Mystic Arcana

[Trey]

Anyone get this or the recent hardcover?

Was it any good?

It's time Marvel did some more with their mystic/supernatural stuff. I bet there are alot of artists out there that could do some awesome, moody, dark, mysterious stuff. It also allows lets writers and artists to be more creative, both story wise and visually.

Marvel really missed out on the horror/supernatural trend the last 3-4 years. Other than the Zombie stuff and the occasional MAX limited series, that is. I'm thinking of using their big guns.

[Will.S]

It's very oddly put together but for the most part good.

It's four books with 4 different magic related characters (Magik, Black Knight, Scarlet Witch, Sister Grimm), a OHOTMU for Magic beings and a pretty neat "Guide and rules of Marvel Magic" book that's probably the most useful thing in there. There's a lot of material that can be used towards future magic stories and the four seperate character stories usually tie into the the back-ups with Ian McNee collecting various magical items.

Oddly enough, the back-ups look to me to be the main thrust of the book's progression towards a new age of magic but I haven't seen anything else announced that'll tie into this type of stuff but maybe it's coming down the pike.

[Brother Zag]

I really enjoyed the fact they were "airing out" the world of magic in Marvel in Arcana. The Marvel Tarot was a very cool piece of work, would hope that's in the hardcover as well as the 4 issues. The table of "correspondences" was also tres arcane and cool, very fin de siecle.

Unfortunately, I think we've just seen why Mystic Arcana was swept under the radar by Marvel's powers-that-be. At first, Mystic Arcana was a new 4 Issue Mini that Marvel was hyping. Then "BLIP", off the radar it went. The "mini" turned into 4 interrelated one-shots (that messed up MY sub, don't know about others, but I had to re-up for each after the change), and promotion was non-existent.

So why downplay the books? Why change the distribution so they quietly disappear?

Magic. And "One More Day".

Pure speculation (and I've been seeing a conspiracy here all along to mute the impact of these books, so take it as you will). BUT, if you were an E-I-C who was about to throw any and all consistent rules for magic out, so that you could alter Spider-Man's continuity, I don't think you'd want a NEW compendium of Magical Rules or a series that HIGHLIGHTS the magical aspects of the Marvel Universe. Why point out all the "rules" of a system you're about to ignore completely?

Again, it's just speculation. I thought earlier that Marvel might have gotten cold feet about the Mystic Arcana project because of the very occult overtones, but now it looks like the choice was story driven, from the very top.

For the most part I love what he's done with Marvel, but there are times, with Mystic Arcana and Marvel Cosmic in general, that I just wanna ask Joe Q... "WTF?"

[Trey]

Thanks guys, I just got the singles today.

I know the one shots were going to lead to an Annihilation type mini-series. Also IIRC the sales were real low. With no promo, it got lost in the shuffle. Going to go read em now.

[Brother Zag]

Thanks guys, I just got the singles today.

I know the one shots were going to lead to an Annihilation type mini-series. Also IIRC the sales were real low. With no promo, it got lost in the shuffle. Going to go read em now.

Do yourself a favor and get the Marvel Tarot and OHOTMU that went with the series, too. The Tarot rocks, as I said before, and the handbook is a hoot!

[the president vs. swamp thing]

It really seemed like they had a bigger picture in mind with Marvel Magic, and this was just a small piece of it. Sadly, it looks like it might be a while before we get to see that bigger picture, if ever.

[Dark Traveller]

Magic. And "One More Day".

Pure speculation (and I've been seeing a conspiracy here all along to mute the impact of these books, so take it as you will). BUT, if you were an E-I-C who was about to throw any and all consistent rules for magic out, so that you could alter Spider-Man's continuity, I don't think you'd want a NEW compendium of Magical Rules or a series that HIGHLIGHTS the magical aspects of the Marvel Universe. Why point out all the "rules" of a system you're about to ignore completely?

Again, it's just speculation. I thought earlier that Marvel might have gotten cold feet about the Mystic Arcana project because of the very occult overtones, but now it looks like the choice was story driven, from the very top.

For the most part I love what he's done with Marvel, but there are times, with Mystic Arcana and Marvel Cosmic in general, that I just wanna ask Joe Q... "WTF?"


I thought the very samething. Joe Q's pointed out in the past what HE thought was the failing off magic in fiction (supposedly no rules) And then used it without rules himself. :mad:

[Brother Zag]

I thought the very samething. Joe Q's pointed out in the past what HE thought was the failing off magic in fiction (supposedly no rules) And then used it without rules himself. :mad:

You know, for a pretty amazing artist who seems to understand the superhero genre pretty well (OMD aside), Joe Q has a startingly limited imagination when it comes to science fiction and fantasy. It seems to both limit his appreciation for and his understanding of all things cosmic and magical.

[Ullar]

are the tarot and handbook in the hc?

[Madison Carter]

Mystic Arcana (and the Tarot and Handbook) are, I feel, tremendous in the way David Sexton and consultant Jeff Christiansen threw in so many "easter eggs" and tied so much together. Long-term fans especially will enjoy how they wove a lot of characters' histories and relationships through one another.

[Will.S]

Mystic Arcana (and the Tarot and Handbook) are, I feel, tremendous in the way David Sexton and consultant Jeff Christiansen threw in so many "easter eggs" and tied so much together. Long-term fans especially will enjoy how they wove a lot of characters' histories and relationships through one another.
Yeah I love the Tarot book the most, the handbook......not as much. It would have to be as engaging as the Marvel Monsters one which was great but I guess on a day where there's nothing to read that would fit the bill.

[Monty_Cristo]

i'm waiting for Ian McNee to start making guest-appearances in actual non-magic-based titles.

[Will.S]

i'm waiting for Ian McNee to start making guest-appearances in actual non-magic-based titles.
Me too actually.