Just because it’s fun every once in a while to write about something besides apes, my latest Nexus Graphica effort focuses on the comics based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ legendary Mars series.

I then recount, complete with commentary, every John Carter comics appearance, all without evoking apes. Well, expect for the inevitable brief references to Tarzan. This is about ERB creations, after all.

As an added bonus, I review three recent graphic novels. Check it all out at SF Site.

Four-Color Skies Over Barsoom: John Carter in Comics was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Silent Partner
by Jonathan Kellerman
Adapted by Ande Parks
Art by Micheal Gaydos

Promo copy:

The first graphic novel adaptation from master of psychological suspense Jonathan Kellerman brings a stunning new visual edge to the classic New York Times bestseller Silent Partner—a “harrowing tale of murder and manipulation” (The Plain Dealer) that “hits the reader right between the eyes” (Los Angeles Times Book Review).

Alex Delaware is struggling to keep his relationship with girlfriend Robin Castagna alive when a beautiful face from the past suddenly steps back into his life. Sharon Ransom was Alex’s lover back in the day—until her mind games and increasingly erratic behavior drove them apart. Now Sharon tries to rekindle old feelings and seek his help with some new troubles. Alex turns her away—a decision he bitterly regrets when Sharon ends up dead the next day.

The official ruling is suicide, but for Alex the case won’t be closed until he finds out what happened. Driven by guilt and grief, he plunges deep into the territory he knows best—where dark secrets, dangerous fears, and twisted needs prey on hearts and minds. With the aid of his trusted friend, homicide cop Milo Sturgis, Alex traces Sharon’s fatal path through a world of Hollywood high life riddled with scandal, corruption, and blood—where innocence and lives are easily lost.

Scripted by Ande Parks, author of the acclaimed graphic novels Union Station and Capote in Kansas, and illustrated by Marvel and DC comics veteran Michael Gaydos, Silent Partner captures Jonathan Kellerman’s trademark blend of crime drama and psychodrama with noirish style and eye-catching, page-turning intensity.

The Son of No One

Promo copy:

In this searing police thriller, Jonathan (Channing Tatum) is a second-generation cop who gets in over his head when he’s assigned to re-open a double homicide cold case in his Queens neighborhood. An anonymous source feeding new information on the long-unsolved murders to a local reporter (Juliette Binoche) leads to evidence suggesting a possible cover-up by the former lead detective (Al Pacino) who was on the investigation. As Jonathan digs deeper into the assignment, a dark secret about the case emerges, which threatens to destroy his life and his family. Written and directed by Dito Montiel, Son Of No One also stars Tracy Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta and Jake Cherry. Music by David Wittman and Jonathan Elias.

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars: The Jesse Marsh Years
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Adapted by Paul S. Newman
Art by Jesse Marsh

Promo copy:

In 1947, Jesse Marsh – an artist who would inspire generations of comics creators and earn the esteem of professional peers such as industry legends Russ Manning and Alex Toth – won over millions of readers with his four-color vision of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ beloved character Tarzan. To the delight of his readers, Marsh would continue to draw Tarzan comics for the following nineteen years. But his passion for Burroughs’ creations wasn’t limited to the legendary writer’s jungle lord, and in the early 1950s he teamed up with prolific comics writer Paul S. Newman to breath life into another of Burroughs’ beloved heroes: the courageous adventurer John Carter of Mars!

Stuff received 2/15/12 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Silent Partner
by Jonathan Kellerman
Adapted by Ande Parks
Art by Micheal Gaydos

Promo copy:

The first graphic novel adaptation from master of psychological suspense Jonathan Kellerman brings a stunning new visual edge to the classic New York Times bestseller Silent Partner—a “harrowing tale of murder and manipulation” (The Plain Dealer) that “hits the reader right between the eyes” (Los Angeles Times Book Review).

Alex Delaware is struggling to keep his relationship with girlfriend Robin Castagna alive when a beautiful face from the past suddenly steps back into his life. Sharon Ransom was Alex’s lover back in the day—until her mind games and increasingly erratic behavior drove them apart. Now Sharon tries to rekindle old feelings and seek his help with some new troubles. Alex turns her away—a decision he bitterly regrets when Sharon ends up dead the next day.

The official ruling is suicide, but for Alex the case won’t be closed until he finds out what happened. Driven by guilt and grief, he plunges deep into the territory he knows best—where dark secrets, dangerous fears, and twisted needs prey on hearts and minds. With the aid of his trusted friend, homicide cop Milo Sturgis, Alex traces Sharon’s fatal path through a world of Hollywood high life riddled with scandal, corruption, and blood—where innocence and lives are easily lost.

Scripted by Ande Parks, author of the acclaimed graphic novels Union Station and Capote in Kansas, and illustrated by Marvel and DC comics veteran Michael Gaydos, Silent Partner captures Jonathan Kellerman’s trademark blend of crime drama and psychodrama with noirish style and eye-catching, page-turning intensity.

The Son of No One

Promo copy:

In this searing police thriller, Jonathan (Channing Tatum) is a second-generation cop who gets in over his head when he’s assigned to re-open a double homicide cold case in his Queens neighborhood. An anonymous source feeding new information on the long-unsolved murders to a local reporter (Juliette Binoche) leads to evidence suggesting a possible cover-up by the former lead detective (Al Pacino) who was on the investigation. As Jonathan digs deeper into the assignment, a dark secret about the case emerges, which threatens to destroy his life and his family. Written and directed by Dito Montiel, Son Of No One also stars Tracy Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta and Jake Cherry. Music by David Wittman and Jonathan Elias.

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars: The Jesse Marsh Years
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Adapted by Paul S. Newman
Art by Jesse Marsh

Promo copy:

In 1947, Jesse Marsh – an artist who would inspire generations of comics creators and earn the esteem of professional peers such as industry legends Russ Manning and Alex Toth – won over millions of readers with his four-color vision of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ beloved character Tarzan. To the delight of his readers, Marsh would continue to draw Tarzan comics for the following nineteen years. But his passion for Burroughs’ creations wasn’t limited to the legendary writer’s jungle lord, and in the early 1950s he teamed up with prolific comics writer Paul S. Newman to breath life into another of Burroughs’ beloved heroes: the courageous adventurer John Carter of Mars!

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Silent Partner
by Jonathan Kellerman
Adapted by Ande Parks
Art by Micheal Gaydos

Promo copy:

The first graphic novel adaptation from master of psychological suspense Jonathan Kellerman brings a stunning new visual edge to the classic New York Times bestseller Silent Partner—a “harrowing tale of murder and manipulation” (The Plain Dealer) that “hits the reader right between the eyes” (Los Angeles Times Book Review).

Alex Delaware is struggling to keep his relationship with girlfriend Robin Castagna alive when a beautiful face from the past suddenly steps back into his life. Sharon Ransom was Alex’s lover back in the day—until her mind games and increasingly erratic behavior drove them apart. Now Sharon tries to rekindle old feelings and seek his help with some new troubles. Alex turns her away—a decision he bitterly regrets when Sharon ends up dead the next day.

The official ruling is suicide, but for Alex the case won’t be closed until he finds out what happened. Driven by guilt and grief, he plunges deep into the territory he knows best—where dark secrets, dangerous fears, and twisted needs prey on hearts and minds. With the aid of his trusted friend, homicide cop Milo Sturgis, Alex traces Sharon’s fatal path through a world of Hollywood high life riddled with scandal, corruption, and blood—where innocence and lives are easily lost.

Scripted by Ande Parks, author of the acclaimed graphic novels Union Station and Capote in Kansas, and illustrated by Marvel and DC comics veteran Michael Gaydos, Silent Partner captures Jonathan Kellerman’s trademark blend of crime drama and psychodrama with noirish style and eye-catching, page-turning intensity.

The Son of No One

Promo copy:

In this searing police thriller, Jonathan (Channing Tatum) is a second-generation cop who gets in over his head when he’s assigned to re-open a double homicide cold case in his Queens neighborhood. An anonymous source feeding new information on the long-unsolved murders to a local reporter (Juliette Binoche) leads to evidence suggesting a possible cover-up by the former lead detective (Al Pacino) who was on the investigation. As Jonathan digs deeper into the assignment, a dark secret about the case emerges, which threatens to destroy his life and his family. Written and directed by Dito Montiel, Son Of No One also stars Tracy Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta and Jake Cherry. Music by David Wittman and Jonathan Elias.

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars: The Jesse Marsh Years
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Adapted by Paul S. Newman
Art by Jesse Marsh

Promo copy:

In 1947, Jesse Marsh – an artist who would inspire generations of comics creators and earn the esteem of professional peers such as industry legends Russ Manning and Alex Toth – won over millions of readers with his four-color vision of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ beloved character Tarzan. To the delight of his readers, Marsh would continue to draw Tarzan comics for the following nineteen years. But his passion for Burroughs’ creations wasn’t limited to the legendary writer’s jungle lord, and in the early 1950s he teamed up with prolific comics writer Paul S. Newman to breath life into another of Burroughs’ beloved heroes: the courageous adventurer John Carter of Mars!

Stuff received 2/15/12 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

In my Nexus Graphic review of I Thought You Would Be Funnier, I declared that Wheeler “pulls back the thin veneer of American society to reveal the comedic underbelly” and the book “supplies yet further evidence that Shannon Wheeler is one of the preeminent cartoonists of his generation.” So you can imagine my excitement when this interesting piece of news appeared in my inbox today.

A passel of new Shannon Wheeler cartoons is always a much-anticipated and humorous event!

Coming soon: A passel of new Shannon Wheeler cartoons! was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

In my Nexus Graphic review of I Thought You Would Be Funnier, I declared that Wheeler "pulls back the thin veneer of American society to reveal the comedic underbelly" and the book "supplies yet further evidence that Shannon Wheeler is one of the preeminent cartoonists of his generation." So you can imagine my excitement when this interesting piece of news appeared in my inbox today.

A passel of new Shannon Wheeler cartoons is always a much-anticipated and humorous event!

In my Nexus Graphic review of I Thought You Would Be Funnier, I declared that Wheeler “pulls back the thin veneer of American society to reveal the comedic underbelly” and the book “supplies yet further evidence that Shannon Wheeler is one of the preeminent cartoonists of his generation.” So you can imagine my excitement when this interesting piece of news appeared in my inbox today.

A passel of new Shannon Wheeler cartoons is always a much-anticipated and humorous event!

Coming soon: A passel of new Shannon Wheeler cartoons! was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Action! Mystery! Thrills!: Comic Book Covers of the Golden Age 1933-45
Edited by Greg Sadowski
Foreword by Ty Templeton
Cover by Alex Schomburg

Promo copy:

176 classic covers unfurled in full-sized glory!

When we contemplate a memorable old comic book, the first thing that comes to mind is its cover, and that was no accident. Publishers realized fairly quickly that if they spent a little extra to hire a good cover artist, they could fill the insides with mediocrity and still make a sizable profit — that all it took was a striking cover to entice thousands of kids to fork over their dimes.

Even today, covers drive the collectors’ market. Apart from number-one issues and first appearances, the strength of a comic book’s cover is the first consideration in determining its value. Indeed, it is now common practice to entomb the book between slabs of sealed plastic — with only the cover visible — as if the interior pages’ sole purpose was to provide a place to secure the staples.

In order to locate the best possible examples, collectors from around the world have been enlisted to share their rare and valuable comic books. The scores of cover artists represented include Carl Barks, Charles Biro, Dick Briefer, L.B. Cole, Jack Cole, Reed Crandall, Will Eisner, Bill Everett, Lou Fine, Walt Kelly, Jack Kirby, Mac Raboy, and Alex Schomburg. Every comic book genre will be explored, from superhero to detective to Western to funny animal.

Majestic, iconic, chaotic, or downright weird, a classic comic book cover has an undeniable appeal, and Action! Mystery! Thrills! celebrates in spades this unique cultural icon. The covers will be printed full-sized on glossy paper to most faithfully replicate the originals, and arranged chronologically to give the reader a sense of the sweeping trends and stylistic developments throughout the medium’s first decade, as inexorable waves of dazzling imagery battled monthly for newsstand attention. 240 pages of full-color comics.

Two of Sadowski’s previous Golden Age compilations (Setting the Standard: Comics by Alex Toth 1952-1954 and Four Color Fear: Forgotten Horror Comics of the 1950s) made my annual Nexus Graphica best of year lists.

Echoes of Betrayal: Paladin’s Legacy
by Elizabeth Moon
Cover by Paul Youll

Promo copy:

The action continues fast and furious in this third installment of Elizabeth Moon’s celebrated return to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter. This award-winning author has firsthand military experience and an imagination that knows no bounds. Combine those qualities with an ability to craft flesh-and-blood characters, and the result is the kind of speculative fiction that engages both heart and mind.

All is not well in the Eight Kingdoms. In Lyonya, King Kieri is about to celebrate marriage to his beloved, the half-elf Arian. But uncanny whispers from the spirits of his ancestors continue to warn of treachery and murder. A finger of suspicion has been pointed toward his grandmother, the queen of the Ladysforest elves, and that suspicion has only intensified with time and the Lady’s inexplicable behavior. Clearly, she is hiding something. But what? And why?

Meanwhile, in Tsaia, the young king Mikeli must grapple with unrest among his own nobility over his controversial decision to grant the title and estates of a traitorous magelord to a Verrakaien who not only possesses the forbidden magic but is a woman besides: Dorrin, once one of Kieri’s most trusted captains. When renegade Verrakaien attack two of Dorrin’s squires, suspicion and prejudice combine to place Dorrin’s life at risk—and the king’s claim to the throne in peril.

But even greater danger is looming. The wild offspring of a dragon are on the loose, sowing death and destruction and upsetting the ancient balance of power between dragonkind, humans, elves, and gnomes. A collision seems inevitable. Yet when it comes, it will be utterly unexpected—and all the more devastating for it.

Inner Sanctum: Tales of Horror, Mystery and Suspense
by Ernie Colón

Promo copy:

The Inner Sanctum is one of the most fondly remembered mystery and horror radio shows from the 1940s—it is brought to life here with striking illustrations that re-create four chilling tales. In “The Horla,” a man is haunted by a mysterious, grotesque being that only he can see. At first, the being seeks to enslave the man, but in the end it turns out the being is actually out to destroy him. “Death of a Doll” tells the tale of a reporter who is investigating the identity and death of an unidentified female corpse. Throughout his investigation, he carries her doll with him and, instead of “mama,” the doll continually cries out “Kara Nana,” another name for the devil. “The Undead” follows a young woman as she discovers a 10-year-old obituary for her living husband. Terrified, she goes to his tomb to investigate. The last story in the collection, “Alive in the Grave,” follows a man who may have unwittingly consigned another man to being buried alive.

Books received 2/1/12 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Action! Mystery! Thrills!: Comic Book Covers of the Golden Age 1933-45
Edited by Greg Sadowski
Foreword by Ty Templeton
Cover by Alex Schomburg

Promo copy:

176 classic covers unfurled in full-sized glory!

When we contemplate a memorable old comic book, the first thing that comes to mind is its cover, and that was no accident. Publishers realized fairly quickly that if they spent a little extra to hire a good cover artist, they could fill the insides with mediocrity and still make a sizable profit — that all it took was a striking cover to entice thousands of kids to fork over their dimes.

Even today, covers drive the collectors’ market. Apart from number-one issues and first appearances, the strength of a comic book’s cover is the first consideration in determining its value. Indeed, it is now common practice to entomb the book between slabs of sealed plastic — with only the cover visible — as if the interior pages’ sole purpose was to provide a place to secure the staples.

In order to locate the best possible examples, collectors from around the world have been enlisted to share their rare and valuable comic books. The scores of cover artists represented include Carl Barks, Charles Biro, Dick Briefer, L.B. Cole, Jack Cole, Reed Crandall, Will Eisner, Bill Everett, Lou Fine, Walt Kelly, Jack Kirby, Mac Raboy, and Alex Schomburg. Every comic book genre will be explored, from superhero to detective to Western to funny animal.

Majestic, iconic, chaotic, or downright weird, a classic comic book cover has an undeniable appeal, and Action! Mystery! Thrills! celebrates in spades this unique cultural icon. The covers will be printed full-sized on glossy paper to most faithfully replicate the originals, and arranged chronologically to give the reader a sense of the sweeping trends and stylistic developments throughout the medium’s first decade, as inexorable waves of dazzling imagery battled monthly for newsstand attention. 240 pages of full-color comics.

Two of Sadowski’s previous Golden Age compilations (Setting the Standard: Comics by Alex Toth 1952-1954 and Four Color Fear: Forgotten Horror Comics of the 1950s) made my annual Nexus Graphica best of year lists.

Echoes of Betrayal: Paladin’s Legacy
by Elizabeth Moon
Cover by Paul Youll

Promo copy:

The action continues fast and furious in this third installment of Elizabeth Moon’s celebrated return to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter. This award-winning author has firsthand military experience and an imagination that knows no bounds. Combine those qualities with an ability to craft flesh-and-blood characters, and the result is the kind of speculative fiction that engages both heart and mind.

All is not well in the Eight Kingdoms. In Lyonya, King Kieri is about to celebrate marriage to his beloved, the half-elf Arian. But uncanny whispers from the spirits of his ancestors continue to warn of treachery and murder. A finger of suspicion has been pointed toward his grandmother, the queen of the Ladysforest elves, and that suspicion has only intensified with time and the Lady’s inexplicable behavior. Clearly, she is hiding something. But what? And why?

Meanwhile, in Tsaia, the young king Mikeli must grapple with unrest among his own nobility over his controversial decision to grant the title and estates of a traitorous magelord to a Verrakaien who not only possesses the forbidden magic but is a woman besides: Dorrin, once one of Kieri’s most trusted captains. When renegade Verrakaien attack two of Dorrin’s squires, suspicion and prejudice combine to place Dorrin’s life at risk—and the king’s claim to the throne in peril.

But even greater danger is looming. The wild offspring of a dragon are on the loose, sowing death and destruction and upsetting the ancient balance of power between dragonkind, humans, elves, and gnomes. A collision seems inevitable. Yet when it comes, it will be utterly unexpected—and all the more devastating for it.

Inner Sanctum: Tales of Horror, Mystery and Suspense
by Ernie Colón

Promo copy:

The Inner Sanctum is one of the most fondly remembered mystery and horror radio shows from the 1940s—it is brought to life here with striking illustrations that re-create four chilling tales. In "The Horla," a man is haunted by a mysterious, grotesque being that only he can see. At first, the being seeks to enslave the man, but in the end it turns out the being is actually out to destroy him. "Death of a Doll" tells the tale of a reporter who is investigating the identity and death of an unidentified female corpse. Throughout his investigation, he carries her doll with him and, instead of “mama,” the doll continually cries out “Kara Nana,” another name for the devil. "The Undead" follows a young woman as she discovers a 10-year-old obituary for her living husband. Terrified, she goes to his tomb to investigate. The last story in the collection, "Alive in the Grave," follows a man who may have unwittingly consigned another man to being buried alive.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Action! Mystery! Thrills!: Comic Book Covers of the Golden Age 1933-45
Edited by Greg Sadowski
Foreword by Ty Templeton
Cover by Alex Schomburg

Promo copy:

176 classic covers unfurled in full-sized glory!

When we contemplate a memorable old comic book, the first thing that comes to mind is its cover, and that was no accident. Publishers realized fairly quickly that if they spent a little extra to hire a good cover artist, they could fill the insides with mediocrity and still make a sizable profit — that all it took was a striking cover to entice thousands of kids to fork over their dimes.

Even today, covers drive the collectors’ market. Apart from number-one issues and first appearances, the strength of a comic book’s cover is the first consideration in determining its value. Indeed, it is now common practice to entomb the book between slabs of sealed plastic — with only the cover visible — as if the interior pages’ sole purpose was to provide a place to secure the staples.

In order to locate the best possible examples, collectors from around the world have been enlisted to share their rare and valuable comic books. The scores of cover artists represented include Carl Barks, Charles Biro, Dick Briefer, L.B. Cole, Jack Cole, Reed Crandall, Will Eisner, Bill Everett, Lou Fine, Walt Kelly, Jack Kirby, Mac Raboy, and Alex Schomburg. Every comic book genre will be explored, from superhero to detective to Western to funny animal.

Majestic, iconic, chaotic, or downright weird, a classic comic book cover has an undeniable appeal, and Action! Mystery! Thrills! celebrates in spades this unique cultural icon. The covers will be printed full-sized on glossy paper to most faithfully replicate the originals, and arranged chronologically to give the reader a sense of the sweeping trends and stylistic developments throughout the medium’s first decade, as inexorable waves of dazzling imagery battled monthly for newsstand attention. 240 pages of full-color comics.

Two of Sadowski’s previous Golden Age compilations (Setting the Standard: Comics by Alex Toth 1952-1954 and Four Color Fear: Forgotten Horror Comics of the 1950s) made my annual Nexus Graphica best of year lists.

Echoes of Betrayal: Paladin’s Legacy
by Elizabeth Moon
Cover by Paul Youll

Promo copy:

The action continues fast and furious in this third installment of Elizabeth Moon’s celebrated return to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter. This award-winning author has firsthand military experience and an imagination that knows no bounds. Combine those qualities with an ability to craft flesh-and-blood characters, and the result is the kind of speculative fiction that engages both heart and mind.

All is not well in the Eight Kingdoms. In Lyonya, King Kieri is about to celebrate marriage to his beloved, the half-elf Arian. But uncanny whispers from the spirits of his ancestors continue to warn of treachery and murder. A finger of suspicion has been pointed toward his grandmother, the queen of the Ladysforest elves, and that suspicion has only intensified with time and the Lady’s inexplicable behavior. Clearly, she is hiding something. But what? And why?

Meanwhile, in Tsaia, the young king Mikeli must grapple with unrest among his own nobility over his controversial decision to grant the title and estates of a traitorous magelord to a Verrakaien who not only possesses the forbidden magic but is a woman besides: Dorrin, once one of Kieri’s most trusted captains. When renegade Verrakaien attack two of Dorrin’s squires, suspicion and prejudice combine to place Dorrin’s life at risk—and the king’s claim to the throne in peril.

But even greater danger is looming. The wild offspring of a dragon are on the loose, sowing death and destruction and upsetting the ancient balance of power between dragonkind, humans, elves, and gnomes. A collision seems inevitable. Yet when it comes, it will be utterly unexpected—and all the more devastating for it.

Inner Sanctum: Tales of Horror, Mystery and Suspense
by Ernie Colón

Promo copy:

The Inner Sanctum is one of the most fondly remembered mystery and horror radio shows from the 1940s—it is brought to life here with striking illustrations that re-create four chilling tales. In “The Horla,” a man is haunted by a mysterious, grotesque being that only he can see. At first, the being seeks to enslave the man, but in the end it turns out the being is actually out to destroy him. “Death of a Doll” tells the tale of a reporter who is investigating the identity and death of an unidentified female corpse. Throughout his investigation, he carries her doll with him and, instead of “mama,” the doll continually cries out “Kara Nana,” another name for the devil. “The Undead” follows a young woman as she discovers a 10-year-old obituary for her living husband. Terrified, she goes to his tomb to investigate. The last story in the collection, “Alive in the Grave,” follows a man who may have unwittingly consigned another man to being buried alive.

Books received 2/1/12 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon