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Exclusive: John Carter clashes with Martians in Dynamite's wacky Warlord of Mars Attacks
Science fiction is the perfect genre to pair iconic properties and create something altogether new and exciting, none more so than the pulpy goodness of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars and the nostalgic Topps' trading cards Mars Attacks.
Dynamite Comics is diving into this deep sci-fi sandbox with both feet with its wild new mashup series Warlord of Mars Attacks, and the Red Planet might never be the same again. SYFY WIRE has a sensational exclusive sneak peek at the premiere issue landing on June 19 in a blaze of lasers, crazed Martians, and flying saucers. Ack-Ack?
Written by Jeff Parker (Aquaman, Batman '66, Future Quest) and accented with flashy art by Dean Kotz (Dungeons & Dragons), Warlord of Mars Attacks is an epic 5-issue miniseries that invites you to behold the chaotic battle between the strapping heroics of John Carter of Mars and the bare-brained, power-mad green men of Mars Attacks! This wacky mashup poses the obvious questions of why John never encountered these maniac Martians before, just why these cackling aliens want to conquer Mars, and what calamities will manifest if this war tumbles onto Earth.
"What the dazzling visuals of Dean are showing us in this opening scene is an epic battle on the fourth planet: From Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic sci-fantasy A Princess of Mars, John Carter is going up against the hyper-destructive saucer aliens from the Mars Attacks! card series," Parker tells SYFY WIRE. "I swear that there’s an actual reason for this beyond the fact that it sounded fun. And that Dean draws great aliens and fighting. But you’ll have to read it, it’s the kind of thing that has to be experienced."
Kotz admits that Jeff (Parker) never wastes any time getting to the action, and our unlettered page preview offers a sample of the Martian smackdown.
"We start with a literal blast to the face, and by page 2 and 3 we're dropped in the middle of all-out war," Kotz tells SYFY WIRE. "I kept thinking about Starship Troopers with this spread and wanted the saucers to zip around the airships like stinging gnats. Jeff has the green guys ack-acking the whole time, and I started hearing them in my head every time they blow something up.
"Drawing the Mars Attacks! guys without their glass helmets felt weird at first, but it allows for some really fun and gory swashbuckling," he adds. "Carter's a man of action to his core, and Jeff's script has him constantly in motion throughout our first scene."
Bop on over to Barsoom in our exclusive preview of Dynamite's Warlord of Mars Attacks #1 in the full gallery below, then tell us if you think these two classic properties make a perfect pair!
