Warlord of Mars: Fall of Barsoom #2
Written by Robert Place Napton
Illustrated by Roberto Castro
Colored by Alex Guimaraes
Lettered by Simon Bowland
Covers by Joe Jusko, Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 31, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

“100,000 years before John Carter first arrived on Mars…” I present to you Warlord of Mars: Fall of Barsoom #2. The atmosphere is depleted and the only way for the races of Mars to survive is to artificially create a new one. Of course, it would be easier if they weren’t constantly trying to kill one another.

I have to say this has to be the most unfriendly read I have had in a long while. Between the lack of a lead-in and the overabundance of storylines, I was thrown into a mess of a comic. I quoted the entire printed premise at the beginning of this review, by the way. Given that I was very familiar with the the original books, I felt I would be able to catch up quickly and obtain some semblance of the plot. I was mistaken.

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.

Archaia Entertainment has announced that it will release an illustrated prose novel, Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes, this Summer.

Archaia, which is currently publishing a new Planet of the Apes comic book series, will release the 176-page hardcover, its first delving into prose books, on July 25, 2011. The book, which is written by Andrew E.C. Gaska from a story by Gaska, Rich Handley, Christian Berntsen, and Erik Matthews, will recount events that took place off-screen in the classic 1968 film Planet of the Apes.

Click the image here above for the larger, full version of the cover.

This June BOOM! Studios is bringing Robert E. Howard‘s Hawks Of Outremer to the masses in comic form for the first time ever!

If you’re not familiar with the story, it features Cormac FitzGeoffrey, a wandering warrior born and bred on the battlefield. A renowned fighter, a ruthless adversary, and a man that is no stranger to bloodshed and violence. When he learns of the murder of his most recent liege, nothing will stop his quest for revenge. By oath, a path of vengeance will be marked by the blood of his enemies.

Michael Alan Nelson (28 Days Later) will be handling writing duties on the book with artist Damian Caouceiro (Nola) and the first issue will feature covers by Joe Jusko (The Savage Sword Of Conan) and Karl Richardson (Slaine).

By Guy_Jen

Die Hard: Year One #7
Written by Howard Chaykin
Art by Gabriel Andrade Jr.
Covers: (A) Dave Johnson & Joe Jusko; (B) John Paul Leon
BOOM! Studios
Price: $3.99
Released Date: March 17, 2010

As with the first six issues, Die Hard: Year One #7, based on the beginning of the character John McClane’s life from the hit movies of the same name, was a fun romp through the world of the Die Hard universe. Every issue of this comic book is like a brand new summer action movie.

Well I would like to start off by saying that the art on the book, by Gabriel Andrade Jr.,, is phenomenal and is the perfect mixture of photo reference and cartooning. John McClane looks like he should but not so much that every time I see him I think about how eerie it is that Bruce Willis is staring at me through the panels.

Another thing that I enjoy but most people probably don’t pay much attention to is the cover design for the series. It takes a very distinctive step away from the mainstream and I enjoy it a lot. It reminds me a lot of something Jonathan Hickman would design. The covers for this issue were done by Joe Jusko, Dave Johnson, and John Paul Leon.