Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld is a superhero published in American comic books created by DC Comics. Created by writers Dan Mishkin, Gary Cohn and artist Ernie Colón, she debuted in The Legion of Superheroes #298 in April 1983.[1]

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld
Amethyst as depicted in Young Justice vol. 3 #1 (March 2019). Art by Amy Reeder.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceThe Legion of Super-Heroes #298 (April 1983)
Created byDan Mishkin
Gary Cohn
Ernie Colón
In-story information
Alter egoAmy Winston (current)
Amaya (Post-Flashpoint; later changed in DC Rebirth)
SpeciesCosmic entity (original)
Homo magi (current)
Place of originGemworld
Team affiliationsHouse of Amethyst
Lords of Order
Justice League Dark
Young Justice
Notable aliasesPrincess of Gemworld
Abilities(Both):
  • Magic
  • Crystal Empowerment
  • Crystal Manipulation
  • Crystal Generation
  • Spell Casting
  • Eldritch Blasts
  • Conjuration
  • Reanimation
  • Summoning
  • Scrying
  • Binding
  • Enchantments
  • Elemental Control
  • Energy Manipulation
  • Energy Construct Creation
  • Matter Transmutation
  • Atmokinesis
  • Photokinesis
  • Telekinesis
  • Telepathy
  • Teleportation
  • Dimensional Rulership
  • Reality Alteration
  • Weapon proficiency

Born into the Amethyst royal family of Gemworld, a fictional dimension full of magic and magical creatures, her parents were killed shortly after her birth by her future archenemy, Dark Opal. She is hidden on Earth by a witch and is adopted into a family, given the name Amy Winston. Eventually, she travels to Gemworld on her thirteenth birthday, learning of her heritage and became Gemworld's chief protector by opposing the Lords of Chaos and their agents, including Dark Opal. After the events of Flashpoint, the character was retroactively rebooted, having first been raised by her mother Graciel to help eventually liberate Gemworld from a tyrannical ruler. Her given birth name is Amaya while her human identity is Amy Winston. After DC Rebirth, the character's original origin is restored, albeit without significant connection to the Lords of Chaos and Order.

The character has received several media adaptations, having been featured in a short animation series featured on the DC Nation block on Cartoon Network.

Publication history

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Concept and creation

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Amethyst's premise was initially pitched to DC Comics under the title "Changeling", wherein its main character had been left on Earth as an infant. However, because another DC superhero formerly named Beast Boy was currently using that name at the time, Dan Mishkin decided on the alternative "Amethyst" as a replacement.[2] This in turn inspired the jewel-themed renaming of the other characters in the series and the rebranding of the entire concept as "Gemworld".[3]

Amethyst volumes

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Cover of issue #6 of the original 1983 maxi-series.

Amethyst first appeared as a special insert preview in The Legion of Super-Heroes #298 (April 1983).[4] Her original story began shortly afterward in the twelve-issue Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld limited series in 1983, written and created by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn with Ernie Colón as the artist. The initial 12-issue limited series (identified by DC Comics as a "maxi-series") establishes Gemworld, Amethyst's identity, and several of her recurring villains. The limited series was followed by a 1984 annual and a sixteen-issue ongoing series.[5] The ongoing series was followed by the 1986 Amethyst Special one-shot and a four-issue limited series that ended the character's adventures (penciled by Esteban Maroto). There was also a one-shot with Superman in DC Comics Presents #63 (Nov. 1983).[6]

The character re-emerged in 2005 after 18 years of sporadic appearances, in the Infinite Crisis mini-series. In 2012, Amethyst appeared as the main character of the new Sword of Sorcery as part of The New 52 line.[7][2] This lasted until May 2013, when Sword of Sorcery was cancelled.[8]

In 2019, DC relaunched the Young Justice title, with Amethyst as one of the members. A six-issue miniseries Amethyst (2020) by Amy Reeder was published the following year.[9]

The Legion of Super-Heroes (first appearance, 1983)
Date Name Editor Script and story Penciling Notes / Ref
April 1983 The Legion of Super-Heroes #298 Karen Berger
Dave Manak
Dan Mishkin; Gary Cohn Ernie Colon [10]
Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld (1983—1984)
Date Name Editor Script and story Penciling Notes / Ref
May 1983 Amethyst #1 Karen Berger Dan Mishkin; Gary Cohn Ernie Colon [11]
June 1983 Amethyst #2 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
July 1983 Amethyst #3 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
August 1983 Amethyst #4 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
September 1983 Amethyst #5 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
October 1983 Amethyst #6 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
November 1983 Amethyst #7 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
December 1983 Amethyst #8 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
January 1984 Amethyst #9 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
February 1984 Amethyst #10 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
March 1984 Amethyst #11 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
April 1984 Amethyst #12 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Colon
Amethyst Vol. 2 (1985—1986)
Date Name Editor Script and story Penciling Notes / Ref
January 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #1 Karen Berger Dan Mishkin; Gary Cohn Ric Estrada [12]
February 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #2 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Estrada
March 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #3 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Estrada
April 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #4 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Kurt Schaffenberger
May 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #5 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Estrada
June 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #6 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Estrada
July 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #7 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Estrada
August 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #8 Berger Mishkin; Cohn Dan Jurgens
September 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #9 Berger Cohn Ernie Colon
October 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #10 Berger Cohn Colon
November 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #11 Berger Cohn Colon
December 1985 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #12 Berger
Julius Schwartz
Mindy Newell Colleen Doran
February 1986 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #13 Berger Robert L. Fleming; Keith Giffen Colon
April 1986 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #14 Berger Fleming; Giffen Colon
June 1986 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #15 Berger Giffen; Newell Colon
August 1986 Amethyst (Vol. 2) #16 Berger Giffen; Newell Colon
Amethyst (1986) Special
Date Name Editor Script and story Penciling Notes / Ref
October 1986 Amethyst ("Kismet") Karen Berger Keith Giffen; Mindy Newell Ernie Colon [13]
Amethyst ("A Thrice-Told Tale") Newell; Len Wein Esteban Maroto
Amethyst Vol. 3 (1987—1988) limited series
Date Name Editor Script and story Penciling Notes / Ref
November 1987 Amethyst (1987 limited series) #1 Karen Berger Keith Giffen; Mindy Newell Esteban Maroto [14][15]
December 1987 Amethyst (1987 limited series) #2 Berger Giffen; Newell Maroto
January 1988 Amethyst (1987 limited series) #3 Berger Giffen; Newell Maroto
February 1988 Amethyst (1987 limited series) #4 Berger Giffen; Newell Maroto
Amethyst Vol. 4 (2020—2021) limited series
Date Name Editor Script Penciling Notes / Ref
April 2020 Amethyst (2020 limited series) #1 Andy Khouri Amy Reeder [16]
May 2020 Amethyst (2020 limited series) #2 Khouri Reeder
August 2020 Amethyst (2020 limited series) #3 Khouri Reeder
September 2020 Amethyst (2020 limited series) #4 Khouri Reeder
October 2020 Amethyst (2020 limited series) #5 Khouri Reeder
February 2021 Amethyst (2020 limited series) #6 Khouri Reeder
Amethyst Princess of Gemworld (2021) graphic novel
Date Name ISBN Publisher Script and story Art Notes / Ref
November 9, 2021[17] Amethyst Princess of Gemworld 978-1779501226[17] DC Comics Shannon Hale and Dean Hale Asiah Fulmore [18][19]

Collected edition

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In 2012, DC published an Amethyst volume of the Showcase Presents series. It reprinted the character's appearances in The Legion of Super-Heroes #298, the original Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld 12-issue limited series, Amethyst Annual #1, DC Comics Presents #63, and the first 11 issues of the 16-issue ongoing Amethyst series.[20]

Date Name ISBN Publisher
October 2, 2012[21] Showcase Presents: Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld Vol. 1 978-1401236779[21] DC Comics

Crossover appearances

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Amethyst appeared in the 1997 "Convergence" crossover that ran through Book of Fate, Night Force, Challengers of the Unknown and Scare Tactics. This story depicts an alternate Gemworld experiencing a civil war. Here, Amethyst is portrayed as a villain who wants to unify the houses in Gemworld by any means.

Fictional character biography

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Amethyst is the princess of the House of Amethyst, one of several houses on Gemworld. After Dark Opal kills Amethyst's parents, the witch Citrina sends her to Earth to be raised by the Winston family.

At the age of thirteen, Amethyst is attacked by Dark Opal. She learns of her heritage and returns to Gemworld, where she eventually defeats Opal. Amethyst later learns that she is a Lord of Order and battles the Lord of Chaos Child before fusing them both with Gemworld.

The Amethyst miniseries sees the characters' return from their fates and takes place two decades after Crisis on Infinite Earths. Topaz and Turquoise are married and have three children: Wrynn, Donal, and Amber. The entity Mordru possesses Wrynn and becomes a powerful sorcerer. Additionally, Child returns and kidnaps Emerald before Amethyst defeats him.

In the final issue of the miniseries, Mordru is imprisoned within Gemworld, which Amethyst merges with once more. Some time later, Gemworld is transported to the main universe and renamed Zerox. Late in the 30th century, Zerox is destroyed during the Magic Wars, killing Amethyst in the process.[22]

Infinite Crisis retroactively erases the events of the Amethyst miniseries and resurrects Amethyst.

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Amethyst is named Amaya and was sent to Earth to protect her from her aunt Mordiel.[23] She later joins Justice League Dark.[24][25][26]

Powers and abilities

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Amethyst possesses a myriad of powers, including flight, spellcasting, energy manipulation, energy constructs, eldritch blasts, matter transmutation, magic resistance, atmokinesis, chronokinesis, chlorokinesis, elemental control, life creation, reality alteration, crystal enchantments, crystal generation, conjuration, summoning, size alteration, divination, hypnotism, emotion manipulation, telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, dimensional travel, invisibility, illusion casting, invoking spirits, necromancy, healing others, and hyperawareness, as well as the ability to tap into other mystical sources so she can amplify her own capabilities to near-incalculable levels. Amethyst’s magical prowess is so vast that Doctor Fate once said she can be considered one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe. [27] She is capable enough to engage in battle with the Spectre and survive.[28]

Other versions

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An alternate timeline variant of Amethyst appears Flashpoint as a member of the Secret Seven.

In other media

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Television

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Amethyst and Quartz as they appeared in DC Nation Shorts.
  • Amethyst appears in a self-titled segment of DC Nation Shorts, voiced by Sophie Oda.[29] This version is a human who is magically transported into the Gemworld video game to battle the forces of Dark Opal and sports a modernized design reminiscent of magical girls.[30][31]
  • Amethyst makes non-speaking cameo appearances in Teen Titans Go!.

Film

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Video games

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Amethyst appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[33]

References

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  1. ^ Century, Sara (January 14, 2019). "Looking back on the underrated classic Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Campbell, Josie (July 3, 2012). ""Amethyst" Creator Dan Mishkin Speaks Out On Character's "Sword of Sorcery" Revamp". CBR. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  3. ^ Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #2, page 26.
  4. ^ Manning, Matthew K. (2010). "1980s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The other-dimensional Gemworld found a new princess in the form of Amy Winston, an ordinary young girl from a distant reality, in the pages of a sixteen-page insert comic by writers Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn, and artist Ernie Colón. Standing strong against the forces of the nefarious Dark Opal, Amethyst was gearing up for her own self-titled maxiseries in May.
  5. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  6. ^ When Amethyst met Superman
  7. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (June 8, 2012). "DC Adds Four to New 52, Including DiDio's Phantom Stranger". Newsarama. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012. This new series...will launch with the return of Amethyst to the New 52. Written by Christy Marx with art by Aaron Lopresti, the comic will show how Amethyst finds out she's the lost princess of Gemworld.
  8. ^ Melrose, Kevin (February 7, 2013). "DC axes Deathstroke, Savage Hawkman and four other titles". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013. DC Comics this afternoon announced the May cancellations of six more series, a mix of first-, second- and third-wave New 52 titles: Deathstroke, The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man, The Ravagers, The Savage Hawkman, Sword of Sorcery and Team 7.
  9. ^ Ching, Albert (February 24, 2020). "Amy Reeder Takes Us Back to Gemworld with Amethyst's Latest Adventure". DC. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  10. ^ "The Legion of Super-Heroes comic books". www.mycomicshop.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  11. ^ "Amethyst Princess of Gemworld (1983 DC 1st series) comic books". www.mycomicshop.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  12. ^ "Amethyst Princess of Gemworld (1985 2nd series) comic books". www.mycomicshop.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  13. ^ "Amethyst Special (1986 DC) comic books". www.mycomicshop.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  14. ^ "Amethyst (1987 mini-series) comic books". www.mycomicshop.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  15. ^ "Amethyst (Volume)". Comic Vine. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  16. ^ "Amethyst (2020 DC) comic books". www.mycomicshop.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld|Paperback". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  18. ^ "Amethyst Princess of Gemworld GN (2021 DC Kids) comic books". www.mycomicshop.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  19. ^ "AMETHYST: PRINCESS OF GEMWORLD". DC. 2021-02-04. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  20. ^ Melrose, Kevin (January 30, 2012). "DC is finally collecting Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  21. ^ a b "Showcase Presents: Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld Vol. 1 by Gary Cohn: 9781401236779 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  22. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 3) #63 (August 1989)
  23. ^ Sword of Sorcery #1-8 (w) Christy Marx (a) Aaron Lopresti
  24. ^ Justice League Dark Annual #1
  25. ^ Justice League Dark #14 (Jan. 2013)
  26. ^ Justice League Dark #23
  27. ^ Who's Who: The Definite Directory of the DC Universe Vol 1 #1 (March 1985)
  28. ^ Infinite Crisis #2
  29. ^ a b "Princess Amethyst Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 13, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  30. ^ potato farm girl: Amethyst of Gemworld
  31. ^ Goellner, Caleb (January 3, 2013). "New 'Amethyst' And 'Thunder & Lightning' Shorts Debuting On DC Nation This Saturday [Video]". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  32. ^ Commandeur, Jordan (July 28, 2018). "Teen Titans Go! to the Movies' Best Comic Book Easter Eggs". CBR. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  33. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
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