Arvid speaketh

[Arvid Nelson]

Hello, everyone! It's me, it's Arvid. Thanks to comixfan1980 for getting me access to the forums. I've been wanting to post for a while now.

I've learned defending myself on BBs is a total W.A.S.T.E. of time – don't feed the trolls. Thanks to everyone who came to my defense, I do appreciate it. You said it all more eloquently than I ever could have.

I'll just say this: it is completely beyond my power to "ruin" or "corrupt" Edgar Rice Burroughs. You give me way too much credit if you think that. I also stand firmly by all the alterations made to the originals. I only made the changes I thought were absolutely necessary, after careful consideration.

One honest-to-God mistake I made in an early issue was referring to a "zode" as a day, not the Martian equivalent of an hour (actually, 2.46 hours, if you're interested). Mea maxima culpa; I have a little reference document now so I don't get things like that mixed up.

With regards to the black "moon pirates", I'm aware they're not really from Mars's closer moon. Of course. The Dejah stories take place before the Carter stories. Carter is the one who exposes the truth about the black Martians, so we're saving the reveal for him.

And yes, I'm aware they're believed to come from Thuria, the closer moon. It was a typo in solicitation text. That's all.

I'm happy to take up anything and everything; I'll stop by here from time to time. But be forewarned: if you're a troll, or I think you're a troll, I will ignore you utterly.

[Ralok]

Hello, everyone! It's me, it's Arvid. Thanks to comixfan1980 for getting me access to the forums. I've been wanting to post for a while now.

I've learned defending myself on BBs is a total W.A.S.T.E. of time – don't feed the trolls. Thanks to everyone who came to my defense, I do appreciate it. You said it all more eloquently than I ever could have.

I'll just say this: it is completely beyond my power to "ruin" or "corrupt" Edgar Rice Burroughs. You give me way too much credit if you think that. I also stand firmly by all the alterations made to the originals. I only made the changes I thought were absolutely necessary, after careful consideration.

One honest-to-God mistake I made in an early issue was referring to a "zode" as a day, not the Martian equivalent of an hour (actually, 2.46 hours, if you're interested). Mea maxima culpa; I have a little reference document now so I don't get things like that mixed up.

With regards to the black "moon pirates", I'm aware they're not really from Mars's closer moon. Of course. The Dejah stories take place before the Carter stories. Carter is the one who exposes the truth about the black Martians, so we're saving the reveal for him.

And yes, I'm aware they're believed to come from Thuria, the closer moon. It was a typo in solicitation text. That's all.

I'm happy to take up anything and everything; I'll stop by here from time to time. But be forewarned: if you're a troll, or I think you're a troll, I will ignore you utterly.

hmm, I cant tell if you are the actual Arvid Nelson, or if you are a troll posing as arvid nelson . . . . but I always assume good faith so I assume it is you.

so one second

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HEHEHEHEH

okay now that I have got my fanboy moment out of the way XD

It is not my intention to troll but I am pretty zealous towards the original works. I am merely frustrated at the "minor" changes, not towards the major changes

Major changes I can live with, I can see why the changes happened . . . I understand them . . .. and heck some of them are pretty cool even

the writing in the warlord of mars series is superb . . . but its easy for hardcore fans like me to get irked easy

Like in the new fall of barsoom series . . . beautiful artwork . . . but the fact that the yellow martians have a fur color different from the known furry animals on barsoom . . . just . . . confuses me . . . .

I am glad you came to defend yourself and the series, very cool! It shows a level of dedication and care rarely seen amongst writers these days.

Alot of the problems the Edgar Rice Burroughs fan community has as a whole are concerning the art work of the comics.

I in particular get somewhat irked with these comics because of their almost correct but not quite depiction of the races

my reasoning is different from most people, I run the wiki and I desperately need good images of each of the barsoomian races so people visiting it can get a good look at them

most other people in the community . . . . just dont like the art because they are jerks

Keep in mind, despite my problems with the series . . . I still buy it! I still read it, and I look forward for handing over as much money to dynamite comics as humanly possible! Simply for masterminding the series

I truely hope in the future though that we see more . . . . ummm . . . how do I phrase this . . . apocryphal creatures?

I rather like it when writers create their own critters to inhabit the world of barsoom, so if some day in the future you people could substitute a banth or a calot (or any creature) with something original with a cool name . . . that would be awesome.

Also easy fix towards continuity errors concerning spoken dialogue are simple sentences like . . .tars tarkas could say "I never believed I would have taken a name from a man who couldnt even tell time" or something like that, it suddenly stops being an error . . . and starts being an asepct of character

[JohnCarter]

Welcome Arvid! I'm an old John Carter fan from the Marvel Comics series that started reading the novels but still has a lot to go. In a way I wish I had already read the novels because I think the familiarity with the material would have made me enjoy and appreciate even more your writing if that is even possible. You are making a great job and the respect and dedication to the material shows. Both Warlord of Mars & Dejah Thoris have become my favorite comics. I also enjoyed the first issue of Fall of Barsoom which is being written by Robert Napton. Are you guys coordinating? I find the artwork in both your series more accurate and uniform with the material I've seen published on the ERB official site, pulp covers and the Marvel series. Anyway, welcome again and hope to have you around often.

[Arvid Nelson]

Hello, Ralok! Yes, it's really me. Who in their right mind would pose as me, after all?

Thank you for being so understanding about the changes. I should also say that artists have a lot of input when it comes to visuals. I try to inform them the best I can – you should see the reference documents I cobble together – but really, it's up to them. Things never get drawn the way I imagine them when I'm writing, but that's okay; it's really important for artists to have their say, too.

I'm sorry we can't do a more rigorously "correct" version of Barsoom for the wiki and for the hardcore fans – I'm a hardcore fan, too. I just do the best I can to strike the right balance. Unfortunately, there's no way to literally transcribe the books into comics.

I really appreciate your support despite all of this. I hope you'll continue to enjoy the series for a very long time. I'll always do my best, I promise you that.

I love fixing bloopers/continuity errors with clever patches of dialog; in the Case of the Infamous Zode, it was such a flagrant mistake that I think we're just going to change it to "revolution" in the TPB.

[Arvid Nelson]

John Carter! Thanks for the compliments. I'm loving Fall of Barsoom, too. Robert has some great things in store, just you wait. We're definitely coordinating, yes. It's nice being able to sit back and read for a change!

[JohnCarter]

John Carter! Thanks for the compliments. I'm loving Fall of Barsoom, too. Robert has some great things in store, just you wait. We're definitely coordinating, yes. It's nice being able to sit back and read for a change!

On the art chores, I see that Sadowsky is listed as the artist in the following stories, what happened to Lui Antonio? I've honestly come to love Lui Antonio's artwork. In my opinion Sadowsky needs a strong inker.

Any chance of other artists lending a hand or for an annual maybe? I'd like to see Simon Bisley, Ariel Olivetti, Joe Jusko, Cary Nord & Richard Corben.

[Ralok]

Hello, Ralok! Yes, it's really me. Who in their right mind would pose as me, after all?

Thank you for being so understanding about the changes. I should also say that artists have a lot of input when it comes to visuals. I try to inform them the best I can – you should see the reference documents I cobble together – but really, it's up to them. Things never get drawn the way I imagine them when I'm writing, but that's okay; it's really important for artists to have their say, too.

I'm sorry we can't do a more rigorously "correct" version of Barsoom for the wiki and for the hardcore fans – I'm a hardcore fan, too. I just do the best I can to strike the right balance. Unfortunately, there's no way to literally transcribe the books into comics.

I really appreciate your support despite all of this. I hope you'll continue to enjoy the series for a very long time. I'll always do my best, I promise you that.

I love fixing bloopers/continuity errors with clever patches of dialog; in the Case of the Infamous Zode, it was such a flagrant mistake that I think we're just going to change it to "revolution" in the TPB.

I have had people pose as me on websites before to try and smear my name by posing as me .. . . but I can tell you . . . anybody who would pose as you . . . .would be NOT in their right mind! If they were in their right mind . . . they wouldnt pose as you (I know this from experience, people posing as me were not in their right mind)

With fall of barsoom, I have come to love the artwork a bit more because of the consistency between the series!

It is okay that it isnt totally correct, its all till waaaaaaaaaay cool. And there is definitly some cool stuff being done with the art that I wouldnt have imagined . . . thus it is adding to the universe

Overall in these series more has been added than subtracted

EDIT: AND after a bit of searching Ican tell you that a martian "year" (one revolution around the sun) is an "Ord"

[JohnCarter]

With fall of barsoom, I have come to love the artwork a bit more because of the consistency between the series!



Nicely put. I agree, reading Dejah Thoris and Warlord of Mars, even though very different artists styles you feel you are in the same world/universe, not so much with Fall of Barsoom.

[Ralok]

Nicely put. I agree, reading Dejah Thoris and Warlord of Mars, even though very different artists styles you feel you are in the same world/universe, not so much with Fall of Barsoom.

True fall of barsoom is a bit different . . . but it still is close enough that it creates a sense of consistency!

[Arvid Nelson]

On the art chores, I see that Sadowsky is listed as the artist in the following stories, what happened to Lui Antonio? I've honestly come to love Lui Antonio's artwork. In my opinion Sadowsky needs a strong inker.

Any chance of other artists lending a hand or for an annual maybe? I'd like to see Simon Bisley, Ariel Olivetti, Joe Jusko, Cary Nord & Richard Corben.

I believe Steve is doing issues 10 – 12, which are an original bridge by moi, settling the mystery of who killed the Caretaker of the Atmosphere Factory. Dunno about after that...

[Arvid Nelson]

Overall in these series more has been added than subtracted

EDIT: AND after a bit of searching Ican tell you that a martian "year" (one revolution around the sun) is an "Ord"

Glad you feel that way. I think I remember reading about an "ord" in one of the novels; which was it? It's not the first five, to my knowledge...

[JohnCarter]

Do you plan to follow the chronology of the novels? Also any chance of John Carter joining Dejah Thoris on her title once the current pre-Carter story is over?

[Ralok]

Glad you feel that way. I think I remember reading about an "ord" in one of the novels; which was it? It's not the first five, to my knowledge...

I am not sure . . .. I am currently in the process of re-reading the books

I think it is in the first five books . . . . year length becomes an important plot point at the end of gods of mars

I am not sure though

[transversal]

Don't you guys have "A Guide to Barsoom"? Written by super anal retentive person John Flint Roy in 1976? I will quote from there:

10 zodes = 1 padan (day)
67 padans = 1 teean (month)
10 teeans = 1 ord (year)

These Barsoomian terms - "padan," "teean," and "ord" - are not used in any of the eleven tales but do appear on Burroughs' worksheet "Characters, etc in GODS OF MARS."

[transversal]

Mr. Nelson, thanks for putting out such a wonderful rendering of Burroughs' work. Just awesome! I really can't tell you how glad I am that your product has turned out so well. I AM one of those guys who's read these stories a few times since the 70's, and I hope you don't mind a little nit-picking here and there amongst the praise.

I read the preview for issue number 8, and I felt that the reaction John Carter had to finding out that Dejah Thoris would wed Sab Than was a bit harsh. In the book, he was just glad to have found her and be able to be in her service again. I think his reaction should have been more bewilderment and disappointment, rather than anger - more in keeping with the Gentleman from Virginia motif. What are your thoughts on this?

[Ralok]

Don't you guys have "A Guide to Barsoom"? Written by super anal retentive person John Flint Roy in 1976? I will quote from there:

10 zodes = 1 padan (day)
67 padans = 1 teean (month)
10 teeans = 1 ord (year)

These Barsoomian terms - "padan," "teean," and "ord" - are not used in any of the eleven tales but do appear on Burroughs' worksheet "Characters, etc in GODS OF MARS."

I could swear I heard ord and padan used in the boks, if not in the main body text then in the notes that are occassionally scattered about by ERB in the books

and I have never ever heard the term teean and I am far more anal and retentative than john roy flint ever was :P

[Arvid Nelson]

Do you plan to follow the chronology of the novels? Also any chance of John Carter joining Dejah Thoris on her title once the current pre-Carter story is over?

"Never say never!" For the time being, I think we're going to stick with pre-Carter past. There are just too many interesting things to explore! Carter is such a disruptive force – in a good way, I mean. I sort of like seeing Barsoom as it functioned before he shook everything up.

[Arvid Nelson]

Mr. Nelson, thanks for putting out such a wonderful rendering of Burroughs' work. Just awesome! I really can't tell you how glad I am that your product has turned out so well. I AM one of those guys who's read these stories a few times since the 70's, and I hope you don't mind a little nit-picking here and there amongst the praise.

I read the preview for issue number 8, and I felt that the reaction John Carter had to finding out that Dejah Thoris would wed Sab Than was a bit harsh. In the book, he was just glad to have found her and be able to be in her service again. I think his reaction should have been more bewilderment and disappointment, rather than anger - more in keeping with the Gentleman from Virginia motif. What are your thoughts on this?

Thank you, transversal. I'm happy it lives up to expectations. I certainly bow to your knowledge. If you can look past the minor inconsistencies, I can deal with the nitpicking. :)

Very interesting comment about Carter's reaction to Sab Than. I see exactly what you're saying. One of the biggest challenges for me is condensing the dialog into something more bite-sized, while preserving the "feel" of the original. Sometimes the little nuances just get lost!

I was surprised by Carter's vehemence towards Sab Than in the original. Sab Than, in the original, actually came as somewhat sympathetic, at least to me.

I wasn't aware of A Guide to Barsoom! Found a used copy online, you can be sure I'll refer to it from now on. Thanks very much for recommendation.

[Ralok]

Thank you, transversal. I'm happy it lives up to expectations. I certainly bow to your knowledge. If you can look past the minor inconsistencies, I can deal with the nitpicking. :)

Very interesting comment about Carter's reaction to Sab Than. I see exactly what you're saying. One of the biggest challenges for me is condensing the dialog into something more bite-sized, while preserving the "feel" of the original. Sometimes the little nuances just get lost!

I was surprised by Carter's vehemence towards Sab Than in the original. Sab Than, in the original, actually came as somewhat sympathetic, at least to me.

I wasn't aware of A Guide to Barsoom! Found a used copy online, you can be sure I'll refer to it from now on. Thanks very much for recommendation.

I would be much happier about you getting a copy of "a guide to barsoom" if it wasnt for the fact that the copy of the book I had in my shopping cart on amazon.com is now out of stock

:P

that was all just a silly joke of course

[bluetyson]

You are doing a great job with these.

[transversal]

I used a search engine to look up all the occurrences of "Sab Than". He does kind of get a raw deal if you look at his activities in the book. However, he is also a party to kidnapping the princess and using her to help subjugate Helium.

[Arvid Nelson]

You know, Sab Than is an interesting question... for me, the most revealing character moment for him is when he asks Than Kosis to end the war, which he calls "unpopular". I definitely get the sense he's only too happy to marry Dejah Thoris, but he's also concerned and troubled by what Zodanga's doing. He's very passive, of course, he doesn't do anything about it, which is the big difference between him and Carter.

Carter's interaction with the Caretaker of the Atmosphere Factory is also interesting and complicated; in some ways, the Caretaker comes off as the wronged party.

[JohnCarter]

You know, Sab Than is an interesting question... for me, the most revealing character moment for him is when he asks Than Kosis to end the war, which he calls "unpopular". I definitely get the sense he's only too happy to marry Dejah Thoris, but he's also concerned and troubled by what Zodanga's doing. He's very passive, of course, he doesn't do anything about it, which is the big difference between him and Carter.

Carter's interaction with the Caretaker of the Atmosphere Factory is also interesting and complicated; in some ways, the Caretaker comes off as the wronged party.

I wish the pace of the story was more relaxed in some places so we could get more characterization and decompression. There was a post on the board about when Carter was wandering the desert that he encountered mars flora and fauna in the book and the person posted that this could have taken an entire issue in the comics. I realize you cannot please everybody and that you have to select what passages from the books to concentrate on but I just thought it was worth mentioning.

[transversal]

You know, Sab Than is an interesting question... for me, the most revealing character moment for him is when he asks Than Kosis to end the war, which he calls "unpopular". I definitely get the sense he's only too happy to marry Dejah Thoris, but he's also concerned and troubled by what Zodanga's doing. He's very passive, of course, he doesn't do anything about it, which is the big difference between him and Carter.

Carter's interaction with the Caretaker of the Atmosphere Factory is also interesting and complicated; in some ways, the Caretaker comes off as the wronged party.

I never thought of him that way...I viewed him mainly as another obstacle for John Carter. ERB certainly didn't mean for him to be a negative character. His descriptions of "bad" people, with certain exceptions, invariably contain the words "close set eyes" and "thin, cruel lips". I suppose Sab Than was just one of those guys in the wrong place at the wrong time.

With regard to the caretaker, he was simply doing his job. I don't believe Burroughs portrayed him as anything but magnanimous for even letting John Carter in the building.

[Arvid Nelson]

I wish the pace of the story was more relaxed in some places so we could get more characterization and decompression. There was a post on the board about when Carter was wandering the desert that he encountered mars flora and fauna in the book and the person posted that this could have taken an entire issue in the comics. I realize you cannot please everybody and that you have to select what passages from the books to concentrate on but I just thought it was worth mentioning.

I completely agree. I wish I had three times the number of pages for Princess of Mars, believe me. Unfortunately, there's no way to do the story at that pace and keep it viable, from a publishing perspective. Every issue is about making sacrifices!

That's why we include the "John Carter's Natural History of Barsoom" at the end of every issue – it's a way to include some of the things there's no space for in the comic itself.

[Ralok]

I completely agree. I wish I had three times the number of pages for Princess of Mars, believe me. Unfortunately, there's no way to do the story at that pace and keep it viable, from a publishing perspective. Every issue is about making sacrifices!

That's why we include the "John Carter's Natural History of Barsoom" at the end of every issue – it's a way to include some of the things there's no space for in the comic itself.

make a one shot comic like that :)

a one shot universe guide like planet hulks gladiator book

PLEAAAAAAASE

[bluetyson]

I completely agree. I wish I had three times the number of pages for Princess of Mars, believe me. Unfortunately, there's no way to do the story at that pace and keep it viable, from a publishing perspective. Every issue is about making sacrifices!

That's why we include the "John Carter's Natural History of Barsoom" at the end of every issue – it's a way to include some of the things there's no space for in the comic itself.

They have the internet for putting extras up if you need to. Plus in digital versions or 'variant' digital extended versions if you wanted. As it seems that Dynamite people probably have variant edition breakfasts!

:D

[boomvavavoom]

hello Arvid

I was actually trying to get #13 of the original Marvel series to get my collection complete... It kinda took me too long but it was not very high on my list. I knew that I could get it anytime at Milehigh so I guess I was lazy about it.

And then I placed the order for #13 and it was also announced that Dynamite where doing a Barsoom series

I was thrilled... and still am.

Period.

I might even check out the new Marvel series but at this time I am very VERY happy with your writing and on Dejah as well and the art is lovely and the covers are more stunning then ever with Jusko and Renaud leading in the drooling department :) Marvel will never be able to let me drool like Renaud and Paul knows that :D

[Arvid Nelson]

Thanks so much! Finishing the second Dejah Thoris series right now. I hope it continues to entertain, and I think it will!