Without John Carter there would be no Star Wars (or Star Trek, or Avatar, or Superman…)
Just how much of a debt do today’s sci-fi heroes owe to JC?
Star Wars. Avatar. Star Trek. These are some of the titans when it comes to popular science fiction franchises. But 100 years ago, science fiction was still in its infancy, and a hero named John Carter enjoyed the sort of popularity that characters like Luke Skywalker and Captain Kirk do today.
Carter is the hero of many of Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ Barsoom novels, which explore life on a dying version of Mars. Burroughs (who also created Tarzan) may not have invented the science fiction genre, but his books played a monumental role in building and shaping what fans expect from it. It’s rare to see a sci-fi story that isn’t influenced in some way by the Barsoom novels. And with a John Carter movie hitting theaters early next month, we figured now was the perfect time to explore how various sci-fi films have been influenced by and continued the legacy of John Carter.