Dejah Thoris #2 Review

Written by: Amy Chu

Illustrated by: Pasquale Qualano

Colored by: Valentina Pinto

Published by: Dynamite

The second issue of this new Dejah Thoris comic from Dynamite begins where it left off with issue one: namely, our heroine and her fellow travelers are beset by a group of White Apes and are fighting for their lives as they continue to look for this fabled city where water flows. What Dejah and her travelers get instead is nothing but “heartbreak” as more of their party are lost as they go.

From there, the issue meanders on as Dejah’s party has a brief moment of respite before being once again attacked by Barsoom’s deadly fauna. This time by the Plant-Men but with some unexpected rescue on the horizon.

The issue isn’t bad per se, and for a new reader unfamiliar with the Barsoom/John Carter series from Edgar Rice Burroughs, the introduction to every single part of the planet at once can be fruitful. It allows new readers to get to know the planet’s hazards almost all at once.

However, even for new readers, Chu’s overreliance on battle scenes throughout the issue makes for a very sparse story within the second issue. The only real and true story beat that I could gleam from this issue was the lessons a young Dejah must learn as a member of the ruling family. And what is that lesson? Namely, once you become a leader, you have to face the consequence of your actions on those around you.

Qualano’s art and Pinto’s colors are a bright spot in an otherwise drab second issue. Everything they do simply jumps off of the page. The fluidity of the art is also quite impressive and unique enough to make the comic stand out. No real complaints on this front.