Mantra is an American comic book series written by Mike Barr, mainly penciled by Terry Dodson and published by Malibu Comics in the mid-1990s, until it was purchased by Marvel Comics. Adam Hughes is credited for the character designs. After the purchase, the title was cancelled after 24 issues and revamped in a new version, with a new protagonist. Mantra is the name of the lead character, an Ultra (superhero) within Malibu's Ultraverse line of comics. Publication history Mantra made his first appearance in Mantra #1, dated July 1993, written by Mike Barr and illustrated by Terry Dodson. As part of the Ultraverse imprint, the comic was set within a shared universe of super-powered beings conceptualized by writers and artists of Malibu comics. The first volume lasted 24 issues, with a Giant Sized issue. Mantra was also depicted in the Mantra: Spear of Destiny miniseries published in April 1995, that lasted two issues. Mantra appeared in other Ultraverse books, and crossovers like Break-thru, Godwheel and Black September. After the Black September event, the title of Mantra passed to a new character in Mantra issue # ∞. The new protagonist was depicted in Mantra vol. 2 for 7 issues until that the series was cancelled by low sales. Fictional history From warrior to sorceress An eternal warrior named Lukasz and 11 compatriots had been fighting the villain Boneyard for centuries: whenever an individual soldier dies, his soul would be placed magically in a new body to take up the fight once more. In the 1990s, Lukasz' leader Archimage was betrayed by one of his men and captured by Boneyard, leading to the permanent death of most of the warriors and a final reincarnation for others. To the shock of Lukasz, he was put into the body of a woman, Eden Blake. In addition to being forced to deal with a new life as a woman, Lukasz also faces the particular challenges of Eden's life — in particular, her two children and her ex-husband. He falls in love with the soul of Eden Blake, which still exists within him. He also discovers that Eden had vast latent powers, including a mystical armor activated by a specific invocation including the word 'mantra', leading to the media dubbing her as such. In his last battle with Boneyard's men, commanded by Notch, the last male body of Lukasz was killed by a mercenary with precognitive