This archetype actually started its life as a bunch of Metroid cards, as an archetype built around various Equip and Field Spell cards, a bit like Triamid.
A handful of cards are essentially 1-to-1 conversions from this original design. Kozmo Freelancer was “Samus, Metroid Hunter”, Kozmo Skyeye was originally a DARK Reptile named “Baby Metroid”, and Kozmonster Reawakening was “The Last Metroid Is In Captivity”.
Then I realized I could also reference Castlevania, and make it a Metroidvania archetype. “Metroidvania” quickly became “Cosmipire”, as I started mashing up characters into composites of multiple inspirations. Kozmonster Ravenlord even kept the same non-archetype part of his name, originally being a mashup of Dracula and Raven Beak.
The jump from there to “wild as fuck Kozmo spinoff” was a surprisingly short hop. I was already making stupid card name puns with an archetype about space wizards and archetypal heroes and villains, and some of the mechanics of the cards I’d made were already Kozmo-like, especially the floating effects.
By this point, I had about thirty cards, and decided that since I already had all this lore in my head, I might as well just fucking write it down somewhere. Thus, this blog. Most of the ones I’ve made since then have been to fill holes in the lore (i.e. Lightsiders), or editing existing cards to make the story flow better.
As of this writing, I have 41 custom Kozmo cards, total, including a small sub-archetype that I haven’t even revealed yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I break the big five-oh by the end.
Why yes, I am on new ADHD medication, how did you know?
My preferred OCG translation for “Kozmonster” would be “KOZMODEVIL”, in romaji, and “Slayer” would be “ キラー ”, kira/killer. Yes, this would retroactively make Vampire Hunter part of the archetype. This is deliberate.
It would also make Apoqliphort Towers part of the archetype, which is honestly too fucking funny to make an exception for.
A couple of upcoming name puns only make sense if you know that when I say “Slayer”, what I really mean is “Killer, if Konami weren’t cowards”.
As is traditional, all the new Kozmo characters use she/her pronouns, except Ravenlord, who uses he/him to make him stand out as not quite belonging in this world, and Grimthought, who is agender and uses they/them. The Rusthorde and Rusthulk aren’t quite sentient, existing only to serve, so it/its is probably fine for them.
Wait, no, Skyeye also responds to he/him, but Freelancer is the only one who talks to him, so that might just be her assigning him one.
Grimthought (or, alternatively, ‘The Grimthought’) speaks exclusively in the royal we and their voice has a creepy echo, and no one’s yet been able to get an answer out of them whether they’re actually a hivemind or if they just act like that to mess with people.
