Warlord of Mars Dejah Thoris #7
Written by Arvid Nelson
Art by Carlos Rafael
Colors by Carlos Lopez
Letters by Marshall Dillion
Covers by Joe Jusko, Ale Garza, Paul Renaud
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: October 5th, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

This is why we’re all lucky that comics are still being published. This story would NOT work in film, television, books, or any other kind of medium. But, it totally works in comic book form.

Arvid Nelson knows how to write a fun, exciting, suspenseful story specifically for the comic book art form. It’s action from first page to last, always moving, and cliffhangers abound in this issue. Hey, what’s not to love about scantily clad woman bouncing (and I do mean bouncing) around fighting, in chains and causing all sorts of mayhem? This is a genuinely fun, well-crafted action story with a GREAT last page shocker.

Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris #6
Based on the writings by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Written by Arvid Nelson
Art by Carlos Rafael
Colors by Carlos Lopez
Letters by Marshall Dillon
Covers by Joe Jusko, Paul Renaud, Alé Garza
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: September 8, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris #6 is the beginning of a five-part arc called “Pirate Queen of Mars.” The start of the comic has Dejah Thoris walking through the streets of Greater Helium with Tardos Mors and his advisors surveying the damage done by the Colossus of Yorn. As the conversation turns to the water pumping stations and how the canals are drying up, they determine that immediate action is needed. Dejah Thoris volunteers to lead the expedition to the polar ice in the south to find out what is going on.

Vampirella #9
Written by Eric Trautmann
Art by Fabiano Neves
Letters by Marshall Dillon
Colors by Marchelo Maiolo
Covers by Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic, Paul Renaud, Fabiano Neves, Ale Garza
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 31, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

First off, let me be honest. I’m not a consistent reader of this character, but I used to be. I was happy to be able to read and review Vampirella #9 since it used to be one of my favorite comics. Over the years, Vampirella has had major upheavals to her origin story, so much so that it got a bit confusing at times. Eric Trautmann has been very mysterious about his version until this book. I got a few glimpses but no detailed information which, truthfully, is intriguing. Fabiano Neves brings a starker image of Vampirella than many artists have in the past…quite a few have given her a more bimbo-like appearance, but I was happy to see her dressed to kick ass, not for a lingerie shoot.

Jennifer Blood #4
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Marcos Marz, Kewber Baal
Letters by Rob Steen
Colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Covers by (A) Tim Bradstreet, (B) Jonathan Lau, (C) Ale Garza, (D) Johnny Desjardins
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: September 7, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

Writer Garth Ennis has a history of creating characters who like to get violent from time to time, and his new series, Jennifer Blood features just such a character. Jennifer Blood is a housewife by day and a killer by night, hunting down mobsters and other criminals and dispatching them with brutal efficiency. The series has got all of Ennis’ trademark outlandish characters and some of the old ultra-violence. From what I’ve read, it seems like a fun series with tons of action.

In previous issues of the series, Jennifer Blood has made a name for herself and has attracted the wrong kind of attention. Now someone has hired a team of killers to take Jennifer out. The killers are a team of young girls who act like every anime schoolgirl ninja stereotype, complete with broken English and inappropriate laughing. Jennifer has a plan though and isn’t going to let herself be taken out by a bunch of clichés.