Fantasy Art Thursday: "Earth Astride Mars" by Adam C. Moore

((Click HERE to go to Adam C. Moore's DeviantArt page))

Have I ever mentioned how much I love John Carter of Mars? My first exposure to Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom was the 2012 film John Carter, which inspired me to hunt down A Princess of Mars and read it. While certain elements of the stories haven't aged particularly well (the overt racism being the most obvious example), I loved this strange world that Burrough's created and enjoyed reading about Carter's adventures on a dying world.

The above piece by cartoonist/illustrator Adam C. Moore (also known as Laemeur) depicts the displaced Earthling fighting two Tharks while another pair watches, with the one in the chair most likely being the notorious Tars Tarkas. I love the pulp/comic book feel of the piece, making me think it would be right at home as the illustration for a Barsoom story. I like the depiction of the Tharks, loving how Moore manages to balance the alien and humanoid features of the Green Martians. I also like how Carter looks so small compared to his two opponents, showing us how brave and strong the former Confederate soldier is. Finally, the piece possesses a nice flow to it, with the twisting of the Thark's body as Carter rears back to punch him while his comrade quickly approaches, reaching for his two blades.