Sigil (comics)

Supercbbox| title=Sigil
comic_color=background:#c0c0c0


caption=Cover to Sigil #1
schedule=Monthly
format=Ongoing series
publisher=CrossGen Entertainment
date=July 2000 – December 2003
issues=42
main_char_team=Sam Rey
Roiya Sintor
JeMerik Meer
Zanniati Oribatta
past_current_color=
writers=Barbara Kesel
Mark Waid
Chuck Dixon
artists=
pencillers=Ben Lai
inkers=Ray Lai
colorists=Wil Quintana
creative_team_month=
creative_team_year=
creators=Mark Alessi, Gina M. Villa

"Sigil" is an American comic book series published by CrossGen Entertainment from July 2000 to December 2003, ending at issue forty-two. "Sigil" was one of the publisher's first four titles (the others are "Mystic", "Scion", and "Meridian"), a science fiction space opera, originally created by Mark Alessi and Gina M. Villa. The book is one of many from the publisher that took place in the Sigilverse, or the CrossGen Universe.

etting

The bulk of "Sigil" takes place on and around the worlds of the "Planetary Union", a group of five human-inhabited planets: "Gaia" (believed to be humanity's homeworld), "Brejhur", "Delassia", "Kayseecay", and "Victor". Humans have also colonized the neutral world of "Tanipal", which seceded from the Union some time before the series opened. Tanipal is ruled by the Sultan Ronolo.

As the series opens, the Planetary Union has been at war with the "Saurians", a starfaring race of humanoid reptiles, for several centuries. The size of the saurian empire is never revealed in the series, but its capital is the saurian homeworld, "Tcharun".

Plot synopsis

"Sigil" starred Samandahl Rey (everyone calls him Sam), a former soldier for the Planetary Union. A few years ago, he and his good friend Roiya were laid off from the army due to cut-backs, and had since became mercenaries. The pair were “vacationing” on the pleasure world of Tanipal when the series began.

While on Tanipal, Sam and Roiya meet an attractive beauty called Zanniati and her bodyguard, an orange eyed-man named JeMerik. It was just as the four had gathered that a Saurian assassin squad dropped in, looking for Sam.

During his time as a soldier, Sam had made an enemy of Tchlusarud, the youngest Saurian prince. "Loser", as Sam called him, had burning desire to hunt down and kill Sam, due to an incident which occurred when Sam was still in the army.

During the Saurian attack three important things happened. The first was the odd group coming together; the four would remain inseparable for the rest of the series. The second was Sam gaining his Sigil; during the fight, Sam was tackled by an odd Saurian with glowing orange eyes. The Saurian cryptically said to Sam: “You shall find them, gather them, and lead them,” while branding him with a swirling red and yellow mark - the sigil. It then disappeared into thin air. Finally, while Sam was distracted, one of the attacking Saurians ran Roiya through, fatally injuring her.

The four retreated back to Sam's ship, "The Bitterluck", where they attempted to save Roiya. However, to Sam's eyes, she died. In a fit of rage he activated his sigil, destroying a large part of the city in the process.

Creative Teams

"Sigil" was created by Mark Alessi and Gina Villa.

The original creative team consisted of writer Barbara Kesel, the Lai Brothers, Ben on pencils and Ray on inks, and Wil Quintana coloring. Over the years, this line-up has changed several times.

Writers

*Barbara Kesel
*Mark Waid
*Chuck Dixon—Dixon re-energized the series by bringing a widescreen style of writing, with a focus on high action, explosions, and large panels of art (and, subsequently, fast storytelling).who

Pencillers

*Ben Lai—His first penciling gig was with CrossGen and "Sigil". He left with his brother and "Sigil" inker, Ray Lai, due to creative differences.
*Kevin Sharpe also got his start on "Sigil".
*Steve McNiven pencilled a backup story, one of his earliest works as a penciller.
*Scot Eaton
*Dale Eaglesham

Books

CrossGen published four trade paperback books containing the first part of the series.
* Sigil Volume 1: Mark of PowerISBN-10: 1931484015
ISBN-13: 978-1931484015
* Sigil Volume 2: The Marked ManISBN-10: 1931484074
ISBN-13: 978-1931484077
* Sigil Volume 3: The Lizard GodISBN-10: 1931484287
ISBN-13: 978-1931484282
* Sigil Volume 4: Hostile PlanetISBN-10: 1931484538
ISBN-13: 978-1931484534

CrossGen also announced a further two books, but went bankrupt before they were published. Checker Books has subsequently signed a deal with Disney to release them.
* Sigil Volume 5: Death Match
* Sigil Volume 6: Perdition's Gate

ee also

*Mark Alessi
*CrossGen Comics
*Negation War