Hello all and welcome to another session of the @CharactersOfDC This month we will be taking a closer look at character that I came to enjoy over the years: Amy Winston better known as Amethyst.
Amy is in for a wild ride as she learns to navigate Genworld. What would you do if you suddenly found out that you were an heir to a mystical legacy as she is?
This initial story introduced some of Amy’s supporting cast as well as a main antagonist. What did you think of their interactions?
Amy is in for a wild ride as she learns to navigate Genworld. What would you do if you suddenly found out that you were an heir to a mystical legacy as she is?
I think my reactions would less together than Amy’s were. I would start by trying to understand everything I could about my inherited realm, powers, and magical associates.
This initial story introduced some of Amy’s supporting cast as well as a main antagonist. What did you think of their interactions?
I think the story itself followed a standard new good wizard vs. bad wizard trope, but I think it’s Amy’s circumstances and the gem-flavor of Gem world added to that trope.
What did you think of Dark Opal?
In Dark Opal’s initial incarnation he is fairly standard evil/greedy/jealous wizard, but I really do like that’s drawn so much darker than everybody else. It may be just Dark Opal-ness, but it’s adds to his threat.
That would be exactly what I would do as well. If I was going to have to face off with an enemy of my house I would want to know as much as I could about who my allies are, how magic functions in this realm, what my powers are, and most especially what my enemy can do and who his or her allies are.
It’s very important that the villain in a story feels like a credible threat. I agree that the way he is drawn does help with that. I do feel that he is a little generic though. I felt a bit differently back in the day when I first read this story.
I agree and I think even being a generic villain, Dark Opal still fulfills that role in every way he needs to and he’s not so generic that he prevents the reader – or at least this reader – from needing to know what happens next.
I had to join in on this particular discussion, since before my name on the forums became CassTheStreet I was actually named PrincessAmethyst.
I would definitely be a lot less eloquent than she is. Like @Mystery_and_wonder stated, I would also try to understand everything I could about the land. I would delve deep into books, discover who are allies versus enemies, etc. This would feel important, as the protector of a world that you just found out about, knowing everything would help you decide if that is something that you truly want to do. I think I would also be like her and not tell everyone in the “real world” until I got comfortable in the Gemworld.
Because I know things from the Maxi-Series, as it is one of my favorites. I think some of the interactions are interesting to see. It definitely has a very fantasy vibe to it, that is made even more so by character interactions and also design. Because the book is a fantasy female led book, I would just assume that her sidekick type of character would be another female. I love that they went with Granch though. It keeps it more rooted in that fantasy element that they are building.
In his presentation here, I think he is a very generic overall villain. I feel like he gets a bit more fleshed out through the Maxi and other series involving this character though. Here though, he is definitely a kinda one-note generic villain that doesn’t seem to have a purpose outside of wanting the Amethyst. His character design is what I think makes him unique, he is not drawn as any particular ethnic or racial background instead is represented in dark based colors that adds a bit of sinisterness to him. I want to like him as a villain, but here again he is such a one-note villain without much depth. Why does he want the Amethyst? What is his overall purpose? This is why this though is good for a set-up for the maxi, as it makes you want to know more about what is going on.
Yeah, I expected her companion to be another female as well but I’m happy with Granch who I really enjoy. I’ve always enjoyed the fantasy genre and at the time I first read the maxi-series that was the only type of books I read so I was very glad to find a comic series set in that genre. It was the best of both worlds for me.
Yeah he was a bit of a one note villian here but his character design, as you and @Mystery_and_wonder mention, is a unique one and the set up in this story does certain leave you with questions that need answers.
The irony of all this is that my intro to Amethyst & Gemworld did not come from this particular story but rather from issue #3 of the maxi-series you mentioned.
Sorry for the delay on this posting our next discussion folks but September 11th always hits me hard and this year’s anniversary was particularly bad for me. For those not in the know already a good friend of mine lost her husband at the Towers that day, some of my family witnessed that attack first hand and another friend narrowly escaped being a victim herself due to a flat tire on her way to work that morning.
I spend a great deal of yesterday on Zoom calls with both of my friends and hadn’t the energy to do much else afterwards.
Take the space and time that you need. These forums will be here when you are able to engage. I know this anniversary hits hard for a lot of people, so I am sorry to hear that it does for you as well. It sounds like you are being a great friend and family member though. I applaud you for that. We again will be here when you are able to be.
Here is our next set of issues to read folks. I remember this series fondly and couldn’t stop re-reading it at issue 4. I had to finish all 12. Feel free to do so as well.
Amy is back on Earth after defeating Dark Opal on Gemworld but it seems evil still exists on her home world. Wjat did you think of Fire Jade?
Seems Amy and Em were correct about the new neighbors on Earth being enemies of theirs from Gemworld. If you were Camelian how would you have better disguise yourself so no one would know who you are?
What did you think of the fight between Amethyst and Fire Jade?
We end this one on a cliffhanger. What is your prediction for how Amy and Em get out of danger?
This is a very different Amethyst the the rest of the series we have looked at. Here Amy lives a life with her mother in which they are constantly on the move from town to town.
What did you think of this set up?
Instead of Dark Opal as a antagonist we have Amy’s Aunt Mordiel, who has taken over Castle Amethyst and seeks the full power of House Amethyst. Do you feel she is a good villain or was Dark Opal better?
Can’t believe never found this thread discussion. Great formatting @JasonTodd428.
Let me answer your questions and say that the set up is fairly interesting. While Amethyst has never been a popular hero I don’t understand why they felt the need to divide her story with that of beowulf? That’s pretty annoying. It’s rushed in a way and I don’t feel engaged as I did with the original story.
Amethyst aunt as a villain is not a bad replacement for Dark Opal but she’s misuse. This villain doesn’t show anything of that inspires the same kind of intimidation or charisma as dark Opal.
Amy is fine as the confused lonely kid but I think the mother being around kinda ruins it. Amy in most series usually has to learn all this stuff by her self and she can’t be sure if people have her best interests in mind. Her killing someone was interesting but it never went anywhere.
Overall it’s fine but her new 52 portrayal never carry of the impact the original did with it’s more unique and fully flesh out world. Gemworld here is just way to generic to be anything special.
I drew this, well part of it (most is from an avatar app), a while back last year. I think she is a cool character that could have her own show or video. Maybe a spin off from Zelda? Or Willow? Anyways cool character!
I just read Amy Reeder’s Amethyst series and while I’ll admit writer and artist Amy Reeder has gorgeous art, I wouldn’t say I care for it.
To be clear, the 6 issue series has a lot more good than bad, and I do understand and respect the changes in regard to how Amethyst is portrayed to stand different from the rest.
I do like they focus on treating Amethyst as a teenager as sometimes it’s easy for writers to write her more older and experienced to forget Amy is just a kid.
While it’s established early on that the magic in Wonder comics version of Gemworld is not really magic, just science that looks like Magic(A marvel comic concept). Gemworld here is still very much fantasy in substance compared to Sword of sorcery and that is win for fantasy books at DC comics.
If I had a problem is how they characterized Amy Winston as according to the writer as someone who is a little miss perfect who is a bit self-righteous and throughout this series is being made to realize her mistakes and be told that just because she is a princess, doesn’t mean much.
(A princess who saved Gemworld countless times, but whatever).
She really doesn’t have agency in her own story here. It’s a odd thing to say considering it’s most of her stories but I feel she is a incredible pushover here who needs to be proven wrong every time. It’s moral thumping is what bugs me. It’s got a interesting story but Amethyst doesn’t really have importance here as I like.
