Comic Vine: How would you briefly describe the direction of this series?
Arvid Nelson: We’re staying as true to the originals as possible, starting with the first novel, A Princess of Mars, and moving on from there. Hopefully there’ll be room for us to go off on tangents, but the most important thing is doing Burroughs’s story the right way.
Comic Vine: How did you get involved with writing it?
Arvid Nelson: It was one of those happy phone calls -- Dynamite just up and asked me. I think it was because of my work on other series, on Kull and Red Sonja, that they took the chance.
CV: You've written a variety of different comic genres (Rex Mundi, Zero Killer, JSA, Red Sonja, etc), do you take a different approach when writing for each one?
AN: Superficially, there are differences -- you expect different things from a Rex Mundi story than from an issue of John Carter of Mars. Of course. But underneath it all, good storytelling is good storytelling.
== TEASER == CV: Were you a big John Carter fan before?
AN: Honestly, I’d never read the material before. I was worried it might be stale or dated, but I was really wrong. I literally couldn’t put the books down. I’m a devoted fan now.
AN: Not only can superhero fans get into it, it was written for them! I believe John Carter, the main character, was the primary inspiration for Superman. I’d go so far as to say Carter is the first superhero, ever.
CV: Will there be a balance between stories for long time John Carter fans and those that never heard of him before?
AN: The original novels are very episodic, so readers will be able to jump on at any point. Of course, the larger story has to keep stream rolling on, but every issue is going to open with a summary of what’s happened before.
CV: How far do you have the series mapped out?
AN: My focus is on the first book. After that, who knows? But that’s a long ways off.
CV: What does the craziest scene you've written so far contain?
AN: Ah, there are so many great ones. I can say that with modesty because it’s all Edgar Rice Burroughs. I’d have to say I’m most looking forward to Carter’s first encounter with the white apes, and the scene in which the red Martians are introduced.