Dejah Thoris: The Gardens of Mars

I loved this book! The art is gorgeous and the story is excellent. There were a few times scenes felt a little rushed and I had to go back and piece together what happened, but on the whole this was a really interesting adventure. Dejah hopes she can end the war between the races of Barsoom by finding a lost city where water is plentiful. The story predates the arrival of John Carter, so we know the mission won't succeed, but it's not a total failure, either.I enjoyed Dejah's characterization. She goes against her father's wishes (and orders) and puts together her own scientific expedition, slaying foes along the way. But she's still young, naive, and impetuous. Her actions cost others their lives, and she has to learn to accept the consequences of her decisions.There are a lot of other great characters, too, most notably the red warrior Sajad, who defies death again and again, and the green jeddak, Nars Jartas, whose motives are noble, even if his friendship is uncertain throughout the comic.I loved it. The characters were interesting and the plot really grabbed my attention. I hope there's more to come.