DC Comics announced today four new series that will begin in Fall 2012. One of them features the return of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld (happy squeal!).
When I was a teenager, I loved the 1983 twelve-issue maxi-series of Amethyst, followed by the sixteen-issue monthly series. After Amethyst became this weird mystic and Lord of Order, though, Amethyst's subsequent appearances (and mini-series) were pretty lame. She was no longer youthful and innocent. She was just another other-worldly being. She was at her best being this teenage girl who (like Billy Batson) became an adult superhero. Her situation was different than Captain Marvel/Shazam's in that she only became Amethyst when she stepped into another dimension, the dimension of Gemworld with its twelve individually gem-themed kingdoms.
From DC's press release:
SWORD OF SORCERY – Writer: Christy Marx. Artist: Aaron Lopresti.
Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.
Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.
My first impression? The comic's title sucks. A good title is the first key to success. I get that DC is trying to revive their old, old titles (and probably keep their copyrights), but this title alone will drive it into cancellation. Example: the first Sword and Sorcery from 1973 only lasted five issues.
Worse than that, there's a back-up story, which means the comic will most likely cost $3.99 instead of $2.99. How many $3.99 comics out there survive today, other than X-Men or Batman-related titles?
With all these obstacles stacked against her, DC isn't even giving Amethyst a fair chance to start. I also hope they don't fuck up her origin/story like they have with so many other characters during this recent New 52 reboot. I have too many fond memories of the Princess of Gemworld.
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