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Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems #1
Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems #1
What's To The Steven Universe Cartoon Network animated series has given us a serious case of the feels over and over again, and our first Steven Universe comic series was met with enthusiasm from our fellow fans, so we had to head back to Beach City for more adventures! What It Josceline Fenton (Hemlock) and Chrystin Garland (Adventure Time) help keep Beach City weird with this new four-issue miniseries. Steven takes the Gems out for a camping trip and tells them spooky stories around the camp fire. The Gems don't give him much of a reaction, but they do tell him a spooky story of their own about a monster who turns bad Gems into glass and shatters them. Pearl assures a terrified Steven that it's just a story, but suddenly people around Beach City start turning up frozen in glass...
32 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2016
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116 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 18, 2021
Cute artwork and camping story
May 4, 2016
I was delighted to find out that the Steven comics were getting a four-part storyline that feels less like a collection of one-shots and more like an actual episode of the television show. I enjoyed the other comics because I'm a fan of the franchise, but I have to say this one is a cut above the previous series. Maybe partly because the characters are so accurate to their TV personalities and there are so many callbacks to stuff from the show that fans will adore picking up on. Plus the plot seems pretty compelling: in this issue, Steven and his Gem guardians are going camping, and Steven gets spooked by a scary story Pearl and Garnet told (which they used to use to scare Amethyst). The camping is super cute and true to the characters' form, and the storytelling is lovely. It made me eager for #2.
May 12, 2016
Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems is a comic series not to be confused with the previous run of Steven Universe comics. Unlike the previous set of eight (or nine, if you count the Greg Universe special), this is not a collection of short adventures and picturesque inserts; it's an ongoing story that develops through four issues, allowing the storytelling to feel more robust and the stakes to feel higher.
The paper issue I own has the cover by Kat Leyh!
Plot: This issue's full-color 30+-page story features Steven and the Gems going camping. Steven's having trouble locating the place he always camps with Dad, but eventually his map skills come through. The Gems set up camp--with a few glitches--and Steven teaches them to make s'mores, then tells a scary story. The Gems don't really understand why his story is scary at all--it seems unsatisfying and confusing to them--so they take a turn telling a scary tale. And it scares Steven (and maybe Amethyst, too!). The Story of the Glass Ghost, reportedly made up to keep Amethyst in line when she was younger, describes a glass-shard creature that can capture living beings and turn them into broken glass. After reassuring Steven and Amethyst that the Glass Ghost is made up, they settle in for the night, but Steven wakes up and investigates a clinking sound. We end on a cliffhanger with Steven facing a frightening glass-like monster.
Notable bits for fans:
1. Steven's got his cheeseburger backpack, as usual! (Garnet seems to be carrying most of the essentials in a huge pack, and obviously having no trouble. Pearl has a tiny hand basket and Amethyst isn't helping carry anything.)
2. Pearl's combination of thinking camping is bizarre and politely humoring Steven is totally on point for her character in this.
3. If the comic was your first introduction to these characters, Steven's instructions to each Gem would set the stage for figuring out who they are. Garnet is seen speaking extremely succinctly or not at all and she's a huge badass when asked to start a fire; Pearl is good at building things but doesn't understand human practical applications; and Amethyst really likes food.
4. Regarding the above, though, I thought it was odd that Garnet had any trouble with starting the fire, since it's been shown in the show she can generate electricity whenever she wants and that would have done it. And Pearl being surprised there were instructions to pitch the tent seems weird because she probably would have immediately looked for something to tell her what to do.
5. The s'mores-making is really cute. Pearl doesn't want anything to do with food, as usual, and Amethyst is happy to eat the graham crackers and marshmallows by the package with the packaging still on. Garnet just does what Steven does and actually eats marshmallows. This is twice she's eaten sweets in comics but she's never eaten anything in the show and we're still waiting to see her snacking habits. ;)
6. Steven's scary story about a teenage babysitter being haunted by creepy phone calls until the kids she's watching disappear is lovingly illustrated with representations of "Chille Tid" Garnet from Steven's dream as the babysitter, and the kids are represented by Baby Amethyst (the design from "So Many Birthdays") and Onion. Onion apparently sleeps with his eyes open, since the narration says the kids were asleep. That does not surprise me one bit.
7. When the Gems don't find the story scary, it's funny how Amethyst screams about how the ending is unsatisfying, Pearl points out how illogical it is to not answer the question of who the mysterious caller was, and Garnet declares that she saw it coming. C'mon Garnet, don't spoil it like that!
8. It's really interesting that Steven prompts a scary story from the Gems by asking them what DOES scare them. Yes, what IS scary to a superhuman, nigh-immortal space creature?
9. When Pearl tells the Story of the Glass Ghost, she goes into her drama zone after learning from Steven how to do it with the flashlight, and her flashback illustration features the Young Gems with their outfit designs as shown in "Story for Steven" and "We Need to Talk."
10. It's incredibly cute that Garnet and Pearl immediately admit it's a made-up story when Steven is frightened, while Amethyst was tortured with that story to keep her out of trouble all the time.
11. Pearl: "Is this the part where we sleep in bags?" Classic. And she definitely thinks it's weird that humans built homes but sleep outside for fun. Garnet appears to like her sleeping bag very much because it's "like a hug for your whole body." She's such a secret softie. Though I don't know why they put their sleeping bags on either side of Steven and then when he wakes up he's far away from them in his bag. I guess they wanted to hang out by the fire, but I don't know why they left him there.
12. And I'll just say the cover is really cute, with the Gems barreling toward danger and Garnet's going fist-first, Amethyst's going feet first, Pearl's going headfirst, and Steven's . . . heading on in there butt-first, with no sign of his weapon.
Number two should be fun!
The paper issue I own has the cover by Kat Leyh!
Plot: This issue's full-color 30+-page story features Steven and the Gems going camping. Steven's having trouble locating the place he always camps with Dad, but eventually his map skills come through. The Gems set up camp--with a few glitches--and Steven teaches them to make s'mores, then tells a scary story. The Gems don't really understand why his story is scary at all--it seems unsatisfying and confusing to them--so they take a turn telling a scary tale. And it scares Steven (and maybe Amethyst, too!). The Story of the Glass Ghost, reportedly made up to keep Amethyst in line when she was younger, describes a glass-shard creature that can capture living beings and turn them into broken glass. After reassuring Steven and Amethyst that the Glass Ghost is made up, they settle in for the night, but Steven wakes up and investigates a clinking sound. We end on a cliffhanger with Steven facing a frightening glass-like monster.
Notable bits for fans:
1. Steven's got his cheeseburger backpack, as usual! (Garnet seems to be carrying most of the essentials in a huge pack, and obviously having no trouble. Pearl has a tiny hand basket and Amethyst isn't helping carry anything.)
2. Pearl's combination of thinking camping is bizarre and politely humoring Steven is totally on point for her character in this.
3. If the comic was your first introduction to these characters, Steven's instructions to each Gem would set the stage for figuring out who they are. Garnet is seen speaking extremely succinctly or not at all and she's a huge badass when asked to start a fire; Pearl is good at building things but doesn't understand human practical applications; and Amethyst really likes food.
4. Regarding the above, though, I thought it was odd that Garnet had any trouble with starting the fire, since it's been shown in the show she can generate electricity whenever she wants and that would have done it. And Pearl being surprised there were instructions to pitch the tent seems weird because she probably would have immediately looked for something to tell her what to do.
5. The s'mores-making is really cute. Pearl doesn't want anything to do with food, as usual, and Amethyst is happy to eat the graham crackers and marshmallows by the package with the packaging still on. Garnet just does what Steven does and actually eats marshmallows. This is twice she's eaten sweets in comics but she's never eaten anything in the show and we're still waiting to see her snacking habits. ;)
6. Steven's scary story about a teenage babysitter being haunted by creepy phone calls until the kids she's watching disappear is lovingly illustrated with representations of "Chille Tid" Garnet from Steven's dream as the babysitter, and the kids are represented by Baby Amethyst (the design from "So Many Birthdays") and Onion. Onion apparently sleeps with his eyes open, since the narration says the kids were asleep. That does not surprise me one bit.
7. When the Gems don't find the story scary, it's funny how Amethyst screams about how the ending is unsatisfying, Pearl points out how illogical it is to not answer the question of who the mysterious caller was, and Garnet declares that she saw it coming. C'mon Garnet, don't spoil it like that!
8. It's really interesting that Steven prompts a scary story from the Gems by asking them what DOES scare them. Yes, what IS scary to a superhuman, nigh-immortal space creature?
9. When Pearl tells the Story of the Glass Ghost, she goes into her drama zone after learning from Steven how to do it with the flashlight, and her flashback illustration features the Young Gems with their outfit designs as shown in "Story for Steven" and "We Need to Talk."
10. It's incredibly cute that Garnet and Pearl immediately admit it's a made-up story when Steven is frightened, while Amethyst was tortured with that story to keep her out of trouble all the time.
11. Pearl: "Is this the part where we sleep in bags?" Classic. And she definitely thinks it's weird that humans built homes but sleep outside for fun. Garnet appears to like her sleeping bag very much because it's "like a hug for your whole body." She's such a secret softie. Though I don't know why they put their sleeping bags on either side of Steven and then when he wakes up he's far away from them in his bag. I guess they wanted to hang out by the fire, but I don't know why they left him there.
12. And I'll just say the cover is really cute, with the Gems barreling toward danger and Garnet's going fist-first, Amethyst's going feet first, Pearl's going headfirst, and Steven's . . . heading on in there butt-first, with no sign of his weapon.
Number two should be fun!
November 21, 2020
I am in love with the art!
Everyone is so cute, I love getting to read more SU content <3
Everyone is so cute, I love getting to read more SU content <3
November 10, 2016
Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems #1 by Josceline Fenton is a fantasy graphic novel comic intended for children 8 years and older. Steven and the Gems, Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst, go on a camping trip where Steven teaches the Gems how to enjoy camping by making a fire, setting up the tent, eating foods over a fire such as s’mores and telling spooky stories. Since I love the television show that this book is based, I loved the book as well giving it a 5-star rating. I felt like I was watching the television show while reading the comic book. I laughed when I was supposed to laugh and was touched by Steven’s antics just as if I were watching the television show. Since my nine-year-old son got me hooked on the show, I know that he would love the book as well. The language was familiar as it read like the television show. The script was simplistic and it flowed. The setting was also familiar as it was the wooded area of Beach City seen in the television show. I would recommend this book to young readers who are both familiar and unfamiliar with the show. Those that know the show will enjoy the familiarity of the book and feel as I did that they were watching the television show but in book form. For those not familiar with the show, they too will enjoy the simplicity of the language, the illustrations and graphic design that is much like the television show. The storyline was captivating, leaving the reader with a cliff hanger to motivate interest in reading the next book in the series.
September 8, 2016
This first issue of Steven Universe sets up a simple plot device, albeit one we've seen time and time again, it works wonderfully well and there's a reason this cliché is used in every episodic series... It works. Steven and the gems go camping, they enjoy time-honoured camping activities like smores and of course... Telling spooky ghost stories! And here's where the cliché comes in... The "fake" ghost stories used to scare Steven are real after all!
All in all this quick issue sets up a cliché camping plot device in a way that is unique to this series and still sets the plot forward. This gem of an issue is a good summer read for fans of the franchise.
All in all this quick issue sets up a cliché camping plot device in a way that is unique to this series and still sets the plot forward. This gem of an issue is a good summer read for fans of the franchise.
August 7, 2016
Enjoyed this little ditty.
Enjoyed this little ditty. Good art. Characters just like in the show! Can't wait to read more! Extra words so I can submit this and go to sleep! Hey! Yo! Nanny nanny ho! Bippoty bopbity boo! Random! Excitement! I'm pretty sure I got 20 words now!
Enjoyed this little ditty. Good art. Characters just like in the show! Can't wait to read more! Extra words so I can submit this and go to sleep! Hey! Yo! Nanny nanny ho! Bippoty bopbity boo! Random! Excitement! I'm pretty sure I got 20 words now!
September 4, 2023
my girlfriend and i watched steven universe for the first time together some months ago and we absolutely adore it. after not having any more new content for a while, reading this felt like being right back in that world and i adored getting to be with the characters again.
June 10, 2018
Liked: Art, Not an anthology I think that makes it more enjoyable because it is not going from story to story
April 12, 2017
Cute
This provided exactly what I wanted- a cute episode in the life of Steven and the gems. The plot was interesting and adventurous, just like a good lighthearted episode of the show.
This provided exactly what I wanted- a cute episode in the life of Steven and the gems. The plot was interesting and adventurous, just like a good lighthearted episode of the show.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews