: New Trailer Confirmed

2011-11-22T06:21:00.000-08:00

Here it is short and sweet: Director Andrew Stanton has confirmed on his Twitter account that "New Carter trailer is complete!! Cannot wait to show it. Stay tuned..." No word when we'll see it but at least it confirms a new one is on the way. You can check out Stanton's comments at http://twitter.com/andrewstanton where he's also been updating on the music scoring sessions with composer Michael Giacchino.

Comic Review: John Carter-A Princess of Mars #3

2011-11-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

Only two more issues left. Thank the maker for that.

As this issue opens...well here's the short short version: John Carter survived his fight with Zad, Sola reveals her parentage, the Tharks arrive in the city of Thark, which later turns into the city of Warhoon!?!? John is thrown into the pits after helping Dejah escape and meets Kantos Kan, gets into gladiatorial sports and ends by meeting Tal Hajus and his final opponent in the games...

At this point I'll just quote Herman's Hermits in my thoughts of the writing and artwork: Second verse, same as the first. So I'll just give a brief high points list of the lows that this issue sinks too:

-OK look at this cover. At one point did John Carter fight a giant squid in A Princess of Mars? Or in any of the books?

-First we're told were in the city of Thark but later after being thrown into the pits, John is told he's in the city of Warhoon? Did someone miss this in the copy editing stage or did they just start yanking out pages to condense the story?

-Tal Hajus has red hair. Since when did Lucy take over?

-John gets all huggy when the Princess forgives him his past transgressions. No icky kissing to turn off the boys.

-Dejah mentions that they could escape to Zodanga and be safe there. Yeah that's like escaping to the Death Star for protection.

-Our hero's first words of friendship towards Kantos Kan? "Put 'er there Kantos Kan." Suddenly he's Larry the Cable Guy of Mars.

Let's hope that if Marvel gets around to adapting the next Barsoom novels that it gets better than this.

Kerry Conran's John Carter of Mars Concept Art

2011-11-19T12:11:00.000-08:00

I'll cut to the chase: http://barsoomia.org/ has posted several pieces of concept artwork that was done for director Kerry Conran's unmade version of John Carter of Mars online, as well as a link to a promo reel for the movie. I have to admit that most of the work looks good-in some cases better than what we've seen for Andrew Stanton's movie-so take a look at http://barsoomia.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/motherload-conran-john-carter-art-and-reel/ for the art and http://lgfilms.com/conran/reel/johncarter.htm for the reel.

Pixar's Brave New Trailer

2011-11-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

Yep another trailer for your viewing pleasure-in this case the new trailer for Pixar's fantasy film. On the plus side it looks a lot better than Cars 2 so sit back and enjoy!

Comic Review: John Carter-World of Mars #2

2011-11-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

This week's Barsoom comic review! With great white apes, sandstorms and woman trouble included.

Picking up where we left off, Dejah Thoris just offered up some kicks to her attempted kidnapper only to be distracted when she learns it's Sab Than, who immediately knocks her out. But with guards everywhere escaping proves risky and Sab's vehicle is damaged, causing them to crash land just as a massive sandstorm begins. Meanwhile Tars Tarkas and Tal Hajus head off on their quest to find the infamous Warhoon Gothan, with a tag along-Loas, a female Thark and apparently Tars' woman. However both parties find themselves at odds-the Tharks with an ape with a bad attitude and Sab Than with an angry Dejah. But the Princess might have found something else that is harder to escape...

I loved the first issue so I was looking forward to this one. But I have to admit I'm split on it. First the good stuff-the Tharks are well handled by writer Peter David and artist Luke Ross. I admit seeing Tars and Tal as friends might throw off the reader but if anything at least it builds up their relationship-one we know is doomed to failure. The fight with the great white ape is also drawn beautifully, even if the final resolution seems unlikely.

On the flip side though, the Dejah-Sab section seems to be nothing more than the standard capture/escape routine. It also brings up a major issue I've had with the movie-if she's a "warrior princess" how can she be captured so easily? She gets distracted when Sab reveals his identity, runs out into a sandstorm like an idiot and still manages to get tackled by Sab. For someone who insults Sab Than on the first page with "all you're showing me is your incompetence" Dejah seems to have just as much here. Also Loas? Is that Sola with a different name? I'm sure that's a debate for fans coming soon. I also can't say I'm sold on the great white ape. The rat/ulsio head is not a good look and in some of the art it resembles the wampa Hoth creature. Still that isn't Ross' fault but some concept artist on the movie. Still they could have done better.

So to wrap up, this issue is OK, not as good as the first one but still enjoyable. Just look past the flaws and have a good time.

Warriors of Mars: John Carter Vs. Gullivar Jones!

2011-11-12T07:05:00.001-08:00

The second piece of news for the day (shows what happens when you're out sick) courtesy of Newsarama: Dynamite has announced Warriors of Mars, a new comic book series that will bring Captain Jack Carter and Lt. Gullivar Jones together. The series will be written by Robert Napton (whose currently writing the Fall of Barsoom series) with art by Jack Jadson and covers by Joe Jusko. The first issue is set for February 2012 and you can read more info at http://www.newsarama.com/comics/warlords-mars-2012-111109.html. (Thanks to Blog in the Bowl http://thebloginthebowl.blogspot.com/ for the post mentioning this.)

Snow White and the Huntsman Trailer

2011-11-12T06:39:00.000-08:00

Mirror Mirror on the wall...I know this is a little off for this site but when you have Thor taking on an evil Charlize Theron and a sword wielding Snow White well it might be good for a chuckle or two. So take a look and see what you think.

Retro View: Masters of the Universe

2011-11-09T09:35:00.000-08:00

All together now: I HAVE THE POWER!!! With that said...

As our story opens, the planet of Eternia is having problems. The forces of the evil Skeletor (Frank Langella) has captured Castle Grayskull and its keeper the Sorceress (Christina Pickles) and declaring himself ruler. Standing in his way though is the planet's leading warrior He-Man (Dolph Lundgren) and his friends Man At Arms (Jon Cypher) and Teela (Chelsea Field) who discover that a locksmith named Gwildor (Billy Barty) has created a device called a "Cosmic Key" that was able to breach the castle defenses. Using the key they enter the castle but are overwhelmed by Skeletor's men and using the key flee to another planet...called Earth. There they find help from teenagers Julie (Courteney Cox) and her boyfriend Kevin (Robert Duncan McNeil) as they attempt to return home. But Skeletor and his henchmen-including Evil-Lyn (Meg Foster)-are hot on their heals, as is a cranky cop (James Tolkan). Can He-Man save the universe and his friends from Skeletor's evil goals?

Ah Masters of the Universe. What can you say about a movie that features a pre-Friends Courteney Cox, the principal from Back to the Future (sadly never calls He-Man a slacker), Billy Barty in drag in one scene and Dolph in tiny shorts? Well I guess you could call it cheesy 1980s fun or a painful reminder of what fantasy/sci-fi films were from that period. Not to mention the precursor to Transformers and the gaggle of films based on toys and video games that have flooded cinemas in the near 25 years since it's release.

I admit to being in the middle. On the one hand the film is pure cheesy fun, especially when Langella is onscreen, chewing the scenery through his Skeletor makeup. Also fun is Foster's Evil-Lyn as she provides a good foil for Langella to play off of. The film's first 15 minutes are also well handled and seem to promise a great epic adventure film, with help of impressive production desgin (credited to artist William Stout) and good FX (by Star Wars vet Richard Edlund). Then we hit Earth and it becomes somewhat cluttered. Between the teen subplots (she lost her parents) and the sudden downscale action scenes (one battle takes place inside a record store) it loses some of the fun of those opening minutes. It also takes turns into camp comedy with Barty and and the cranky cop that almost turns the film into Flash Gordon. As for Dolph, well he looks the part and maybe wisely he doesn't have much dialogue.

I also noticed how much the film cribs from other films and stories. The opening credit sequence is a virtual copy of the opening credits from Superman, Skeletor's battle cruiser resembles Jabba the Hutt's sail barge from Return of the Jedi, Gwildor is an escaped Hobbit and Skeletor's troops are basically running around in Darth Vader costumes. And the plot is basic good vs evil, with references to both Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian accounted for. It's not a bad thing but for some you'll be able to figure out the story from the opening frame.

In the end, Masters of the Universe is a film you just have to take at face value. If anything I'll take it over Michael Bay's Transformers any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Cheese Rating: *** out of 4.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars #12

2011-11-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

Well that was fast as issue 11 was just released a few weeks ago. With that said, let's dive into the finale of "The Heretic of Mars!"

As Dejah Thoris and Sola bid Zat Arras good night, the pair instead make a short detour into the quarters of the late Vem Drost, only to find someone rummaging through his things. The thief escapes and Dejah finds a box containing several Zodangan gold coins, leading her to suspect Zat Arras is behind the framing of John Carter. Meanwhile at the Atmosphere Factory, Carthoris and Tars Tarkas are reading a journal left behind that reveals that the amulets to enter the factory were created by the Therns and passed down through the ages, leading Carthoris to suspect the Therns are behind the plot and the killings of the caretaker of the factory. Eventually both mother and son discover the true culprit, whose real goal seems to be to reveal the truth about the Therns...

With this third and final issue of the "Heretic" arc, Arvid Nelson wraps it up pretty nicely. With subtle hints about the Therns that were revealed when John Carter returned to the action, this issue is jam packed with enough goodies that fans of the books and non-fans I'm sure will enjoy the twists and turns. He also leaves us with a touching moment between mother and son and a setup for the story that is coming up.

The character artwork is also top notch, again by Stephen Sandowski. Dejah, Carthoris, Tars Tarkas and Sola are rendered quite well and are appealing drawn. The backgrounds aren't as well done though, being pretty bland but considering the action and character interaction I don't think that is too much of a drawback.

So I'll wrap up by just saying get this issue and you'll have a good time. And next time get ready as John Carter returns and meets The Gods of Mars!

Tarzan 3D Logo Revealed

2011-11-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

I'll skip to the news. Summit Entertainment has released a couple of promo logos at the on-going American Film Market expo and among the ones released was this one. In case some of you forgot (and I did), this was previously announced as a CGI animated film, produced by the same company behind the current Three Musketeers film and is not connected to the live action film being planned at Warner Bros. You can see the rest of Summit's promos at http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=83888

Dominic West Talks John Carter

2011-11-01T12:04:00.001-07:00

First up I hope you had a safe and fun Halloween. And now for today's news: The site SFX posted a brief chat with actor Dominic West where he talked about his role as Sab Than in John Carter. Among the topics discussed, West revealed that the air ships of Barsoom will be like "tall ships from the 18th century – there are lots of ropes, there’s lots of brass and wood and huge sails that are powered by light." He also described Sab as "a “a fairly straightforward evil villain who wants to take over Mars and get the girl. So that’s what he tries to do but inevitably the hero stops him doing that" and that the film "starts off as a Western and then it goes to Mars and becomes Star Wars. It’s a pretty extraordinary film." You can check out the interview at http://www.sfx.co.uk/2011/11/01/space-ships-in-john-carter-will-be-like-18th-century-tall-ships-says-star/ (and yes that is West above. He played the role of a Naboo Royal Guard in Star Wars Episode I. How's that for a bit of trivia?)

John Carter "Fun Facts" and Character Bios

2011-10-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

With the recent announcement that the movie is "locked," I guess we should be seeing word of a new trailer and more images from John Carter soon. In the meantime a site called Stitch Kingdom has posted character descriptions and facts released by Disney http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-john-carter-character-descriptions-fun-facts-18249/. Some of the descriptions sound good (especially the Tharks), some confirm early speculation (Tardors Mors (Ciaran Hinds) is Dejah Thoris' father in this one) and others...am I the only one tired of hearing John Carter described as "broken" and "damaged?" Oh well take a look and see what you think. (Thanks to the Unofficial John Carter movie site http://www.jcofmars.com/ for the link.)

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars #11

2011-10-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Yep, another comic book review for the week.

As this issue opens Dejah Thoris and Sola question a servant named Okat, who tells them he was arranging John Carter's possessions on the order of the palace steward Vem Drost when he found the mysterious amulet that was discovered in the last issue. But it looks like Vem Drost has disappeared. Meanwhile Carthoris and Tars Tarkas are attacked by a group of Warhoons who plan on holding the duo to their arena for deadly sport. Luckily Kantos Kan and and his scouts rescue them and allow them to go on their way. Cutting back, we find Dejah engaged in a game of Jetan with the Holy Hekkador of the Therns where she asks him about their history until Zat Arras arrives with news about finding Vem Drost, stuffed into a locker. Finally reaching the Atmosphere Factory, Carthoris and Tars find the caretaker's assistant, injured and babbling about the Therns, Plant Men and a valley and that "there is more than one. Not so special now..." With that cryptic warning, the pair find another amulet and an the hope that the truth lies in a mysterious journal...

With the second issue of "The Heretic of Mars" plot line, Arvid Nelson is doing an interesting job bridging the two first two Barsoom novels. The mention of the Valley Dor and the actual nightmare it holds is a good build up to what we know is coming, as is the attempts by Zat Arras to carry favor with Dejah Thoris. The mystery angle adds tension and helps expand what was going on during John Carter's absence. I know some fans may not like this fill in the blank approach but for those who've enjoyed the series so far it's fitting in well.

Helping move the story along is Stephen Sandowski's artwork. He captures the savage battle between Carthoris, Tars Tarkas and the Warhoons exceedingly well, as well as capturing the characters well. Granted the backgrounds are a little bland, lacking the vibrancy you would expect of Barsoom but that's the only complaint I have about the work. All in all another entertaining issue. And one more to go before John Carter's return so Carter fans hold on.

Comic Review: John Carter-A Princess of Mars #2

2011-10-24T09:24:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates in the last few days. But I'm back and with a look at the second issue of Marvel's take on Edgar Rice Burroughs. Unfortunately those looking for an improvement won't find it here.

After a brief recap of the first issue where John Carter overuses the word "amazing", we jump in as he meets the Princess Dejah Thoris-who promptly spits on him (yep that's a way to make her updated). Afterwards the story follows the novel with her "trial" in front of Lourquas Ptomel and John earning his chief status. We also meet Sarkoja whose hatred for both John and Dejah leads to a duel between John and the Thark Zad that...Look you read the novel you know how it goes.

Sorry for the snark but I was guess after the lackluster first issue I was hoping that maybe it was a fluke and this one would be a vast improvement. Sadly no such luck. First Roger Landridge's writing makes it clear the book is really being aimed at younger readers who apparently will relate to a braggart boasting of being "amazing" and being a "fearless hero and all." While John Carter would become boastful later on (after all he was the greatest swordsman of two worlds), here it just gives the reader-especially the first time reader-an unlikable character to root for. Also a spitting Dejah Thoris? Turning her into a blitzing warrior maybe pushing things, but her dignity went out the window with her saliva. As for Filipe Andrade's artwork? Sorry folks still not sold on it. When you can't turn out a drawing of the most beautiful woman of two worlds you know you're in trouble.

So in closing I have pretty much the same reaction as I did for the first issue-it's an empty money grab meant to appeal to undiscriminating youngsters. My suggestion if you want to introduce the world of John Carter and Dejah Thoris to young readers just give them a copy of Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars. If anything it's better written and whatever cover art is on it is bound to be better than this.

New Sherlock Holmes 2 Trailer

2011-10-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

More explosions, Moriarty, the return of Rachel McAdams' Irene Adler and well just watch and you'll see the rest.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom #3

2011-10-17T06:30:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the late review. I needed a few days off from Barsoom but now I'm ready to go.

Last seen getting a sword to the body, Orovar General Van Dun Bor survives and finds the green men declaring victory of the city Thark. After finding a thoat, he rides on, only to find an Orovar convoy under siege, this time from rogue Orovars who have been driven from their home. Driving them off, Van Dun and the soldiers prepare a trap for the oncoming green men to slow them down. Meanwhile at the Atmosphere Factory, scientist Tak Nan Lee continues his work to get the factory running, but a rising conflict between the Orovars and the captured red woman Anouk causes problems. And unknown to anyone the plant is being watched...

Following my review of John Carter-World of Mars, I decided to take some time before jumping into this issue. As is the case with most limited series, issue 3 is more setup than payoff, showing the breakdown of the Orovars, the rise of the Tharks as a separate race from the Warhoons and the struggle to get the Atmosphere Factory ready before tragedy strikes. Writer Robert Napton does a good job of balancing the plots and keeping the reader interested. He's help by artist Roberto Castro whose work captures the falling planet and its races well.

I know this review seems brief but I honestly can't say anything bad about this issue. I did enjoy World of Mars more but as far as this series goes it's still a fun and entertaining read for Barsoom fans.

Comic Review: John Carter-World of Mars #1

2011-10-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

OK here it is! The question is how good is it? Well read on to see...

We open with John Carter recounting his life and his arrival on Barsoom and learning about the planet's past from both the Princess Dejah Thoris and the Thark warrior Tars Tarkas who relate their separate, yet interwoven tales. As the real story opens the city states of Helium and Zodanga are at war. So are Zodanga's ruler Than Kosis and his son and successor Sab Than, who feels that his father is unfairly treating him. But after thrashing a few soldiers, Sab is banished for a week and sets upon a quest to prove his right to rule and to upstage his father. Meanwhile in the Thark territory we meet Tars and Tal Hajus-here friends under an aging Jeddak. Tal Hajus feels that the Jeddak is growing old, weak and overweight and reveals his strategy to win the throne-by going after the rumored Gothan, a vicious Warhoon who has reputedly survived for centuries by feasting on those he kills. And he wants Tars to help him in his quest. Finally we remeet Dejah, this time playing scientist when she receives an unwelcome visitor...

I have to admit I was weary when this series was first announced. Maybe it was the fact that it seemed like another cash-in by Marvel and Disney to tie-in to the upcoming John Carter movie. Or maybe it was the fact that I was growing cynical after hearing so much about the movie that wasn't encouraging. And following the lackluster first issue of John Carter-A Princess of Mars I figured this one would be another tossed off comic. Well surprise: This one actually rocks! First up the smartest thing was hiring Peter David. Having enjoyed his past work, he manages to keep the story moving while easily cutting between stories. I especially loved the section on Tars Tarkas and Tal Hajus and establishing a friendship that we know is doomed to failure. Also David throws in little touches from the novel-like John Carter referring to himself as Captain Jack Carter and the presence of Than Kosis-that I'm sure fans will get a kick out of. I admit that the change of Than Kosis and Sab Than's relationship might put off some fans, but I actually like that there is tension between them and Sab Than's attempts to prove his worth. The only negative I can think of is the last page and well let's just say blitzing. Even with that misstep David gets an A plus on the writing side.

On the art side, well this is where I'm torn. Not because of Luke Ross' work though. In fact it's pretty nice. He captures the Tharks well and thankfully makes them look alien and unique-not the "Hulks" of the Dynamite version nor the silly looking ones of the Princess comic. He also captures the likenesses of the characters well-John Carter does look like Taylor Kitsch. And the brief shots of Zodanga and Helium are cool. Where I'm torn is well what I've been snarking about for a while now-those damn tattoos. And yes they still look awful, even in comic book form. Especially the one slapped on Sab Than's face. I also have to ask-is that supposed to be a thoat we see John and Tars riding on the third page? It looks awfully bulky. Also the Heliumites most love those feather things on their air craft since this one we get a one man flier with things on it-it resembles a spider creature crossed with the speeder bikes from Return of the Jedi. Still Ross manages to make it colorful and appealing to the eye which is the important thing.

I guess to wrap up, it's best to approach this series for what it is: a prequel to a movie. I admit that I have my issues with what I've seen and heard about the movie but to my surprise that didn't stop me from enjoying this issue. I hope the remaining issues (and I guess Marvel decided to cut it short, the front mentions that this is a four issue series, not the five originally announced) prove just as fun.

Thor 2 Gets A New Date And Director

2011-10-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

For those waiting for the next solo adventure of the God of Thunder, well you have to wait a little longer. Disney has announced that Thor 2 will be moving from July 26, 2013 to November 15 of that year. Apparently Disney needs the date for their animated Phineas and Ferb movie. Coming Soon has the announcements here http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=83154 along with the new date for the back from the dead Lone Ranger movie. I wonder if those need to make $700 million bucks to get sequels? UPDATE: Following up the new release date, Marvel has announced the new director for the film: Patty Jenkins, best known for the drama Monster with Charlize Theron and episodes of the AMC TV series The Killing will be taking over the reins for the sequel. You can read the full story at http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/toldja-patty-jenkins-confirmed-as-thor-2-director/

Craig Brewer Talks Tarzan

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here's some news for you ape-man fans: The site I Am Rogue has an interview up with writer/director Craig Brewer (currently doing publicity for his Footloose remake) where he talks about his plans for Warner Bros' new Tarzan film. Among the information revealed, Brewer had just turned in the script and is excited to be working on the film: "I am so excited about it because I just turned my script into the studio last Friday. I’m waiting to see what they think. My producing team loves it, and some other people at the studio have read it so I’m waiting to see. I can tell you it’s the best thing that I’ve ever written. I hope they’re going to let me do it because I really think we are going to make an incredible Tarzan. So I’m hoping to do it." He also reveals that the film "definitely doesn’t take place in a modern context. I was a big fan of the Edgar Rice Burroughs’ books and it takes place in the African Congo around the turn of the century so it’s the classic legend." You can read the rest at http://www.iamrogue.com/news/interviews/item/4962-iar-exclusive-interview-director-craig-brewer-talks-tarzan.html

John Carter Needs $700 Million

2011-10-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

If you want a sequel. That's according to an article on Slash Film http://www.slashfilm.com/john-carter-700-million-earn-sequel/ that quotes a profile of Andrew Stanton that the New Yorker has done. The article admits there are some stumbling blocks in the way-an unproven leading man in Taylor Kitsch, a bland title that tells the audience nothing, a lack of audience buzz despite the film being 5 months away from release and mixed reactions to both the trailer and the footage shown at the D23 Expo. The article does point out though that Avatar faced similar issues and still conquered the box office, not to mention Stanton's Pixar history and the possibility of a big marketing push over the holidays so we'll see. So do you think John Carter can make that much at the box office? UPDATE: More info has come out from the New Yorker piece, this time from the site The Playlist http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/john_carter_had_a_lengthy_18_day_reshoot_to_improve_correct_story_issues/, which reveals that the film underwent "a lengthy" 18 days of reshoots after the Pixar team watched and critiqued a three hour rough cut of the film. Among the problems was "a rather drab opening sequence in which the details of the Barsoomian wars on Mars are explained" which Stanton reworked down into an opening "battle between Zodangans and Therns" (OK anyone got an explanation for where that came from?). Also the article reveals that the film did receive a positive response at a test screening in July but voices concerns that the film might end up like this past summer's Cowboys and Aliens as another high concept box office disappointment.

New John Carter Pic!

2011-10-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

OK how about some late news? The site Comic Book Movie has posted a scan from the current issue of the British movie magazine Total Film http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Wolvie09/news/?a=47819&t=New_Image_From_iJohn_Carteri_Featuring_Taylor_Kitsch_as_the_Main_Character, showing us a new pic of John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) looking a little bruised and with what looks like a chain behind him. Take a peak and let us know what you think. UPDATE: Total Film has now released the image officially as well as some brief comments from director Andrew Stanton http://www.totalfilm.com/news/exclusive-new-john-carter-image. Sorry for the low-res quality of the pic. Hopefully a high resolution version will surface soon.

Comic Review: Dejah Thoris #7

2011-10-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

A little piracy for your Sunday.

When we last left off, Dejah had just been captured by Phondari, the Pirate Queen of Barsoom, and her band of cutthroats on their ship, the Jedessa's Revenge. As this issue opens their ship is attacked by a bigger craft. Facing capture, Phondari agrees to release Dejah, who quickly using her golden wings joins the fight, but are out numbered and captured. Eventually we meet the captain of the bigger ship: Xen Brega, another pirate who has a history with Phondari. After revealing he has also capture Dejah's men from the Helium Pumping Station, he sends Dejah, Phondari and her crew to be prepared for dinner...

At this point I figure the best way to approach the Dejah Thoris series is the same way I approached the 1970s Marvel John Carter: Warlord of Mars series as a mixed success. Like that series, the strongest asset is the artwork, here done by Carlos Rafael that manages to catch the eye-and not just because it has scantly clad women (even though that doesn't hurt). The attack on the Jedessa's Revenge is well handled, and the ship design for Xen Brega's ship is pretty cool, if maybe a little too Star Wars.

On the flip side is the storyline. While the story so far doesn't reach the low points of say the Wingmen section of the "Master Assassin of Mars" run from the Marvel series, it still has some storytelling issues. Again the problem could be trying to review it on an issue by issue basis without knowing how the story will end, leaving the reader with an unfinished chunk. Part of it could also be the fact that since this is story takes place prior to John Carter's arrival we know that Dejah will make it through, robbing the reader of any potential suspense as to the outcome. It can be hard to get invested when we know that our hero won't face any real perils. That said Arvid Nelson's writing is sharp and at least manages to capture the pulpy tone well.

I'll end with the same recommendation from my review of the previous issue-give it a look at the store and if you seem interested go for it.

Taylor Kitsch Talks John Carter Audition

2011-10-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

I'll cut to the chase-MTV has posted some video clips from an interview with John Carter himself talking about his work in the upcoming film and other films. In this case you can watch his discussion about the audition process and how he prepared to land the role below (thanks to the Unofficial John Carter Movie site http://www.jcofmars.com/ for the original link. UPDATE: As mentioned in the comments, the video won't play for people outside the US. Sorry about that folks. Luckily MTV has posted a breakdown of what Kitsch says right here http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1672088/john-carter-taylor-kitsch.jhtml. Hope that helps.

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John Carter PR Event: Tharks and Props!

2011-10-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

As usual I'm running late with this news. The site Showbiz Cafe has posted up some pics from another press screening of footage from John Carter, this time around showing off costumes, weapons and space ships maquettes and even a life size Thark. Unfortunately no descriptions of the footage shown were allowed (thanks to the paranoids who run Disney) so we'll just have to make do with the pics. You can see the rest at http://showbizcafe.com/en/news/disneys-john-carter-exclusive-sneak-peak-look/2554

UPDATE: A few more pics, this time from the site Just Jared http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/10/04/taylor-kitsch-lynn-collins-john-carter-preview/ showing off maquettes of a baby Thark, a Great White Ape (which resembles the one shown for the upcoming John Carter: The World of Mars comic book) and Woola who has come down with a case of the Disney Cutes. So what do you guys think?

Comic Review: The Mighty Thor #6

2011-10-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

As usual no snappy opening.

When we last left off, the war between the Asgardians and Galactus has reached a stand still when both the big G and Odin fell to Earth, the latter slipping into the Odinsleep. As this issue opens the citizens of Broxton and the small Asgardian army led by Volstagg confront Galactus who refuses to show mercy. With Thor and the Silver Surfer racing towards Earth, Mjolnir is pulled from Thor's hands and into the hands of the Destroyer who is about to face off against Galactus when he retreats...Or so it seems. Actually the Worldheart Seed that both sides have been fighting over has been stolen by Loki, who has hid it inside the broken World Tree in order to stop the fighting. With both sides at a stand still, Odin agrees to peace but the final resolution rests with a simple human.

Having enjoyed the previous issues in this series, writer Mark Fraction ends "The Galactus Seed" storyline not with a big Marvel bang but rather in a more subtle and touching way. Focusing on the character of Pastor Mike and his own fears about protecting his flock, it adds a human touch to the cosmic action and shows what one man can do to save the world. Fraction also adds a touch to Loki and Thor's relationship and how even one noble act does not erase the past. My only disappointment was the lack of action for the Destroyer-I'm sure others would have enjoyed seeing a smack down between the Destroyer and Galactus.

Also making the issue a visual treat is the artwork by Olivier Coipel whose work has been tops in this series (it makes me wish he was doing the art for A Princess of Mars) as he captures the epic and the intimate details of the story. If you're looking for a good looking comic book this one tops my list.

I just hope the next storyline has been as entertaining as this one has. A final rating of "The Galactus Seed:" ***1/2 out of 4.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars #10

2011-10-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates in the last week. So I'll try to make up for it with some reviews in the next few days. First up, "The Heretic of Mars!"

As this issue opens, it's been some time since John Carter's mysterious disappearance when Dejah is attacked by an assassin at night. But she's rescue by both her son Carthoris and Tars Tarkas. Also arriving on the scene is the new Jeddak of Zodanga, Zat Arras, who Carthoris has already grown to dislike. But things take a turn when an amulet worn by the late keeper of the Atmosphere Factory is found among John Carter's possessions. An emergency meeting of the Jeddaks leads to suspicions that John was responsible for the caretaker's death. When a representative of the Holy Therns offers Dejah and Carthoris the sanctuary of the Temple of Issus until the killer is found, Carthoris plans his own investigation at the Factory. But before he leaves Tars Tarkas agrees to go with him, leaving Dejah and Sola at the Temple and possibly in more danger than before...

Planned as a three issue arc that to bridge the gap between A Princess of Mars and The Gods of Mars, this issue opens well with the attempt on Dejah's life, the introduction of both Carthoris-who has reached at least adolescence in Barsoomian fashion-and Zat Arras, as well as bring in the Therns into the storyline. Again writer Arvid Nelson shows he has done his homework by setting up plot threads from Burroughs-Zat Arras attempts to gain Dejah's favor for example-even though a brief mention that Matai Shang has "taken an interest in the Helium Princess" doesn't seem to fit the character's latter threat to hand her over to his generals or the First Born Thurid in The Warlord of Mars. Then again that plot could be more revealed in the next two issues. I'm sure there will be the die hard fans who will balk at the setup and the attempts to fill in the gaps and others might enjoy it.

As for the artwork, this issue sees the return of Stephen Sandowski to the interior art (and the cover art shown above) and he does a pretty good job of keeping the earlier designs but tweaking them. He's given Dejah a nice makeover, still retaining her beauty and manages to tone down the "Hulk" Tharks. Admittedly outside of the opening scene, there isn't much action so mostly Sandowski is drawing people standing around and there is some offbeat choices-the Temple of Issus looks like a Mayan temple for example-but he's still a good choice for this run.

So to wrap up this review, I guess we'll have to wait and see how it ties together. As I said some might enjoy this "what if" approach to the time between John Carter's departure and return and others might not. If you want a brief preview go here and you can see http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=9899.

Book Review: Tarzan and the Golden Lion

2011-09-25T10:38:00.003-07:00

A trained lion, secret treasure, a land ruled by ape creatures, an evil double and the hottest priestess Opar ever had adds up to another adventure for the Lord of the Jungle.

Returning to his home after rescuing his beloved Jane from the land of Pal-ul-Don (at the end of Tarzan the Terrible), Tarzan and his family find a lion cub that has just lost it's mother. Deciding to take pity on the cub, Tarzan adopts him and raises the lion-named Jad-bal-Ja as both a loyal pet and a fierce protector. After a few years through, the family finances have been strained due to rebuilding his African bungalow and helping the war effort and Tarzan decides it's time for another trip to Opar to get more gold. But another party has their sights on Opar as well. Headed by a former maid of the Greystokes-Flora Hawkes-the party has hired an actor named Esteban Miranda to impersonate Tarzan and help convince the natives to help them. But when the real Tarzan shows up they manage to knock him out thanks to some drugged coffee and leave him to be sacrificed to the Priests of Opar, now lead by Cadj. But La the High Priestess, still carrying a lust for Tarzan, helps him escape into a land known as the Palace of Diamonds where both discover it is ruled over by talking apes called the Bolgani. With no escape looking possible, Tarzan has to figure out a way to rescue La and return home. Jad-bal-Ja eventually shows up to help save the day but Tarzan's job isn't done yet as he still has to deal with the gold stealing Miranda and find a missing Jane before she makes a big mistake.

After reading and enjoying Tarzan's Quest, I decided to pick up another book in the series and give it a go. Published in 1922-23, Tarzan and the Golden Lion has the standard lost civilizations, backstabbing gold diggers, natives both noble-the Waziri and their leader Muviro-and savage, and the usual damsels in distress-in this case three of them. With all of this going on the narrative becomes overcrowded with the reader tossed between Tarzan and his attempts to escape the Palace of Diamonds, the distrust and betrayals of the greedy safari and in the latter sections Jane's confusion of Miranda for her husband and her capture by a native who has other plans for Lady Greystoke. Also underused is Jad-bal-Ja himself, who despite his build up is missing from most of the novel until he arrives in a deux ex machina moment to save Tarzan and La. The High Priestess also gets short service as she's more subdued in this entry-no attempts at seduction even though she still orders men around like the queen she is.

That being said, Tarzan and the Golden Lion does have its strengths. The novel may be a jumble of plots but Burroughs keeps it moving with a sure hand, compared to some of the later books where you could tell he was himself getting bored by his creation. Tarzan is also at his best here. In the latter books he was a carefree adventurer who had little care for others it seemed. Here he risks life and limb to find and rescue Jane and to restore La to her throne which shows how much he cares and wants to keep those human connections. Not to mention the fact that he can still kick a Bolgani's hairy butt and strike terror into the hearts of the bad guys-two conditions you want from a jungle hero. Plus the idea of Miranda almost becoming convinced he is Tarzan is a good spoof of Method actors taking their roles too far (even if the novel came before the Method style).

In the end this entry doesn't win points for originality but compared to what came later is still a fun read for Tarzan fans. Rating: *** out of 4.

"Lord of the Jungle" Returns to Comics

2011-09-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Another bit of comic book news for the day. In this case Dynamite Comics has announced a December release for the first issue of Lord of the Jungle, a new comic book take on Tarzan http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=34497. The series will be written by Arvid Nelson (already a Burroughs vet with Warlord of Mars and Dejah Thoris) and the artwork is being done by Roberto Castro (Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom) and will sell for a dollar starting out. With both John Carter and Tarzan on the comic book racks will Carson of Venus or Pellucidar be far behind? (Special thanks for the Blog in the Bowl http://thebloginthebowl.blogspot.com/ for the heads up.)

John Carter: The World of Mars Sneak Peek

2011-09-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

I'll cut to the chase: Marvel has posted artwork for the upcoming John Carter movie prequel comic book at http://marvel.com/images/gallery/story/16684/images_from_john_carter_world_of_mars. The Tharks look cool but I still can't stand those tattoos but that's not artist Luke Ross' fault. So take a peek and let me know what you think.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars #9

2011-09-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

Just as one adaptation begins another one concludes...

It's the big day for Sab Than and his reluctant bride. All of Zodanga has turned out but before they can exchange I do's, an uninvited John Carter objects and the Tharks turn out to be worse wedding crashers than Vince Vaughn. It's not too long before blood is spilled, swords clang and the reception is called off. Afterwards John and Dejah find happiness until the failure of the Atmosphere Plant threatens the entire planet of Barsoom and only John can save the day. But it may cost him more than he imagined...

At this point I have to admit I've almost run out of things to say about the series. Again this issue's strong point is the writing and the faithfulness that writer Arvid Nelson has shown towards the material. This issue he does make one change (BIG SPOILER: Kantos Kan Lives!) and adds to the epic air battle over Helium but these changes are welcome to help wrap up the storyline.

As for the art, I've admitted to my problems with Lui Antonio's artwork in previous reviews but now compared to the art for Marvel's John Carter-A Princess of Mars it's a step up. And with this issue's big action scenes he manages to sweep the reader along from panel to panel with ease. It's isn't the greatest John Carter comic book art (that honor goes to the original John Carter-Warlord of Mars series) but I've grown to like it over his run.

So I guess to wrap up, Dynamite has done a pretty good job adapting Edgar Rice Burroughs and I'm interested to see how they handle The Gods of Mars in the next few months after the three issue story arc that was announced at the end of this issue.

Comic Review: John Carter-A Princess of Mars #1

2011-09-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

So...How is it you ask? Let me preface this with two warnings: first the standard spoiler warning and second this isn't going to be pleasant.

I'll skip rehashing the plot since I figure most of you guys and gals who come on here have either read A Princess of Mars or have been reading the Warlord of Mars comic books. Let's just say it's got the basics-John Carter arrives on Barsoom, is captured by Tharks, learns their ways and as this issue ends meets the Princess of Helium.

Beyond keeping to the basics though, writer Roger Langridge makes some subtractions starting with skipping John's time on Earth, instead opening with him already a prisoner of the Tharks and having communication problems-in this case he can read the Tharks' minds which comes out fine but the Tharks can't understand him verbally. Langridge also eliminates Sarkoja and quickly runs through John's learning of the Thark language and customs before seeing them attack the Heliumite ships and capture Dejah Thoris. Now I don't have a problem with condensing the story to fit into a 5 issue series. But some of Langridge's dialogue borders on both head scratching (would Sola and any other Thark really know the term "economy") and while I'm not a history buff I doubt Civil War era soldiers would belt out the whole "name, rank, serial number" speech that John does in the opening. But the most groan worthy line: "Get your filthy paws off me you damn dirty lizards!" I guess this series will end with John Carter discovering he's been on Earth the entire time? Why he felt the need to reference a line that has been quoted and parodied to death is beyond me (and you have to wonder considering the series is being aimed at an "all ages" audience how many of the youngsters out there will even get the reference.)

But the writing isn't the major problem. Nope it's the art. I admit I haven't seen any of the comics that artist Felipe Andrade drew before but I can't say this makes me want to run out to see any of his other work. I know some have had issues with the bulky Hulk-like Tharks from the Dynamite series, but here they look terrible. Either sporting what looks like hair or headdresses and helmets they fail to instill any fear or a sense of alien awe. They instead look like refugees from Jabba the Hutt's palace. Sola even looks like she's wearing lipstick! I also didn't care for the look of Woola who is drawn as a green brute who resembles those demon dogs from the end of Ghostbusters (or worse those Hulk dogs from the Ang Lee movie). The backgrounds are also bland and dull and don't stick out at all. And the Heliumite ships? They're flying saucers, not the air ships that Burroughs described. John Carter himself looks OK, and Dejah Thoris looks nice in the last panel but that is a small reward compared to the rest. Now I understand that an artist has the right to create his or her own vision of a world but that still doesn't excuse mediocre work. Why with all the artists out there Marvel chose Andrade or he decided to go with this style I don't know. I'm sure somebody will like it. I just don't.

I've said before it's hard and unfair to judge how a series will turn out based on just one issue. And before someone jumps up and accuses me of favoritism, I'm not bashing this just because I've liked the Dynamite series. I was willing to give this a shot and sadly it failed to impress, especially in the artwork which is what usually makes or breaks a comic book series. If anything it comes across more as something that was tossed off with little care for the final product, just to make a buck. I hope I'm wrong and that it will improve with the next issue and the bugs will be ironed out. Until next time then...

Marvel's A Princess of Mars Preview

2011-09-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

I'll try to have a review up this weekend when I hit the comic book store but the site The Outhousers has posted a preview of Marvel's adaptation of A Princess of Mars http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/previews/marvel-previews/15639.html showing the two covers and some art from the comic. So far I can't say I'm impressed with either the covers or the artwork shown but I'll give it a try before I pass final judgment. So check out the preview and let me know what you guys think.

Thor Blu-Ray/DVD Preview

2011-09-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Yep tomorrow sees the release of probably the best film I saw all summer (tied with Rise of the Planet of the Apes) on Blu-Ray and DVD and Marvel has released a trailer showing off the film and the bonus features which seem to be the standard extras (deleted scenes, behind the scenes featurettes) and a sneak peak at next summer's Avengers film. Enjoy!

Book Review: Tarzan's Quest

2011-09-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I last reviewed an adventure of the Lord of the Apes. So let's return to the hidden tribes, deadly animals and lost babes that makes up the fantasy version of Africa.

Instead of opening in the darkest wilds though, Tarzan's Quest opens at a party being attended by Jane Porter Clayton (aka Lady Greystoke) where she runs into an old acquittance, Kitty Krause and her much younger husband, Prince Alexis Sburov. While making idle chitchat, Jane mentions that she is heading out to Africa to visit her husband when the Princess reveals her own plans to visit the continent in search of a rumored formula to preserve youth. Jane agrees to go with the couple but a raging storm forces them to crash in the middle of the jungle. As the group-including the pilot Brown, butler Tibbs and maid Annette-attempt to survive, Jane takes charge but the suspicious death of one of the group and Annette's disappearance threatens to destroy the small group.

Meanwhile, Tarzan is busy investigating the strange disappearances of women from local tribes, attributed to a legendary group of barbarians known as the Kavuru. Finding little help from the tribe of Bukena who fear reprisals, Tarzan is ready to give up when the daughter of Muviro, the chief of the Waziri tribe and Tarzan's friend has also vanished. Tarzan takes up the hunt. And as you can guess it isn't too long before both parties find the fabled village of the Kavuru: a group of white barbarians who have remained young through the decades thanks to a potion involving the glands and blood of women. Tarzan ultimately has to match wits with the tribe's leader Kavandavanda to save the women from the sacrifice...and Jane from the usual "fate worse than death."

By the time Tarzan's Quest was published in magazine form between 1935-36, Edgar Rice Burroughs's jungle hero had lapsed into a formulaic series of adventures that usually involved lost civilizations, clueless expeditions and Tarzan saving the day. But for this entry, Burroughs decided to bring back Jane-who had been last seen in Tarzan and the Ant Men over a decade earlier-and streamline the narrative, resulting in a fun, pulp adventure. What makes the book fun is the return of Lady Greystoke, who has evolved from damsel in distress into an independent, clever and quick thinking heroine. She quickly assumes command of the small party of survivors, makes her own weapons and even takes down a leopard who threatens to take dinner from her. In fact she probably gets more pages devoted to her than Tarzan does, to the point that Burroughs could have left out Tarzan and the book would have still worked. As for the rest of the characters, well it's pulp so they're caricatures-a snooty prince and his whiny wife, a clumsy comedy relief butler and superstitious natives-even though compared to the natives from before they at least are presented more intelligently and the Waziri are written as a noble, proud group. As for the Kavuru, the idea of a group of deathless, young warriors who use the glands and blood of women adds a vampire motif to their actions, giving them a little more bite than the usual lost tribes in the other books.

That's not to say there isn't the usual chuckles to be had. Little Nkima is present and while he doesn't take up too much time can still be annoying. We also get another case of men lusting after Jane, first the snidely Prince and then later both Kavandavanda and another Kavuru warrior named Ogdli. What makes it especially hysterical is that Kavandavanda delivers a big speech about how women taint men and they would cause the Kavuru tribe to fall, yet two chapters later is ready to jump all over Jane: "I'll keep you. I'll tame you...I'll start now!" Talk about breaking your vows.

Beyond that though, this might be the most fun I've had with a Tarzan book. The only disappointment was with the next entry, Tarzan and the Forbidden City, the worn out formula returned and Jane was gone for good. She deserved more time and even her own adventure. Rating: ***1/2 out of 4.

Comic Review: Dejah Thoris #6

2011-09-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

I know this week's been quiet on here. I guess chalk it up to lack of movie news and being busy. But now we return to the incomparable Princess of Helium's adventures as she goes up against the "Pirate Queen of Mars!"

Following the devastation left by the Colossus and the Jeddak of Yorn, Tardors Mors has been crowned Jeddak of both Greater and Lesser Helium and the people are attempting to rebuild their kingdom. But things seem to go from bad to worse when they discover that Helium's canals are drying up and attempts to communicate with the Southern Pumping Station have yielded no results. Dejah and a group of soldiers immediately fly off to investigate, unaware they have a stowaway on board. Once they arrive at the station in snowy regions of Barsoom, they find the station abandoned and a mysterious coin. Eventually they find the workers have been forced into a room and left to die with no reason given for the assault. Before Dejah can investigate a fire on her ship brings her out and she discovers the saboteur-a Moon Pirate who immediately knocks her out. When she awakes she finds herself captive of Phondari, the female pirate captain of the Jedessa's Revenge who has plans for the princess herself....

I don't know how those who weren't thrilled with the previous "Colossus of Mars" storyline will react to this one. But I have to admit at least this opening chapter has got my attention. This time the storyline by writer Arvid Nelson taps into one of the major themes of the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels-the dwindling resources of Barsoom and the struggle to survive. In fact Dejah's mission here is similar to the mission she was on in A Princess of Mars-to save her people and the planet. I also like the idea of introducing the Moon Pirates and helping build up the rumors of their existence that was mentioned in The Gods of Mars. Again it's hard to tell how this well turn out and judging a storyline on one issue can be perilous but so far so good.

The artwork on the other hand by Carlos Rafael is again a knockout-but there are some things that will cause some head scratching. First the good-Dejah (even though I would think she would be freezing in the southern pole just wearing her skimpy coverings) is again a stunner. But she might have some competition in that department from Phundari. On the flip side we don't get a good look at the Jedessa's Revenge and there isn't any big action sequences to grab the eye. Also-and I'm sure this will cause some questions-the Pirates aren't black. Instead they're colored almost a bluish gray. Now I don't know if these pirates are supposed to be a different species or color from the Black Pirates of Barsoom but I'm sure some will be wondering about the color choice. (Even though this isn't the first time they were blue-DC's Weird Worlds version also had them a Smurf blue.) I guess we'll see how the story goes.

So in the end it's a toss-up. If you didn't like the previous storyline I suggest you take a look at the first few pages before you buy to see if you like it. If you enjoyed the last arc, then it's a no-brainer-snap it up and have fun.

Comic Review: The Mighty Thor #1-5

2011-09-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

I should have started reviewing this back when it started but other things popped up. So better late than never.

As this series opens Asgard has fallen, the evil Loki has died and been reborn as a young child and Yggsdrasil-the World Tree-has been split following a devastating battle. As issue 1 "The Silence" opens the Asgardians have forged a fragile peace with the inhabitants of Broxton, Oklahoma where the World Tree was broken. But the Tree has gotten the notice of another god-like being,: Galactus the World Eater and his herald the Silver Surfer. While the Surfer flies toward Earth to investigate, Thor and the Lady Sif attempt to retrieve the "universal core" that the Tree grew from. However retrieving it Thor receives an injury that causes him to bleed a glowing light and causes him to express concern that the seed will cause more pain and suffering.

Issue 2 "Neighbors" opens with Thor and Sif training some recruits by pitting them against a "stone colossus." As they go through the training, Odin discovers that the seed is actually an egg and puts it into the protection of the Destroyer despite some concerns expressed by Heimdall. Meanwhile the town of Broxton gets a visitor in the form of the Surfer who immediately tells the townsfolk to run. Eventually he finds Odin and gets...well let's just say the Surfer doesn't take no for an answer...

As issue 3 "The Stranger" opens, Broxton's leading Pastor Mike has taken the Surfer's arrival as a sign that Christ is returning. And that the Asgardians have to go, which doesn't sit well with Volstagg who just wants breakfast. While Volstagg plans his own war, Thor and the Surfer duke it out until Odin steps in. Loki is also up to mischief, taking a lock of Sif's hair but gets caught. But that is forgotten as Asgard prepares for war with Galactus.

Or rather "To Duel Against Galactus" as issue 4 states. But first we pick up with Loki as he brings the lock of hair to three sisters who have plans of their own. After that we're off with the Asgaridans as the engage Galactus and Silver Surfer and Volstagg plans his own strategy. As the citizens of Broxton march, Thor and the Surfer crash land on Mars and the three sisters give Loki the gifts he wants...

And finally issue 5 "God of Carnage" finds Thor still hammering the Surfer (man that sounds dirty). But Odin-in his best Shatner impression has had "ENOUGH!" and injures Galactus, causing both of them to fall towards Earth. Meanwhile Pastor Mike and Volstagg have their face off-which ends with Mike asking to speak with someone else but that is put on hold as the impact of Galactus gets their attention and leads the pastor to believe that God has arrived. Also Loki has stolen the seed and jumps into the shooting beam of light which could save or destory Asgard. And we'll see how it wraps up next month.

Again sorry for the long winded breakdowns. But I figured this one way to get most of it out in one swoop. I have to admit it had been a while since I picked up Thor from the comic book store, but after seeing the movie decided to give the God of Thunder another try and so far have found this series interesting. Writer Mark Fraction has conceived an interesting story, pitting the gods of Asgard against a god-like being, showing off both sides' arrogance and their single minded determination to survive. It parallels hysterically with Volstagg's War-and how even the simple people of a Oklahoman town can't take him seriously-and the concerns and faith of the people of Broxton-to the point they are willing to go to war based on their beliefs which the Asgardians are doing as well.

Also making the series work is the artwork of Olivier Coipel, who captures the Asgaridans in an eye catching style. The characters come to life vividly, even the humans while he portrays the galactic battle scenes with a sure hand. It may not top Walt Simonson's run on the character but it manages to appease this old school fan. And he draws a sexy Sif-yes even in battle armor.

So if you haven't been reading this series, pick it up. I think old and new Thor fans will enjoy it.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom #2

2011-09-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

As you can now tell I don't have a snappy opening. So let's just jump in shall we?

After rescuing an unconscious red woman from a savage group of green men, scientist Tak Nan Lee heads to the Atmosphere Plant and again attempts to bring it on line. But a failure to infuse electricity to the Ninth Ray which leads to an unstable reaction causes him to shut it down. He also gets a less than friendly welcome from Anouk, the woman he rescued who reveals she is now tribeless and was a captive of the red men. While that is going on the Orovar army attempts to halt a band of green men at the city of Thark, leading to a full scale battle that threatens not only to obliterate the city but possibly the Orovar capital of Horz. But the Orovar King might be hiding something that could change everything...

Picking up after the excellent first issue, writer Robert Place Napton keeps the story going at a good pace while working in subtle homages to the novels-a discussion about using telepathy to open the doors of the Plant for example-that fans I think will appreciate. But the real draw is the artwork by Roberto Castro who stages the battle scenes with an energy that some of the previous John Carter/Barsoom comics have lacked. And he draws a mean looking Green Man who you would not want to meet and a pretty sexy Red Woman as well. There is still some artistic things that I'm having trouble with-the Orovar military and the king would look at home in Asgard-but these are minor quibbles.

So if you haven't picked this one up, do so and I'll think you'll enjoy it. I just wonder if Marvel's prequel series will be just as good?

Edgar Rice Burroughs Stamp

2011-09-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

With today being his 136th birthday, here's something cool: The US Postal Service will be issuing a stamp celebrating Edgar Rice Burroughs, set for release next year as part of the 100th anniversary of the birth of both John Carter of Mars and Tarzan. You can read more info about the stamp at http://www.erbzine.com/mag36/3611.html

World of Mars #2: Thoats and Apes!

2011-08-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

I'll cut to the chase-Marvel has released the cover for the second issue of their movie prequel series John Carter: World of Mars and as you can tell it gives us a first view of what the white apes and the Thoats of Barsoom will possibly look like in the movie. So what do you guys think?

John Carter: Empire's "Heroes of 2012" article

2011-08-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

As some might remember a month or so back Empire Magazine announced they would have an article on John Carter of Mars for their September issue as part of their "Heroes of 2012." Well the article hasn't shown up online but I did get a copy today of the magazine. First there was no new pics included, just the concept art and some images from the film's trailer. As for the article here's the high points (and there are some spoilers):

Director Andrew Stanton talks about the name change to just John Carter, which sounds more like PR concerns were the key: "I had no problem at all focusing on who this character is and letting the 'Mars' part be earned during the story and any subsequent films. You can call something anything once people like it."

Stanton on casting Taylor Kitsch as John Carter: "The thing about Taylor is he does damaged goods really well. He's really good with broken characters. And he did an amazing job of making you think there were other CG characters actually there. He's really athletic, so he's got great muscle memory and can act with something that's no there."

The article confirms that Stanton and co-writers Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon has rewritten John's back story and have eliminated the "immortal" aspects of the character. Stanton also mentions that he has toned down (as the writer of the piece puts it) "the crazier plot elements" of Edgar Rice Burroughs's novel to work better as a three act structure. Also Matai Shang (Mark Strong) is described as the "sinister" advisor to Sab Than (Dominic West) and the Zodangans.

Stanton on shooting in Utah: "You can drive about an hour in any different direction and it's completely different geography, the options were endless."

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist Covers

2011-08-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

A week after it was first announced, Dynamite has released four more covers by Alex Ross, Paul Renaud, Wagner Reis and Francisco Francavilla for their upcoming Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist series via Bleeding Cool http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/08/25/flash-gordon-vs-ming-and-hitler-all-for-a-dollar/. The first issue will also be sold for a dollar and based on two of the covers it looks like Flash will be be squaring off against both Ming...and Hitler!

John Carter Sequel and Reshoot News

2011-08-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Still more news from D23. First up MTV has posted their own chat with Taylor Kitsch and director Andrew Stanton at http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/08/24/john-carter-sequel-taylor-kitsch/ where they talk about the film and plans for upcoming sequels, even though both comment they are taking a wait and see approach: "I don't know," Stanton said with sincerity. "We'll just hope there is one right now." "One at a time," Kitsch said with a smile. Also the site About.com has posted up an interview with Lynn Collins where she also talks about the sequels http://movies.about.com/od/johncarterofmars/l/bl-lynn-collins-john-carter.htm: "Hopefully you'll see her (Dejah Thoris) in two more." UPDATE: More news. This time from Collider who interviewed Ms. Collins about the film http://collider.com/lynn-collins-john-carter-reshoots-interview/111293/. In this case she mentions the recent reshoots and that Stanton has decided to pull back on the "warrior princess" version of the character with Collins admitting that they did "take out some of the punches. There were a lot of punches.” Now can they get rid of the tattoos?

First Look at "Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist"

2011-08-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'll just cut to the important stuff. The site Bleeding Cool has released a cover and some information on Dynamite Comics' upcoming take on Alex Raymond's space hero http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/08/19/alex-ross-on-flash-gordon-kirby-genesis-silver-star-and-a-whole-book-of-covers/. The series, written by Eric Trautmann with art by Daniel Lindro, will hit stores on November 23 (according to Comiclist http://www.comiclist.com/index.php/lists/dynamite-entertainment-extended-forecast-for-08-24-2011) with cover art by Alex Ross and a 1 in 10 cover by Francesco Francavilla (shown above). As for the plot:

"The year is 1934, a time of two-fisted swashbuckling, of fearsome threats and wild adventure-and of ever-growing threats on the horizon.
Three valiant humans — Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov — are plucked from the Earth, traveling to the distant planet Mongo. Their exploits are legendary, battling the machinations and terror schemes of the dreaded emperor Ming, the All-Seeing Ruler of Mongo. But they did not fight alone…"

Thanks to El Blog en el Cuenco http://thebloginthebowl.blogspot.com/ for catching this.

John Carter of D23: The Day After

2011-08-21T04:30:00.000-07:00

Yep more articles on the presentation, in this case from Quint at Aint It Cool News http://www.aintitcool.com/node/50906 and Entertainment Weekly http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/08/21/disney-d23-john-carter-taylor-kitsch/. In this case both writers reveal that 4 scenes were shown (some sites like Ramascreen only said three). Their consensus: Neither writer seemed sold on Lynn Collins, with EW stating they thought her and Taylor Kitsch had no chemistry in the scene shown (even though they were willing to give it a benefit of the doubt) and that Woola will probably win over the audience. EW gave thumbs up to Dafoe as Tars Tarkas even with the unfinished CGI while Quint mentioned he's concerned about the "realistic" approach Andrew Stanton is taking with the film and fears it might be sacrificing the fun pulp feel of the novels. The EW writer also compared an arena action scene with a great white ape to the arena sequence in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. I just want to know how Lynn got away wearing that dress at Disneyland.

UPDATE 1: Another review of the footage shown, this time from Bad Ass Digest http://www.badassdigest.com/2011/08/20/d23-expo-report-john-carter-of-blahs. As you can tell the guy wasn't impressed, in particular with Kitsch. I'll try to keep the reviews coming as the day goes on.

UPDATE 2: Two more opposing viewpoints. First up is the Hollywood Reporter's Heatvision blog http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/avengers-john-carter-brave-5-225658 which gave the clips an enthusiastic notice, commenting "The clips showcased elements of drama, romance, action and cute humor, positioning the movie as a modern-day Star Wars, if it works. (Which would be ironic, since John Carter books were a Star Wars inspiration.)" On the flip side the Playlist found the footage "lukewarm," in particular the scene between John Carter and Dejah Thoris and the arena sequence http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/d23_john_carter_timothy_green_receive_lukewarm_response_oz_and_frankenweeni/.

UPDATE 3: The last of the reviews I'll be posting here. The first comes from Collider http://collider.com/d23-recap-the-muppets-john-carter-oz-the-avengers/110675/. Most of it is a general rundown of the footage shown but like other reviewers comment on the film's tone: "On the one hand – everybody in the film seems to be playing to that somber melancholy beat, on the other – it’s still just a guy fighting and jumping over giant CGI monsters." The second is another review from AICN, this time from "Mr. Beaks" http://www.aintitcool.com/node/50924 and like Quint expresses concern over the look, tone and casting: "From the drab color palette to the familiar looking set pieces, JOHN CARTER looks completely joyless...Plop two flavorless leads in the middle of this dull, dusty universe, and you've got one seriously torpid tentpole." He does add that he hopes the film plays better as a whole than the chunks shown.

John Carter: D23 Is On!

2011-08-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Yep right about this time the Walt Disney Studios presentation is going on at their D23 Expo. I have no idea in which order John Carter of Mars will be shown (they're also previewing The Avengers, the new Muppets movie and Pixar's Brave) so we'll have to wait and see. Just don't hold you breath for any photos or videos as according to the Twitter feed on the Unofficial John Carter Movie website (http://www.jcofmars.com/) cameras, cell phones and recording devices are forbidden. I'll update as soon as the first articles and any pics show up. UPDATE: Well our first pic courtesy of Walt Disney World Daily News http://wdwdailynews.com/d23/photo-of-taylor-kitsch-at-d23-expo/ showing off Taylor Kitsch minus some hair.

UPDATE 2: Courtesy of http://twitter.com/JohnCarter is a rather blurry pic of director Andrew Stanton onstage along with two pieces of art showing off John Carter and Dejah Thoris.

UPDATE 3: Some brief comments again courtesy of Twitter:
-Taylor Kitsch on Woola: "If you can picture a lizard dog with 10 legs and rows of teeth … you won’t meet a more loyal friend."
-Willem Dafoe on playing Tars Tarkas: "In order to get the correct size, I had to perform on three foot tall stilts, which was pretty tricky on the desert terrain."
-Lynn Collins on John Carter: "When she sees Carter and his superhuman abilities, she views him as a potential savior for the entire planet."

UPDATE 4: Well here's the last update from D23. A couple of sites have posted run downs on the footage screened and you can get two differing accounts here http://m.io9.com/5832921/new-john-carter-footage-shows-off-martian-super+leaping-and-gigantic-lovable-lizard+dogs and here http://www.ramascreen.com/john-carters-3-clips-shown-at-d23-expo-2011-werent-impressive. Three scenes, including a look at Woola were shown, along with the trailer. Coming Soon also snapped a pic of the cast and Andrew Stanton. I guess they forgot to get any snaps from the footage or the no recording rule was in effect.

UPDATE 5: Well I guess I wasn't done. A site called ORTC has posted some red carpet interview clips with the cast and Stanton. You can watch the Kitsch/Stanton clip below and watch Dafoe's at http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/video?id=8318001 (There is an interview with Collins but for some reason I keep getting an error message. I'll check back later to see if it starts working.)

Conan The Barbarian Arrives!

2011-08-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Yep the return of the Cimmerian on the big screen happens this weekend. I'll try to see it and get a review up soon. To tide you over the site Yell Magazine has posted a list celebrating the Top 10 Barbarian movies http://www.yellmagazine.com/top-10-barbarian-movies/18140/ that'll take you back to the era of swords, sorcery and scantly clad women. Also a video treat that shows off another heroic Conan... UPDATE: Sadly Conan only slayed his enemies on the big screen. Several sites are reporting a disappointing gross of $10 million for the weekend, meaning it came in fourth at the box office. I don't guess we'll be getting a sequel anytime soon.

Warlord of Mars #14 Preview

2011-08-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

I'll bet you won't be seeing anyone dressed like this in the movie. MTV has posted up a sneak preview of issue 14 of Dynamite's Warlord of Mars series http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/08/16/dynamite-first-look-warlord-of-mars-14/, so I'm guessing it will be going on past the originally announced 12 issue run and begin adapting The Gods of Mars, based on the plot description: "John Carter learns the shocking truth about the therns, the mysterious sect of priests who control the worship of Issus, the goddess of all Mars. He and Tars Tarkas, the greatest warrior of the green Martians, will have to battle their way through the hellish labyrinth of the therns' temples before they can tell anyone about their discovery. Fortunately for them, they'll have the help of Thuvia, Princess of Ptarth. But even if they free themselves from the temples, they'll have another, even more deadly threat to contend with: an ancient terror from Mars's larger moon..."

John Carter Footage Shown

2011-08-14T08:53:00.001-07:00

A little Sunday morning news then. First up from England, visitors of the "Empire Presents... Big Screen" movie festival were shown two scenes from John Carter of Mars and Empire's web site has a run down of what was shown http://www.empireonline.com/news/feed.asp?NID=31774. The footage according to the article was the same footage shown over a month ago at the "Edit Bay" presentation. I wonder if this footage will be shown at next weekend's D23 Expo as well? I guess we'll find out.

Also it looks like John Carter might have shot a masked man in the back with a silver bullet. As has been widely reported Disney has pulled the plug on their big screen version of The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp as Tonto due to budget concerns. Deadline Hollywood first reported this, claiming the budgets of both John Carter and Sam Raimi's Oz: The Great and Powerful were responsible for the cancellation. Interestingly (and several sites are still reporting this) the article suggested that John Carter's budget alone had reached a whopping $300 million thanks to "extensive reshoots." The current version posted http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/shocker-disney-scraps-johnny-depps-lone-ranger/ now lists $250 million. Those tattoos must have cost a lot!

John Carter "Style B" Poster

2011-08-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

The site Movie Poster Shop has up for sale a new poster for John Carter of Mars and as you can tell...it's the same poster, except for it being darker and a new tagline "Find Your Destination." Either it's a movie poster or an ad for a travel agency. You can check out the poster and various foreign variations at http://www.moviepostershop.com/john-carter-movie-poster-2012/ (Credit to http://barsoomia.org/ for discovering this.)

John Carter D23 Expo News

2011-08-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Where to go after Mars? How about Disneyland! A day after the IMAX announcement, Disney has confirmed that John Carter of Mars will be previewed at their upcoming D23 Expo in Anaheim on August 20 according to the press release on Coming Soon http://www.comingsoon.net/news/d23exponews.php?id=80879. Stars Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins and Willem Dafoe are slated to appear, along with director Andrew Stanton and co-writer Mark Andrews (even though the release only lists both of them as part of a 25th anniversary Pixar panel) and composer Michael Giacchino. The entire shindig runs from August 19-21 so we'll see if anything new leaks out.

John Carter of Mars Goes IMAX

2011-08-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

This probably falls into the "no surprise" catergory. Disney and IMAX has announced that John Carter of Mars will be released on those big IMAX 3D screens the same day the film will be hitting regular screens on March 9, 2012. Here's the full press release courtesy of Coming Soon http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=80838:

"IMAX Corporation and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures today announced that the action-adventure film John Carter, from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton, will be released to IMAX theatres simultaneously with the film's worldwide release on March 9, 2012. John Carter is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs and stars Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe and Lynn Collins.

John Carter, set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars), tells the story of war-weary former military captain John Carter. He is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions among the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas, and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris. In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

"Audiences will immediately feel transported in the epic adventure of 'John Carter,'" said Dave Hollis, Executive Vice President, Theatrical Exhibition Sales and Distribution, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. "Andrew Stanton has envisioned this vast landscape in a way that's not been seen before, and we're thrilled to be able to offer our viewers this film in the immersive IMAX 3D format."

"'John Carter' is a great addition to our 2012 film slate and is sure to resonate with our key demographic," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "We are pleased to work, once again, with the talented teams at Disney to bring audiences worldwide this groundbreaking film in IMAX 3D."

The IMAX release of John Carter will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology."

Comic Review: Dejah Thoris #5

2011-08-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

Let's just skip to the review, shall we?

With the forces of Greater and Lesser Helium making a last ditch effort to stop the Jeddak of Yorn and the Colossus, Dejah and Valian Dor sneak in and prepare their assault. But a traitor in their midst causes Valian to be attacked and wounded and the fleet ambushed. But that doesn't stop our princess as she takes to the air and thanks to Valian's device that causes a disturbance in the Colossus Dejah moves in for the kill but not without great loss...

For this final issue in "The Colossus of Mars" storyline we get air battles and sword fights aplenty. In other words what fans have wanted from the get go. The issue also sets up some possible future story lines, brings in a future nemesis for Helium (let's just say if you know the books you'll get the reference) and has a touching ending. In all this might be the best issue so far of this series. Let's also not forget the artwork from Carlos Rafael that portrays the action and all of the set pieces with a sure hand.

I know this is a real brief review but compared to the previous issues I don't have that much to complain about-except for more blitzing Dejah but I guess I'll have to live with it since this now has become the norm (even though at least a comic book version is easier to buy than Lynn Collins. Sorry folks.) As for the entire story arc well I'll give it a **** rating for the art and a **1/2 for the storyline. Hopefully the next announced arc "Pirate Queen of Mars" will be better.

Comic Retro View: Creatures on the Loose! #16

2011-08-05T06:15:00.000-07:00

With pretty much all of the previous John Carter comics reviewed, on occasion I'll turn the spotlight on other similar comics. So get ready for "Gullivar Jones...Warrior of Mars!"

As our story opens former military man Gullivar Jones is leaving the Officers' Club when suddenly a man appears before him floating in the air. The man-named Lu Pov-has come to Earth to "summon" Gullivar to the planet Mars. But when Lu Pov collapses he gives Gullivar an amulet which immediately sends our hero on his quest. Once on Mars, instead of a barren world, he finds a great city and a beautiful princess Heru. Unfortunately she's just been given as a tribute to a race of lizard like creatures who serve Ar-Hap but Gullivar saves her. He also discovers new strength and agility while fighting them off-always handy on a distant planet. After rescuing her, the two get to know each other but just as things take a turn for the romantic, wingmen serving Ar-Hap kidnap Heru. Can our hero save her? I guess we'll find out in the next issue...

Previously started under the title Tower of Shadows, Creatures on the Loose! was an anthology book published by Marvel Comics, mostly filled with reprints of older monster stories. With this issue the company decided to add an original feature and-looking for something along the lines of their hit Conan the Barbarian comics-decided to give Edwin Arnold's Lt. Gullivar Jones a try. Written by Roy Thomas, the 10 issue story is a very loose adaptation which adds more swashbuckling and creatures to the mix to spice up the action. Gone is Arnold's humor-even though some in jokey references to Flash Gordon might get a chuckle. Thomas instead adds action-which was the hallmark of his Conan work-and it carries the reader through to the cliffhanger ending.

Probably the most interesting change made is how much Gullivar ends up resembling another Martian adventurer-John Carter. While many Edgar Rice Burroughs fans and scholars have debated the influence of Arnold's novel on Burroughs' work, Thomas here takes some ideas from Burroughs-especially giving Gullivar both super strength and the ability to jump higher. The wingmen are also Burroughs-inspired, in this case the Klobargen from the Carson of Venus series. Also interesting to note is that this issue carries a March 1972 publication date, meaning it hit the racks a good month before DC's first Tarzan comic (issue 207) which featured their first John Carter story. How's that for a coincidence?

But the real reason to seek out this issue if nothing else is the artwork. Drawn by the legendary Gil Kane, the comic is a four color spectacle-from the bright red lizard men to the beautiful-even if she is green-Heru, to capturing the action Kane gives the story the visual kick it needs. Kane later worked on Marvel's John Carter, Warlord of Mars series and this serves as a good warm-up for that series as he shows the same style and approach to both series.

In closing I'll give this first chapter a thumbs up. I wish someone would collect the entire "Warrior of Mars" arc though in a trade paperback (and while they're at it collect Michael Kaluta's Carson of Venus series from DC as well). Maybe in the future someone will.

John Carter of Mars Trailer Pics

2011-08-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

While we wait for Disney to release "official" pictures from the movie, both ERBZine and the site The Film Stage has posted galleries of images pulled from the trailer and posted them at http://www.cartermovie.com/photos/atrail01.html, http://www.cartermovie.com/photos/atrail02.html and http://thefilmstage.com/2011/07/14/50-high-resolution-images-from-john-carter/. Take a peek and start your own "Is Dejah white?" debate!

In addition the Mouse House has been using the Huffington Post to help promote John Carter of Mars with various posts on the site. The most recent one? "14 Incredible Worlds You Would Want to Visit!" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/01/14-incredible-fictional-worlds_n_909229.html#s315894&title=Barsoom?cmp=wdsmp_johncarter_4D_huffingtonpost Sadly Olivia Wilde World didn't make the cut. Still have a good chuckle at the other choices and have a good day.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars-Fall of Barsoom #1

2011-07-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

Another week, another trip to Mars. This time before John Carter even arrived.

After a brief intro, showing John in battle in the fallen city of Horz, we flash back 100,000 years when the city was capital of the Orovar Empire. But like most empires they've fallen on hard times-in this case their atmosphere and great oceans are evaporating due to the increase of the Red and Green Men on Barsoom. A scientist, Tak Nan Lee, has been commissioned by the Orovar Jeddak Xan Mu Xar to build an plant that helps the atmosphere but Tak is beginning to worry that they may be losing time, especially after the Jeddak breaks the alliance with the Okarans and the First Born. While that is going on in the city of Thark, Orovar general Van Tun Bor and his troops are fighting for survival against green men who have laid siege. And Tak risks his own life to save some red men from the green savages and meets someone who might change his future...

After Dynamite's two previous series, I was curious how this one was going to play out. Deciding to set the story long before John Carter or even Dejah Thoris were on Barsoom actually allows for more breathing room for writer Robert Place Napton to explore Barsoom's past and show the divisions that ultimately result in the savage planet John Carter finds centuries later. I did like that we meet the creator of the Atmosphere Plant and see the Orovars at the height of their power as well as the separate storyline following General Van Tun Bor, even if he only gets a few pages. I hope he shows up in a more expanded role. I admit that like most first issues it's hard to tell where the story is going but so far I'm intrigued.

Artwise, artist Roberto Castro does bring a pre-fall Horz to vivid life, even though I'm sure some will wonder about the futuristic design of it and the vehicles. Let's just say in some panels I was flashing back to Coruscant in the Star Wars prequels. Also offbeat is the way the characters are drawn or dressed-the First Born are towering 7 foot men, the Orovar leader and his men are dressed like the Asgardians from Thor while Tak Nan Lee is drawn in normal looking clothes. The red men though sport the usual future Barsoom ensemble, a nice touch. In all Castro does a good job, even without the scantly clad babes (well until the end).

So to close up I'll give a thumbs up for this issue and hope the next issue delivers just as strongly.

Fire and Ice Concept Art

2011-07-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Some of you might remember over a year ago it was announced that director Robert Rodriguez was planning a live-action remake of Fire and Ice, the Ralph Bakshi/Frank Frazetta animated fantasy film (if not here's a previous post on it http://jcomreader.blogspot.com/2010/05/remake-of-day-fire-and-ice.html). At that point I'm sure many-myself included-wrote it off as another one of the 1000 Rodriguez projects that never went anywhere, lapsed into limbo (Sin City 2 anyone) or moved on without him (John Carter of Mars and Conan the Barbarian for example). But this time it appears Rodriguez will keep his word as Entertainment Weekly has posted three pieces of concept art for the film, which the director is promising will begin filming in early 2012. You can see the other pieces and the full article at http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/07/26/exclusive-images-robert-rodriguezs-sexy-concept-art-for-fire-and-ice/

A brief update: I decided to add the theatrical trailer for the original film below. Enjoy.

Empire's John Carter Preview

2011-07-26T11:08:00.001-07:00

I'll just cut to the chase. Empire magazine has released a preview of their next issue which will include an article on John Carter of Mars as part of their "Heroes of 2012" special http://www.empireonline.com/magazine As you can tell currently only a low resolution pic of the preview has been released but it looks like the pics are the already released concept art of Helium and two shots from the trailer. I'll try to post a high resolution version in the future.

Comic Review: Warlord of Mars #8

2011-07-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

As usual no snappy opening so let's just jump in.

When we last left off, John Carter had disguised himself with red paint and had gotten himself appointed as guard to the Jeddak of Zodanga Than Kosis. But when he discovered Dejah Thoris there declaring her affections for the prince Sab Than...well let's just say hell hath no fury like a guy with a big sword. After mowing down a few guards he finds Dejah and after discovering she thought he was dead again lays his heart on the line and asks for her hand in marriage. But those darn Barsoomian customs get in the way as she has promised her hand to Sab Than and that she can not be with John if he kills him. But again not taking no for an answer John vows to smash Zodanga's assault on Helium and escapes. Eventually he finds Tars Tarkas and some Tharks under siege by the vicious Warhoons where John reveals the truth about Tars' daughter and the one who betrayed his true love, leading to a final showdown with Tal Hajus to decide the rule of the Tharks...and the fate of Dejah.

As you can tell we're heading towards the climax of the series' adaptation of A Princess of Mars and the story is picking up. The action scenes here are well drawn, showing John in action and making short work of the Zodangan guards and the fight between the Tharks and the Warhoons. And of course there is the incomparable Dejah still looking pretty attractive. There is still some things in the artwork I'm not fond of-Hajus the Hutt for example. Also the final fight between Tars and Tal Hajus gets short shrift, which I guess happens when one is drawn as a fat Thark with little mobility.

Where I do have to give this series a solid A plus rating is in the writing. If anything Arvid Nelson has at least kept the series faithful to Edgar Rice Burroughs, more so than the previous comic book versions and I'm sure probably a lot more than Marvel's upcoming series (I wonder if the horny Amazons, Wingmen and walking skeletons will be back). That faithfulness in comics is a rarity and is appreciated by this fan.

And again some cool covers by Joe Jusko (shown above), Lucio Parrillo and Stephen Sadowski helps seal the deal. At least none of them have the most beautiful woman of two worlds covered with tattoos.

John Carter Anthology Gets New Title + Cover

2011-07-22T08:57:00.001-07:00

Some might remember a new anthology book was announced under the title The New Adventures of John Carter of Mars a few months back (if not here's the press release http://jcomreader.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-adventures-of-john-carter-set-for.html). Well it looks like the book has undergone a name change. Amazon is now listing it as Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom http://www.amazon.com/Under-Moons-Mars-Adventures-Barsoom/dp/1442420294/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311348970&sr=8-1. Some other bits of info was also revealed: it will be around 256 pages long and is not endorsed or has the involvement of Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc-which I suspect is the real reason for the name change. Fans will remember that originally the book that was later published as A Princess of Mars was also first published in serialized form as Under the Moons of Mars so the title change at least is a nice homage. The book will still be released on February 7, 2012 so plan accordingly. UPDATE: As you can tell the cover for the book has been released courtesy of editor John Joseph Adams' web site http://www.johnjosephadams.com/2011/07/under-the-moons-of-mars-new-adventures-on-barsoom-2/ He also has a complete list of the book's contents so please head over there to get the full info.

Marvel's John Carter: World of Mars

2011-07-18T13:41:00.000-07:00

Continuing it's exploitation of Marvel Comics as a promotional tool, Disney and Marvel has announced John Carter: World of Mars, a new prequel comic book series set to hit stores this October according to Comic Book Resources http://www.comicbookresources.com/prev_img.php?disp=img&pid=1311006581. So for those playing at home this will be the 5th Barsoom comic book series on shelves with Marvel's previously announced John Carter: A Princess of Mars and Dynamite Comics' three series, Warlord of Mars, Dejah Thoris and their own prequel Fall of Barsoom.The team working on this series is writer Peter David and artist Luke Ross, who previously worked on Marvel's comic book version of Stephen King's The Dark Tower and both are working with Disney and director Andrew Stanton to make the comic fit the upcoming film, even though David confirmed some elements from the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels will be included. I just wonder if they'll explain Dejah's hideous tattoos.

John Carter of Mars Trailer!!!

2011-07-14T12:04:00.001-07:00

Yes I know I'm late but here it is, your first glimpse. Some of it looks great, some of it looks like it needs work and please dump that song. Otherwise take a view and let me know what you guys think.

UPDATE JULY 16: I decided to add a few more pics from the trailer. As for my thoughts on it there are definitely things I'm not pleased with-Dejah Thors in general (I hate those tattoos), that light up device which some has speculated is a key to open the Atmosphere Factory (either that or she's opening the Bifrost Bridge), the look of Barsoom as a dusty planet that is too close to Utah and that song but there was some good stuff as well-John Carter "sakking," the airships and the touching shot of John sketching Dejah in one of his journals. If I was pushed I would say this might be a good movie but probably not a good adaptation of A Princess of Mars. And yeah the Thark needs work!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Trailer

2011-07-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

Elementary my dear readers. I guess wanting to get the jump on the other trailers, Warner Bros. has released our first look at Holmes and Watson's new adventure online and here it is. Among the sights: actor Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty, former Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Noomi Rapace, more action and...well just watch it and you'll see.

John Carter of Mars: Press Day Preview

2011-07-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

I guess Disney must have overcome their paranoia. Several sites, including Collider and Aint It Cool News are posting reports from an "edit bay visit" that was arranged to preview footage and other material from John Carter of Mars. The visit actually turned out to be two day affair, with the first day devoted to showing footage from the film and the upcoming teaser trailer, while the second was a set down table talk with director Andrew Stanton, shown above with our first glimpse of the Tharks. I decided to go with AICN's report http://www.aintitcool.com/node/50322. Here's what they said and be warned there are spoilers so avoid if you want to preserve the suspense:

-Three scenes and a snippet of one were shown, in some cases with unfinished effects. The first was John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) and his arrival on Barsoom and his first meeting with Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) at the Thark hatchery. The second was a brief scene between John and Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) after her capture by the Zodangans and the third was an arena scene where John and Tars have to fight off White Apes. The brief snippet showed Sola (Samantha Morton) talking with Dejah.

-Dejah and the humanoid Martians are not red skin, but rather have "red tribal tattoos." I can hear the complaints now.

-Also John Carter does not arrive on Barsoom naked.

-The Zodangan battle ships are described as similiar to the Galactic Empire's ships from Star Wars.

-Woola is in it with "great white shark" teeth.

-The film is being post-convered into 3D.

-The trailer will feature a Peter Gabriel cover of an Arcade Fire song. Can't we get something from Disney without pop songs?

-Some personal revelations: Stanton first discovered John Carter through the Marvel Comics series (which should explain a lot) and that he and co-writers Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon both took turns drawing Tharks in their youth.

-The film is planned as a trilogy and Stanton is currently planning the second film, if the first one succeeds.

UPDATE: The film's trailer will premiere online this Thursday July 14.

Finally Collider released a "video blog post" that features most of the reporters talking about what they saw. You can watch it below

JOHN CARTER Video Blog from ColliderVideos on Vimeo.

John Carter of Mars: The Airships of Barsoom

2011-07-07T12:33:00.000-07:00

Last time we took a look at the various concepts of Helium that artists have done for the movies. Now we take a look at the various ships of Barsoom. And we kick off with the pic above, a spectacular piece by Ryan Church which I believe was done for the Paramount John Carter of Mars. Not only unique in design we get Tharks in action.

Another airship from the Paramount area is the pic below, drawn by Phil Saunders. In this case we get a one man flier soaring out of Zodanga which captures the pulpy feel of the stories quite nicely:

Next up is the current airship artwork released from Andrew Stanton's film. Probably the thing that has caused the most confusion here was the "tentacles" or "legs" that are on the sides. A closer look seems to show them as possibly cables to secure the ship to the ground or possibly to help get people on and off easier.

Next up is another sketch from the 1970s Amicus movie. In this case it looks like we have some sort of air current device attached to help get the ship off the ground which makes it look like a giant balloon or blimp. An offbeat design choice I would say.

And finally we have well not a piece of artwork but an actual Martian ship. In this case the air ship from the Asylum movie version of Princess of Mars (the pic comes courtesy of http://www.tarstarkas.net). Not the most original design of the bunch-in fact more than a few people said it was too close to Jabba's Sail Barge from Return of the Jedi but given the low budget still quite good all things considered.

So there we go. Maybe with the release of more concept artwork from Disney we'll do another look in the future.