The Saga of Crystar

Issue #1 of The Saga of Crystar, May 1983. Published by Marvel Comics.

The Saga of Crystar, Crystal Warrior was an 11-issue fantasy-based comic book published by American company Marvel Comics in 1983. It was associated with a toy line from Remco, consisting of seven figures, some vehicles and accessories.

Production

The toys were first sold in late 1982; the Marvel Comics series was first published in the spring of 1983.[1] Since the toys were released first, many assumed the comic had been a licensed adaptation of the toyline, but Crystar and all of the characters in the toy line and comic book were created and owned by Marvel Comics, which had created the concept with the express intent of selling the license to a toy company.[2]

Despite the Crystar franchise's obscurity, the title character had a profile featured in the Marvel Comics 1980s Handbook, as well as the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z hardcover series. The character also appeared in the variant cover of Marvel Zombies 4 #3, which featured a number of 1980s Marvel Comics characters in a parody of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. (http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=54896748744%203%20VARIANT) Crystar and related characters were also the subjects of a parody in the episode "Ban on the Fun" of Robot Chicken, wherein it was suggested that Crystar and his people were made out of crystal meth.

The comic book series was set parallel to the Marvel Universe and featured guest appearances by Doctor Strange, Nightcrawler and Alpha Flight.

The cover of issue #8 of The Saga of Crystar, drawn by Michael Golden, features a skull logo that was later used by the bands Samhain and Danzig.

Storyline

Years ago, The Demon Lord sent his demon armies to conquer the world of Crystalium. The King of Crystalium led the fight against the Demon Lord in the Chaos War, but he was killed during the war. The forces of Order then sent the wizard Ogeode and the Prisma-Crystal to drive away The Demon Lord's minions and the forces of Chaos. In his defeat, the Demon Lord made the "Prophecy of Chaos", that he would one day send another of his servants to divide the planet against itself and bring ruin to all.

After the end of the Chaos War, the wizards Ogeode and Zardeth visited two princes, the brothers Crystar and Moltar, who had to decide whether their people would ally with Chaos or Order. Crystar chose Order and its champion Ogeode. As Moltar considered Chaos, their uncle Feldspar tried to convince him that Chaos was evil. Moltar, feeling that his uncle had always favored Crystar, became enraged and fought Crystar, injuring Feldspar in the process. Leaving them for dead, Moltar led his followers to the Fountain of Fire to find the wizard Zardeth and ally with Chaos.

Ogeode saves Crystar's life by merging him with the great Prisma-Crystal, rendering the prince's body into crystalline form. Similarly, at the Fountain of Fire, Zardeth magically transforms Moltar and his followers with the power of lava. Moltar and his Magma Men then attempt to conquer the city of Galax. Crystar and his warriors, feeling that flesh and blood would prove ineffective against the transformed armies of Moltar, selected an elite group to be transformed into crystal form like Crystar: Koth, Stalax, and Kalibar.

Main characters

Order

Chaos

Other characters

Action figures

In 1982 Remco produced the Crystar action figure line based on the concept for the comic book series. Crystar and the forces of order were designed to appear to be made of crystal, and Moltar and the forces of Chaos, lava. Seven individually carded figures, four mini playsets (each with an exclusive figure), two dragons (each with an exclusive figure), two catapults and one castle were produced.

Vehicles, creatures, etc.

Legacy

During the Secret Wars storyline, some characters from The Saga of Crystar appear in the miniseries Weirdworld as inhabitants of the Battleworld floating island domain of the same name where it is composed of fragments of many alternate reality magical realms including Crystalium. Moltar and his Magma Men are in allegiance with Witch Queen le Fay as they pursue Arkon (who is searching for his kingdom of Polemachus).[3] While in Apelantis, Warbow compels Arkon to assist him in a mission to save his captured prince (later discovered to be Crystar). It is discovered that Crystar has been "shattered." Warbow (seemingly having gone insane) is just happy to have found his lost friend even though Crystar is nothing more than a bag of crystals.[4] Crystar was later resurrected where he helped Arkon, Warbow, Skull the Slayer, the Swamp Queen (a variation of Jennifer Kale), the Man-Things, an army of Elves, an army of Eyemazons, and an army of Man-Wolves in their fight against Witch Queen le Fay and her army of Molten Men and Ogres. Neither side was victorious by the time God Emperor Doom was defeated and Weirdworld manifested in the Bermuda Triangle on the main Marvel Earth.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Markstein, Donald D. "The Saga of Crystar." Don Markstein's Toonopedia. 2007-2008. The Saga of Crystar at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
  2. ↑ Marvel Age #1
  3. ↑ Weirdworld #1
  4. ↑ Weirdworld #2
  5. ↑ Weirdworld #5
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