Still on the Shelf #31 – Lady Death
CrossGen Month Part 5(of 5)
Often overlooked, and off in the corner of the CrossGen universe of titles are the CGE and Code 6 imprints. While CrossGen’s core titles all seem connected, if not in concept then in style, CGE and Code 6 have been Crossgen’s outlet for titles with something of a different creative vein.
While some books, like The Crossovers and Demon Wars, may be unfamiliar to the casual reader, a great many of you will recognize the names of some of the other books. 80s arcade fans will certainly recognize Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace, which are mini-series based on the popular Don Bluth games. I know for certain people my age will be quite familiar with Snake Plissken. And we mustn’t forget Masters of the Universe.
Rounding out the Code 6 line is Brian Pulido’s Lady Death. I must admit, I never read any of Lady Death’s previous incarnations put out by Chaos! Comics. Fortunately, that is not a problem, as the title has been re-imagined for the Code 6 imprint. No messy back-story from another publisher to worry about.
Lady Death: A Medieval Tale is about the conflict between the Eldritch and the humans, which takes place in Eastern Europe’s Middle Ages. The Eldritch are a race of beings much older, but less numerous than humans. They wield powerful Chaos magic and are faster, but weaker than humans. They also have a severe allergy to iron – much like many different kinds of elves in our own fantasy fiction. They resent humans for their incursion into what they feel is their world, and fear them because they multiply so rapidly.
Cast of Characters
Hope was the daughter of Marion, a human, and Tvarus, one of the Eldritch. She was conceived during what the humans call the Novogrod Massacre, a bloody battle between the humans and Eldritch. Marion flees Novogrod after the battle, for fear of reprisals against her for consorting with the enemy. She continues to run and Hope grows, fearing that someone will notice that her daughter is indeed not all human. This would mean their death.
Hope eventually convinces her mother to return to Novogrod, intent on discovering something about her own past which her mother keeps so secret. The villagers eventually recognize Marion, and discover that Hope is indeed half Eldritch, and lynch them both.
Marion perishes, but Hope survives, though changed. While she once resembled a human, she now looks completely Eldritch, possesses their speed and skill with magic, and yet retains the strengths of humans. She sets out to gain vengeance for the murder of her mother, and some she encounters begin to call her Lady Death.
Her father, Tvarus, is the ruler of the Eldritch. Though the Eldritch thrive on war and the hunt of humans, for many years he has stilled his armies, keeping them from invading the human lands. The Eldritch become anxious, fearing the fast expansion of the human race, and itch to go and “thin the herd.” Tvarus’s attitude towards war makes him several enemies- enemies who would love to discover that he sired a hybrid-offspring, something strictly forbidden and considered blasphemous by their laws.
Wolfram Von Bach, formerly a Teutonic Knight, fought along side the humans during the Novogrod massacre. Disgusted at the corruption and lack of faith among the ordained, he has since abandoned fighting for the Church, and instead quests for God directly. Wolf encounters Hope just after her “rebirth,” and agrees to guide and train her, as repayment of his debt to her father. Many of his old order consider him a traitor, and seek his death for consorting with an enemy and what they perceive to be a demon. He forged Blackheart- Lady Death’s blade, by merging an iron human sword, and a magical Eldritch blade.
Thoughts
Honestly, the CrossGen version of this title, on the surface, is far and away better than the old Chaos! version. Lady Death developed quite the reputation as the “fan-boy, pin-up, drool-fest,” and after browsing some Lady Death images online, the reputation was well deserved. Very little is out there online of this new version of the book- all you can find is Lady Death bursting out of scanty undergarments, wielding her sword. It speaks very well of Brian Pulido that he was able to re-imagine this book for an all-ages audience, and keep the heroine’s cloths on.
The story is a good one. It does fall on cliché from time to time (honestly, how many fantasy tales do you know of that doesn’t do that?), but there are some good points of conflict in this story. Hope truly does feel caught between two worlds. On one hand, she opposes the Eldridge; she finds their bloodthirsty attitude towards the humans reprehensible. On the other, the humans she hates because they murdered her mother. Both races despise the blood of the other in her, further isolating her from all aspects of her heritage. That very conflict is the most interesting aspect of this title, and it continues to drive the plot.
While the story, though good, is clearly a distinct style from what I have been used to out of CrossGen, the art remains very much consistent with the level of excellence I have grown to expect from this publisher. This dark story is presented with some really stunning imagery, and I have to credit the art team for that.
It seems clear that CrossGen, at least for the near future, will be drifting towards wholly independent titles, like El Cazador. If this is true, it is only natural that over time, we will see some wildly different styles on play throughout the CrossGen stable of titles. What this will mean for the quality of work CrossGen puts out, only time will tell, but if Lady Death is any indication, things will be just fine.
Multiple imprints under one publisher are nothing new, and it has been a boon to the comic industry. It has allowed publishers to experiment with other titles that would not normally fit into their line-up. Code 6 has given Lady Death a new audience with CrossGen fans, and as a result new life.
Bottom Line
Lady Death #9 is available in stores now. Lady Death #10 and the first trade will be out in stores next month. I must admit I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, considering how unappealing its initial incarnation was to me. The “all-ages” direction is certainly a big plus, revealing that the title actually does have a worthwhile story, without being distracted by pages and pages of breasts.
That wraps up CrossGen Month. Now that it is all said and done, I really do feel that CrossGen, though reeling a bit from the recent financial problems, does still have a future in the comic industry. They continue to put out quality stories with amazing art. All that remains is for the readers to start buying.
Credit where credit is due-
Lady Death – A Medieval Tale is
Written by- Brian Pulido
Pencilled by- Ivan Reis
Inked by – Marc Campos
Colored by – Chris Blythe
and Lettered by – Oscar Gongora
Post your comments in the Forum!
October 27, 2003
Still on the Shelf Annual 2003 – Ruse
CrossGen Month Part 4(of 5)
Initially, I had planned CrossGen Month for four columns. Unfortunately, mid-way though the month, CrossGen’s list of cancelled titles came out, and the book I had selected for week four of CrossGen Month was among the casualties.
With just three remaining issues scheduled, it seemed something of a waste to spend the time promoting a title that would no longer be in existence. Of course, then I had to go and read it. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to write an extra edition of Still on the Shelf. While it is true that this title will be departing us in the very near future (for now, anyway), It will almost certainly continue to remain available in trade.
Ruse takes place on the world of Arcadia, which is, of course, in CrossGen’s “Sigil-verse.” Of course, like many of CrossGen’s titles, there is really very little to tie it to anything outside its own little world. The concept of Ruse is a mystery eerily similar to Doyle’s Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- and the setting is approximately the same (mid 1800s, land similar to England).
Cast of Characters
Simon Archard is the city of Partington’s very own Sherlock Holmes archtype, sharing a great many things in common with the famous literary detective. Some minor details have changed however- a sensory deprivation take substituting for a violin, for example. Simon is cerebral in the extreme, and often prefers to live inside his own thoughts rather than engage himself socially. He is incredibly arrogant when it comes to his own intellect, and often finds himself bored with the mundane mysteries he is given to solve. Fortunately, some much more interesting, albeit more dangerous, enigmas have presented themselves.
Emma Bishop, though considered by some to be the “assistant” to the great Detective Archard, is in fact the main character of this title. She does serve as his “Watson,” though she has proven herself a great deal more capable than that classic sidekick. Archard relies on her primarily for her linguistic skills, language being something he never bothered to learn.
How her professional relationship with Archard began remains a mystery, but she has made it her personal quest to draw him out of his mind and introduce him to the world around him. She is always trying to impose social graces upon Simon, to little success. In addition, she strives to be recognized as Simon’s partner, rather than his assistant, something Archard will only grant her when things are the most dire, and she is not around.
Archard’s Agents are Simon’s extensive group of informants and experts, which Simon calls upon in times of need. While Simon thinks most highly of his own intellectual prowess, even he recognizes that it is impossible for one man to know all there is worth knowing in the world. When he comes across a situation where more specialized knowledge is needed, he calls upon the appropriate agent to provide some answers. The most visible, to this point, has been Pugilist Pete, a failed boxer whom Simon has attempted to turn into a gentleman. He more often than not acts as a bodyguard for Emma, when the situation demands it.
Thoughts
Aside from being a terrific detective story, Ruse is just flat out fun. While the stories are generally light, full of running gags, they always eventually build to an extremely serious climax by the end of the run.
I have to admit one thing has bothered me about this title (though it is rarely brought up). Early on in the series, it is revealed that Emma controls great magical power of unknown origin. In addition, she is in communication with some sort of otherworldly being, with which she has a bet with, of some nature, regarding Simon Archard.
Now Ruse is chock full of strange, supernatural happenings, but with the exception of Emma’s power, they all fit into the story rather nicely. Much like Brath’s sigil, this whole idea just does not seem to fit, yet unlike Brath’s sigil; the writers of Ruse feel the need to occasionally remind the reader that Emma possesses this power. Since she must keep her powers a secret, however, she rarely ever uses it, and never does so in any way that affects the story. In short, Emma’s great power has not advances the story one bit in 23 issues, and with the end of Ruse coming upon us at issue #26, I have to wonder if it was even necessary to include that aspect of the story at all.
Aside from this one minor quibble with the title, I have enjoyed each and every issue of this series. Many of you may know that Ruse was initially penned by Mark Waid (recently of Fantastic Four fame), who did an outstanding job. The current writer, Scott Beatty, has continued admirably after Waid’s departure- so much so that I hardly noticed the change in writing style.
Bottom Line
One thing I have noticed about CrossGen, particularly over the course of this last month, is that with rare exceptions, everything they put out is outstanding. It seems clear to me that it is not the quality of the titles CrossGen is putting out that has caused their flagging sales. The only possible reason I can think of is a new readers reluctance to pick up a CrossGen title to begin with.
A company like Marvel rarely has anything to worry about when they lose a few readers to a title. They are old enough, and established enough, to pick up new readers at the drop of a hat. I mean, if you think about it, who hasn’t heard of Spider-man, whether they read comics or not? I can’t say the same about Simon Archard, or Sephie, or the rest of the CrossGen cast, and it is a shame.
Simply put- there really has not been a CrossGen title that I have not enjoyed. I spoke less than glowingly about Meridian sometime ago, this is true- but there is no doubt that I do not fall into that particular book’s demographic. Meridian, though my least favorite of the CrossGen line to date, certainly has its bright points, and that is a lot more than I can say about many of the sub-par titles I have read from the major publishers over the years. Ruse continues in the CrossGen trend of excellence, and did not disappoint in the least.
Ruse #23 is available now, and I suggest all of you give it a look. Ruse #1 is, of course, available in its entirety for free on CrossGen’s Comics on the Web. There are two Ruse Trade Paperbacks (my best recommendation at this point), and a Traveller available in stores now. I know it seems silly to be recommending a book that has already been axed, but I honestly feel that those of you who have never read this title would really enjoy it. Each arc is a self-contained mystery in the spirit of the old Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and ideal for the trade paperback format, and would stand very much alone as a great graphic novel.
Double Still on the Shelf this week- as I finish off CrossGen Month with Brian Pulido’s – Lady Death, which should be out in the next 24 hours. As an added “CrossGen Month” bonus, be sure to check out my interview with Bill Rosemann over in the Features forum.
Next month? I have decided it is time to break my “no top-25 titles” rule for another special event – Marvel Month. Thanks for reading!
Credit where credit is due-
Ruse is
Written by- Scott Beatty
Pencilled by- Butch Guise
and Inked by – Michael Perkins
Post your comments in the Forum!
October 21, 2003
Still on the Shelf #30 – Brath
CrossGen Month Part 3(of 5)
In what could not be any better timed for my analysis of CrossGen, the publisher has announced what titles will be cancelled prior to the arrival of The War next spring. Crux, The First, Meridian, Mystic, The Path, Ruse, Scion, Sigil, and Solus will all say goodbye as CrossGen takes the logical next step in their evolution.
Reaction to this announcement, of course, is mixed. Fans of CrossGen seem pretty evenly divided. Some are no less than outraged that, with rare exceptions, every Sigil-related title CrossGen puts out has been shelved. Expected cries that CrossGen will “alienate its existing fan-base” have already started. Others are responding much more levelheaded, and are giving CrossGen the benefit of the doubt. Curiously enough, I find that people with no previous interest in CrossGen are somewhat intrigued by the recent turn of events. With any luck, this will translate into a new pool of potential readers for a publisher which could really use it at this point. I, for one, am not sure what the detractors expect at this point. The publisher is in a troubled time right now- this is not in doubt. Of course no one wants to see their favorite title cancelled, but if cuts need to be made to support the company as a whole, I can’t see opposing that. The sheer volume of cancellations indicates to me that deep cuts needed to be made in the short term. I would much rather see the company healthy, and see my favorite title return one day than have it continue on with cheaper and less talented creators, and see the publisher run itself into the ground.
Some of CrossGen’s choices did pique my interest however. Mystic has been cancelled- if you recall I wrote two weeks ago that I felt this was a title that could survive The War. Of course that would require a serious bit of restructuring, and perhaps CrossGen felt that it was best to set this concept aside for the time being. After all, no one ever said that we would not see a Mystic Volume 2 sometime in the future, or something resembling it.
Sojourn and Negation, two titles with concepts I had pegged for finite runs, are remaining. Sojourn is not so surprising, as that title remains popular, and has a ways to go before any final battle with Mordath must take place. The only potential problem I see is Mordath himself. If rumors are to be believed, The War will eliminate the Sigil from CrossGen’s body of works entirely. If that is the case, Sojourn’s main villain (absolutely essential to the story) is undead, brought back to life by the power of the Sigil. If that were removed, it is tough to say how exactly Edginton, or whoever is at the helm of Sojourn when that time comes) will handle it.
Negation’s stay, however, is a surprise. Arguably, Negation is CrossGen’s most popular title at the moment, so it is not hard to understand why Crossgen would want to keep it. However, the entire concept of the book seems to hinge on the Negation’s preparations for The War. Once that is over, the whole purpose for Negation goes up in smoke. CrossGen knows this, however, and has promised a radical new direction for the title. Again, this one is a wait and see.
Brath, also remaining, is a relatively new title for CrossGen, and one that began with its lead character as a Sigil bearer. The Sigil played little part in the story, and it was dropped in issue 3. Even though it read as a little indecisive by the writers to grant a Sigil, do little with it, and have it taken away so quickly during the run of the title- in light of the recent shake-up, it was the right decision. Brath lost nothing when the Sigil was removed, and it seems to have given the title a stay of execution for the time being.
Brath takes place in a world whose events parallel Earth during the rise of the Roman Empire. The Empire in this title has reached the northern shores of the Europe counterpart, and has just begun the invasion of Ureland of the Irisium Isles, the conterpart of the British Isles.
Cast of Characters
The Hammer of Ure, Brath MacGaren, called Bradmanacus by the enemy, is the War Chief of Clan Garen. He has dreams akin to visions, which give him some insight into the actions of his enemy. In many of his dreams he is guided by a god, which takes the form of a stag. In one of these early dreams, this stag-god grants him a Sigil, though the Sigil is removed a few short issues later. This did not affect the truth in his dreams, which continued to guide him to victory in battle after battle. Due to his abilities, he was chosen to lead the united free-clans or Ureland, which consisted mainly of the Mac Garen and the treacherous Mac Dool. Brath is married to Tanielle, a warrior in her own right, and together they have a son named Bryllin. Bryllin is a typical boy who wants nothing more than to join his father in battle. Other Garens include R’horan, Brath’s cousin and brother-in-arms, and Buckie and Der, two young men just old enough for battle.
S’math is a magical holy-man who advises Brath. Cinntra, an opposite to S’math in many ways, also practices magical arts, but believes in a much older rite which is based in blood. Though Brath has greater trust in his Holy Man S’math, it is Cinnatra’s predictions that have proven to be more accurate. The solutions she sees to those problems, however, are greatly distasteful to Brath and the rest of the clan, as they involve blood sacrifice. The victim she has in mind for said sacrifice is one of the crucial plot points in this title.
The enemies of the clan are from across the sea. This Empire resembles the early Roman Empire on Earth, just as the Urelanders resemble the clans of Ireland and Scotland of the time. It is ruled by the Emperor Quintillius Arurelius Galba Rex, who in many ways resemble the fat, slothful Roman Emperors from popular period films. His nephew, Priscus, first in line for the throne, despises his Uncle’s lack of honor and appreciation for the glory of battle. General Vala is in charge of the Legions seeking to conquer the Ureland. He is a general in the best tradition- he shies from the pomp and ceremony of the city and makes him home on the barracks of the battlefield. He revels in victory, and will take it in any way it is given to him.
Thoughts
This title has been compared to Braveheart, though that is not a comparison I feel is very apt. While it is true that Braveheart was about the struggles of the Scots against the imperial English, the only real similarity between this title and Braveheart is the setting. The plot of Brath parallels the Roman invasion of the British Isles, not Scotland’s war of revolution against the British. I know that seems to be a nitpicky point, but the differences go much deeper than that. Braveheart was centered on William Wallace’s rage against the British for the murder of his wife- the war was only a byproduct of that event. While Brath may someday go down that road, its focus today is something else entirely.
At first, Brath seemed to be on uncertain ground. The Sigil was introduced right off the bat with little ceremony, but nothing really came of it. No plot centered on Brath’s Sigil was introduced, and Brath did not seem to benefit at all from the power of the Sigil. The Sigil was removed in issue three by a goddess (who was never seen before, and never seen since), and aside from a single panel of angst over the loss; Brath did not seem to miss the Sigil at all.
While this indecisiveness made for a rocky start, Brath has settled down, and has been progressing very nicely over the last couple of issues. It seems that the Sigil was really an unnecessary addition to this title, and considering the upcoming Sigil-related housecleaning at CrossGen, it was for the better that this concept was removed from the title.
Bottom Line
In anything, Brath demonstrates that a title from the “Sigil-verse” can survive once the Sigils are removed. I still believe that such an extreme change is not really necessary- but the mark has become something of a stima in the comic industry today which new readers will avoid like the plague. That is unfortunate (I don’t see the same reaction to Marvel books, where every new hero is a mutant of some kind nowadays- virtually the same thing) and somewhat unfair, but from a business perspective, it is necessary to adapt to the climate of the day.
Brath is a great piece of historical fiction. It is still a young title for CrossGen, and it shows a great deal of promise. Anyone interested in early Scotch-Irish or Roman history will be intrigued by this title. I, for one, am really looking forward to the gladiator aspect to the plot, which should become a larger focus in the upcoming arc.
Fans of the movies Spartacus, Braveheart, and Gladiator will love this book, and to those people in particular I highly recommend it. For everyone else, the title is still very much worth a look. For a sample of what Brath has to offer, check out the Brath #8 (available this Wednesday, October 22nd) Preview available on this website, or the Brath Prequel, available on CrossGen’s Comics on the Web in its entirety. For those willing to pay for the subscription, issues through #5 are currently available.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to join me next week for the finale to CrossGen Month!
Credit where credit is due-
Brath is
Written by- Chuck Dixon
Pencilled by- Andrea DiVito
Inked by – Roland Paris
and Colored by – Rob Schwager
Post your comments in the Forum!
October 14, 2003
Still on the Shelf #29 – Negation
Comic fans are pretty distinctly divided about CrossGen: either you love the publisher or have no interest at all in what they put out. The vast majority of the naysayers point to the Sigil as the reason they are concerned about checking out a CrossGen book.
It is true that at the onset of the CrossGen line, the Sigil was a prominent feature, and tied all of the books together in a rather unique way. For those of you who do not know, unseen forces, distressed at how tranquil the universe was becoming, granted Sigils to key people on certain planets in order to stimulate conflict. Sigils take the form of a mark (the very same symbol that shaped the “O” in the CrossGen logo), and grant their bearer powers of a diverse nature- usually having something to do with what sort of role the bearer has in normal life. These new Sigil-bearers were supposed to stir up conflict on their homeworlds, and the power created from that conflict, or “Cross-generation,” would help to revitalize these god-like entities.
This was an interesting story concept to say the least, and it is that idea that Crossgen based its founding line on. This concept unified the initial CrossGen titles unlike anything in the industry today, and would almost certainly lend itself to a huge crossover that would finally piece together the different titles into one dramatic ending.
It was this unity in storytelling that both drew fans of CrossGen, and drove naysayers away. It was not uncommon for fans at the beginning to pick up every issue of every title CrossGen had to offer so that they would not miss a bit of the story. Conversely, it was the fear of the need to do just that that drove the casual fan away.
Quite predictably, CrossGen reached a peak of popularity with this concept, but it proved to hurt them over time. The mega-crossover event never happened, and CrossGen even hinted that it never would. Readers began to abandon titles that seemed to be building to nothing, and it was clear that some of the titles went on far longer than they should have.
CrossGen continues to grow, however. Though some continued the tradition of a sigil bearer as the main focus of the story, many of their new titles began to diverge from the Sigil-centric themes, (Like Way of the Rat and Route 666). This week’s title, Negation, is unique in that it not only embraced the concept of the Sigil, but took it one step farther.
Of course, CrossGen has announced that the big crossover, The War, will indeed be happening next summer. The War will most undoubtabley spin out of Negation, and after finally reading the title I am really excited for the first time about the prospects of that event.
The concept of Negation is a simple one, but it is perhaps one of the most exciting and complex titles I have seen out of CrossGen yet. It takes place in an alternate universe where a force called The Negation has conquered their entire universe. Seeking to expand their empire, they kidnapped 100 people from the CrossGen universe, in order to study them as preparation for an upcoming invasion. They eventually escape, and Negation tells the story of their attempt to get home.
Cast of Characters
One of the great qualities of this title is its diversity of characters. The Negation kidnapped all sorts of humans, from the God-like First, to a Djinn of Ciress (Mystic), to Sigil bearers of all kinds. All are thrown together, fighting to survive and escape their captors in a place where literally the entire universe is hunting them.
Though the humans of great power were the ones that the Negation was most interested in learning about, several seemingly normal humans were also taken, as a control group. Unfortunately, it was one of those normal humans that proved to be the most dangerous to them. Obregon Kaine was seen as little more than an ordinary military man, but his keen tactical and leadership skills allowed him to rally the other, more powerful prisoners from his universe and engineer an escape. Unfortunately, his brazen thwarting of the plans of his overconfident jailers have made him the focus of the Negation’s attempt to recapture the fugitives.
The Negation is lead by the God-Emperor Charon. He is a pretty mysterious figure in this title, but it is clear that his power is unquestioned in this universe. He has grown bored after conquering the entire Negation Universe, and had decided to expand his empire into the adjacent Crossgen Universe. To those ends, it was he who engineered the capture of out heroes, and is most interested in figuring out the power behind the Sigils. His children are known as Lawbringers, who are the Negation equivalent of the powerful First.
One of the mid-level officers in Charon’s army goes by the name of Komptin. He was the warden of the prison where our heroes escaped, and he has avoided punishment for his failure. He blames Kaine personally for his failure, and continues to seek vengeance for what he perceives to be the death of his career at the hands of Kaine. Though he is short in stature, he is a vicious fighter and wholly unpredictable. He frequently and audaciously ignores direct orders in his single-minded quest to avenge himself upon Kaine. Though there are many more powerful than Komptin seeking Kaine and his cadre, there are none that have proven to be as dangerous.
Of the hundred humans that were captured by the Negation, very few remain. Among the most important of the survivors is Evinlea of the First. As all First, her power is godlike, and does not rely on a Sigil. Much like all of the others who were taken with her, her powers were scrambled when crossing the barrier. At first, her companion Javi used his sigil-granted power to stablilize her own power. Unfortunately, Javi was eventually killed, and Evinlea was forced rely on her companions (much to her disgust), until her power stabilized. Like the rest of the fugitives, she has since regained full-use of her abilities. Though her power is essential to the success of the remaining prisoners, there is concern that she will abandon the “little people” she distains now that she no longer needs them.
Matua, a magician from Ciress and member of the Djinn Guild is another who does not rely on a Sigil for his own magical powers. He was one of the first to gain full control of his abilities, and has since proved to be a valuable asset to the rest of the prisoners.
Westin, the thief, bears a sigil that allows him to operate any piece of technology. More specifically, he is able to look back into time and see the actions of every person who has ever used a particular item he is looking to steal, in order to see how they operated it. He is used by the fugitives to operate unfamiliar spacecraft, and obtain critical computer information.
Iress is half First, half human, and lives under the thumb of Evinlea. Due to her half-blood status, Evinlea both protects one of her own kin and distains her tainted blood. Though powerful in her own right, Iress is caught in the middle of shifting loyalty, and is only starting to assert her independence from the domineering Evinlea.
Mercer Drake, another Sigil Bearer and thief, has been used by Kaine as a sort of Extraction agent. His sigil aids his theiving ways, and gives him whatever tools he needs to steal whatever he has in mind. This has proven invaluable, as the fugitives have often had to send some people into the hands of the enemy in order to obtain information. Drake simply sets out to steal one of his comrades, and the Sigil gives him whatever he needs to accomplish the task.
Captain Fluxor is the one native to Negation space among the fugitives. His “Federation of Planets” was one of the last conquered by the Negation, and he has been on the lamb ever since. The Star Trek parodies abound with this character, as this character acts like, and feels he is just as great as one famous captain from that series, though does not really live up to the comparison. Though he is used as something of comic relief, he has proved to be a valuable source of information.
Shassa was a constable on her homeworld, and now finds herself almost entirely in the company of criminals. Her sigil grants her the ability to draw energies from her opponent, and use that power against them. Though not quite as strong as Evinlea, she is more than able to hold her own in a fight, and has even gone toe-to-toe with a Lawbringer.
Corrin the Atlantean (yes, from Earth) thinks she is dreaming. Before she was kidnapped, she was placed in a stasis tube underneath the sea, and there she has waited to be awakened. Unfortunately, she was kidnapped while in stasis, and firmly believes that all of her experiences are nothing more than an incredibly realistic dream. Naturally, the rest of the fugitives find her to be completely insane.
The Saurian has never revealed her name, but some have taken to calling her Liz (for Lizardwoman). She keeps the true nature of her abilities a secret, with good reason. As a scout in the Saurian army, she was able to infiltrate the enemy by consuming the blood of a victim, and taking on their appearance, abilities, and some of their knowledge. She has changed appearance several times over the course of Negation, and will likely continue doing so, as the fugitive’s need for information is unending.
Contrary to initial impressions, Zaida and her daughter Memi are two of the more important characters in this title. At first they seemed to be nothing more than a family that latched onto Kaine for protection in the beginning. Lawbringer Qtzr changed all that, however, when he attacked the fugitive in order to force a confrontation with Evinlea. After he noticed that Memi and Zaida survived a direct hit from one of his more powerful attacks without a scratch, he abandoned his designs on Evinlea, kidnapped Memi and took the child to his father Charon for study. Experimentation proved that Memi was indeed completely indestructible. Hints were also dropped about Memi’s true nature, in that her energies are almost identical to those of the sigils.
Gammid, another Atlantean, is a later-comer to the cadre of fugitives. He entered Negation space on accident, leading a group of Australians (yes, those Australians) to what they expected to be a higher plane of existence. Gammid was captured, and tortured by Charon himself, in an effort to gain more information about the Crossgen Universe. Gammid and Memi were eventually freed by our fugitives and the remaining Australians, but at great cost. Gammid eventually took over leadership of the humans as Kaine was missing and presumed dead. After Kaine was recovered, he willingly handed over control to Gammid- not caring who was in command, as long as they got home.
Thoughts
This book may have a large number of characters, but Tony Bedard has managed to make them all unique and very deep. One of the great things about this book is that main characters actually die. Not only does he manage to make each of their deaths meaningful; he manages to make every death a complete surprise to the reader.
Negation is extraordinarily fast-paced and exciting space drama. You get a real sense of the hopelessness all of the characters are experiencing, and learn a great deal about each of them as you watch the way the handle themselves in all sorts of desperate situations. Most of the characters are not generally good people, would not get along with their companions under normal circumstances, and resent something about most of the people they are forced to flee with. Some did not even know there was life on other planets, and are forced to deal with that new reality as well. In addition to all of this, we are finally treated to a glimpse of Earth in the CrossGen universe, and that is something that excited me a great deal.
I have already spent four pages talking about Negation, and I still do not think I can really do this title justice. If there was such a thing as a team book of the likes of JLA or Avengers for CrossGen, this is it. I think this book represents a real step forward for CrossGen, and possibly a peak into what the future of CrossGen might be like. Beyond exploring the mystery of the Sigil and each marked person’s unique place on their own world, there is a vast universe of possibility ready and waiting for each of the protagonists CrossGen has created. Negation gives us a glimpse of what a more mature and united CrossGen Universe will look like, once the “Tale of the Sigil” has past. The Sigil could well evolve from an enigmatic symbol granted by unseen forces to a simple source of power not unlike gamma rays, a mutation, or a yellow sun. Hopefully The War will carry CrossGen across that line, because after reading Negation, I am really excited to see what it will bring to the quality of storytelling once the worlds have opened up and this vast number of well established and unique races finally comingle together.
Negation is a title I feel has a limited lifespan, and should end once The War gets started. This is not a criticism at all- this is just not a title that is suited for an indefinite run, at least not with its current focus. The story is incredible, and provided we have a satisfactory ending, this may just be CrossGen’s best title to date start to finish.
Bottom Line
If I could physically force all of you to read this title, I would do so in a heartbeat. That being impossible, my strongest recommendation will have to suffice. As always, CrossGen’s Comics on the Web is a great place to check this title out. As an added bonus, the first ten-or-so issues on that site are available with audio, and I have to say that the voices they chose for the characters and the soundtrack they play during the audio portion really make the story even more exciting. This is one I personally am going to check out on DVD, if I can find myself a copy.
If reading back issues on the web is not your bag; there are currently two trade paperbacks available, with a third on the way this month. Issue #22 of Negation is due out on shelves tomorrow, October 15th. Be sure to check back next week for part three of CrossGen Month, and a look at Brath.
Credit where credit is due-
Negation is
Written by- Tony Bedard
Pencilled by- Paul Pelletier
Inked by – Dave Meikis
and Colored by – Laura Martin
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October 7, 2003
Still on the Shelf #28 – Mystic
CrossGen Month Part 1(of 5)
A lot has been made in recent weeks of CrossGen’s financial problems and restructuring. I am sure many of us remember how the debut of CrossGen was hailed as the second coming of Image, and the birth of a legit contender to the domination of DC and Marvel in the comic world. With all that has been happening of late, many have begun to question the financial viability of CrossGen, and whether it has any future at all in today’s industry.
I’ll cut right to the chase: in my opinion, what is going on with CrossGen today is nothing more than growing pains. There are plenty of signs that CrossGen will weather this storm.
A few weeks ago, I covered another of CrossGen’s books, Sojourn. Then I questioned the longevity of CrossGen’s titles, in relation to what that meant for the future of the publisher. To that end, I said I would next delve into one of CrossGen’s older titles. This week, I have taken a hard look at Mystic.
Cast of Characters
Giselle Villard, unlike her sister Gevevieve, had very little interest in magic. While her sister devoted her entire life after the death of their parents studying to one day becoming the master of the Nouveau Guild, Giselle spent her time as a socialite and party-girl. That is, until the day her sister was to finally attain the title of Master.
The world of Ciress is ruled by seven dominant mage guilds, each of which is guided by a different sect of magical arts. Upon the death of the leader, or master of each guild, the spirit of the first master of the guild is transferred to the newly initiated leader. The presence of this spirit legitimizes the leadership of the new master, and that spirit serves as both an advisor and an additional source of magical power for the new ruler.
During the ascension ceremony of Genevieve, with the Masters of the other six guilds present, Giselle was granted her sigil. The sigil interrupted the transfer of the spirit to Genevieve, and it instead was drawn into Giselle. Beyond that, the spirits of the other six masters were also drawn into Giselle.
The power of the seven spirits, coupled with the raw, non-magical power of the sigil, granted Giselle powers beyond all of the masters of the guilds. She eventually takes upon herself the mantle of Mystic, or the magical protector of Ciress.
Nobody is really happy with the disruption of their tradition, nor the usurping of power by Giselle. Needless to say, shifting alliances between the seven guilds, their spirits, and other outside forces become par for the course- all in an attempt to either destroy Giselle or protect her.
Giselle, like many of the protagonists in other CrossGen titles, has a mentor. This time the mentor takes the form of a cat-like creature called a squit, which Giselle has named Skitter (hints are that his actual name is Andar, but that is a story that has really yet to be explored). Like other mentors, Skitters is usually right, but just as often ignored. Also par for the course, there is also a lot more to Skitters than meets the eye, as he has demonstrated power beyond what any of the characters expected of him.
Thoughts
This title gave me a lot to think about. Early on in the series, Giselle is bombarded by potential love-interests. As you might imagine, I had to roll my eyes at this. I have complained before about the trend in comics today that the female protagonist must almost always be saddled with a love interest off the bat. Needless to say, this drives me crazy. I have never understood why heroines simply must have a man around to complete them. Thankfully, things turned out very different in Mystic. Her “boy-crazy” tendencies were presented as a weakness, something she eventually had to overcome.
The theme of the needy heroine is common in comics, and Mystic quite effectively takes that on. Much to my surprise, they take on other comic stygma almost to the point of ridicule. One of my favorite characters in this title makes an appearance in issue #28, an unnamed “fan-boy” villain in the astral realm with the ability to erase and change people with nothing more than a scribble in a notebook. He starts off by putting two side-characters “on haitus” because they don’t quite work for him, promising to see about ret-conning them later. He then goes on to complain that magic is a poor plot device and unfair to the audience, whine about Giselle’s “origin,” and moan about the consistency of the “rules” in the world. He does take a moment to complement a moment of “continuity” by Giselle, before attempting to eliminate her from the script. Of course, “Fan-boy” goes down hard once Giselle realizes that magic may not affect him, but seduction will. The dorky hapless comic-geek falls prey to a little flirtation from the busty Mystic, and his notepad is destroyed.
There is of course, a lot more to this title than humor, the humor is just the icing on the cake. The story is well told, and unlike Sojourn, Mystic seems to be a title that could well maintain itself for a very long time to come.
The issue of longevity is important to consider in the wake of CrossGen’s recent troubles. The First, another of CrossGen’s older titles, recently became the first to feel the axe of cancellation. I have not read the title myself, but many say it was time for this to happen, as it had grown stale over the last several months. Considering of what I have read of other CrossGen titles, this may well be. Most of their titles are very much geared for a finite run, as I brought up in my review of Sojourn. This is primarily due to their treatment of villains. Most of their titles revolve around one major antagonist, and as you might imagine, there are only so many ways a hero can combat a single villain without the whole premise getting old. I do not know if this is the case for The First, but in cases like Way of the Rat (Judge X’ian) and Sojourn (Mordath), there is one dominant antagonist that the hero faces time and time again. This is not to say that finite series are necessarily a bad thing. Both mini and maxi-series are very valid formats in comic literature, and many great stories have been told in both formats.
Some have said that the cancellation of The First was not a cancellation at all, rather, an end. I think those with that opinion are trying too hard to avoid criticizing CrossGen. While it may be true that the initial concept of The First was something of a maxi-series, it is clear that CrossGen extended that titles run far too long, making it an ongoing by default. It was a mistake not to end it sooner, but this sort of thing does not mean that CrossGen is at the end of its rope. It simply goes back to what I mentioned earlier- growing pains. CrossGen simply does not have the experience that publisher’s like Marvel and DC have, and mistakes are bound to be made from time to time. We see similar mistakes of the opposite nature by both of those companies, cancelling titles far too soon due to a slight dip in sales. Fans of The First were likely pleased that CrossGen stuck with that title as long as they did, and I am not about to damn them for trying to give fans what they wanted.
Title longevity is one of the hallmarks of a successful publisher. Amazing Spider-Man is fast approaching its 500th issue, a mark the Fantastic Four recently surpassed. On the DC side, they have several titles well beyond that mark. Neither Marvel nor DC is going anywhere, and I doubt we will hear any serious predictions of the demise of either of these two publishers for a very long time to come. But neither company had it any easier in the beginning than CrossGen has it now. Marvel did not simply open up shop, slap an “Amazing Spider-man #1” on a title, and take off from there. DC certainly did not have it any easier. Both of those companies weathered major storms that threatened their very existence, from world war paper rationing to Senate hearings to the Comics Code, to simple market downturns and beyond, both Marvel and DC weathered the good and the bad to become the juggernauts they are today.
CrossGen is facing its first major crisis, and thus far has handled itself well. Throughout the business world, the true test of a company is not how it handles success, but how it handles itself when the hard decisions have to be made in adversity. Time will tell of course, but I am far from counting CrossGen out yet.
Bottom Line
There are rumors that after next summer’s The Negation War, CrossGen may be dropping Mystic all together. Hopefully, they are nothing more than rumors. With some exceptions, Mystic has so far fallen into CrossGen’s usual pattern of singular antagonists. However, there is promise. Recently, Mystic has shown the capacity for growth by expanding the conflict in Giselle’s life beyond the “Usual Suspects” with the intoduction of the Geometer Guild, and opened up Giselle’s Rouge’s Gallery a bit. Diverse opponents for a hero (or heroine, in this case) is essential for an ongoing title, and I really feel that with a continued push in this direction, Mystic really could be a title with the stamina to last for years to come. After all, Spider-man would have burnt out long ago had his only villain been the Green Goblin. I think the proper treatment of villains is one of the lessons CrossGen should learn in this troubled time, and hopefully this plea will not fall on deaf ears.
On the whole, Mystic is an entertaining read. Of course, I mustn’t forget to mention the art, which as usual, lives up to CrossGen’s reputation stunningly. While a title 40-issues old may be daunting to a new reader, I cannot stress enough the convenience of CrossGen’s Comics on the Web, especially for a title like this. For a very small cost, you can catch up on ALL of a title’s past issues, and new issues are posted there after they are three months old. This is a great way to not only try out new titles, but get caught up on back-story, no matter how old the book is.
Be sure to check back next week for CrossGen Month, Part II, and an in-depth look at one of CrossGen’s recently acclaimed titles, Negation.
Mystic #41 is due out on October 22nd in stores. It is the first issue in a new story-arc, and a great time to give the title a look!
Credit where credit is due-
Mystic is
Written by- Tony Bedard
Pencilled by- Aaron Lopresti
Inked by – Matt Ryan
and Colored by – Wil Quintana!
Post your comments in the Forum!
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