Posted by on Apr 28, 2024 in Main |

April guest speaker Mr Brian Jones from Bradford Astronomical Society

‘The chances of anything coming from Mars’ was the title of the presentation given by the author of the annual astronomy yearbook at the April society meeting.

Mr Brian Jones commenced his talk by detailing some of the well know fact about the red planet. He then when on to explain that the planet had been named Mars by the ancient Romans for their god of war because its reddish colour was reminiscent of blood. Other civilizations also named the planet for this attribute; for example, the Egyptians called it “Her Desher,” meaning “the red one.”

The Roman God Mars by Lee Schramm

Mr Jones explained that Mars has appeared as a setting in works of fiction since at least the mid-1600s. Trends in the planet’s portrayal have largely been influenced by advances in planetary science. It became the most popular celestial object in fiction in the late 1800s, when it became clear that there was no life on the Moon. The predominant genre depicting Mars at the time was utopian fiction. Around the same time, the mistaken belief that there are canals on Mars emerged and made its way into fiction, popularised by Percival Lowell’s speculations of an ancient civilization having constructed them. The War of the Worlds, H. G. Wells’s novel about an alien invasion of Earth by sinister Martians, was published in 1897 and went on to have a major influence on the science fiction genre.

During the opposition of Mars in 1877, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli announced the discovery of linear structures he dubbed canali (literally channels, but widely translated as canals) on the Martian surface. These were generally interpreted; by those who accepted their disputed existence, as waterways, and they made their earliest appearance in fiction in the anonymously published 1883 novel Politics and Life in Mars, where the Martians live in the water.

Giovanni Schiaparelli in the 1890s

Schiaparelli’s observations, and perhaps the translation of canali as “canals” rather than “channels”, inspired Percival Lowell to speculate that these were artificial constructs and write a series of non-fiction books,’ Mars’ in 1895, ‘Mars and Its Canals’ in 1906, and ‘Mars as the Abode of Life’ in 1908. Thus popularising the idea.

Giovanni Schiaparelli’s map of the surface of Mars depicting the canals he observed

Lowell posited that Mars was home to an ancient and advanced but dying or already dead Martian civilization who had constructed these vast canals for irrigation to survive on an increasingly arid planet, and this became an enduring vision of Mars that influenced writers across several decades.

Percival Lowell

Science fiction scholar Gary Westfahl, drawing from the catalogue of early science fiction works compiled by E. F. Bleiler and Richard Bleiler in the reference works Science-Fiction: The Early Years from 1990 and Science-Fiction: The Gernsback Years from 1998, concludes that Lowell thus “effectively set the boundaries for subsequent narratives about an inhabited Mars”.

Canals became a feature of romantic portrayals of Mars such as Burroughs’s Barsoom series. Early works that did not depict any waterways on Mars typically explained the appearance of straight lines on the surface in some other way, such as simooms or large tracts of vegetation.

Although they quickly fell out of favour as a serious scientific theory, largely as a result of higher-quality telescopic observations by astronomers such as E. M. Antoniadi failing to detect them, canals continued to make sporadic appearances in fiction for a while in works such as the 1936 novel Planet Plane by John Wyndham, the 1938 novel Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis, and the 1949 novel Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein. Said Lewis in response to criticism from biologist J. B. S. Haldane, “The canals in Mars are there not because I believe in them but because they are part of the popular tradition.” Eventually, the flyby of Mars by Mariner 4 in 1965 conclusively determined that the canals were mere optical illusions.

Mr Jones focused this next section of his presentation on Mars in literature.

American author and science journalist John Noble Wilford (born 1933)

American author and science journalist John Noble Wilford (born 1933) said. “Mars tugs at the human imagination like no other planet. With a force mightier than gravity, it attracts the eye to the shimmering red presence in the clear night sky.

Mars Beckons by John Noble Wilford

Philip K Dick wrote “Martians Come in Clouds” which was published in Fantastic Universe in June-July 1953.

Philip K Dick

“Martians Come in Clouds” tells the story of an alien species arriving on Earth (specifically a suburban section of America) as refugees from some massive ecological catastrophe on their home planet. Desiring to share the resources of the planet, living innocuously on the oceans, whenever they arrive they are confronted by mobs of indifferent and xenophobic people. They use violence to kill the few that arrive locally. The violence implemented against the aliens is a source of pride.

“Martians Come in Clouds” by Philip K Dick was published in Fantastic Universe in June-July 1953

Philip K Dick also wrote ‘Survey team’ which was first published in Fantastic Universe (May 1954), The story tells of a designated four man group of space travellers chosen to find another planet on which humankind can survive. since the once good green earth has been all but destroyed, rendered uninhabitable by nuclear war. The few remaining humans live miles beneath the surface, their resources depleted, their survival only a matter of time. Could Mars be the place they are looking for? The “survey team” has been chosen to find out.

The first thing they see when they arrive on Mars is a ruined city, and in their course of exploring the ruins they discover some disturbing truths, not only about the history of Mars, but of the true nature of humankind itself.

This is a disturbing, bleak tale. It is perhaps a little heavy-handed, particularly at the end. Still, the atmosphere of the tale, and the questions it raises, continue to haunt me said Mr Jones.

Philip K Dick also wrote ‘Survey team’ which was first published in Fantastic Universe Magazine in May 1954

Another writer that impressed Mr Jones is Alan K Baker. He was born in Birmingham in 1964. After leaving university in 1991, he endured a series of increasingly unpleasant jobs, culminating in a nine-month stint as a packer in a Sheffield sausage factory, which served to increase his fascination with the macabre and outlandish. Since 1997, he has published a ‘ The Martian Ambassador’.

It is set in Victorian London, in 1899. It has been six years since the discovery of intelligent life on Mars, and relations between the two worlds are rapidly developing. Three-legged Martian omnibuses stride through the streets and across the landscape, while Queen Victoria has been returned to the vigour of youth by Martian rejuvenation drugs. Victorian computer technology is proceeding apace, thanks to the faeries who power the ‘cogitators’, while the first Æther zeppelins are nearing completion, with a British expedition to the Moon being planned for the following year.

The Martian Ambassador

Everything seems to be going swimmingly, until Lunan R’ondd, Martian Ambassador to the Court of Saint James’s, dies while attending a banquet at Buckingham Palace. The discovery of strange, microscopic larvae in his breathing apparatus leads Queen Victoria to suspect that he may have been the victim of a bizarre assassination. The Martian Parliament agrees, and they are not pleased. No Martian has ever died in such suspicious circumstances while on Earth. An ultimatum is if Her Majesty’s Government cannot solve the crime and bring the perpetrator to justice, the Martians will! Enter Thomas Blackwood, Special Investigator for Her Majesty’s Bureau of Clandestine Affairs.

Mr Brian Jones

Along with Lady Sophia Harrington, Secretary of the Society for Psychical Research, Blackwood is charged with the task of solving the mystery of Ambassador R’ondd’s death, before the Martians take matters into their own hands, possibly igniting an interplanetary war in the process!

Stanley Grauman Weinbaum (1902 to 1935) was an American science fiction writer. His first story, “A Martian Odyssey”, was published to great acclaim in July 1934; the alien Tweel was arguably the first character to satisfy John W. Campbell’s challenge: “Write me a creature who thinks as well as a man, or better than a man, but not like a man.” Weinbaum wrote more short stories and a few novels, but died from lung cancer less than a year and a half later.

Stanley Grauman Weinbaum (1902 to 1935)

‘A Martian Odyssey’ tells the story that in the not so distant future, a spaceship crew explores Mars. One of the explorers, Jarvis, is left stranded far from the camp, when his rocket experiences an engine malfunction. He resolves to walk back across Mars. Along the way, he rescues a bird-like intelligent creature, Tweel, who joins him on the journey. As they pass from one region to the next, they discover three other samples of large animalistic life on mars. One is a creature that mindlessly builds an endless array of pyramids. The second is a being that can read minds and mimic the appearance of the most desirable object, to lure others within its grasp. The last one is a civilization, which builds city-like structures, but otherwise appears mindless. That is, until Jarvis steals one of their technologies. Then they attack, and only the timely arrival of a rescue ship whisks Jarvis back to his crewmates.

Illustrations from ‘A Martian Oddesay’ by Stanley Grauman Weinbaum

Throughout the journey, Tweel stays with Jarvis. They try to communicate, and even though Tweel picks up some English words, Jarvis isn’t so lucky or smart. Tweel, on the other hand, is smart enough that even his extremely limited vocabulary allows him to convey fairly complex ideas. It takes all the intellect Jarvis can muster to comprehend Tweel’s ideas, but they manage to form a mutually useful friendship. Unfortunately, Tweel is not taken abroad the rescue ship, and instead hops away from the city builders when Jarvis is rescued.

The story continues in his novel ‘Valley of Dreams’ published in 1934. Essentially picking up where Odyssey left off, we find our fearless crew eager to retrieve the film Jarvis had to abandon when his craft broke down and forced him to return to their beachhead on foot. This time Jarvis takes their French Biologist Leroy with him. They find the wreckage easily enough and decide to explore.

Valley of Dreams by Stanley Grauman Weinbaum

They happen upon a positively Love craftian abandoned city and meet Tweel with a group of his people. After showing them around, they explore a valley which happens to contain hundreds, nay thousands, of the creatures, which lure you to your death by making you see your desires. Jarvis comes away thinking Tweels people are a very advanced society and that they visited ancient Egypt. They gave the gift of writing to the Egyptians and were perceived as gods.

Among the many Egyptian gods and goddesses was Thoth, Egyptian god of the moon. It is likely his name, which means “traveller”, comes from how the moon moves, or travels, across the sky. Stanley Grauman Weinbaum had clearly based his Martian Tweels of the ancient Egyptian Thoth.

The ancient Egyptian God of the moon, ‘Thoth’

Mr Jones moved on to talk about some of his favourite depictions of Martins on the small screen.

‘My Favourite Martian’ was an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 29th September 1963, to 1st May 1966, for 107 episodes. The show stars Ray Walston as “Uncle Martin” (the Martian) and Bill Bixby as Tim O’Hara. The first two seasons, totalling 75 episodes, were in black and white, and the 32 episodes of the third and final season were filmed in colour.

Ray Walston as “Uncle Martin” (the Martian) from the American comedy TV series, from 1663 to 1966

A human-appearing extraterrestrial in a one-man spaceship nearly collides at high altitude with the U.S. Air Force’s rocket plane, the North American X-15. The spaceship’s pilot is a 450-year-old anthropologist from Mars. Tim O’Hara, a young newspaper reporter for The Los Angeles Sun, is on his way home from Edwards Air Force Base, where he had gone to report on the flight of the X-15. Returning home to Los Angeles, O’Hara spots the same silver spaceship coming down quickly, after which it crash lands nearby.

Tim takes in the Martian, saying to other people that he is Tim’s Uncle Martin. The Martian refuses to reveal any of his special traits to humans, other than Tim, to avoid both publicity and human panic. Tim agrees to keep the Martian’s Earth identity a secret while he attempts to repair his spaceship. Uncle Martin has various unusual powers: He can raise two retractable antennae from the back of his head and become invisible.

He is telepathic and can read and influence minds; he can levitate objects with the motion of his index finger; he can communicate with animals; he can freeze people or objects; and he can speed himself (and other people) up to do any kind of work.

Also an inventor, Uncle Martin builds several advanced devices, such as a time machine that transports Tim and the Martian to England in the Middle Ages and other times and places, such as St. Louis in 1849 and the early days of Hollywood, and brings Leonardo da Vinci and Jesse James into the present. Another device he builds is a “molecular separator” that can take apart the molecules of a physical object, or rearrange them (making a squirrel into a human). Another device can take memories and store them in pill form to “relearn” them later. Other devices create temporary duplicates, or levitate Martin and others without the need of his index finger.

Mr Jones then showed the members a video clip from the first ever episode which explained how the Martian arrived on Earth.

Mr Jones retuned to science fiction literature with H,G, Wells, ‘The War of the Worlds. It was written between 1895 and 1897, and serialised in Pearson’s Magazine in the UK and Cosmopolitan magazine in the US in 1897. The full novel was first published in hardcover in 1898 by William Heinemann.

The War of the Worlds is one of the earliest stories to detail a conflict between humankind and an extraterrestrial race. The novel is the first-person narrative of an unnamed protagonist in Surrey and his younger brother in London as southern England is invaded by Martians. It is one of the most commented-on works in the science fiction canon.

H.G. Wells photographed in 1920

When an army of invading Martians lands in England, panic and terror seize the population. As the aliens traverse the country in huge three-legged machines, incinerating all in their path with a heat ray and spreading noxious toxic gases, the people of the Earth must come to terms with the prospect of the end of human civilization and the beginning of Martian rule.

Inspiring films, radio dramas, comic-book adaptations, television series and sequels. ‘The War of the Worlds’ is a prototypical work of science fiction, which has influenced every alien story that has come since, and is unsurpassed in its ability to thrill, well over a century since it was first published.

The War of the Worlds

Mr Jones moved quickly to “The War of the Worlds” as an Halloween episode of the radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air directed and narrated by Orson Welles.

It was performed and broadcast live at 8 pm on 30th October 1938, over the CBS Radio Network. The episode is famous for inciting a panic by convincing some members of the listening audience that a Martian invasion was taking place, though the scale of panic is disputed, as the program had relatively few listeners.
The episode begins with an introductory monologue based closely on the opening of the source novel, after which the program takes on the format of an evening of typical radio programming being periodically interrupted by news bulletins.

Orson Welles narrating his radio drama in the CBS radio studio in1938

The first few bulletins interrupt a program of live music and are relatively calm reports of unusual explosions on Mars followed by a seemingly unrelated report of an unknown object falling on a farm in Grovers Mill, New Jersey. The crisis escalates dramatically when an on-scene reporter at Grovers Mill describes creatures emerging from what is evidently an alien spacecraft. The aliens employ a heat ray against police and onlookers, and the radio correspondent describes the attack in increasing panic until his audio feed abruptly goes dead.

This is followed by a rapid series of news updates detailing the beginning of a devastating alien invasion and the US military’s futile efforts to stop it. The first portion of the episode climaxes with a live report from a rooftop in Manhattan, from where a correspondent describes citizens fleeing from poison smoke released by towering Martian “war machines” until he coughs and falls silent. Only then does the program take its first break, about thirty minutes after Welles’s introduction.

The second portion of the show shifts to a more conventional radio drama format that follows a survivor (played by Welles) dealing with the aftermath of the invasion and the ongoing Martian occupation of Earth. The final segment lasts for about sixteen minutes, and like the original novel, concludes with the revelation that the Martians have been defeated by microbes rather than by humans. The broadcast ends with a brief “out of character” announcement by Welles in which he compares the show to “dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying ‘boo!'”

Welles’s “War of the Worlds” broadcast has become famous for convincing some of its listeners that a Martian invasion was actually taking place due to the “breaking news” style of storytelling employed in the first half of the show. The illusion of realism was supported by the Mercury Theatre on the Air’s lack of commercial interruptions, which meant that the first break in the drama came after all of the alarming “news” reports had taken place.

Popular legend holds that some of the radio audience may have been listening to The Chase and Sanborn Hour with Edgar Bergen on NBC and tuned in to “The War of the Worlds” during a musical interlude, thereby missing the clear introduction indicating that the show was a work of science fiction. Modern research suggests that this happened only in rare instances.

‘Radio play terrifies nation’ as headlines in the Boston Daily Globe newspaper – October 31st 1938

In the days after the adaptation, widespread outrage was expressed in the media. The program’s news-bulletin format was described as deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the broadcasters and calls for regulation by the FCC. Welles apologized at a hastily-called news conference the next morning, and no punitive action was taken. The broadcast and subsequent publicity brought the 23-year-old Welles to the attention of the general public and gave him the reputation of an innovative storyteller and “trickster”.

Orson Welles meeting with reporters in an effort to explain that one one connected with the ‘War of the Worlds’ radio broadcast had any idea the show would cause panic

The radio broadcast set the first point of the Martian invasion in a rural community called Grovers Mill which does exist and is located within West Windsor in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Scriptwriter Howard Koch selected Grovers Mill by randomly dropping a pencil point onto a map of New Jersey, and later noted he’d “liked the sound” of the name.

The supposed Martian attack on Grovers Mill 1939, painted by Artist Robert Hummel

The community of Grovers Mill have embraced the legendary story with pride, even erecting a monument to the broadcast in a park.

‘Martian landing site’ historical marker commemorating the 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast

Mr Jones moved forward in time to 1978 with the release in vinyl of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the World. A studio double album by American-born British musician, composer, and record producer Jeff Wayne, released on 9th June 1978 by CBS Records. It’s a rock opera with a rock band, orchestra, narrator, and leitmotifs to carry the story and lyrics that express the feelings of the various characters. The album features guest artists David Essex, Justin Hayward, Phil Lynott, Chris Thompson, and Julie Covington, with actor Richard Burton as the narrator.

The album became a commercial success in the UK, peaking at number five on the chart and selling over 2.7 million copies there since its release. In 2018, it was the UK’s 32nd best-selling studio album of all time, and has sold an estimated 15 million copies worldwide. It won two Ivor Novello Awards, including one for Wayne and main lyricist Gary Osborne for Best Instrumental or Popular Orchestral Work. Two singles from the album were released; “Forever Autumn”, with Hayward on lead vocals, reached number five in the UK, followed by the disco-inspired opening track, “The Eve of the War”. Wayne’s adaptation has spawned multiple versions including video games, DVDs, and live stage shows.

The next chapter in Mr Jones presentation was a nostalgic trip back to his boyhood youth and the popularity of bubblegum trading cards. These were a regular purchase from the corner shop in the 1960’s. There would be six cards in a packet with a slice of bubble gum. A full set of 50 cards was always the goal, and he would always have his collection of cards in his coat pocket in school and whilst playing with friends, where they would exchange cards to try and reach the goal of possessing a full set.

Mars Attacks is a science fiction-themed trading card series released in 1962 by Topps. Mr Jones explained this was his favourite set of cards and he has recently purchased a full set over the internet.

A collection of the’ Mars Attacks’ trading cards from 1962

The cards feature artwork by science fiction artists Wally Wood and Norman Saunders. The cards form a story arc, which tells of the invasion of Earth by cruel, hideous Martians under the command of a corrupt Martian government who conceal the fact from the Martian populace that Mars is doomed to explode and, therefore, proposes colonization of Earth to turn it into their new home world. The cards depict futuristic battle scenes and bizarre methods of Martian attack, torture and slaughter of humans, as well as various Earth nations being attacked.

The story concludes with an expeditionary force of humans volunteering to embark on a counterattack on Mars, in which the Earth force attacks the Martians in their manner (bayoneting and bullets). This necessitates the Martians that are still on Mars to defend their home world. The Earth attack forces, after destroying the Martian cities and killing the Martians, depart just before Mars is destroyed in the predicted cataclysm, thus ensuring the peace and safety of Earth as the Martian race is seemingly doomed to extinction.

Mars attacks trading card from 1962 depicting a Martian holding American president Kennedy hostage

Scholar Nathan Brownstone noted that “The Mars Attacks cards achieved their popularity at the very time when the Cuban Missile Crisis captured the headlines, the moment when Cold War was closest to becoming radioactively hot. That was when a brutal zero-sum game scenario – for Humanity to survive the Martians must die – established a solid niche in Americana popular culture”.
The cards proved popular with children, but depictions of explicit gore and implied sexual content caused an outcry, leading the company to halt production.

The cards have since become collectors’ items, with certain cards commanding big money at auctions.

Mars attacks 1962

Continuing with his childhood Mr Jones introduced us to a cartoon Martin from his childhood, created by American animator, painter, voice actor and filmmaker, Chuck Jones. Best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of shorts. He wrote, produced, and/or directed many classic animated cartoon shorts starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, Pepé Le Pew, Marvin the Martian, and Porky Pig, among others.

Who was this Martian? Well of course for those who were around in the 1950’s and 60’s it was of course ‘Marvin the Martian’.

Marvin the Martian with Buggs Bunny

Marvin the Martian is an alien race character from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. He frequently appears as a villain in cartoons and video games, and wears a Roman soldier’s helmet and skirt. The character has been voiced by Mel Blanc, Joe Alaskey, Bob Bergen and Eric Bauza, among others.
The character first appeared as an antagonist in the 1948 Bugs Bunny cartoon Haredevil Hare. He went on to appear in four more cartoons produced between 1952 and 1963.

Marvin’s design was based on the Hoplite style of armour usually worn by the Roman god Mars. “That was the uniform that Mars wore, that helmet and skirt. We thought putting it on this ant-like creature might be funny. But since he had no mouth, we had to convey that he was speaking totally through his movements. It demanded a kind of expressive body mechanics.”

Marvin the Martin and Buggs Bunny in ‘Haredevil Hare’ – 1948

Marvin was never named in the original shorts – he was referred to as the Commander of Flying Saucer X-2 in The Hasty Hare in 1952, and sometimes referred to as “Antwerp” in promotional material or other projects like the live stage show version of Bugs Bunny in Space. However, in 1979, once the character attracted merchandising interest, the name “Marvin” was selected for The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie.

Marvin the Martian has been voiced by several people, most famiously by the American voice actor and radio personality Mel Blanc (1908 to 1989)

Mr Jones returned to popular literature, highlighting the works of one Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875 to 1950). He was an American writer, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he also wrote the Pellucidar series, the Amtor series, and the Caspak trilogy.

Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875 to 1950)

Tarzan was immediately popular, and Burroughs capitalised on it in every possible way, including a syndicated Tarzan comic strip, films, and merchandise. Tarzan remains one of the most successful fictional characters to this day and is a cultural icon. Burroughs’s California ranch is now the centre of the Tarzana neighbourhood in Los Angeles, named after the character. Burroughs was an explicit supporter of eugenics and scientific racism in both his fiction and non-fiction; Tarzan was meant to reflect these concepts.

John Carter of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Aiming his work at the inexpensive fiction magazines (referred to as pulps; and of course the expression Pulp Fiction) under the name “Norman Bean” to protect his reputation. Burroughs had his first story, Under the Moons of Mars, serialized by Frank Munsey in the February to July 1912 issues of The All-Story. Under the Moons of Mars inaugurated the Barsoom series, introduced John Carter, and earned Burroughs US$400 ($11,922 today). It was first published as a book by A. C. McClurg of Chicago in 1917, entitled A Princess of Mars, after three Barsoom sequels had appeared as serials and McClurg had published the first four serial Tarzan novels as books.

John Carter appeared in this 1917 publication titled ‘A Princess of Mars’ by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The novels around the character called ‘John Carter’ where highlighted By Mr Jones.

‘John Carter of Mars’ is a fictional Virginian soldier who acts as the initial protagonist of the Barsoom stories. A veteran of the American Civil War, he is transported to the planet Mars, called Barsoom by its inhabitants, where he becomes a warrior battling various mythological beasts, alien armies and malevolent foes. Created in 1911, the character has appeared in novels and short stories, comic books, television shows and films, including the 2012 feature film John Carter, which marked the 100th anniversary of the character’s first appearance.

John Carter was the lead character in the first novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, set on a fictionalised version of Mars known as Barsoom. Written between July and September 1911, the novel was serialized as Under the Moons of Mars in the pulp magazine The All-Story from February to July 1912. It later appeared as a complete novel only after the success of Burroughs’s Tarzan series. For its October 1917 hardcover publication by A.C. McClurg & Company, the novel was retitled A Princess of Mars.

John Carter of Mars

Carter reappeared in subsequent volumes of the series, most prominently in the second (The Gods of Mars, 1918), the third (The Warlord of Mars, 1919), the eighth (Swords of Mars, 1936), the tenth (Llana of Gathol, 1948), and the eleventh and final instalment (John Carter of Mars, published posthumously in 1964). John Carter is also a major secondary character in the fourth volume (Thuvia, Maid of Mars, 1920), and the ninth (Synthetic Men of Mars, 1940). In September 2021, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. released John Carter Of Mars: Gods of the Forgotten, by Geary Gravel. Considered the 12th book in the Barsoom series, it is officially seen as canon.

On Mars, which its natives call Barsoom, Carter encounters both formidable alien creatures resembling the beasts of ancient myth, and various humanoids. He finds his true calling in life as a warlord who strives to save the planet’s inhabitants. He wins the hand of a Martian princess, Dejah Thoris of Helium, but after several years of marriage he sacrifices himself to save Barsoom from the loss of its atmosphere.

John Carter of Mars

Awakening again after this second death he finds he has been miraculously transported back to Earth, into his original body. Carter then collects the wealth that resulted from his discovery of a rich vein of gold ore right before his original passage to Barsoom. Unable to return to Mars, he spends several more years in a small cottage on the Hudson River in New York, where he once more appears to die on 4th March 1886. In his first appearance, he refers to the fact that he does not actually know how old he is or when or where he was born. He further states that he has been a fighting man for a very long time, by implication far longer than a single human lifetime.

John Carter of Mars in comic book form

Again, Carter’s apparent demise is not a true death; rather, he is restored to Barsoom, where after more adventures he rises to the position of Warlord of Mars, having played an instrumental role in creating alliances among many of the sentient races of Barsoom. He returns to Earth on a number of occasions afterward to relate his adventures to his nephew (“Burroughs”), revealing that he has mastered the process of astral travel between the two worlds. During his adventures on Mars his earthly body reposes in a special tomb that can only be opened from the inside.

John Carter of Mars in a comic strip format

The movie Avatar was inspired by John Carter of Mars. According to Avatar’s creator, James Cameron, “With Avatar, I thought, Forget all these chick flicks and do a classic guys’ adventure movie, something in the Edgar Rice Burroughs mold, like John Carter of Mars – a soldier goes to Mars.”

In the first chapters of Gore Vidal’s novel Washington, D.C. (1967), the character Peter Sanford – aged 16 at the outset of the plot – indulges in vivid and detailed fantasies of being John Carter, and adds explicit erotic scenes not appearing in the original Burroughs books.
In The Number Of The Beast, by Robert Heinlein, two of the main characters are inspired by the John Carter series. One is actually a reserve captain from Virginia named Zebadiah John Carter and his (soon to be) bride is named Deejah Thoris (Deety) Burroughs. They use technology to skip to various worlds, and end up meeting Lazarus Long.

And that’s where Mr Jones ended his highly entertaining, amusing and nostalgic journey through the late 19th and 20th centuries’ depiction of ‘Life of Mars’ in popular culture and science fiction.