On her 17th birthday, disaffected teenager Amy Winston is transported to the fantastical world of Nilaa. Upon learning that she is actually Princess Amaya, the heir apparent to the throne of the House Amethyst, she is thrust into the middle of a massive power struggle between kingdoms. Armed with her newfound mystical abilities, Amaya is determined to bring peace to her native land.
Sword of Sorcery Volume 1: Amethyst collects Sword of Sorcery: Amethyst issues #0-8, with additional material from DC Universe Presents, written by Christy Marx and illustrated by Aaron Lopresti.
Amethyst is an obscure character from the early-'80s, created as a sword and sorcery heroine for younger audiences. Pre-dating the likes of She-Ra and Princess Gwenevere by several years, this warrior princess starred in several self-titled series before disappearing into the annals of history. Thankfully, she would be resurrected and re-imagined for DC Comics' The New 52 initiative.
In this 2012 update, Amethyst is presented as a punk-lite teenager whose mother spirited her away to Earth when she was still an infant, as a way of protecting her from those who wished to harm her back in the realm of Nilaa. Though perhaps not as family-friendly as her earlier incarnation, Princess Amaya is portrayed as a strong and independent character who readers can root for.
It's very difficult to find faults in Marx's run on Sword of Sorcery. Princess Amaya is relatable, the dialogue is punchy and the art is glorious. Marx does an incredible job of building a universe for her readers, positing Amaya as the gateway for the reader's comprehension of the mythology of this world. As a fan of She-Ra: Princess of Power, this felt like a beautiful sister series that would be well-suited to being adapted as a cartoon for children. The comparisons are inevitable, but the concept of a web of gem-themed kingdoms is brilliant and allows for a lot of colourful character designs. The notion that each house has its own set of abilities is something that is tried-and-true as well. Since the series was cancelled after its first arc, it's actually very disappointing that we never get to see to all of the kingdoms and their champions.
Beyond Marx's strength in world building (something that is all too important in fantasy writing), she excels at making us care for the characters she writes. As mentioned before, Amaya is a relatable character that the readers can root for. It's equally as easy to care for the rebellious Princess Ingvie and the upright Prince Hadran, as well as loathing the chauvinist Prince Zushan. There are also some surprising guest spots too, notably the morally questionable mage Constantine, which was no doubt necessitated by Amaya's guest spot in Justice League Dark. More impressively, perhaps, is the inclusion of longtime Justice League baddie Eclipso. Marx gives him a new backstory, linking him to Nilaa, and it couldn't be more impressive. As a mystically empowered villain, he is much more effective and is easier to take seriously as a threat. For the most part, I've found Eclipso poorly executed in the past, so I have to give props to Marx for writing him as well as she did.
The writing isn't the only thing that makes Sword of Sorcery so praise-worthy. For anyone who read Gail Simone's run on Wonder Woman, they'll know that Aaron Lopestri can draw fantasy-oriented worlds impeccably well. His attention to detail is masterful and he is truly talented at depicting a wide variety of body types and ages. Not all the characters are svelte and attractive, but when they are they look downright drool-worthy. Still, I can't help but feel some of his designs could have been stronger. Of course, this could just be my own desire for the characters to look like they stepped out of She-Ra: Princess of Power. Still, he deserves plenty of praise for his costume design for Amaya. It's absolutely stunning and totally badass (not to mention age-appropriate).
It's a tragedy that Sword of Sorcery was cancelled after its first arc. It's smart, funny and brimming with potential. It's a shame that this book never quite found a strong enough readership to keep it running, especially since it ends on a slight cliffhanger. Nevertheless, Sword of Sorcery can still be considered one of the better offerings from the New 52 and proves that DC Comics continues to excel at creating female-led titles (even if they get canned before their time).
RATING: A-
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