MTG Comics Reread: The Legend of Jedit Ojanen
The Legend of Jedit Ojanen is a bit of an outlier among the other “Legends” stories in the Armada comic line. While titles like Dakkon Blackblade and Elder Dragons take place in Dominaria’s deep history, this one occurs 400 years after the end of the Ice Age.
That’s the comic’s setting, in any case. I point this out because this title was completely retconned by the Legends cycle of books that were released between 2001 and 2002. And since this comic is once again related by an omniscient narrator, there’s no arguing that it could be an alternate account penned by an unreliable storyteller.
Even so, The Legend of Jedit Ojanen isn’t packed with a lot of lore to begin with, and my understanding is that the books written by Clayton Emery actually add a good deal of flesh to what is a bare-bones story in the comics. (I haven’t read the books yet.)
What is here for fans is some fantastic art by David Boller. In lieu of using traditional panel layouts for this two-part series, many of the pages are designed with intriguing graphic elements or details pulled from the story itself. The result is a rather dynamic page design in which the layout actually adds nuance to the story.
Issue 1 of The Legend of Jedit Ojanen was packaged with a Chronicles printing of Johan. Issue 2 did not include any kind of insert.
STORY SYNOPSIS
The impetuous young cat warrior Jedit Ojanen gets more adventure than he bargains for when he ventures outside his secluded home, ultimately crossing paths with some of the most notable sorcerers and warriors of the age.
CREATIVES
Kenn Bell wrote both issues. Bell was a computer graphics artist at Acclaim / Armada when he pitched the story of Jedit Ojanen to Jeff Gomez and Wizards of the Coast. It would be his only comic writing credit. He soon left the industry to begin a career in advertising, though he reunited with Gomez as a videographer, writer, and director for Gomez’s Starlight Runner Entertainment. In the early 2000s, Bell founded GraphicPlanet Creative and began to expand his work in film and television. He also launched the video series and website called Dog Files, which he runs from Orlando, Fla.
David Boller provided both pencils and inks. Boller, who is based in Switzerland, has been a presence in the comic industry since the early 1990s and once shared a studio with the Brothers Hildebrandt. He’s worked for all of the major publishers on titles as varied as Batman, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Elf Quest, and Witchblade. He’s also done advertisement art for clients like Porsche, BMW, Ikea, Kodak, Samsung, and more. In 2014, he transitioned his comic publishing platform Zampano into a full-on comic media agency called Virtual Graphics that also offers workshops and mentorships for up-and-coming artists. Boller chronicled his time in the United States in an autobiographical graphic novel titled Endless Sky.
Mark Csaszar served as colorist. Csaszar worked on several of the Magic titles and then went on to have a prolific career with Valiant Comics throughout the 1990s. He is described at the end of issue 2 as “an accomplished painter in his own right.” The Legend of Jedit Ojanen was the last comic he did for Armada. Unfortunately, Csaszar seems to have dropped off the radar in recent years, and I can’t find much about what he’s been up to lately. Feel free to leave a comment with more information.
(How cool are these panel designs?!)
Tony Harris did the cover art for issue 1. He collaborated with Ray Snyder on the cover for issue 2.
Harris is an Esiner Award-nominated comic artist who has done extensive work for Marvel and DC, as well as stints with indie luminaries Brian K. Vaughn and Mark Millar. He also co-created the Starman character for DC with James Robinson. Unfortunately, Harris courted controversy in 2012 when he posted a sexist rant on Facebook about female cosplayers in the comic fan community.
Snyder is a career comic artist who has produced a tremendous amount of work for DC. He is considered one of the best inkers in the industry, with recent runs on Supergirl and Wonder Woman titles.
LORE
Unlike other stories in the comic line, which take place in Terisaire or Corondor, The Legend of Jedit Ojanen takes place in Jamuraa.
Jedit’s mother is Musata. His father is Jaeger.
Adira and Hazezon were once married.
MISCELLANEOUS
Jedit rides a mount called a monox, but this creature does not appear on any printed MTG card.
Jedit’s village is attacked by barkworms, which are described as “huge snakey beasts with big teeth. In the months before mating season, the males get together in packs and travel in straight lines, devouring anything in their path.” Barkworms also do not appear on any printed MTG card.
Finally, Jedit refers to creatures called Lankaars, which do not appear on any printed MTG card.
Though many of the legends from this comic (Jedit, Johan, Hazezon Tamar, etc.) have been printed on various cards, Adira Strongheart has not appeared on any MTG card.
Though Johan very clearly states that he killed Jaeger, the last page of the issue is focused on Jedit leaving to find his father. It’s unclear if (a.) Johan was lying; (b.) this was a setup for an eventual sequel to this story; or (c.) was simply an error.
Much like Elder Dragons, issue 2 had a serious misprint in which pages 24 and 26 were transposed. This completely interrupts the flow of the story and makes it almost nonsensical until the reader realizes the error.
The back of the issue features a full-page piece of art by Mark Csaszar that was meant as a "goodbye" painting, since this was the last Armada comic he worked on.
That’s the comic’s setting, in any case. I point this out because this title was completely retconned by the Legends cycle of books that were released between 2001 and 2002. And since this comic is once again related by an omniscient narrator, there’s no arguing that it could be an alternate account penned by an unreliable storyteller.
Even so, The Legend of Jedit Ojanen isn’t packed with a lot of lore to begin with, and my understanding is that the books written by Clayton Emery actually add a good deal of flesh to what is a bare-bones story in the comics. (I haven’t read the books yet.)
What is here for fans is some fantastic art by David Boller. In lieu of using traditional panel layouts for this two-part series, many of the pages are designed with intriguing graphic elements or details pulled from the story itself. The result is a rather dynamic page design in which the layout actually adds nuance to the story.
Issue 1 of The Legend of Jedit Ojanen was packaged with a Chronicles printing of Johan. Issue 2 did not include any kind of insert.
STORY SYNOPSIS
The impetuous young cat warrior Jedit Ojanen gets more adventure than he bargains for when he ventures outside his secluded home, ultimately crossing paths with some of the most notable sorcerers and warriors of the age.
CREATIVES
Kenn Bell wrote both issues. Bell was a computer graphics artist at Acclaim / Armada when he pitched the story of Jedit Ojanen to Jeff Gomez and Wizards of the Coast. It would be his only comic writing credit. He soon left the industry to begin a career in advertising, though he reunited with Gomez as a videographer, writer, and director for Gomez’s Starlight Runner Entertainment. In the early 2000s, Bell founded GraphicPlanet Creative and began to expand his work in film and television. He also launched the video series and website called Dog Files, which he runs from Orlando, Fla.
David Boller provided both pencils and inks. Boller, who is based in Switzerland, has been a presence in the comic industry since the early 1990s and once shared a studio with the Brothers Hildebrandt. He’s worked for all of the major publishers on titles as varied as Batman, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Elf Quest, and Witchblade. He’s also done advertisement art for clients like Porsche, BMW, Ikea, Kodak, Samsung, and more. In 2014, he transitioned his comic publishing platform Zampano into a full-on comic media agency called Virtual Graphics that also offers workshops and mentorships for up-and-coming artists. Boller chronicled his time in the United States in an autobiographical graphic novel titled Endless Sky.
Mark Csaszar served as colorist. Csaszar worked on several of the Magic titles and then went on to have a prolific career with Valiant Comics throughout the 1990s. He is described at the end of issue 2 as “an accomplished painter in his own right.” The Legend of Jedit Ojanen was the last comic he did for Armada. Unfortunately, Csaszar seems to have dropped off the radar in recent years, and I can’t find much about what he’s been up to lately. Feel free to leave a comment with more information.
(How cool are these panel designs?!)
Tony Harris did the cover art for issue 1. He collaborated with Ray Snyder on the cover for issue 2.
Harris is an Esiner Award-nominated comic artist who has done extensive work for Marvel and DC, as well as stints with indie luminaries Brian K. Vaughn and Mark Millar. He also co-created the Starman character for DC with James Robinson. Unfortunately, Harris courted controversy in 2012 when he posted a sexist rant on Facebook about female cosplayers in the comic fan community.
Snyder is a career comic artist who has produced a tremendous amount of work for DC. He is considered one of the best inkers in the industry, with recent runs on Supergirl and Wonder Woman titles.
LORE
Unlike other stories in the comic line, which take place in Terisaire or Corondor, The Legend of Jedit Ojanen takes place in Jamuraa.
Jedit’s mother is Musata. His father is Jaeger.
Adira and Hazezon were once married.
MISCELLANEOUS
Jedit rides a mount called a monox, but this creature does not appear on any printed MTG card.
Jedit’s village is attacked by barkworms, which are described as “huge snakey beasts with big teeth. In the months before mating season, the males get together in packs and travel in straight lines, devouring anything in their path.” Barkworms also do not appear on any printed MTG card.
Finally, Jedit refers to creatures called Lankaars, which do not appear on any printed MTG card.
Though many of the legends from this comic (Jedit, Johan, Hazezon Tamar, etc.) have been printed on various cards, Adira Strongheart has not appeared on any MTG card.
Though Johan very clearly states that he killed Jaeger, the last page of the issue is focused on Jedit leaving to find his father. It’s unclear if (a.) Johan was lying; (b.) this was a setup for an eventual sequel to this story; or (c.) was simply an error.
Much like Elder Dragons, issue 2 had a serious misprint in which pages 24 and 26 were transposed. This completely interrupts the flow of the story and makes it almost nonsensical until the reader realizes the error.
The back of the issue features a full-page piece of art by Mark Csaszar that was meant as a "goodbye" painting, since this was the last Armada comic he worked on.
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