• Source: Mystic Comics

Mystic Comics is the name of three comic book series published by the company that eventually became Marvel Comics. The first two series were superhero anthologies published by Marvel's 1930-1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, during what fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. The third, simply titled Mystic, was a horror fiction-suspense anthology from Marvel's 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics.




Mystic Comics (Timely)






= Volume 1

=
The first two series titled Mystic came during the 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books from publisher Martin Goodman, whose Timely Comics by the early 1960s would evolve into Marvel Comics. The first four issues were nominally edited by Goodman, but the contents came almost entirely from either the Funnies, Inc., or Harry "A" Chesler studios. Editor Joe Simon relaunched the series after a seven-month gap, with future Marvel chief Stan Lee taking over with issue #8 or #9 after Simon left the company. It ran 10 issues (March 1940 – Aug. 1942).
A superhero anthology with no regular starring feature, Mystic Comics introduced at least three notable characters: the Blazing Skull (issue #5, March 1941), who made appearances both in the Golden Age and in the 2000s; and the Destroyer (issue #6, Oct. 1941), noted by comics historian and former Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas as "Stan's most popular superhero creation before the Fantastic Four". The Destroyer was cover-featured for the last half of the run. The Black Widow is comic books' first super-powered, costumed female character; She appeared in Mystic Comics #4 (Aug. 1940) and #5 (Mar. 1941), as well as #7 (Dec. 1941). An antihero who killed evildoers to deliver their souls to Satan, her master, she is unrelated to Marvel Comics' later superspy character, Black Widow.
Additional superheroes introduced in this initial series include the Thin Man, by artist Klaus Nordling and an unknown writer (issue #4, Aug. 1940); the Blue Blaze, a living dead man who disappeared into a swamp in his final appearance, by Harry Douglas who signed his name "Harry / Douglas" leading to much confusion and many theories over the possibility of two creators. (#1-4); the robot hero Flexo the Rubber Man (#1-4); the Black Marvel (#5-9), by artist Al Gabriele and an unknown writer (not Stan Lee as often mis-attributed); and the Terror (#5-10) by writer Phil Sturm and penciler Syd Shores. The non-superhero trio of detectives the 3X's [sic] (issue #1) comprised Timely's first team feature.




= Volume 2

=
Timely's second series titled Mystic Comics was a shorter-lived superhero anthology that ran four issues (Oct. 1944 – March 1945). This later revival was edited by Vincent Fago as Lee had left for military duty in early 1942. Paul Gustavson's costumed detective the Angel was cover-featured for the first three, with one or two stories in each, and the Young Allies on issue #4. Timely star the Human Torch appeared in the first two issues, and time traveler Tommy Tyme in the first three. The Destroyer was the only character with a story every issue.




= Other

=
A one-shot publication, Mystic Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1 (Oct. 2009), featured a new 22-page story of the Golden Age Vision by writer-artist David Lapham, and reprints of Sub-Mariner, Human Torch and Vision stories from Marvel Mystery Comics #12 and 14.




= Complete list of features

=
Flexo the Rubber-Man #1-4 (March 1940-August 1940)
The Blue Blaze #1-4 (March 1940-August 1940)
Zephyr Jones and His Rocket Ship #1 (March 1940)
The 3 X’s #1 (March 1940)
Dakor the Magician #1-3 (March 1940-June 1940)
The Dynamic Man #1-4 (March 1940-August 1940)
The Master Mind Excello #2-3 (April 1940-June 1940)
Space Rangers #2-3 (April 1940-June 1940)
Taxi Taylor and His Flying Machine #2 (April 1940)
The Invisible Man Known as Dr. Gade #2-4 (April 1940-August 1940)
Zara of the Jungle #2-3 (April 1940-June 1940)
Hercules David #3-4 (June 1940-August 1940)
Thin Man #4 (August 1940)
The Black Widow #4, 5, 7 (August 1940, March 1941, December 1941)
Merzah the Mystic #4 (August 1940)
The Black Marvel #5-10 (March 1941-August 1942)
The Blazing Skull #5-9 (March 1941-May 1942)
The Destroyer #6-9; vol. 2 1-4 (October 1941-May 1942; October 1944-March 1945)
The Challenger #6-10 (October 1941-August 1942)
The Witness #7-9 (December 1941-May 1942)
Davey Drew #7-10 (December 1941-August 1942)
Dr. Robert Fields #8 (March 1942)
Gary Gaunt #9 (May 1942)
Inky Dinky #10 (August 1942)
Father Time #10 (August 1942)
Billy #10 (August 1942)
Red Skeleton #10 (August 1942)
The Angel, vol. 2, #1-3 (October 1944-Winter 1944)
The Human Torch, vol. 2, #1-2 (October 1944-Fall 1944)
Tommy Tyme, vol. 2, #1-3 (October 1944-Winter 1944)
Terry Vance, vol. 2, #1-2 (October 1944-Fall 1994)
The Young Allies, vol. 2, #4 (March 1945)
Detective Mike Trapp, vol. 2, #4 (March 1945)




Mystic (Atlas Comics)



Titled simply Mystic and published by Marvel's 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics, this was a 61-issue horror-suspense anthology (March 1951-Aug. 1957).
Mystic debuted shortly before Atlas' Strange Tales, increasing the company's science fiction/fantasy/horror line from four titles to six. Begun prior to the creation of the comic-book industry's self-censorship board, the Comics Code Authority, Mystic softened its horror when it went under the auspices of the Comics Code beginning with issue #37 (May 1955). The series' contributors included artists Bill Everett and John Severin.
Mystic ran until the collapse of American News Company, Atlas' distributor, which forced Atlas to undergo drastic restructuring and the cancellation of most of its titles.




Collected editions


Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Mystic Comics Volume 1 (Mystic Comics #1-4) Will Murray's introduction hypes how much better the content of the second volume would be, but it was never published.




References






External links


Nevins, Jess. A Guide to Golden Age Marvel Characters. WebCitation archive.
• Source: Mystic (comics)

Mystic is a comic book from the Florida-based CrossGen Comics. It was created by writer Ron Marz and artist Brandon Peterson and was one of five flagship titles in the company's Sigilverse shared universe. Mystic ran for 43 issues (July 2000 – January 2004).




Plot summary






= Overview

=
Magic on the planet Ciress is an apprenticed profession organized by guilds specializing in one field of practice. The story centered on sisters Genevieve and Giselle, nicknamed "Gis". The former had devoted her life to sorcery within the Nouveau Guild; the latter is a spoiled socialite who, against her wishes. is granted great power and responsibility as a Sigil-Bearer. Gis, formerly indifferent to sorcery, can now master not one, but all of the extant schools of magic.




= Story

=
The first six issues of Mystic describe Giselle's gaining of the Sigil and the efforts of the guild leaders to regain her power. Giselle gains her Sigil in the first issue and without intending to, steals the spirits of the ancient (and long dead) guild leaders. She also gets a guide in the form of a talking cat-like creature with yellow eyes and a love interest named Thierry Chevailier (an artist but without any magical ability). Starting in issue #4, Giselle gains the attention of one of The First who goes by the name Darrow. At first Darrow seems to help Giselle but he is under orders from Ingra to sway Giselle to the side of House Sinister.
The efforts of the other guild leaders to strip Giselle of the spirits of the long dead guild leaders fail (issue #6) but the leaders of all but two of the magic guilds regard the situation as unacceptable. To destroy Giselle the guild leaders (with the exception of Astral and Nouveau) break the prison which confined Animora. This sets in motion a conflict which lasts for the next 12 issues between Giselle (and her sister Genevieve, the leader of the Nouveau guild) against Animora and the other guild leaders. Darrow rapidly switches sides and supports Animora also. With the reluctant aid of the spirits of the former guild leaders, Giselle is able to defeat all her enemies (issue #14 and again in issue #20) but at a cost.
After her second defeat, Animora was able to establish a psychic link to Giselle and over time this turned into a form of possession. As this control was growing, Giselle alienated her good friend Thierry Chevailier and he fell in love with the older sister Genevieve (issue #24). Eventually Giselle meets Ingra and after a battle - in which Ingra easily defeats Giselle - Ingra breaks Animora's hold over Giselle and imprisons Animora (issue #23). Part of the reason why Ingra is able to defeat Giselle is that due to Giselle's recent behavior, the spirits of the guild leaders refuse to help her. Giselle, without their aid, finds that her knowledge of magic is very poor. She resolves to become a master of magic and starts with learning the magic of the Nouveau guild from her sister Genevieve, before moving on to the Shaman guild, the Djinn guild and the Astral guild (issues #25–28).
In CrossGen Chronicles #5 it was revealed that an eighth guild named Taroc had existed but vanished centuries ago. The Taroc guild leader sacrificed herself to imprison Animora, one of The First, who had been banished by Ingra, the leader of House Sinister.
It was later revealed that a secret guild exists (issue #33) called the Geometer guild; the members of which are allied with the Dark Magi guild and the Tantric guild. The Geometers believe themselves to be manipulators of all the other guilds; the guildmaster is named Archemus.




Characters


Giselle ("Gis") Villard is one of the many Sigil-Bearers. She was the younger sister who spent her time going to parties and socializing while her older sister Genieveve studied hard and moved up rapidly in the ranks of the Nouveau Mages Guild. The series begins on the day of Genevieve's ascension to the rank of Guild master for the Nouveau guild where she is to receive the spirit of the Nouveau guild. On that day, Giselle is given the Sigil on her hand and consequently absorbs the spirit of the Nouveau guild as well as the six other spirits of the guilds.
Genevieve Villard is the older sister, and the Sigil-Bearer of Ciress. Genevieve studied hard and moved up rapidly in the ranks of the Nouveau Mages' Guild. When the old guild leader died, Genevieve was chosen to be the new guild master. The Mystic series begins on the day of Genevieve's ascension to the rank of Guild master. On that day, Genevieve's younger sister Giselle is given a sigil on her hand and she then absorbs all the spirits of the long-dead guild masters of the seven magic guilds, including the spirit Genevieve was supposed to obtain.
Animora is the main antagonist of Mystic, and she is a banished member of The First. Her goal is to kill Ingra any way possible. Animora was one of House Sinister, but she tried to take over the House Sinister Seat from Ingra, and Ingra banished her and reduced her powers. When Animora came to Ciress, she tried to conquer it, but the eight main Guild masters retaliated and trapped her in an abyss.




Collections






= Published

=
Mystic 1: Rite of Passage
Mystic 2: The Demon Queen
Mystic 3: Siege of Scales
Mystic 4: Out All Night




= Unpublished

=
Mystic 5: Master Class
Mystic 6: The Mathemagician



Note

The bankruptcy of CrossGen prevented the publication of these previously-announced collections.




Marvel limited series



In 2011, Marvel Comics relaunched Mystic as a four-issue limited series in 2011 written by G. Willow Wilson with art by David López. In this continuity reboot, Giselle and Genevieve are now poor orphan sisters in the steampunk world of Hyperion. They secretly teach themselves the Noble Arts, a magical technology which only the nobility are allowed to study. Wilson described the series as "high-fantasy Mean Girls meets Les Misérables". It was collected, also in 2011, as The Tenth Apprentice.




References






Sources


The 11th Hour #16 (Oct. 2000): Mystic (review of CrossGen series)
The CrossGen Creator Watch (Feb. 28, 2005)
Mystic (CrossGen) at the Grand Comics Database
Mystic (CrossGen) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
Mystic (Marvel limited series) at the Grand Comics Database
Mystic (CrossGen) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)

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