Amethyst #1
- WRITER
- Amy Reeder
- Artist
- Amy Reeder
- Letterer
- Gabriela Downie
- Cover Artist
- Stephanie Hans, Amy Reeder
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Price
- 4.99, 3.99
- Release Date
- 2020-02-26
- Colorist
- Amy Reeder
Amy Reeder's Amethyst #1, the newest release under DC Comics' Wonder Comics banner, is a gorgeous debut that doesn't bring anything new to the table. However, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Amethyst #1 follows the footsteps of plenty of other superhero and fantasy stories about intrepid youths living double lives.
Thankfully, Reeder tells this story with enough energy and excitement that it doesn't feel like an emulation of anything specific. The main aspect of this issue that it apart from its contemporaries is a construction that almost frames Amethyst #1 as a detective story.
The character Amethyst has been around since the early '80s, although her popularity has waned over the decades. Still, there's an undeniable inherent charm to her character. She's warm and bubbly but will throw down if the situation warrants it, and she's a wonderful protagonist for young readers. Reeder plays to the character's strengths and does a fantastic job of giving us the CliffsNotes version of Amethyst's rise to prominence. The story also sums up the character's relationship with both of her homes, the bucolic suburban setting on Earth and the magical land of Gemworld.
The story focuses on our titular heroine returning to her magical home, only to find it in complete disarray. The people of her kingdom are missing and the structures they once inhabited are wrecked as if a great war or natural disaster had claimed them. Desperate for answers, Amethyst turns to her closest allies, Lady Turquoise for help only to be met with a response she was not anticipating. After getting a heavy dose of obfuscation, Amethyst sets off on her own to find out why her people have vanished.
Writer/artist Amy Reeder is a wonderful comics storyteller, even when she's working within the confines of a larger universe which has rules she must adhere to. She writes the character of Amethyst with a palpable plucky excitement. From the moment she interrogates Lady Turquoise to her "who's coming with me?" Jerry Maguire-esque exit, Amethyst is charming, funny, and headstrong in a way that doesn't come off as arrogant or foolhardy. She's simply a delightful character who deserved to be rooted for despite her flaws.
The biggest drawback is that everything feels really safe. Amethyst #1 is well-constructed, but it's a construction that feels too familiar, especially for fans of broad fantasy stories. While Reeder subverts some of the tropes and builds off of the character's roots, one can't help shake the sense of having gone down this road a dozen or so times before. Again, this doesn't mean Amethyst #1 is bad. It's just not as inspired as such a wild premise could potentially muster.
Reeder's art shines throughout the issue, which serves as an excellent showcase for Reeder's talent. Her visual talent is superb and ultimately more compelling than her writing. Reeder does a wonderful job of conveying large swathes of history in splashy double-page spreads and does so without ever making them feel busy. Her linework is crisp, and she has an impeccable handle on when to brush dialogue aside and let the art speak for itself. Not to mention, she rightfully showers every page with more purple than a party at Paisley Park.
Your mileage may vary with Amethyst #1. It's gorgeous, well-paced and certainly fun, but it is by no means the most challenging comic you'll read this month. It's smart, funny, and charming, which means it gets away with being somewhat uninspired and safe. Regardless, it's too good to completely ignore and might be the kind of pretty, fluffy adventure that provides a distraction from things that aren't so pretty and/or fluffy.