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The story of Artesia is part of an epic fantasy cycle called The Book of Dooms, intended to comprise 22 separate series. Each series will be six issues in length, and will be collected into a collected edition. Artesia’s story is for Mature Readers, and some parts of it contain graphic violence, nudity, and strong sexual content.
Artesia
The Highlands of Daradja are dotted with ancient citadels and castles, held by petty kings and clans who war against each other and the brigand bands that plague the bleak and mountainous region. Artesia, once a concubine to King Branimir of the Citadel of Dara Dess, has in time risen to become one of his chief war captains; a priestess to dread goddesses; and a magician like her mother once was, controlling warlike spirits. She and her captains carry the cause of their king against his enemies in the field, but afraid of her growing power, her King betrays her. And in the middle of betrayal and tragedy comes word that the Middle Kingdoms have been invaded by an ancient enemy to them all, the Empire of Thessid-Gola…
Artesia Afield
The second series, Artesia Afield, follows Artesia as she leads an army out of the Highlands to aid the Middle Kingdoms against the returning Thessids. She and her captains are confronted with the myriad dangers and distractions of life on campaign as they strive to meet their Imperial foe, and through it all Artesia is plagued by dreams and haunted by ghosts, as she ponders the choices she has made, and those she hasn’t…
Artesia Afire
In the third series, Artesia Afire, the war to save the Middle Kingdoms from the Thessid-Golan Empire continues. Artesia has proclaimed herself Queen of Dara Dess, and now with magic coursing through her veins, the whispers of ghosts in her ears, and an army at her back, she confronts the temptations, limits, and consequences of power.
Artesia Besieged
The Calm Before. Artesia – queen, warlord, and witch – has led her armies from their homes in the mountains down into the Middle Kingdoms to aid their erstwhile neighbors in a war against a common enemy: an ancient Empire returned to enforce its historic claim to the lowlands. Following up on the last Artesia book, Artesia Afire, and the release of the Artesia: Adventures in the Known World role-playing game, this series finds Artesia and her armies trapped in an odd stalemate at the city of Abenton, guests of the city’s ruler, Elizabeta, a baroness with a dark secret. The imminent arrival of barbarian enemies at their gates is only the least of her problems, as recalcitrant allies, mutinous captains, angry ghosts and spirits, lurking assassins, and jealous lovers begin to spring their traps and plots….
Each series will be followed by an Annual, which will include stories outside of the main narrative and background information for readers. In addition, limited editions of select issues were prepared for Artesia’s first publisher, Sirius.
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“Comics has no other on-going story quite like Artesia, nor does it have many other female characters as dynamic and intelligently written as her. This series is a treasure.... The drama in Artesia does not come from swinging swords and epic battles — although Mark Smylie's insanely good at drawing those — it comes from his intense understanding of what happens when people come together in the name of politics and religion, of his understanding of the evil and the good that mankind is capable of.”
“The thinking man’s fantasy epic for the 21st century begins here… The world of Daradja [is] as infinitely detailed as any ever created in the annals of fantasy. Smylie cites Tolkien and Robert E. Howard as his influences…and he seems to have captured the essence they began their epic stories with and spun it into something uniquely his own. Never before has a tale of such immense magnitude and depth debuted in comic form...”
“Artesia is an unusual project in many ways, an epic fantasy that steers clear of the elves, dwarves and magic rings common to the genre and has, instead of a band of adventurers, a dangerous and deadly woman at the head of the class…The closest comparison is to Age of Bronze, Eric Shanower's mind-bogglingly huge sweeping epic, only done with a fantasy bent instead of one based on mythology and history. There's an undeniably inventive, intellectual and challenging tone to the storytelling…and while his work started out looking good in Artesia, it has become truly polished and breathtaking by the time you reach Artesia Afire. Artesia feels like stepping into a foreign land...”
“Artesia can, for lack of a better description, be labeled sword and sorcery. But…the fantasy flavor of Artesia is borrowed more from Greek mythology, and the setting evokes the political and religious structure of Europe during the middle ages, as surging waves of knights clash on muddy battlefields. Although comparisons have been drawn to works like The Lord of the Rings, I'd argue the inspirations are more archaic than that. There's more of, say, Homer than Tolkien at influence... The bottom line with the Artesia series is that it's strikingly illustrated, and convincingly written; it's impressive in its detail, evocative in its milieu, rarely less than interesting, and occasionally shamelessly pornographic…”
“A really strong story that is bound to enthrall anyone who reads it. Smylie's paintings shift at a moment's notice from lush to terrifying, much like the world of Artesia itself… Smylie has done what I think few creators can really manage to do properly—create an entire new world in their head and successfully bring that to the page.”
“Writer and illustrator Mark Smylie has created a world so deep with history and so rich with detail that it almost reads like an illustrated history book [featuring] war, politics, sex, betrayal, superstition, spirituality, religion, and magic. He’s created…a world that could border on the fringes of reality.”
“Smylie has created perhaps the most fully realized fantasy world I've ever encountered, be it in prose or comics... A triumph of richly woven plot, fully realized alien cultures, and all-out blood-letting.”
"Artesia is one of the great characters in comics. A pagan warrior-priestess fighting her way to glory and honor in a richly-detailed world of gods, ghosts and ancient civilizations. Mark Smylie writes and paints her chronicle with a conviction and joy that are infectious. Whether you're a fan of fantasy, political intrigue, historical spectacle or just great storytelling, Artesia will set you afire. I can't wait for more."
-- Christopher Moeller, author of Iron Empires
“War, love, lust, hate – Artesia has it all…in a fantasy world that combines the best storytelling methods of Homer, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Howard, and Tolkien, adds a healthy dose of classical mythological syncretism, a deep and rich history, and engaging characters – all melded to an incredible, breathtaking art. ”
-- James Mishler, Comics Buyers Guide
“Artesia is, in a word, breathtaking. The full color, Barry Windsor-Smith-like art will draw you in from the first page. Grade: A”
“This work is the most successful mature work I have read. Grade: A+… [and] Land of Frost Best Artist 2003: His work on ARTESIA demonstrates that broad sweeping epics are able to be perfectly done in the comics medium.”
“Smylie’s art is as colorful and striking as his protagonist... His style contributes a sense of realism that elevates Artesia above other fantasy material and gives it a mythic quality... It's a book that haunts when you're done.”
“Mark Smylie is something of a best-kept secret in the comics industry. That needs to change. Artesia is an impressive mature first work from a clearly talented author and artist...[and] his unflinching and complex storytelling of intrigue, sex, strategy, and death carry the day. And his lush combination of line art and painted color brings beauty and fierce life to it all.”
“How can it be that one individual can do as much as Mark Smylie does on Artesia? A man who wears many hats, Smylie is this book's writer, penciller, inker, painter, letterer, and publisher, yet even that doesn't begin to describe the amount of work he does in bringing this medieval fantasy tale of a warrior priestess to life. He is also costume designer, weapons maker, lyricist and poet, cultural historian, military strategist, theologian, architect and [cartographer], all in the service of fleshing out this fictional world… If this added up to a straightforward, yet still entertaining, tale, that would be plenty, but that's still not all. The way he approaches themes such as religion, sexuality, and the use and abuse of power, elevates this into a true work of art, in the same tradition as Cerebus, Elfquest, A Distant Soil and Finder. In a better world, a book like this would be an international bestseller…”
“Artesia is a vivid and compelling character: strong, bold, hard, and passionate… Smylie's impressive art, with its lush painted colors, has a European feel, underscored by his very European matter-of-fact portrayal of bloody violence, sexual situations, and full frontal nudity. Fans of epic fantasy will be interested in the series; recommended for larger adult collections.”
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