Masters of the Universe: The Shard of Darkness

(July 2003)

Eternia... (Table of Contents: 1)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / text story / 1 page (report information)

Script

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Pencils

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Inks

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Colors

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Letters

typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text

a world where myth, sorcery and technology intertwine creating a realm of scientific wonder and barbaric magic.

Genre

sword and sorcery

Synopsis

A basic introduction to the struggle between Skeletor and He-Man, overlaid on a map of planet Eternia.

Reprints

• in Masters of the Universe Encyclopedia (CrossGen, 2003 series) #1 (December 2003)

Chapter 1 (Table of Contents: 2)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited, signed)

Inks

Emiliano Santalucia (credited, signed)

Colors

Val Staples (credited)

Letters

typeset

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

Skeletor

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #1 [Second Printing] (November 2002)

Indexer Notes

Cover reprint is used as an introduction page for chapter 1.

[The Shard of Darkness Chapter 1] (Table of Contents: 3)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / comic story / 24 pages (report information)

Script

Val Staples (credited)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited)

Inks

Marco Failla (credited)

Colors

Val Staples (credited); Dash Martin (credited) (assists); Shaynne Corbett (credited) (assists)

Letters

Dreamer Design (credited)

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

He-Man; Man-At-Arms; Orko; Skeletor; Evil-Lyn

Synopsis

Evil-Lyn plots to use the Shakarran Crystal to overthrow Skeletor. Reprimanded for using his faulty magic in dangerous ways, Orko goes for a walk in the woods where he finds a glowing crystal on a chain. A fire breaks out in Eternia City that even He-Man cannot contain and everyone is surprised when Orko flies in and uses the crystal to quench it. He-Man and Man-At-Arms decide to take the crystal to Castle Grayskull and ask the Sorceress about it.

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #1 (November 2002)

Keywords

Castle Grayskull; Eternia City; Shakarran Crystal

Chapter 2 (Table of Contents: 4)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited)

Inks

Marco Failla (credited)

Colors

Val Staples (credited)

Letters

typeset

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

He-Man; Skeletor; Evil-Lyn; Beast-Man; Trap-Jaw

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #2 (January 2003)

Indexer Notes

Cover reprint is used as an introduction page for chapter 2.

[The Shard of Darkness Chapter 2] (Table of Contents: 5)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / comic story / 22 pages (report information)

Script

Val Staples (credited)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited); Enza Fontana (credited) (assists)

Inks

Marco Failla (credited)

Colors

Val Staples (credited); Mark Sweeney (credited) (assists); Ron Riley (credited) (assists); Shaynne Corbett (credited) (assists)

Letters

Dreamer Design (credited)

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

He-Man; Man-At-Arms; Orko; Sorceress; Evil-Lyn; Trap-Jaw; Tri-Klops

Synopsis

He-Man and Man-At-Arms take the crystal shard that Orko found to the Sorceress and she tells them it is a powerful part of the Shakarran Crystal. She tasks He-Man with taking the crystal into the Dark Hemisphere to reunite it with the master crystal so both can be banished from Eternia. He-Man invades Skeletor's realm and is confronted by Evil-Lyn.

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #2 (January 2003)

Keywords

Dark Hemisphere; Shakarran Crystal

Chapter 3 (Table of Contents: 6)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited, signed)

Inks

Marco Failla (credited, signed)

Colors

Val Staples (credited)

Letters

typeset

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

Evil-Lyn

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #3 (February 2003)

Indexer Notes

Cover reprint is used as an introduction page for chapter 3.

[The Shard of Darkness Chapter 3] (Table of Contents: 7)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / comic story / 22 pages (report information)

Script

Val Staples (credited)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited); Enza Fontana (credited) (assists)

Inks

Marco Failla (credited); Pierre-André Déry (credited)

Colors

Val Staples (credited); Mark Sweeney (credited) (Assistant); Shaynne Corbett (credited) (assists)

Letters

Dreamer Design (credited)

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

He-Man; Man-At-Arms; Orko; Evil-Lyn; Trap-Jaw; Tri-Klops; Skeletor (cameo)

Synopsis

Evil-Lyn offers to sneak He-Man into Snake Mountain so they can use the crystal shard he is carrying to overthrow Skeletor. Of course, it is a trap, and He-Man is captured while Lyn prepares to join the shard with the Shakarran Crystal and obtain ultimate power. The shard has cast a spell on He-Man, however, and he battles free to try and get it back. While He-Man battles Lyn's forces, Skeletor steps in and grabs the shard of darkness for himself.

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #3 (February 2003)

Keywords

Shakarran Crystal; Snake Mountain

Chapter 4 (Table of Contents: 8)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited, signed)

Inks

Marco Failla (credited, signed)

Colors

Val Staples (credited)

Letters

typeset

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

He-Man

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #4 [Cover A] (March 2003)

Indexer Notes

Cover reprint is used as an introduction page for chapter 4.

[The Shard of Darkness Chapter 4] (Table of Contents: 9)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / comic story / 24 pages (report information)

Script

Val Staples (credited)

Pencils

Emiliano Santalucia (credited); Enza Fontana (credited) (assists)

Inks

Marco Failla (credited)

Colors

Val Staples (credited); Blond (credited as Kevin Senft); Mark Sweeney (credited) (assists); Shaynne Corbett (credited) (assists)

Letters

Dreamer Design (credited)

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

He-Man; Man-At-Arms; Teela; Skeletor; Evil-Lyn; Trap-Jaw; Tri-Klops

Synopsis

He-Man and Skeletor battle for mastery of the Shakarran Crystal. When He-Man touches the crystal, it creates an evil duplicate of himself and transforms him back into Prince Adam. Adam defeats his demonic self and reverts to He-Man as he shatters the Shakarran Crystal.

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #4 (March 2003)

Keywords

Shakarran Crystal

Cover Gallery (Table of Contents: 10)

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / cover reprint (on interior page) / 11 pages (report information)

Pencils

Earl Norem (credited) (signed as Norem) (painting, pages 4-5); Emiliano Santalucia (credited, signed) (pages 2-3); J. Scott Campbell (credited) (signed as Campbell) (pages 6-7); Francis Manapul (credited) (signed as FJM) (pages 8-9); Kevin Sharpe (credited) (signed as Sharpe) (page 11); Matt Tyree (credited) (signed as Tyree) (page 10)

Inks

Earl Norem (credited) (signed as Norem) (painting, pages 4-5); Marco Failla (credited) (pages 2-3); Tim Townsend (credited) (signed as TOWNSEND) (pages 6-7); Joe Weems (credited) (signed as Weems) (pages 8-9); Norm Rapmund (credited) (signed as Rapmund) (page 10); Rick Ketcham (credited) (signed as Rick) (page 11)

Colors

Val Staples (credited) (pages 2-3, 6-11); Earl Norem (credited) (signed as Norem) (painting, pages 4-5)

Letters

typeset

Genre

sword and sorcery

Characters

He-Man; Battle Cat; Ram-Man; Man-At-Arms; Teela; Stratos; Sy-Klone; Beast Man; Evil-Lyn; Skeletor; Two Bad; Trap-Jaw; Man-E-Faces; Whiplash; Clawful; Mer-Man; Orko; Buzz-Off; Panthor; Stratos; Mekaneck

Reprints

• from Masters of the Universe (Image, 2002 series) #1 [Cover A] (November 2002), #1 [Cover B] (November 2002), #1 [Premium Cover / Cover C] (November 2002), #2 (January 2003), #2 [Cover B] (January 2003), #3 (February 2003)

Indexer Notes

A selection of some covers from the collected series. The first page of this section contains thumbnail versions of all these covers and lists artist credits for each cover. The remaining pages display the cover artworks without any promotional or trade dress. The final page is printed on the inside of the back cover.