Artesia is an epic fantasy comic book series authored and illustrated by American artist Mark Smylie. Artesia is also the name of the heroine of the cycle. Smylie has described her as a "Pagan Joan of Arc", to use a popular reference, while noting that the closest historical model is the Irish Queen Medb. Themes in the series include feudal politics, intrigue, and power struggles, complex mythology and world history, and strong female characters.