#gidgegraphic

[angel-gidget]

Gidge's Guide to Amethyst

I did one of these a while back, but with reeaallly low-quality images. These days, there’s more Amethyst stuff out there, and that’s worth an update in its own right.

Amy’s first appearance was technically in Legion of Super-Heroes #298 which featured a “pull-out preview comic” to entice people into picking up the maxi-series. I’ve yet to get my mitts on it to confirm if it’s just sample art from the maxi-series, or has dialogue/art never seen anywhere else. Regardless, your best starting point is probably gonna be…

I. 1980’s 12-issue Maxi-Series (+ follow-up Annual)

High jump-through-portal fantasy. Fantastic creatures, creepy villains, magical royalty, intricate world building that explains some things and lets your brain fill in the gaps for others, and consistently gorgeous art. Can’t recommend enough.

The annual shown takes place after the maxi-series and sets the stage for the ongoing series that follows.

Get it by Patron methods: Dc Universe Series Page DC’s Showcase via Amazon or Abe Books (Note: no color art for showcase, only black & white)

Get it by Peasant methods: Over here. 💎

II. 1980’s 16-issue Ongoing Series (+ follow-up Annual)

While there is a lot of fantastic stuff going on with the ongoing series, it is more of a mixed bag.

While I am forever in love with cover of issue #11, I remember turning to page 1 and wondering what the heck happened to the inside art. It’s not bad, really. It just doesn’t meet the high bar of the covers (or earlier interiors). Looking back, I realized the art was getting less detailed well before that, but my reading was all over the place as a kid bc I’d just read whatever issues I could find.

This here, at issue #12, is actually a good place to stop. By which I mean, the next 4 issues + special reek of grimdark edge-lord bs that doesn’t even make sense without reading Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, if you wish to proceed…

The final issue of the ongoing is technically a cliffhanger, and the Special grants the writers the extra pages they need to finish wrapping up their whole Lords of Order & Chaos/Dr. Fate tie-in.

After this, someone in DC editorial raised their pencil and went “Hey! What if we made the Gemworld the origin for one of our Legion of Super-Heroes villains?” And thus…

Get it by Patron methods: Dc Universe Series Page DC’s Showcase via Amazon or Abe Books (Note: no color art for showcase, only black & white) (Also note: Showcase contains both Maxi and Ongoing series)

Get it by Peasant methods: Over here. ⚔️

III. 1980’s 4-issue Mini-Series

This thing is all kinds of whack, but it is gorgeous. I get the impression that when Kieth Giffen and Mindy Newell were assigned this sucker, they just read a summary of the OG series and winged it.

Probably not, since they technically wrote those final issues of the ongoing, but that’s how it feels. Despite this, it’s grown on me like a fungus, and the mind-blowing art by Esteban Moroto is, like, 98% of the reason why.

Amethyst is always at her weirdest when Dc is trying to tie her in with the rest of the DCU. In this case, the mini is supposed to explain how a Legion of Super-Heroes villain has origins that go back to the Gemworld. Why? Idk. But if I remember correctly, it was even part of the advertising for this series.

Get it by Patron methods: … you can’t. There are no re-prints of any kind and it’s tough to track down. If ye crave this treasure, best ye look to piracy, matey.

Get it by Peasant methods: Over here. 🔮

IV. 2012’s DC Nation Amethyst Cartoon Shorts

In hindsight, these may have been made as the advent of the Sword of Sorcery series, but they really were a charming sip of water after two decades of nothin’. A cute lil’ standalone series that turns the Gemworld into a video game. Amy is then, of course, sucked into it.

Fun fact: the producer, @briannedrouhard is on tumblr, and often posts art and further ideas she had for the series.

Watch it: Full Series is officially free on Youtube. 👸🏼

IV. 2013’s Sword of Sorcery: Amethyst

This New 52 eight-issue (9 included the ‘0’ issue, oy) series got my hopes up after all those years, but I gotta admit I was a bit disappointed by the completely new supporting cast. Apart from Amy herself, none of the original characters made it into the series.

It feels likely a completely different fantasy series with an “Amethyst” label slapped on it. That said, Aaron Lopresti’s art is beautiful, and this version of Amy—Amaya—eventually joined the New 52’s Justice League Dark and picked up a bit of a cult appreciation over there.

That said, I’ve had some spoilers for her time on JLDark, and the storyline is just a bit… too… dark for my tastes. So I’m quite content to see her nu52 series retconed, even though I did nearly collect all 9 issues.

Get it by Patron methods: Dc Universe Series Page TPB via Amazon or B&N

Get it by Peasant methods: Over here. 💜

V. 2019’s Wonder Comics - Young Justice: Gemworld

Remember how I said Amethyst always gets weird when she collides with the greater DCU? Yeah, forget I said that. Never mind. Most brilliant combo idea since peanut butter and jelly.

No, I’m not biased not at all bc I’m a big Young Justice fan. Nope. Ok. Maybe a lil’ bit. While the continuity here is it’s own thing, there are a lot of nods to the original Gemworld in the world-building.

Does this series fully explore the potential of all the ideas in it? Frankly, no. YJ fans complained a lot about the lack of breathing space in this series for a reason. But I’m still happy with it and happily re-reading it for the fun ideas it slaps together.

If you are reading this for the Amethyst, however, there isn’t much point in reading past issue 6, aka volume 1 of the trade. After that point, Amy stops getting much spotlight, though she remains on the team’s roster until the series’ end.

Get it by Patron methods: Dc Universe Series Page TPB via Amazon or B&N

Get it by Peasant methods: Over here. ✨

VI. 2020’s Wonder Comics - Amethyst Miniseries

The fact that both this series and the YJ one appear under the “Wonder Comics” label is a bit misleading. They do not share any continuity at all. However, the opening splash page of the first issue references multiple events from original Amethyst continuity!

Later world-building details make it clear that this is a different version of Amy and the Gemworld, but Amy Reeder’s affection for the original series remains apparent.

Get it by Patron methods: Dc Universe Series Page TPB via Amazon or B&N

Get it by Peasant methods: Over here. 👑

VII. 2021’s Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld by Shannon & Dean Hale

This one is actually a kid-oriented graphic novel. Again, with its own continuity and world-building. I think the thing that stands out to me the most about this take is that the Hales give Amy a kid brother and make him quite relevant to the plot.

It’s pretty stand-alone and not really marketed as a comic book per se, but it is charming and the art is quite cute.

Get it by Patron methods: Graphic novel via Amazon or B&N Get it by Peasant methods: Over here.

🏰

In Summary:

“Original” Amethyst Continuity (by Dan Mishkin & Gary Cohn and later Kieth Giffen & Mindy Newell ) is contained in Volumes 1-3. This is made of up the Maxi-series, Ongoing, and Mini-series from the 80's.

New52 Sword of Sorcery Continuity (by Christy Marx) is completely separate and self-contained.

Wonder Comics: Young Justice continuity (by Brian Michael-Bendis) is separate and self-contained, but has many nods to original continuity in it.

Wonder Comics: Amethyst mini-series continuity (by Amy Reeder) is mostly separate and self-contained, but implies that it shares events with the Volume 1 maxi-series.

Kid-friendly properties like Brianne Drouhard’s DC Nation shorts or Shannon and Dean Hale’s graphic novel make for fun additions, though they were not marketed as though they might tie in with any comics.

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SW Fanfic Recs: A Lil' Dose of Jacen/Tenel Ka

You're the Wrong I Need by hexterah: When Tenel Ka follows Jacen into the dark, they realize that they might be able to find a way out... so long as they are willing to do it together.

Traitors & Trades by KC10FltEng: Jacen has been pondering his upcoming sacrifice. As usual, he may have been overthinking things.

Five People Jacen Solo Still Loves by Lyraeinne: His heart is growing colder, but there are five embers left.

Sunshower by hexterah: Two years after his redemption, Jacen thinks about how everything directly around him is still affected.

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SW Fanfic Recs: Spotlight on SpellCleaver

Deathmark: In a world torn apart by magic, necromancy and war, Luke wakes up in a strange place with a strange mark on his chest and no idea how he got there.

The Protégé: When his foster sister Pooja falls under the Empress's influence, Luke Naberrie is tasked with persuading her to come home.

Innocence Died Screaming: Luke is a stowaway, and that is all Darth Vader knows him to be.

Sparks: The nefarious burgler known as "Angel" was beneath Vader's notice… until the rumor of rebel ties began. Now it may mean a confrontation between father and son.

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DC Fanfic Recs: Grave Tales from LJ

Fly Robin Fly by Phoenix Angel Suyari: Death comes for the batfam circa OYL. The Titans bear witness.

Survival by JBMcDragon: All Tim has to do is survive. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?

The Sea is Just a Wetter Version of the Sky by Alexiel Neesan & The Protagonist: Jason Todd must be the bearer of the bad news that will put a crack in the center of Tam Fox's world.

Heart, Humble by Brown Betty: Jack Drake must grapple with his son's secrets tonight.

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SW Fanfic Recs: TCW-Set Anidala

Order 66-S by Disco Shop Girl: When Captain Rex recieves Order 66, he modifies it. His own version, Order 66-S, is for saving General Skywalker.

Pin up Problems by Rogue Darth Skywalker: Seeing your wife feature on the pin up nose art of Clone Force 99's transport ship is a sight bound to give a man some emotions. Pride. Jealousy. Among others. Which will win? Anakin sure doesn't know.

Your helment cracked by Disco Shop Girl: He'd been restrained, forced to watch while her helmet cracked and the Mon Calamari sea water threatened to drown her before his eyes. Now they're free. And alone. Set at the end of the Clone Wars season 4 Water War arc.

Breaking the Chains by Rogue Darth Skywalkera; Two years after Anakin was enslaved by the Zygerrian Queen, the Republic finally returns for him. This is the story of healing a broken hero.

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ML Fanfic Recs: A Lil' Miraculous Fic

A Werecat in London by ThornQueen: After an unfortunate encounter with an akuma while in London, Adrien is forced to deal with an extremely unexpected, and furry, consequence.

First Dance, Second Chance by Taliax: After fighting by Ladybug's side as Aspik, Adrien finally has an excuse to connect with her. But when Gabriel voices concerns about Ladybug during a charity event, Adrien realizes she might need him for more than just one dance.

Technical Difficulties by therentyoupay: Ladybug gets trapped in an elevator with... Nino. { LoveSquare, brotp!MariNino, all-around-friendship!fic }

State of Grace by dragonsinparis: When Chat Noir is fatally wounded, Ladybug uses her Lucky Charm to open a portal to the underworld in order to go drag her partner back to the land of the living...even if his ghost is tagging along, telling her that this is a terrible idea.

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I love the hodge-podge casting that keeps rotating through my brain as I continue this journey on the dracula daily wagon. Most common re-occuring cast members include...

Tumblr's old man Dracula illustrations as Count Dracula

Keanu Reaves as Our Dear Friend Jonathan Harker (Dracula 1992)

Peta Wison as Mina (Just Now) Harker (the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing (Multiple circa 1960's Hammer Films)

Lucy is too pretty to be a real person, so my brain keeps providing the Classics Illustrated pictures of her in diaphonous gowns and dramatic poses.(This is why I need to see the 2013 series. Bc since Katie McGrath is also too pretty to be a real person, she's probably perf for the part.)

The otome options suitors of Lucy don't have particular appearances quite yet, but the amorphous cowboy-hat wearing blur that is Quincy is starting to look a lot like Owen Wilson due to Tumblr influence.

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SW Fanfic Recs: Yay, Some Padmé

They'll celebrate Our deaths with a national parade by Tomii: A Separatist!Padmé AU.

The Bitter Glass by Cyranothe2nd: Padme wakes from a coma 20 years after the events of RotS and finds a very different galaxy.

Padmé Says No by Nny11: When Padmé Amidala learns that Ahsoka has left the Order and will be on her own, she puts her foot down to bring the wayward former Jedi home.

A New Destiny by Julie Horwitz: Obi-Wan Kenobi is prevented from boarding Padmé's ship and everything changes.

Heirs of Light and Darkness by skywalkersamidala: Anakin Skywalker has at last been captured by the Empire. He expects to be killed, but Lady Padmé Amidala, the imperial heir, has other ideas.

There's a million reasons why I should give you up by shelivesfree: Grief-stricken with loneliness admid the Clone Wars, Padmé stumbles across something she wrote a long time ago... a list of sorts.

It's Like Deja Vu (All Over Again) by shadowsong26: When Padmé gets a do-over after her death, she finds history unfolding with slight differences from what she remembers.

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SW Fanfic Recs: Anakin Skywalker and the High Pressure, Extra Traumatic, Time-traveling Recovery from Sith-hood.

Out of the Dark Valley by Irhinoceri: Vader had only one regret, so when he went back to fix it, he didn’t give much thought to the life he would then have to live after correcting his mistake. A life on the run from the Empire he helped build.

New Light by Anemoia: Post-RotJ Anakin wakes up on a battlefield mid-Clone Wars. He’s a wreck, but a wreck determined to avoid the same mistakes.

A Second Chance by Alverrann: He was dying in Luke’s arms... and then he awoke in Dex’s diner, with a terrified Kenobi across from him.

Desecrate My Lungs by LoosingLetters: They’re calling it a vision from the Force. That’s the only explanation for what struck Anakin so suddenly. Why he’s forgotten to walk without prosthetic legs. Why the mere sight of the Jedi Temple sends him spiraling. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka struggle to help him, but even with that meager explanation, there’s still so much of the story–and Anakin–that they are missing.

Force of Many Sights Series by DAsObiQuiet: After his death as Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker has been given a chance to start over from the beginning. Specifically, his 9-year-old self's beginning. Sometimes second chances are harder than the first time around.

[Previous lists feat. The Force of Many Sights Series & Desecrate My Lungs.]

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SW Fanfic Recs: Some Oldschool L/M

Ocumwhowurst by Jedi Jesi Jiin: Luke Skywalker is a war hero, jedi master, and… werewolf?

Old Friends by Tarado: A wedding and a nosy question push Mara Jade to finally ask herself if she and Luke are even friends at all.

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J a c e n . S o l o

(post-war)

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DC Fanfic Recs: Current Sources of Tim-Fix

Take It Back Now Y'all by TimTheToaster: A somewhat adult Tim finds himself in the past of rather young adult Bruce, a decidedly teen Dick, and a not-at-all-adult Jason. Tim tries to do the right thing. It's more complicated than he'd like.

A Hard Rain's-A Gonna Fall by loudestfandomsoftheworld: It takes a great man to see through one's fake identity, it takes an even greater amount of patience for Bruce Wayne, in other circles known as Batman, not to pop a bloodvessel and die of internal bleeding when he unmasks the most notorious stalker of the vigilante community as a literal child.

The Return by lurkinglurkerwholurks: What the comics neglected to cover after Bruce returns from being lost in time.

Well-Versed Replacement by sElkieNight60: On a wing and a prayer, the Bruce Wayne of an alternate dimension comes with hopes of spiriting Tim away. And things are bad enough that Tim might just let that happen.

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Marvel Fanfic Recs: Recent MCU Spider-Reads

The Chasm Between by TheSleepingOwl: When the Parkers fall into financial crisis, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what keeps Peter's mouth shut. But friends with a billionaire or no, Peter's determined to handle it on his own. (Even if, sustainably, he can't.)

unwinding orbits and songs for the moon by JBS_Forever: Peter is being haunted. He'd like to blame it on a concussion he had recently, but evidence points towards his old mentor having some ghostly Unfinished Business.

Cloak and Dagger by Velnetta: A Peter who knows Tony via internship is captured along with his mentor and Captain America. Can they escape without Peter letting on that he’s Spider-Man?

You're Like Me by the17thtearoom: Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy both got bitten, weeks apart, and one additional Spider-Person in New York made the world shift to accommodate the change. (Or, Miraculous Ladybug-style love square, but it's Gwen/Peter)

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TID Fanfic Recs: Jem/Tessa by Majesta Moniet

Five Times Jem & Tessa Misplace Their Virginity: And the wedding night in which they actually lose it. (The title is telling, tbh.)

Hunters, Gatherers, and Conjurers: Percy Jackson AU. When Tessa arrives at Camp Half-Blood, all her hopes and expectations are riding on a warm bed and her first full night's rest in weeks. What she gets instead is a scratchy sleeping bag and a predawn encounter with a boy who seems more moonlight than mortal.

Incandescence: Drabbles and one-shots, largely set after Clockwork Prince and before Clockwork Princess.

Looking Glass: When Will finds a spell to lend Jem more of his strength, it comes with an unsettling side-effect. He's about to walk a very intimate mile in his parabatai's proverbial shoes.

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SW Fanfic Recs: Sadness & Significant Settings

relieved to lie in the wreckage by niniblack: The Republic is fallen and Padme is dead. Yet, Anakin Skywalker is... well, at least he's not a sith. But that may be too low a bar to help his newborn twins as they drift and hide from the Empire.

Outcry by DotColorful: A disasterous mission on Naboo leaves both Luke and Vader trapped in a nightmare of their own making.

Tatooine Has 13 Words for That by JackHawksmoor: There are thirteen words on Tatooine for this. For family ripped away and found again. For the sort of bonds that exist between parents and children who have spent so many years apart, and neither by choice. All it takes is Luke and Vader saying one of those words to each other for it to make all the difference.

the sun cannot fall from the sky by imadetheline: Father and son struggle in the wake of ESB as Luke discovers that he has inherrited a rare genetic disease from his mother's side.

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Gidge’s At-a-Glance Guide to DC Comics Continuity

(A Basic Intro that is Biased as Heck)

For ease of reading, all text of the powerpoint is included under the cut:

Gidge's At-a-Glance Guide to DC Comics Continuity

What a friggin’ lie. There is actually so much text to this. It’s not a “glance” hardly at all and I am sorry.

1950’s - 1970’s. In the Beginning

Comic writer's wrote comics bc fun! Adventure! Mythic characters! (Comic nerds call this “The Golden Age” and “The Silver Age”.)

And after... twenty years or so... writers and editors realized: Huh! When we tell stories with conflicting details about characters... people complain. A lot.

Maybe... we should tell stories that try to resolve some of these differences?

1985. Solution? Crisis!

There were temporary solutions, and attempts to just edit and write with more attention to detail… but in the end, editors went BIG.

So they had timey-whimey Spider-verse style story line (before “timey-whimey” was coined or “spider-verse” was a glimmer in Marvel’s eye.)They called this event “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”

Still 1985. Cha Cha Real Smooth

Basically: a big bunch of heroes get together to save their timeline. This finalizes what Actually Happened™ WITHIN the comic timeline.

The DC universe is BIG. They have lots of writers, characters, stories. Detail mismatches happen, man. But the continuity patch crossover is Epic, and it sells.

Image note: Why yes, you ARE looking at Uncle Sam, 2 Robins, and 1 daughter of Batman from an alternate universe. The times were rad.

2005. 2008. Cha Cha Again

So when enough continuity problems built up again, DC was like… y’know? That Crisis idea worked really well last time. Let’s just go again!

So it becomes A THING and meanwhile, Marvel is sitting with its convoluted history on the other side of the fence going “Well at least we don’t reset our continuity ever so many years like those OTHER guys.”

Circa 2009. Enter The Devil Didio

Head Honcho Editor in Chief Dan Didio decides that continuity patches via crisis are OUT. And total reboots of character history are IN.

He calls his crisis-that-is-not-a-crisis “Flashpoint” and tells all the DC writers to wrap up their story lines bc he’s about to throw 50+ years of the company’s life’s work into the garbage.

(No, I’m not still bitter about this after 13 yrs and counting, no not at all.)

2011. The New 52

DC ditches ALL of it’s ongoing titles to launch precisely 52 titles all starting at issue #1.

Everybody in the DC universe has brand new histories (and character- izations) that pretty much make NO sense.

But hey, at least the nuJustice League is drawn by Jim Lee, so everybody is lookin’ really, really pretty.

2016. DC Rebirth

Okay, guys. You can have SOME of your old continuity back. As a treat.

But not all of it. That would look like we’re admitting to a mistake or something. Can’t have THAT. No siree.

So… DC. How?? DO READ? What?

Despite EVERYTHING I just told you… don’t overthink it. Cool character? Go ahead and read. Cool cover? Pick it up if it moves you. You’re a smart cookie. You’ll figure it out.

New 52 is it’s own timeline.

Rebirth tries to squish nu52 and everything else together, kinda.

There are also Elseworlds (multiverse AU’s) But they will usually give you a heads up about what they are.

So just go forth and have fun, my dudes.