Mateo has a problem.
A Webcomic by DuneDeca, Spellward Bound tells the story of Mateo Ramirez, a teenager who wants to become an astronaut one day. Unfortunately for him, he is suddenly transported to a fantasy world, and soon finds himself beginning to transform into one of the denizens of that world. If he transforms completely, he'll be stuck there forever, and as such will never be able to achieve his dreams.
The comic's canvas page on Webtoon can be found here👁 Image
. A Webtoons Originals version, found here👁 Image
, was released on December 13, 2022, and concluded its first season on December 26, 2023. The second season began on January 22, 2025.
This webcomic provides examples of:
- Alien Sky: The Fire Realm has one both day and night, with Binary Suns and two moons (one of which is in the process of breaking up).
- Blow You Away: Dusters appear to have this ability, as do the Eibua.
- Detonation Moon: Of a sort. It’s unknown what exactly happened to the Fire Realm’s second moon to shatter it.
- Dishing Out Dirt: Before Earth was removed from the Aether cycle, humans could manipulate the earth. Ty later gains this ability after touching a relic imbued with raw Earth Magic.
- Fantastic Racism: It is shown that other races look down on elves for their lack of natural magical ability, along with their habit of turning up as soon as new ruins appear.
- Forced Transformation: Mateo REALLY doesn't like the idea of turning into a magical creature. After getting doused in liquified magic and shifting into the Realms, he begins uncontrollably shifting into a chimera of the three other races until receiving help from Nyla.
- Horse of a Different Color: Abapi, a race of camel-esque lizards native to the Fire Realm, are used as mounts by those without four legs.
- The Magic Comes Back: This happens in the end of season 2.
- The Magic Goes Away: As mentioned, Earth was cut off from the Aether. As a consequence, humans lost the ability to perform magic, and across Water, Air, and Fire, anything that relies on Earth magic to function slowly died.
- Making a Splash: Hylefts are able to use Water Magic as they please, and it factors a good deal into their culture.
- Magic Pants: Mateo is given an enchanted pendant which transforms whatever he’s wearing to match the form he takes, such as wider sleeves for his Hyleft hands and wrists, and a saddle-like blanket for his Tekchyik form.
- Open-Minded Parent: Mateo's dad notices Mateo's weird behavior since returning from the magical realms and asks if it's because of a girl. Mateo denies this, so his dad asks if it's a boy instead. But he lets Mateo keep his secrets, showing that he loves Mateo unconditionally and is willing to respect Mateo's boundaries. When Mateo is forced to divulge his magical predicament to his dad by Mr. Caff, Mr. Riviera realizes just how important this is to Mateo and wholeheartedly supports him. His only grievances are rooted in very understandable worries for Mateo's safety after learning that Ayas' plans threaten the fabric of reality, that failure would likely kill Mateo, and that Mateo's new friend Gwen carries bombs around all in rapid succession.
- Our Elves Are Different: In that they have long and fluffy tails.
- Perpetual Storm: The Water Realm is constantly raining-not caused by magic though, just a fact of life there.
- Pillar of Light: In the Canvas version, World Eater Storms appear to take the form of a pillar of magenta light.
- Playing with Fire: Tekchyiks are able to breathe and manipulate Fire.
- Portal Door: There are large gates that can allow denizens of the Realms to easily travel from one Realm to another.
- Single-Biome Planet: From what is seen of it, the Fire Realm is a Shifting Sand Land in its entirety.
- Stealthy Teleportation: When Mateo shifts realms, there is no visual effect - he (and whom/whatever he is in immediate contact with, are simply in one Realm in one panel, and in a different Realm the next.
- Translator Microbes: A side effect of Magic Poisoning allows Mateo, along with anyone within an unspecified range, to be able to understand one-another. Tyson is also given an enchanted crystal pendant which causes a similar effect.