Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
Mystic #1
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: David Lopez
Marvel Comics
I don’t know how many remember publisher CrossGen Comics. The company rose to prominence in the late 1990’s as a tier-two comic book imprint with a distinctive difference from their peers: all of their titles shared a common universe and each of those titles would exist in either a science fiction or a fantasy genre. Regardless of title, the common bond between the publications would be a sigil – a branding on the body marking extraordinary abilities – that a main character would receive.
Mystic, a fantasy series involving sorcery and the various guilds that govern that magic, told the tale of two sisters, each vying for their own forms of power. The series ran for forty-three issues from the summer of 2000 to early 2004. In mid 2004, CrossGen declared bankruptcy. Disney subsequently bought the company’s assets and Disney, as all should know, owns Marvel Comics.
Flash forward seven years and Marvel has re-launched two of CrossGen’s old titles in a mini series format and now Mystic, under the helm of acclaimed writer, G. Willow Wilson (Air, Cairo), gets its chance.
This iteration of Mystic has been redesigned from the ground up and now tells the tale of poor, orphaned sisters in a steampunk setting, teaching themselves magic, a power that has been historically reserved for only those of wealth and nobility.
As a four issue mini series, Mystic is a welcomed escape from the sometimes singular superhero universe that is monthly comic books and should be accessible for those of all ages. David Lopez’s artwork looks snappy, fully detailed and well constructed – a solid partnership with the world building Wilson is attempting here.
If you’re looking for something fresh and off-the-comic-book-beaten-track, make the run today and pick up Mystic #1. It’s sure to be something…magical.
