The Saga of Crystar, Crystal Warrior was a 1983 11-issue fantasy-based Marvel comic book with an associated toy line from Remco, consisting of seven figures, some vehicles and accessories.
The toys were first sold in late 1982; the Marvel Comics series was first published in the spring of 1983. 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.
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 #1, which featured a number of 1980s Marvel Comics characters in a parody of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. Crystar and related characters were also the subjects of a parody in the episode "Ban on 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 Crystallium. The King of Crystallium 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
- Crystar - One of the twin princes of Crystallium. Leader of the Crystal Warriors for Order.
- Ambara - Former valet to Lavour. During the conflict between the princes, Ambara and Crystar develop a romantic relationship.
- Warbow - Crystal Warrior. Warbow shot Zardeth in the left eye with an arrow. Losing the eye, but otherwise unfazed by the injury, Zardeth shot out Warbow's left eye in return, leaving Warbow mortally wounded. Ogeode used the Prisma-Crystal on Warbow as he did on Crystar to save his life. Warbow secretly has romantic feelings for Ambara.
- Koth - Crystal Warrior with a ribald sense of humor.
- Stalax - Youngest of the Crystal Warriors.
- Kalibar - Crystal Warrior.
- Ogeode - Wizard champion of Order. An old man with a bald head and white beard. Father of Ika, whom he willingly sacrificed to become a crystal being in an experiment to learn the secrets of the crystal warrior physiology (so that he might learn how to heal one of Crystar's injured followers). Frequently, Ogeode claims to be of diminished mystical ability and of little use to the Crystal warriors thanks to the strain of turning the tide during the great war, yet manages to perform mystical feats during times of crisis.
- Ika - Half-enchantress daughter of Ogeode. Ika was compelled by her father to undergo a transformation to turn her body into crystal so that he could learn the secrets of the Crystal Warrior physiology.
Chaos
- Moltar - One of the twin princes of Crystallium. Leader of the Magma Men for Chaos.
- Zardeth - Wizard leader of Chaos. Lost his left eye in an altercation with Warbow.
- Lavour - Betrothed to Crystar before the princes went to war. After she thought Crystar was dead, Lavour allied herself with Moltar for the opportunity to become queen of Crystallium.
- Magma Men - The rank and file of Moltar's army.
Feldspar
- Feldspar - The appointed regent of Crystallium since the death of his brother, the King of Crystallium. Uncle of Prince Crystar and Prince Moltar, Feldspar has taken authority over the planet until the princes have settled their conflict. He arranged for both Ogeode and Zardeth to alter his body into a partly crystalline and partly molten form to symbolize neutrality in their dispute.
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.
- Crystal Dragon
- Lava Dragon
- Crystal Shatterpult
- Lava Shatterpult
- Crystal Castle
References
External links
- The Grand Comics Database Project Cover Art of Marvel's Saga of Crystar
- Don Markstein's Toonopedia page on Crystar
- Crystar Action Figure Guide
- Crystar Complete Review at NIJIRAIN
- Comprehensive overview of Crystalium, home of Crystar