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Mystic (comics)
Encyclopedia
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
that was published by the since-defunct, Florida-based CrossGen
CrossGen
Cross Generation Entertainment, or CrossGen, was an American comic book publisher that operated from 1998 to 2004.CrossGen Comics, Inc. was founded in 1998, by Tampa, Florida-based entrepreneur Mark Alessi who sought to create a comic book universe that was uniquely varied but also connected by a...
Comics. Created by writer Ron Marz
Ron Marz
Ron Marz is an American comic book writer, known for his work on titles such as Silver Surfer, Green Lantern, Marvel vs DC, Batman/Aliens and Witchblade.-Career:...
and artists Brandon Peterson
Brandon Peterson
Brandon Peterson is an American comic book writer and artist. Born and raised in Wisconsin on October 14, 1969. Brandon Peterson is known for his hyper detailed artwork and intricate line work...
and John Dell, it was one of five flagship titles in the company's Sigilverse
Sigilverse
The Sigilverse, also known as the CrossGen Universe, is a fictional shared universe which served as a setting for most titles published by CrossGen Comics. Except for El Cazador, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and a handful of flashbacks, all CrossGen Universe titles are set in the future...
shared universe. Mystic ran for 43 issues (July 2000
2000 in comics
-February:*Strange Adventures vol. 2, #4, final issue cover-dated February - January :* January 5: Goseki Kojima, co-creator of Lone Wolf and Cub, dies at age 71.* January 6: Mad magazine fixture Don Martin dies at age 68....
- January 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
).
Plot summary
Set on the planet CiressCiress
Ciress is a fictional planet, situated in CrossGen comic's fictional universe, the Sigilverse. It features primarily in the American comic book series Mystic.-Geography:...
, in which sorcery
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
is an apprenticed profession organized in guilds, the story centered on sisters Genevieve
Genevieve Villard
Genevieve Villard is a fictional character from CrossGen Entertainment's Sigilverse. She appeared in Mystic comic series as a major character because she is the older sister of Giselle, the Sigil-Bearer on her world of Ciress. Genevieve studied hard and moved up rapidly in the ranks of the Nouveau...
and Giselle
Giselle Villard
Giselle Villard is the main character in the American comic book Mystic, published by CrossGen Entertainment. She is one of the many Sigil-Bearers seen throughout the CrossGen Comics.-Fictional character biography:...
. The former had devoted her life to becoming a top sorceress; the latter is a spoiled socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
who much against her wishes is granted great power and responsibility via a mysterious sigil
Sigil
Sigil may refer to:*Sigil , a type of symbol used in magic*Sigil , a symbol that must be attached to a variable name in some programming languages*A seal...
.
The magic guilds at the start of the series are:
- Dark Magi Guild
- Astral Guild
- Shaman Guild
- Enchantress Guild
- Tantric Guild
- Djinn Guild
- Nouveau Guild
The first six issues of Mystic describe Giselle's gaining of the Sigil and the efforts of the guild leaders to regain her power. Giselle gains her Sigil in the first issue and without intending to, steals the spirits of the ancient (and long dead) guild leaders. She also gets a guide in the form of a talking cat-like creature with yellow eyes and a love interest named Thierry Chevailier (an artist but without any magical ability). Starting in issue 4, Giselle gains the attention of one of The First
The First (comics)
The First are a group of fictional gods who appear in a self-titled comic as well as other various comic books published by CrossGen. Styled after the Greek gods in many ways, the First represent very powerful, nearly immortal beings, who are each based on a certain emotion.The full powers of The...
who goes by the name Darrow
Darrow (Mystic)
Darrow is a character from CrossGen Entertainment's Sigilverse. He appeared in the Mystic series as first a friend, then an enemy of the heroine Giselle Villard. Darrow is one of the self-styled gods called The First, he was sent to seduce the only Sigil-Bearer on the planet of Ciress...
. At first Darrow seems to help Giselle but later we learn he is under orders from Ingra
Ingra
Ingra is a character from CrossGen Entertainment's Sigilverse. She appeared in a several series, mostly The First. She was shown as a dominating female, usually wearing revealing outfits....
to sway Giselle to the side of House Sinister.
The efforts of the other guild leaders to strip Giselle of the spirits of the long dead guild leaders fail (issue 6) but the leaders of all but two of the magic guilds regard the situation as unacceptable. To destroy Giselle the guild leaders (with the exception of Astral and Nouveau) break the prison which confined Animora. This sets in motion a conflict which lasts for the next 12 issues between Giselle (and her sister Genevieve, the leader of the Nouveau guild) against Animora and the other guild leaders. Darrow rapidly switches sides and supports Animora also. With the reluctant aid of the spirits of the former guild leaders, Giselle is able to defeat all her enemies (issue 14 and again in issue 20) but at a cost.
After her second defeat, Animora was able to establish a psychic link to Giselle and over time this turned into a form of possession. As this control was growing, Giselle alienated her good friend Thierry Chevailier and he fell in love with the older sister Genevieve (issue 24). Eventually Giselle meets Ingra and after a battle - in which Ingra easily defeats Giselle - Ingra breaks Animora's hold over Giselle and imprisons Animora (issue 23). Part of the reason why Ingra is able to defeat Giselle is that due to Giselle's recent behavior, the spirits of the guild leaders refuse to help her. Giselle, without their aid, finds that her knowledge of magic is very poor. She resolves to become a master of magic and starts with learning the magic of the Nouveau guild from her sister Genevieve, before moving on to the Shaman guild, the Djinn guild and the Astral guild (issues 25 - 28).
Note: In CrossGen Chronicles
CrossGen Chronicles
CrossGen Chronicles was an American comic book published by CrossGen Entertainment from June 2000 to July 2002. Each issue told a story from one of the different worlds in the Sigilverse, usually a historical narrative of some aspect.-Issue #1:...
#5 it was revealed that an eighth guild named Taroc had existed but vanished long ago. The Taroc guild leader sacrificed herself to imprison Animora, one of The First
The First (comics)
The First are a group of fictional gods who appear in a self-titled comic as well as other various comic books published by CrossGen. Styled after the Greek gods in many ways, the First represent very powerful, nearly immortal beings, who are each based on a certain emotion.The full powers of The...
, who had been banished by Ingra, the leader of House Sinister.
It was later revealed that a secret guild exists,(issue 33) called the Geometer guild; the members of which are allied with the Dark Magi guild and the Tantric guild. The Geometers believe themselves to be manipulators of all the other guilds; the guildmaster is named Archemus.
Series contributors included:
- Writers: Ron Marz, Tony BedardTony BedardAntony "Tony" J. L. Bedard is a writer and editor who has worked in the comic book industry from the early '90s through the present. He is best known for his work at CrossGen Comics, where he was under exclusive contract, and for his run writing Marvel Comics X-Men spin-off Exiles.-Career:Tony...
; - Pencilers: Brandon Peterson, Fabrizio Fiorentino, Aaron LoprestiAaron LoprestiAaron Lopresti is an American comic book artist who has worked for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image Comics.-Career:Lopresti first published work of note was the Malibu Comics title Sludge, in 1993...
, Steve McNivenSteve McNivenSteven "Steve" McNiven is a Canadian comic book artist. He first gained prominence on CrossGen's Meridian, before moving onto books such as Ultimate Secret, New Avengers and Civil War.-Career:...
, Paul PelletierPaul PelletierPaul Pelletier is an American comic book penciller.-Career:Pelletier began working as a professional comic artist in the late 1980s. His first work appeared in Zen: Intergalactic Ninja. He has worked for renowned comics publishers DC Comics and Marvel Comics as well as for the now out of business...
, Al RioAl RioAl Rio is a Brazilian comic book artist best known for his work on the American comic book series Gen¹³ and DV8. The companies Rio has worked for include Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Chaos Comics, Image Comics, Zenescope Comics, Malibu Comics, Wildstorm Comics, Crossgen, Vertigo,...
, Paul RyanPaul Ryan (comics)Paul Ryan Paul Ryan Paul Ryan ((born 23 September 1949 in Massachusetts) is an American comic book and comic strip artist. Ryan has worked extensively for Marvel Comics and DC Comics on a number of super-hero comics. He currently pencils and inks the daily and Sunday comic strip The Phantom for...
, Kevin Sharpe; - Inkers: Jason Baumgartner, Mark FarmerMark FarmerMark Farmer is a British comic book artist. He is best known as an inker, often working with Alan Davis.-Biography:Farmer got his start in the UK comics industry before becoming part of the British Invasion, the wave of UK creators that were an integral part of the DC Comics "new look" of the...
, Marco Galli, Drew Geraci, Drew Hennessy, Rob Hunter, Mark Lipka, Victor Llamas, Pablo MarcosPablo MarcosPablo Marcos Ortega, known professionally as Pablo Marcos is a comic book artist and commercial illustrator best known as one of his home country's leading cartoonists and for his work on such popular American comics characters as Batman and Conan the Barbarian, particularly during the 1970s...
, Roland Paris, Matt Ryan, Rob Stull, Joe Weems; - Cover artists: Joseph Michael LinsnerJoseph Michael LinsnerJoseph Michael Linsner is an American comic book writer-artist-colorist best known for his mature-audiences supernatural character Dawn, who first appeared in Cry for Dawn #1 , self-published by his Cry for Dawn Productions....
, Phil Noto.
Collections
CrossGen released four trade paperbacks containing the first half of the series:- Mystic 1: Rite of Passage
- Mystic 2: The Demon Queen
- Mystic 3: Siege of Scales
- Mystic 4: Out All Night
In addition, the company announced two additional which went unreleased due to CrossGen's bankruptcy.
- Mystic 5: Master Class
- Mystic 6: The Mathemagician
Relaunch
Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
has announced plans to relaunch Mystic in a miniseries written by G. Willow Wilson
G. Willow Wilson
G. Willow Wilson is an American comics writer, prose author, essayist, and journalist.-Biography:After converting to Islam while attending Boston University, Wilson moved to Cairo, where she contributed articles to the Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine and the Canada National Post...
with art by David Lopez
David Lopez (artist)
David López is a Spanish comic book artist.-Biography:López started his comics career in the Spanish fanzine before moving on to work on Espiral and finally, in 2002, making the jump to the American comic book market.He is best known for co-creating and illustrating the first volume of the...
. It is very different from the original series; Giselle and Genevieve are now poor orphan sisters in the steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
world of Hyperion who secretly teach themselves the Noble Arts, a magical technology that only the nobility of Hyperion are allowed to study. Wilson described the series as "high-fantasy "Mean Girls
Mean Girls
Mean Girls is a 2004 American teen comedy-drama film directed by Mark Waters. The screenplay was written by Tina Fey and is based in part on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, which describes how female high school social cliques operate and the effect they can have...
" meets "Les Miserable" ".