Tarzana, U.S.A. — The U.S. Postal Service honored on August 17, one of the most prolific authors of the early 20th century and inventor of the iconic character Tarzan with the issuance of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Forever Stamp.

The stamp issuance coincides with the 100th anniversary of the publication of Burroughs’ first story, Under the Moons of Mars, and his first Tarzan story, Tarzan of the Apes, in 1912.

Best known for inventing the legendary character Tarzan, Burroughs wrote more than 70 books, including historical fiction and several popular series of science fiction tales.

At the Postal Service, we’re proud to honor wonderful writers like Mr. Burroughs,” said Giselle Valera, vice president and managing director, Global Business. “These creative geniuses make lasting contributions to our cultural heritage, and we want more Americans to learn about them. Our stamp featuring Mr. Burroughs continues this tradition.”

“Everyone has a favorite author when they are growing up,” said U.S. Postal Service Governor James Bilbray, who will help dedicate the Burroughs Forever Stamp. “For me, that writer was the man we honor today Edgar Rice Burroughs. I am very happy to see the legacy of Edgar Rice Burroughs endure.”

Scheduled to join Valera and Bilbray to dedicate the stamp at the ceremony were Congressman Brad Sherman, California State Senator Fran Pavley and San Fernando Valley Councilman Dennis Zine.

Honored guest speakers and participants will be Amaris Bryer, president, Tarzana Community and Cultural Center; James Sullos Jr., president Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.; Mark Sterling, member of the year, Woodland Hills – Tarzana Chamber of Commerce; Kerry Wolny, manager, Sierra Coastal District, U.S. Postal Service; and members of Burroughs’ family, including his grandson, John Burroughs; grand daughter-in-law, Linda Burroughs; and great granddaughters, Dejah Burroughs and Llana Jane Burroughs.

“We are deeply grateful to the Postal Service for this special recognition of the years of exciting adventures that Mr. Burroughs’ stories brought to the world throughout the first half of the 20th century,” said James Sullos Jr. “That all of his Tarzan stories plus many others remain in demand in the 21st century is a testament to his ability to entertain the reader like no other author.”

On behalf of the Burroughs family, Burroughs’ grandson John Burroughs said, “My grandfather, Edgar Rice Burroughs, would never have anticipated this honor that your stamp has given to our family and friends of his Tarzan stories. Please accept our sincere appreciation for this recognition of his contribution to the written words of America.”

The Edgar Rice Burroughs stamp is being issued as a Forever Stamp. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.

The artwork for this stamp depicts Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ most famous literary creation, clinging to a tree by a vine in his left hand and wielding a weapon in his right. Burroughs appears in profile in the background.

To create this portrait of Burroughs, illustrator Sterling Hundley used a photograph taken by the author’s son, Hulbert Burroughs, in 1934. The photograph shows Burroughs reading a hardcover copy of Tarzan and the Lion Man, which was published the same year.

Burroughs began writing a book about a British child raised by apes in Africa, resulting in the story, Tarzan of the Apes, which was published in the October 1912 issue of All-Story magazine and issued as a book in 1914.

Tarzan is a ubiquitous part of American popular culture. Tarzan stories were published in magazines, syndicated in newspapers, and republished in more than 24 books, and featured in more than 50 movies. Tarzan also became the subject of a comic strip beginning in 1929, radio series in the 1930s and the 1950s, and several television series in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Burroughs also wrote prolifically beyond the Tarzan series about John Carter of Mars and six books in the Pellucidar series, which focused on a world at the center of the Earth — a world also visited by Tarzan in the 1930 book Tarzan at the Earth’s Core.

Burroughs’ Mars books also are credited with popularizing what is now known as “planetary romance,” a highly popular genre that flourished in pulp magazines from the 1920s until World War II. Combining futuristic technology with anachronistic, feudal settings, these swashbuckling outer-space adventures inspired generations of science fiction writers and filmmakers.

Burroughs died in his California home March 19, 1950. “If there is a hereafter,” he said shortly before he died, “I want to travel through space to visit other planets.” In 1973, the Burroughs crater on Mars was named in his honor.

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Disney’s ‘John Carter’ hit theaters March 9 on the hundredth anniversary of its original debut as a series of novels written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The film is a science fiction epic about a former Confederate captain named John Carter who is accidentally sent to Mars where he finds a war brewing between its alien inhabitants.

It is an engrossing, fun-filled, action-packed, character driven movie whose only crime is coming out the same weekend as the mindless, colorful drivel known as ‘The Lorax’ and unfortunately could not compete with it at the box office.

The titular John Carter is played by the handsome Taylor Kitsch, who is largely unknown to the public though he has been in the industry for a while. His most recognizable role as of recent is as Remy LeBeau, aka Gambit, in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ and as Tim Riggins on NBC’s ‘Friday Night Lights.’

Kitsch does exactly what he is supposed to do as the leading man of an action adventure film. He delivers a troubled hero with a tragic past and no desire to keep fighting even though that is what he does best. His performance is easily one of the best of the live action Disney films as he is tortured, stubborn, but still a likable and noble man. Kitsch switches easily between being resentful and playfully sarcastic as he encounters the strange cultures of the inhabitants of Mars, or Barsoom, in their language.

Kitsch is accompanied by an all-star cast, including Mark Strong, Willem Dafoe, Bryan Cranston, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Thomas Haden Church, and even a guest voice from ‘Iron Man’ director Jon Favreau. The voice acting is solid, grounded, and well made while the live action roles are integrated seamlessly by the talented actors and actresses.

The special effects for ‘John Carter’ are definitely worth the hefty price tag Disney paid—a hefty $250 million budget—because every creature on Barsoom looks real and fits perfectly within the desert wasteland alongside John Carter. The action sequences are engrossing, fast-paced, and plentiful.

That being said, it should be noted that smaller children may be frightened by the level of violence and the aliens’ rather brutal culture. The film takes full advantage of its PG-13 rating and while it should be fine for young teenagers, parents should be aware that it is a movie about war and there are many gruesome deaths along the way.

There are a few detractors from the enjoyable storyline and awesome action sequences. The first half hour of the film can be rather confusing as the answers are laid out well after the hour mark, so impatient moviegoers may feel fatigued. Also, the characters are layered and interesting, but one in particular, Sola, gets a very shallow amount of development.

Sola, the daughter of the Thark’s leader Tars Tarkas, is introduced as a disgrace to the tribe and has been ridiculed and punished for most of her life. However, we are never given a direct explanation as to what she keeps doing wrong. We see that she is compassionate and too kind for the warrior race, but the lack of backstory prevents the audience from bonding with her. Furthermore, her storyline sort of peters out by the final act and while she grows stronger by protecting her father, her character still feels rather thin amongst the more well developed ones.

Despite these shortcomings, ‘John Carter’ is still the best live action film since the first ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ (2003) because of its excellent spread of characters, great acting, touching emotional scenes, and stunning visuals. Despite its slow start at the box office, the film has been receiving mostly positive reviews from the general public and hopefully will gain momentum in the coming months.

Overall Grade: 4/5

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