About Saga of Crystar Crystal Warrior
Crystar was a property created by Marvel Comics in 1983 in collaboration with Remco, a toy company that produced a line of action figures to go with the comic. What's particularly interesting about Crystar is that the comic came first! Usually, toys would inspire comics (like with G.I. Joe and Transformers), but in this case, Marvel had creative control over the backstory, characters, and lore. The toy line, which featured clear plastic figures to represent the "crystal" nature of the heroes, followed shortly after the comic's release.
Crystar the Crystal Warrior is set in the magical world of Crystalium, a place filled with mysticism and elemental powers. The central conflict of the story revolves around a war between two brothers:
Prince Crystar, the hero, who is transformed into a warrior made of living crystal.
Moltar, Crystar’s brother, who becomes a magma-based being, leading the forces of chaos.
The lore begins with Crystar and Moltar ruling peacefully, but they are soon drawn into a war between two supernatural forces:
Order: Represented by the wizard Ogeode, who helps transform Crystar and his allies into crystal warriors.
Chaos: Represented by the wizard Zardeth, who manipulates Moltar and turns him and his minions into magma beings.
This elemental clash between crystal and magma drives the conflict in the series. The warriors on both sides wield swords, axes, and magic, engaging in epic fantasy battles that appeal to fans of classic sword-and-sorcery themes.
The central characters of the comic include:
Crystar: The heroic prince who becomes the Crystal Warrior, fighting for order and peace in his world.
Moltar: Crystar’s brother and the primary antagonist, transformed into a being of molten lava, leading the forces of chaos.
Ogeode: The wise wizard of Order who transforms Crystar and his allies into crystal beings.
Zardeth: The sinister Chaos wizard who corrupts Moltar and instigates the war between the brothers.
Ika: A central female character and love interest of Crystar, who has her own role in the conflict.
Marvel’s Crystar comic book series ran for 11 issues, from 1983 to 1985. Jo Duffy, one of Marvel’s notable writers of the time, penned most of the series while Michael Golden and Bret Blevins contributed art, giving the book a distinctive and vivid fantasy feel.
Surprisingly, Crystar didn’t remain entirely isolated from the broader Marvel Universe. Although it was set in its own world, a few connections were made:
Issue #6 features an appearance by Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe. This crossover brought a major Marvel character into the world of Crystar, making it canonically tied to the broader Marvel Universe while characters like Nightcrawler from the X-Men are shown reading Crystar comics within Marvel continuity, as seen in Uncanny X-Men #191.
Though short-lived, Crystar has developed a bit of a cult following over the years, particularly among toy and comic collectors. The striking visual designs and unique concept keep the character alive in the hearts of 80's kids, now adults.
It should also be noted that the original Remco Crystar action figures are now sought-after collectibles, especially because of their unique crystal/magma aesthetics. In 2023, Hasbro released a 6" Crystar action figure as part of their MARVEL LEGENDS line, complete with translucent crystal body, sword and shield.