Unlocking the Mysteries in 'The Magicx Circle' Series by Nora Roberts

"The Magic Circle" is a novel written by Nora Roberts, an American author known for her romance and suspense novels. The book, published in 1998, is part of her MacGregor series and tells the story of Morgana and Cian, two characters with supernatural abilities. The story revolves around a group of six people known as the Circle, who possess unique magical abilities and use their powers to fight against evil. Morgana, a witch with a talent for healing, is one of the members of the Circle, while Cian, a vampire, joins their ranks as an ally. Morgana and Cian's romantic relationship forms a central part of the storyline. Despite their differences and challenges they face, their love for each other grows.

KG: It’s just like, part of the colors that are being painted, yeah. What can LGBTQ creators do to maximize their representation on the industry?

I hear Netflix brass continue to be high on The Magic Order IP; upon release, the comic became the highest selling new comic-book launch in almost 20 years, with additional volumes coming soon. The biggest change I did was on Madame Albany leather vinyl thing again , and changing the main couple to an interracial couple I hate that term by the way.

Despite their differences and challenges they face, their love for each other grows. As they navigate their complex relationship, they must also confront a dangerous enemy who seeks to destroy their magical community. In addition to the romance, Roberts weaves elements of fantasy and suspense throughout the narrative.

Tag: The Magic Order

My name is Chris Allo and I want to welcome you to our ongoing Geeks Out Creator Spotlight. We’re going to be focusing on all of the fantastic LGBTQ+ creators that inhabit the wonderful universe of comic books and graphic storytelling. This feature will be a place where we get to know some of the brightest and most talented queers who put out comics. I will be talking with writers, artists, colorists, letterers, editors and publishers. I want the world out there to know that Queer creators are out there, crafting quality work, telling stories that matter and are a force that won’t be ignored. I hope you enjoy the spotlight.

Fist up is one of the superstars of the comic industry, Olivier Coipel. Coipel has worked for both Marvel and DC. He has worked with some of the biggest writers in the industry. He rebooted the Legion in Legion Lost with Abnett and Lanning and with Brian Bendis he depicted the decimation of the mutants in “House of M.” With Jeff Johns he helped to set up the Avengers for the modern age. He visually re-invigorated the God of Thunder, Thor with, J. Michael Staczynski, and depicted the Unworthy Thor with Matt Fraction. And most recentlyy he co created a new mythos of magicians and crafted some new rules for magic with Mark Millar on the “Magic Order” for Image/Neflix. Hope you enjoy the interview…

Geeks OUT: You started in animation? How was that experience? Any specific projects you worked on?

Olivier Coipel: Yep! Started first doing Animation as an assistant, first for Amblimation in London, for a movie called Balto, then moved to LA to work on The Prince of Egypt and The road to El Dorado for Dreamworks. That was an exciting experience for a lot of reasons, many on a personal level, but also meeting and working with so many talented artists.

GO: How did you transition from animation to comics? Did you have an interest or love in comics?

OC: My first love was drawing, then comics. Working in animation wasn’t really a goal. As a kid-slash-teenager, what I was dreaming about was doing comics. Superhero comics. I was reading them, drawing them… when the opportunity came, it felt logical for me to leave animation to work in comics. At the time when I was working in LA. I was going to San Diego Comic Con. So at some point I prepared a portfolio with some personal drawings and a few pages featuring the X-men to show it to some editors and got the job!

GO: Are there any specific pages, covers or pieces of art that you are really proud of or that you love? I know you did that huge piece of all the Asgardians for Marvel. That is one of my favorite pieces.

OC: Thank you! That was quite a piece I‘m very happy with. Difficult for me to go back and try to remember, it as always related to the feeling, the struggle you had while creating that page-slash-cover… usually I can only think of the recent ones. I’d say the covers for the Magic Order #2 and #5, but I’m also happy with my first issue of Spider-verse… some of my first legion pages because I remember what I went through in my head at that time. And of course some of the Thor pages.

GO: One of your most recent comics projects, The Magic Order, written by Mark Millar, is currently being developed for a series at Netflix. How did you end up connecting with Mark on for this project?

OC: With Mark, it has been a long time (that) we were talking of collaborating on a project. But right after my exclusive contract at Marvel ended I contacted him to check if he was available. I was surprised to get a quick answer! He had that new thing going on with NETFLIX, and told me about The Magic Circle (as it was called at that time) that he had in mind and wanted to develop. They already had a character bible, but told me to change or tweak whatever detail and character I wanted. The biggest change I did was on Madame Albany (leather/vinyl thing again), and changing the main couple to an “interracial” couple (I hate that term by the way).

GO: When it comes to comics, you’ve primarily done work for hire projects at the big two but now you’ve done co-creator owned projects with Millar on the Magic Order. Are you going to continue on more creator owned comics in the future, or is there a chance we’ll be seeing your work on some more mainstream characters you haven’t had the opportunity to draw yet?

OC: I still wanna do creator owned project as well as working again with the “classic” editors at Marvel, DC, Valiant, etc. The market has evolved, and we can do both. My love for some of the superheros I grew up with is still the same.

GO: How has being LGBTQ informed your work?

OC: It doesn’t. Well I don’t think it does It’s not something I keep thinking about while drawing stories; Of course I love drawing male bodies. Spiderman swinging around, legs up (laughs). But I also love drawing female bodies, animals, birds…anything that has organic shape. Maybe in that sense it did. Although I did once in a while, in my career, squeeze (in) a few clues here and there, but just like a game.

GO: As someone who has worked in mainstream comics, what do you think the future of LGBTQ representation looks like there?

OC: I would hope that it wouldn’t be a thing to get a LGBTQ character the main role in a story, but there is still a long way to that. But I wanna see things positively. Things are moving forward, slowly, but moving.

GO: What can LGBTQ creators do to maximize our representation in the industry?

OC: I’m not very comfortable with that question, as I have to admit personally, as a POC, I feel concerned about the representation of POC as much as their sexuality. I can’t focus only on one aspect without thinking about the other. But to answer your question, visibility is the key. Putting more characters in there, you don’t need to play the drums or anything when you have one single character who‘s revealed as being LGBTQ. But just by putting more of “us” out there.

GO: Who is your favorite existing LGBTQ character? Why?

OC: Again I didn’t really care about that aspect back then. My favorite characters didn’t really have sexuality. At least I wasn’t thinking about that aspect. Even today, would I feel different to one fictional character because he’s been revealed as LGBTQ character? Depends on how it is written. One character that comes in mind is Midnighter. Just a badass character, and I guess the leather thing (laughs).

GO: Any hints as to what you might be working on now that The Magic Order is done?

OC: Nope, not yet. There’s a few possibilities, but none have been decided yet. Doing covers for now.

Chris Allo twenty year career in comics and former Talent Manager for Marvel. Avid X-Men fan and proponent for all comic creators

The battle between good and evil, the exploration of magical powers, and the tension created by the threat of the antagonist all contribute to the novel's engaging plot. Roberts' writing style captures the imagination of readers, drawing them into the mystical world she has created. She skillfully combines richly developed characters, intricate plotlines, and vivid descriptions to create a captivating reading experience. "The Magic Circle" is a novel that appeals to fans of Roberts' work as well as those who enjoy romance, fantasy, and supernatural themes. Through her storytelling, Roberts invites readers to embark on a thrilling journey filled with love, magic, and redemption..

Reviews for "The Essence of Witchcraft in 'The Magicx Circle' Series by Nora Roberts"

1. Nancy - 2 stars - I found "The Magic Circle" by Nora Roberts to be quite disappointing. The story felt predictable and lacked any real depth. The characters were one-dimensional and I struggled to connect with them. The romance aspect of the book also fell flat for me, as it felt forced and lacked genuine chemistry. Overall, I was hoping for more from this book and I felt let down by the lack of originality and engaging storytelling.

2. Paul - 1 star - I really didn't enjoy "The Magic Circle" by Nora Roberts. The plot felt dull and uninspiring, and the pacing was incredibly slow. I found myself losing interest multiple times throughout the book and had to force myself to finish it. The characters felt flat and underdeveloped, making it hard for me to care about their journey. Additionally, the writing style was nothing special and didn't manage to capture my attention. Overall, this book just wasn't for me and I would not recommend it to others.

3. Sarah - 2 stars - Personally, I didn't find "The Magic Circle" by Nora Roberts to be as captivating as her other works. The storyline felt contrived, and the mystery lacked the suspense I was hoping for. The characters were forgettable, and their motivations often seemed illogical. I felt disconnected from the story and found it difficult to become invested in the outcome. While the book had potential, it fell short of my expectations and left me feeling unsatisfied.

The Spellbinding Prose of Nora Roberts in 'The Magicx Circle