Charismagic: The Death Princess #1
Written by Vince Hernandez
Art by Emilio Lopez
Colors by Emilio Lopez, Jocelyn Dunn, Ivy Beth Gladstone
Letters by Josh Reed
Covers by Emilio Lopez, Khary Randolph, and Siya Oum
Aspen Comics
Release Date: November 7, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Charismagic: The Death Princess is a spin-off miniseries from the original series. It introduces a formidable supervillain named Orlana, a powerful magician who can manipulate and control the minds of others. She uses this ability to enslave her kinsmen and build a kingdom. Kon and his ally Serke make a foolish and ill-fated attempt to invade Orlana’s kingdom. In defeat, Kon abandons Serke and runs off into another dimension and vows to return. Meanwhile, Orlana ensnares Serke into her web of influence and corrupts his mind. On his return Kon reaches out to some fellow warriors to join him on his quest to take down the evil princess.

The first portion of Charismagic: The Death Princess #1 is a prologue to the actual story. Personal bias: I’m not usually a fan of prologues and tend to skim them whenever I read a novel or comic. Writer Vince Hernandez introduces Orlana and Kon to the readers with a brief, narration-heavy opening that flies through Orlana’s childhood and Kon’s over-ambitious attack on her empire. I had difficulty paying attention to this section. The magic world and its backstory are intricately planned and detailed, but much of this information might be better conveyed if it’s sprinkled into the action.

Creator-Owned Heroes #5
Written by Steve Niles, Jay Russell, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray
Art by Andrew Ritchie, Jerry Lando
Covers by Dave Johnson, Andrew Ritchie
Image Comics
Release Date: October 10, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Creator-Owned Heroes helps fill the huge void in my monthly comic experience left by the demise of Wizard magazine. This comic/magazine features two serialized comics and articles focused on independent creators. This is my go-to source each month to hear comic creative types talk shop and shower us with tidbits of advice.

The previous issue concluded the stories of American Muscle and Trigger Girl 6. Creator-Owned Heroes #5 kicks off two new stories and, as always, includes fantastic articles to guide wannabe creators on the path to riches and fame.