Crystal (Crystalia Amaquelin) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Crystal first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 (Dec. 1965) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.
Within the Marvel Universe, Crystal is a member of a fictional human subspecies known as Inhumans, who (due to genetic modifications performed by the Kree) became capable of developing superhuman abilities once exposed to the Terrigen Mist. Exposure to the Terrigen Mist grants abilities to psionically control the four classical elements: earth, wind, fire, and water and, by extension, can also grant the ability to manipulate various other natural materials and phenomena such as metals and electricity. Crystal was the first character to be identified as an Inhuman, and is one of the most prominent Inhuman characters. Crystal is a princess of the Inhuman Royal Family and sister to Medusa, Queen of the Inhumans. She often appears with her giant super-powered canine companion, Lockjaw.
The character has regularly appeared as a main character in several comic book titles, including various incarnations of the Inhumans as well as the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. The character is unique in her affiliation with all three of these groups. Earlier in her history, she was romantically involved with the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four. In later stories, she becomes more associated with the X-Men family of characters due to her short-lived marriage to Quicksilver, which resulted in the conception of their daughter, Luna. Crystal has also appeared in various other Marvel media such as television series and video games, as well as merchandise such as trading cards and action figures.
Crystal has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes.
She made her live action debut in the 2017 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television series Inhumans, portrayed by Isabelle Cornish.
Publication history
Crystal first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 (Dec. 1965), written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby, titled "Among Us Hide...The Inhumans". When asked, "Who created the Inhumans, you or Stan Lee?" in a 1968 interview for Excelsior magazine, Jack Kirby replied, "I did." Like other early Fantastic Four characters, there is debate about how much Stan Lee and Jack Kirby each contributed to the characters' creation.
Throughout her many appearances, Crystal has been depicted as brave, intelligent, and compassionate. While she is undoubtedly very kind and emotional, this is in stark contrast to her remarkable power, and she is more than capable of defending herself and others.
Fantastic Four (1965–1973) Crystal was first introduced, along with the rest of the Inhuman Royal Family and the Inhuman race as a whole, in the pages of Fantastic Four. Upon their first meeting, she and Johnny Storm fell in love with one another, a fact that led to her continued presence among the team. From this time, she would become a mainstay of the team for the duration of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's stint on the series. She was the first character to join the Fantastic Four, outside of its original members, when she officially joined the team as a replacement for Sue Richards, who was pregnant with Franklin Richards. She remained a member of the team, even after Sue's return. During her time with the team, she became very close to its members, particularly Ben Grimm and accompanied them on many adventures. Crystal was written out of Fantastic Four in issue #105, the first story arc after Jack Kirby's departure. At this time, the character returned to her family in Attilan due to her apparent inability to survive long-term in Earth's polluted atmosphere. Her time with the team and her status as a friend and ally would continue to be part of her identity as a character, up to the present.