John Carter of Mars

Facts, Fantasy and Discussion of Edgar Rice Burroughs Proto-Hero, John Carter of Mars.

Edgar Rice Burroughs, mainly known as the author and creator of Tarzan, also created one of the world's great Science Fiction Sagas with his Barsoom series. John Carter is a Civil War veteran, and a Virginia gentleman. From a mystical cavern in the American Southwest, he is transported across the gulf of space to the planet Mars. Known as Barsoom to the inhabitants of the planet, Mars is a dying planet where savage & bloodthristy creatures roam, and where the last remnants of once great civilizations attempt to hold on to their civilizations. Endowed with superhuman strength & abilities (because of vast differences between the environments of Earth & Mars) John Carter rapidly distinguishes himself as a warrior, conquering primitive tribes and winning the love of Dejah Thoris, the beautiful princess of the Red Martians

Burrough's Mars stories are full of wonderfully naive in their description of the life & times of the Martian peoples. Since Burroughs was writing at the very beginning of the 20th century, much of his description is patently ridiculous. From the Barsoomian flying machines to the radium rifles which fire radioactive projectiles, it is easy to laugh at the science of the Barsoom series. However, the character of John Carter, and his adventures are the true beauty of the stories. Carter is a proto-action hero. His daring exploits and skin of the teeth escapes are the model for much of what was to come in later years.

John Carter of Mars - the Stories

The Barsoom stories are:

Note: While John Carter is the most widely known hero of the Barsoom stories, he does not figure in all of them. Other figures serve as the hero for some of the stories.