"The End" Week: Crystar #11!

Mildly surprised we hadn't blogged this one yet--I better double-check, I already nearly doubled up one! But we have blogged almost half the series, so we might as well: from 1985, Crystar #11, "Resolution" Written by Jo Duffy, art by Ricardo Villamonte. Cover by Michael Golden!

Although I read most of this when it came out, I've never had any Crystar toys; but this was a better toy tie-in book than it needed to be. I think the sales were probably pretty strong the first issue, but despite being set in the Marvel universe, it didn't have the same legs that ROM Spaceknight did. This issue, after losing one of his men, Koth; Crystar confronts his uncle (and current regent of Crystalium) Feldspar: he had been trying to keep things neutral, but Chaos was escalating the war, having made the local savages into Malachite men, to back up the Lava Men. Chaos wizard Zardeth is thrilled with the bloodthirsty Malachon's performance, while Crystar's brother Moltar is starting to question his role. Koth wasn't dead yet, but had been captured and was to be tortured; Moltar asks him to give up something so they'll kill him easy, but Koth refuses to salve his conscience.

Back with Crystar's forces, his newest warrior, the snooty Bekk, suggests why doesn't their wizard, Ogeode, just turn more guys into crystal warriors? Maybe even up the numbers a bit? Indignantly, Ogeode explains that simply wasn't done: if Order increased its numbers, Chaos could up theirs geometrically...that doesn't seem fair; but Bekk points out they should be able to at least replace Koth. Ogeode grudgingly agrees, and reaches into his pocket to get his magic crystal...as on earth, Alpha Flight's Puck, Northstar, and Shaman fight a Chaos monster. (Snowbird is on the cover, but Northstar's a better fit, since he is catty in this one.) They restore it to human, but Northstar is injured, so Shaman reaches into his medicine bag for bandages; and gets the crystal--then an arm--instead! The three get pulled into Crystalium, which Puck recognizes: what, you've never been? After some conversation, they get attacked by Lava Men, who are accidentally killed by Shaman when he hits them with a blast of "glacial cold."

Northstar flies recon, and observes the Chaos forces about to kill a prisoner, whom Crystar realizes must be Koth. Moltar is disgusted by Zardeth's catering to the Malachite men's sadism, and a Lava woman (with Princess Leia buns!) tries to stop the execution. Moltar turns against Zardeth, while Crystar challenges Malachon to single combat, killing him in like two panels! The battle then commences: Bekk dies saving his ex Ika, and even the Lady Macbeth-like Lavour turns against Zardeth. Before the wizard can kill Moltar and Lavour, Crystar kills him, but Zardeth has time for a final curse: turning Moltar back into human, so he could never touch his lava girlfriend again. Moltar renounces his claim on the throne, Crystar is named king, and it's a happy ending for everybody.

Warbow--and later Crystar--would return, years later, in Weirdworld; but is probably best remembered for a Robot Chicken bit. Which isn't really fair, it was a perfectly fun little book...okay, "crystal warriors" is hilarious, but still.