Sunday Splash Page #24

"Thanks, Captain Buzzkill", in Amethyst (vol. 3) #2, by Keith Giffen (story) and Mindy Newell (script/story), Esteban Maroto (artist), John Costanza (letterer)

After the second volume concluded with issue 16, there was a Special, where Amethyst faced down a particularly irritating Lord of Chaos for the fate of Gemworld. Then this four-issue mini-series, set decades later. The Chaos Lords try again, and Amethyst has to come out of the substance of the world to face them down. It's a natural story to do, since the whole Order vs. Chaos thing is an ongoing struggle.

The part that annoys me is that young fool, who ended up helping Chaos, turns out to be Mordru, the JSA and Legion of Superheroes enemy. Now you know the rest of the story. Or where to find the rest of his story. If that's something that interests you, it doesn't mean much to me.

Amethyst herself is quite different. Older, more confident. There's not really a moment where I thought she was at any risk of losing. She also feels more detached. She's been part of this world and its inhabitants, which has given a certain sense of ownership. Like she isn't fighting or punishing Mordru because she's angry that he hurt and killed people, but because he hurt her stuff. Like someone came to your house and smashed your lawn ornaments. It's also a development that makes sense - she's a Lord of Order now, living on a different plane of existence in her perceptions - but I don't know that it was an improvement.

Sunday Splash Page #23

"Burning Horsefeathers", in Amethyst (vol. 2) #12, by Mindy Newell (writer), Colleen Doran (penciler), Karl Kesel (inker), Carl Gafford (colorist), Agustin Mas (letterer)

After the 12-issue mini-series concluded, there was an Annual that finished the war against Dark Opal. Then the following year, this ongoing started. Having defeated Dark Opal, and with relative peace restored to Gemworld, Amethyst of course encounters new problems. Other old threats reemerge. Her parents' marriage begins to dissolve. Some of the kingdoms experience movements against monarchies. Amy continues struggles with the responsibilities of being the person everyone else looks to and expects things of. She has the notion, as a lot of kids would, that being the boss means getting your way. That's not how it goes, on any level, resulting in her repeatedly fleeing Gemworld to Earth, only to be drawn back for one reason or another.

In the middle of all this, Crisis on the Infinite Earths. In DC's desire to "simplify" their fictional universe, Amethyst learns that Everything She Knew Was Wrong. Gemworld can't simply be its own strange little magic world, it has to be tied into the same Order vs. Chaos stuff as Dr. Fate, and the same goes for Amethyst. 

I don't know if it was done because of an edict from on high that Everything Must Fit Together Now, or the creative team did it themselves to try and keep the book going. I don't think it did the book any favors.