CARSON OF VENUS #3

“Realm of the Dead Part 3”
Writer: Mike Wolfer
Artist: Cyrus Mesarcia

Carson is in the palace of Skor and uses his mental powers to create an image of himself so he can take out the guards. While going to the tower he is confronted by many of Skor’s undead guards. Meanwhile Duare manages to get close to Skor and grab his pistol. She manages to escape. Carson finds out that he has mental control over the dead. Before he can use this newfound power the Zangans attack. Using the attack as a distraction, he makes it to the tower and finds Duare. The dead scientist feels Skor’s power on him fade and helps the two escape. The Zangans kill Skor while Carson and Duare make it to the river and are discovered by Ero Shan and Nalte in their anotar. At the end the dead scientist pays Skor back by bringing him back as a zombie.

Well this was an exciting conclusion to the story. Once again Wolfer tells a story with minimum dialogue and exposition. I really like that he decided to give a conclusion to Skor who Burroughs kept alive in his novel. I thought the ending was right on and his whole portrayal of Skor and his zombies a very accurate presentation. I look forward to future adventures of Carson.

CARSON OF VENUS #2

“Realm of the Dead Part 2”
Writer: Mike Wolfer
Artist: Cyrus Mesarcia

Carson has escaped the Zangans by jumping into the River of Death. He makes his way to a sewer system that leads to Skor’s castle. While making his way he comes on one of the zombies chained to the ground. This zombie doesn’t seem to be fully under control of Skor. In fact the zombie is very helpful to Carson, so he frees him to lead him around the castle. They make their way to the castle and have a fight with the guards. The two manage to defeat the zombie guards. Meanwhile Duare is forced to eat dinner with Skor. They have Ulsio or Amtorian rat for the main course. Skor is determined to make Duare his wife. After dinner Duare manages to convince her guards to take her to the lab where the dead are reanimated. There she finds out how it is done but Skor discovers her and vows to make Duare his undead queen.

Another fun issue of Carson and Duare’s adventures in Kormor. The story goes along at a good solid pace. It tells a story without any unnecessary exposition. The fight scenes are not cluttered with description and let the images tell the story. I think Wolfer really has a grasp on Carson. The zombies and how they act are dead on from the novel.(No pun intended) Also Skor is what you would expect from the original Burrough’s book. A good continuation of Carson’s adventures on Venus.

CARSON OF VENUS #1

“Realm of the Dead Part 1”
Writer: Mike Wolfer
Artist: Cyrus Mesarcia

Duare has been kidnapped by Skor the evil Jong of Morov. So Carson takes off though the trees to avoid the dangerous ground life. Only there are dangers in the trees and a giant snake forces him to the ground. He lands in the mud and is covered with it. One of Skor’s zombies comes and thinks that Carson is one of them. So Carson plays along until a Kazan attacks. Since the Kazan will only attack a living man that exposes Carson. Only the zombie is far enough away from Skor to have some free will. He implores Carson to kill him which Carson does after getting some info on Skor’s castle. Later he is attacked by savage beast men. Carson runs and jumps into the river escaping them.

So they are continuing the story from the Fear on Four Worlds story. Nice to see they don’t forget some dangling plots. This story like all of Wolfer’s stories is just spot on in getting Burroughs right. The creatures and feel of Amtor is just as I would image it. The art really captures the world, people and creatures. The story is told with a minimum of dialogue and written description. It just lets the art tell the story and that is a sign of a good writer. Looking forward to the next issue.

CARSON OF VENUS #3

“The Eye of Amtor Part 3”
Writers: Mike Wolfer & Matt Betts
Artist: Vincenzo Carratu

Carson and Duare come to the Mountains in the Clouds for the final piece of their quest. They need to find a Joska a giant snake. The Joska is a feared creature that is rumored nobody has seen it and lived. The Joska lives in caves and they need a scale from it. So the two go into the caves and find one. Carson manages to knock off a scale and the two head back to Loton. When they arrive they find out the Jong has no interest in building a telescope. It was all a bet between the Jong and his chief guard. Ero Shan and Nalte were never in danger and still guests unaware of the quest that Carson and Duare were sent on.

“Pellucidar: Dark of the Sun Part 3”
Writer: Christopher Paul Carey
Artist: Mike Wolfer

Victory Harbin has been sucked into a portal created by the Mahar. Jason threatens the Mahar and is attacked by her Sagoth servant. Jason shoots him with an energy pistol and jumps into the portal to rescue Victory. Only he finds himself on another world with two suns. Victory meanwhile is also on another world with strange giant insects.

So the Quest for the Telescope comes to an end. We find out it was just done for a wager by the decadent jong of Loton. Carson’s friends were fine and it was a bluff. This was a really fun story. It was in the spirit of Burroughs and this is a prequel to a new novel Carson of Venus: The Edge of All Worlds. This sounds like a really good book. I know ERB Inc. is putting out a lot of good books. I really should start checking them out but there just seems to be so much to read and so little time and money.

The Pellucidar story also leaves us with a cliffhanger. Both Gridley and Victory are on alien worlds. This sounds like it will also be continued in the new novel. American Mythology is doing some great stuff with Burrough’s creations.

CARSON OF VENUS #2

“The Eye of Amtor Part 2”
Writers: Mike Wolfer and Matt Betts
Artist: Vincenzo Carratu

Carson and Duare evade the Vortos and make it back to the anotar. The next stop on their quest is near the city of Voo-ad. There they must find the Ranlav Sap. This clear sap is needed for the telescope. Carson bails out using his ballochute which is his own invention. He lands in the giant trees and immediately is attacked by a tongzan. He escapes it and finds the sap. Then he is attacked by a targo. A giant spider that manages to ensnare the sap canister in it’s web. Fortunately the tongzan comes and attacks the targo. This allows Carson to retrieve the cap canister and make it back to the anotar.

“Pellucidar Dark of the Sun Part 2”
Writer: Christopher Paul Carey
Artist: Mike Wolfer

Victory and Jason Gridley are confronted by a Mahar after using their device to turn the sun dark. Victory reveals she communicated with the Mahar when she was eleven. The Mahar queen is the one that David Innes took to the surface. She is able to communicate with the humans by telepathic means. They ask about why the sun turns dark and the Mahar goes and twists a dial. A beam shoots from the sun and opens a portal that sucks in Victory.

I love this story. The Carson story really has a feel of being written by Burroughs. We get a return to the giant trees and creatures that Carson first started his arrival on Venus in the first book. There is also a callback from the novels with his invention of a ballochute. A kind of parachute and balloon. This is really a good story.

Also the Pellucidar backup is good. We find out some more about Victory. She can communicate with the Mahars and has done so in the past. It was very amusing that the Mahar used these nonsense words that didn’t translate well into the human language. This was a very realistic touch that I appreciate. So now a portal to somewhere is open and Victory is going through.

CARSON OF VENUS #1

“The Eye of Amtor Part 1.”
Writer: Mike Wolfer & Matt Betts
Artist: Vincenzo Carratu

Carson with his mate Duare and friends Ero Shan and Nalte are flying in the anotar(airplane) on their way to Sanara. They decide to help some herders of zaldars by chasing off attacking tharbans. They land in Loton and are welcomed by their Jong Kabalo. He seems friendly and they are shown around the city. Carson and Duare are taken to their library and shown the maps. The jong also shows them plans to a telescope that Carson says he could build. So the jong then gives Carson an ultimatum. Carson and Duare must retrieve the materials to build it in three days or Ero Shan and Nalte will be executed. So the two take off for the Aprith Stones. The stones are clear coral located in Maltor. Carson dives for the stones and gets one but the two have to fight off Vortos.

“Pellucidar Dark of the Sun Part 1”
Writer: Christopher Paul Carey
Artist: Mike Wolfer

Jason Gridley and Victory Harbin are attempting to set up a radio antennae to get the Gridley wave working again. The tower emits some beam that turns the sun of Pellucidar black. Just then a Mahar comes up from the entrance to the old Mahar city they are by.

This was an excellent comic. It is a prequel to an actual book Carson of Venus The Edge of All Worlds. The story has a real feel of being written by Burroughs and I love it. I also love the introduction the authors write. They explain that Betts gets a visit from Carson’s projected image while visiting ERB Inc. While Carey tells of his finding the lost Gridley wave radio and getting transmissions from Pellucidar. They keep the old Burrough’s feel of being just a teller of the stories that are told to them.

The second backup story is short but also good. It introduces a new character in Victory Harbin a young 18 year old who already graduated Oxford and is brilliant. So far I like her but I hope she doesn’t turn out to be too Mary Sue. So far they are setting her up to be too perfect and characters are at their best with human flaws that the reader can relate to. Still a good start and I am also interesting in reading the new books coming out.

CARSON OF VENUS #3

“The Flames Beyond”
Writer: Christopher Paul Carey
Artist: Cyrus Mesarcia

Duare and her allies are attacking Havatoo. Varlek Sar threatens to shoot Carson if he doesn’t have Duare stop the attack. Loto decides to rebel and kicks the pistol out of Varlek’s hand. Then Carson grabs her and jumps out the window. He was a stuntman after all. They slide down the roof and into a passing car. After knocking out the driver they continue on. Carson can hear the commands of Varlek in his head to his duplicates and knows they are going to the armory. Only the police manage to stop them and take them to the Sanjong the ruling council of Havatoo.

While on trial Varlek Sar comes with his army of duplicates to start a revolution. Carson then comes into mental contact with the captured Myposian and with his help manages to take control of the duplicates. Varlek Sar then escapes to his rocket ship where he plans to go to Earth and conquer it with his new found abilities to create a duplicate army out of thin air. Only the captured Myposian sacrifices himself and uses his mental powers to blow up the rocket. Later Carson is allowed to go free and his friends Ero Shan and Nalte decide to go with them to Korva.

So the series ends in a very fast and exciting way. There is definitely plenty of action. In some ways it ended a little too fast. For instance what happened to the allied armies attacking. We do know that Loto was transported after Varlek Sar died to someplace else that looks like Barsoom. I also loved the ending where Carson had reestablished his mental link with Earth and was telling his story to the descendants of Burroughs. A very satisfying series.

CARSON OF VENUS #2

“The Flames Beyond”
Writer: Christopher Paul Carey
Artist: Cyrus Mesarcia

Carson is prisoner of the Havatoo scientist Varlek Sar. Carson finds out from Loto that she was transported back to Earth but Varlek was able to bring her back from Brooklyn. Varlek has been experimenting with the astral projection and has used the Myposians because of their latent ability. He has also launched a satellite and shows Carson what is happening back on Earth. The Axis powers are on the path to victory. Varlek has a way to help save Earth if Carson will use his psychic power of mental projection. Carson decides to help and agrees to the experiment. Once he projects his image in the room then Varlek has the ability to create hundreds of Carsons under his control. Meanwhile Duare, Ero Shan and Nalte are rescued by the angan. Duare convinces them to help rescue Carson if she can get help. So she has them fly her to the Falsians and their fleet of land ships. At the end the combined army is marching on Havatoo.

So there is a lot of callbacks from the novels. Varlek Sar is developing some sinister power. I loved that they manage to bring back Loto/Betty Callwell and give her some more story. I am curious to find out why the Falsians are helping. A very enjoyable continuation of the Carson of Venus sage.

CARSON OF VENUS #1

“The Flames Beyond”
Writer: Christopher Paul Carey
Artist: Cyrus Mesarcia

Carson is in his anotar(airplane in Amtorian) test flying it with his mate Duare and friends Ero Shan and Nalte. They are attacked by angan(bird-men) and shot down. The angan accuse Carson of slaughtering his people. They take the four to Brokol the city of the plant men. Carson is accused of abducting their goddess Loto. See Escape from Venus.

Just then another anotar comes and strafes the city with R-rays. The man who attacks is Varlek Sar from Havatoo. Carson finds out from Ero Shan that Varlek is a scientist in charge of finding Carson and bringing him back for his scientific knowledge. So this proves his innocent with the angan and Carson has them fly the group to the city of Mypos and the fish-men. Carson knew that Varlek would be there and the group infiltrate through the underwater passageways. Only they get captured. Carson manages to use his astral projection to lead the dumb guard to his cell and knock him out and escape. Only he then blunders into the throne room with Varlek and the girl Loto or Betty Callwell from Earth.

I just love American Mythology. They really understand the Burrough’s universe and hire writers who do it justice. We get a visit to several places from the novels. In fact this story feels like something that Burroughs would have written. There is a plot hole is how Carson knew Varlek would be in Mypos but a small detail. Burroughs did have his own occasional plot holes so just adds some flavor. I am looking forward to the continuation of Carson’s adventures on Venus.

CARSON OF VENUS #1

“Fear of Four Worlds Part I”
Writer: Christopher Mills
Artist: Cyrus Mesarcia

Abby decides to build two hang gliders and sail off the cliffs to their ship. So Abby and Ethan are the two that try this. Only they are attacked by a pteranodon and somehow disappear. They find themselves on Amtor or Venus. Fortunately they are rescued by Carson Napier and Ero Shan. The two are searching for their mates Nalte and Duare who were captured by Skor the leader of Morov. Skor is from the books and the one who has an army of undead zombies. Carson tells how him and Duare were flying in their plane when a storm forced them down. They found Ero Shan looking for his kidnapped mate. Later Skor’s zombies also kidnap Duare. Abby and Ethan agree to accompany Carson and Ero Shan.

So the group is ambushed by Skor’s zombies and Kazars. Kazars are like parrot dogs used for hunting. The group manages to drive off the attack and Nalte escapes. Skor still has Duare and escapes. So Carson continues his quest to rescue his mate as Abby and Ethan go back to where they first entered Amtor. They find a portal and go through and are now confronted by a beautiful woman under attack by centaur like creatures demanding flesh.

“Mars or Bust”
By James Kuhoric

An article on the new shared universes of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

So this is the first of the new shared universe concept. We are going to be introduced to the worlds of Venus, The Moon and Pellucidar as well as Caspak. I love the idea and the first with Carson was just excellent. The characters were so Burroughs like. They are always having to rescue their kidnapped mates and Carson seems to always be crashing somewhere. I love seeing these worlds finally getting the proper comic book treatment they deserve.