Emma Withington reviews Mars Attacks: Occupation #3…
‘When we last left off, the humans had succeeded in a last-ditch effort to prevent total martian victory. But, that only delayed the inevitable, and the martian empire eventually conquered earth, subjugating its people.’
After Ruby Johnson emerged victorious from the martian gladiator arena, Supreme Overseer Zar gave his verdict of ‘no mercy’ – it looked to be a short lived victory. But suddenly, cheering erupted from the martian spectators, chanting ‘Roo-Bee, Roo-Bee’, and so Zar reluctantly reversed his decision as Ruby Johnson became, ‘The Martian Hero’…
SEE ALSO: Check out a preview of Mars Attacks: Occupation #3
Mars Attacks: Occupation #3 begins in a bizarre martian soiree. Ruby is in an evening dress ‘socialising’ with the martians; offered the finest in martian cuisine and fine vintage Xypzlurp (some sort of cocktail)- with presumably fresh eyeballs… She is a source of fascination for her martian ‘friends’, however, Ruby knows that she is a glorified martian toy caught in a perpetual cycle of fighting for her life; until she becomes like one of the abominations she faces in the arena.
Grady Rizzo – the really useful mock mentor character from last issue, who lost his legs and numerous vital organs after being sliced in two – is alive and is on his way to becoming a fighter bot; his bottom half now that of a robotic arthropod. Grady takes Ruby to a facility where arena survivors train, I use the term ‘survivors’ loosely, and is assigned to train her. It is clear, his help she does not need…
Supreme Overseer Zar wants Ruby dead, no human can be champion in his eyes and she will become the prime target in the arena until she is paté – sending in his ace card: Killbot 6.
Mars Attacks: Occupation #3 takes a step back, leaning a bit more to the Burtonesque than Mars Attacks: Occupation #2 – managing to almost gloss over a dark revelation on the fate of the human race, which just about brings you back to earth amidst the charming absurdity of the imagery and dialogue. It’s lighter and more vibrant with a polished early 90’s comic book style and is onomatopoeiatastic. What’s not to love about one of the cabbage patch martians kicking someone in the backside to the sound of – FUMP!
It places itself as more of an interim issue – building up to the predictable, yet entertaining twist. It looks to regain it’s full pace in the next issue, so this is not a major complaint at this stage.
Mars Attacks: Occupation #3 is a stop-gap in what is still a hugely entertaining miniseries that is worth dipping into and is a perfect piece of uncomplicated Sci-fi escapism, if you need a break from the heavier things in life.
Rating: 7.5/10
Emma Withington – Follow me on Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=CEpvR1NevRs
Originally published May 18, 2016. Updated November 13, 2019.
