In July Dynamite Entertainment will launch Warlord of Mars: Fall of Barsoom, its third series based on the Martian science fiction novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Fall of Baroom is a prequel, set 100,000 years before the John Carter’s adventures. Mars/Barsoom is a dying world with its atmosphere thinning and its oceans receding.  The civilization of the Orovars is on the verge of descending into chaos. 

Robert Napton, who adapted Terry Brooks’ Shannara fantasy novels, is scripting the Fall of Barsoom series, while ERB artist extraordinaire Joe Jusko is providing the covers and Roberto Castro is penciling the interiors.

 

Dynamite launched its ERB Martian line with Warlord of Mars, which debuted in October of  2010 (see “Warlord of Mars Comic Book”). Written by Arvid Nelson, Warlord of Mars has been a consistent top 5 Non-Premiere title since it was launched. In March of this year Dynamite added a second Warlord of Mars series, Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris, which was also written by Nelson and which debuted as the #2 Non-Premiere title in March (see “Dejah Thoris Gets Her Own Series”).

 

Dynamite’s Fall of Barsoom series is an extrapolation of hints about the history of Mars (Barsoom) in ERB’s Mars novels. As is the case with Dejah Thoris series, which is based on what Nelson referred to as “tantalizing breadcrumb trails left by Burroughs in the first few Mars novels that he never followed up on,” the Fall of Barsoom expands the historical mythos of Burroughs’ Mars novels in a logical way that ERB fans should enjoy.

 

All of Dynamite’s Warlord of Mars titles should get a major boost in the coming months as excitement builds toward the debut of the live-action Pixar/Disney John Carter of Mars film directed by Andrew Stanton, which is slated to debut early next year on March 9, 2012.