Amethyst #3: Every Gem Happens Too Much

We’re here for another round of Amy Reeder’s trip into Gemworld, and this time with more help (colorist Marissa Louis joins, with habitual Gabriella Downe in letters). And again, the art is one of the most beautiful and expressive pieces that young adult-oriented comics have crafted, with some of the most expressive characters and a visual narrative that gets you through the story, and Amy Winston’s anxiety and doubt issues with the mission she’s getting on and her teammates.

But, here in the third issue, I can’t help but be a little disappointed at Princess Amethyst’s story. We’re at the middle of it and the character development of the characters has been mostly unnoticeable, with Amy having the same doubts and the theme of “what is bad and what is good has changed” as a reflection of growing up and facing the real world. It’s a compelling central point, but not in a different way than the two past issues and to the detriment of the rest of the characters’ voices. It’s ok that this is a middle-of-the-trip issue, but, while I was amazed at how the second issue connected with Amy’s past, and it was filled with character work and adorable interactions, here the constant burst of negative emotions from Amy and constant in-fightings feels less compelling and less justified.

Also, we got introduced to a great character in #2, Elba, who’s Phoss’s girlfriend and was fascinated with human culture. And, by the beginning of this issue, she had just disappeared with no explanation. In her place, we have Maxixe, who’s a typical angry teenager boy character who I still haven’t found a way to fall in love with, especially cause his first appearance is his as a teenager stating a (very justified) need and his mother completely ignoring it… And that’s not really for making criticism or driven anywhere further?

Overall, this third installment feels like “Amy discovers that the world is not exactly how she saw it as a child” again but less surrounded by development, even if the worldbuilding is beautiful and compelling (like that whole kind-of-renegade free zone town they stop by, or the kind-of-announced chilling dark twist at the end of the issue), and the art is one of the most precious things you’re gonna find (even if I prefer Reeder’s more pastel-like and kinder coloring), with just amazing double pages and particularly stellar lettering and visual signaling. But, except Amy telling her fears, all characters feel two-dimensional and they don’t grow as organically as in the first two issues. There’s a lot to hope for the future of Amethyst, but this is not the issue to get into it, and I hope with time it shines better within its companions.