By: Wendy Pini, Richard Pini Publisher: DC Comics Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: DC Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 216 Publication Date: December 01, 2003 Release Date: December 01, 2003
Is it meant for children or adults? Both? Neither? First, I have to disagree with the reviews that complain about the coloring of this edition. It is colored beautifully with artistic intent behind the coloring decisions. I'm guessing those that have complained about the coloring are referring mostly to scenes in Savah's hut. The mishmash of pastel colors is what it might actually look like in a room lit through stained glass windows. This is an intentional effect. Interestingly, we see this effect again during Lord Voll's optimistic scene at the floating egg. (The egg was never lit like this when Winnowill was there...) Both of these locales foreshadow the climactic scene at the scroll of colors. Hmm. Think about that...
Secondly I'd like to praise Wendi Pini for the quality of the art. Not only are the full-page and two-page spreads worthy of wall-hanging, but the individual panes are laid out, drawn, and colored well. The eye is drawn to important story points. The strength of Elfquest is in the artwork. It is head and shoulders above any other comic in its consistent quality.
The second strength of Elfquest is in the pacing. The action is interspersed by scenes where the plot unfolds comfortably, allowing us to get to know and care about the characters. This imaginary world is creative. What's not to love about a magical fantasy world populated with wolf- and eagle-riding elves, trolls, and fairy-like preservers?
So far a five-star review. What then is the weakness of Elfquest? It seems to target an audience that can't exist. The plot payoffs aren't quite big enough for adult drama. The ignorance of the wolfriders to magnets and words like "desert," "war," and "armor," also seem to target a child audience. However, the sexual content makes Elfquest inappropriate for kids. The Pinis claim that it's just too bad that we humans are uncomfortable with some aspects of the elf lifestyle. Tongue in cheek, eh? Well, I cluck my tongue back at you. Shame on you, Pinis. You may believe in the realism of your craft, but in the end you have created their world, including the sexual content. What then is Elfquest but a medium to introduce cleavage of all types, nudity, and sexual suggestiveness (at times more overt than suggestive) to children? It shouldn't be in the story otherwise. Even when done tastefully adultery, threesomes, orgies, and bestiality are inappropriate. I'll even go so far as to suggest that depicting sex with a spouse is inappropriate.
Elfquest,...Recognize. When I was 12 years old, my oldest sister Kristine gave me ElfQuest Volume 1, and I said "a comic book?" and she took it out of my hands and said "No, it's a graphic novel and you are going to love it" and handed it back to me like she was passing on something very important. She was.
From the first page, I knew I was hooked for life. I had read other stories about Elves and quests and fantastical worlds but Wendy and Richard Pini had created something amazing and new that has never been matched to this day. The Elves are drawn with such personality as are every other creature in that world. You know their names by the end and actually care about them fiercely.So many characters but each carved out of love and loyalty so unique.
The story itself, a family of Elves burned out from their forest home by humans, and tricked by the trolls, trying to find a new beginning and ultimately trying to find out where they really came from and if there is any ancestor (the High Ones) left to tell them the true history of their race.
Within elfish lore, partners came be formed through mutual consent and these creatures have no problem expressing their needs in that matter, but there is such a thing called "recognition" where "soul meets soul" and you find yourself knowing the other persons true name that cannot be shared with anyone else. Cutter, the leader of his people the Wolfriders, finds that recognition with a perfect stranger, Leetah and she doesn't know if she wants him (a barbarian to her) as a life-mate (the elf's version of marriage). This first Volume basically deals with the Wolfriders trek into "sorrows end" where Leetahs family also thinks they are the only ones of their kind! The battle for her heart is a tough one, seeing as how she has another Suitor in Rayek, the village's hunter and protector. I personally loved how the start of the series doesn't just take for granted the need to build up familiarity, background, and a wonderful story.
I guarantee you at the end of Volume 1 you will be scrambling to pick up volume II, and than onto a lifelong adoration of everything ElfQuest. My own copies of these are ragged and well read.
BTW I hear there is a movie in the works, and being an old fan I know that there have been rumors before of a film version, but I really hope this time its true and they do the novels justice!
"Practically perfect in every way" Elfquest has been my favorite literary work since I was introduced to it in 1983 at age 14 (matched only by "The Count of Monte Cristo" in my list of favorites). If you love fantasy, you will love Elfquest.
Being an artist myself, the wonderful art by Wendy Pini has always been just as important and valuable to me as the wonderful story. The Starblaze editions colored with watercolors and printed in the 1980s were my first introduction to EQ. I have always been perfectly happy with the Starblaze volumes, but I wanted to get an Archive volume out of curiosity. And I do think the coloring of the new Archives edition (done in Photoshop by Wendy Pini) is superior to that of the Starblaze edition. Everything 'pops' and often looks like it's in 3D. It also is more accessible to a modern audience which is used to Photoshop-based comics.
The lettering is also much cleaner and more elegant, and some awkward or 'amateurish' wordings were fixed. And the paper is so lush and nice-feeling it's a sensory delight as well. I am very glad I bought this edition and will be re-reading this edition of Elfquest exclusively from now on!
I only have two small complaints about the Archives. One is the size: the original EQ comics were 8.5 x 11 and these have been reduced to the 'standard' comic size of 6.5 x 10. That's a big reduction, especially for someone like me who loves just staring at Wendy Pini's beautiful artwork.
The other is that in Archives Volume 1, an extra story is inserted at the end called "The Heart's Way," an extremely minor side story which was originally published in 1998 in "Elfquest the First 20 Years." I wish this story hadn't been included in the Archives because it doesn't mesh with the rest of the volume. It was written 20 years after the original series; the story is (IMHO) just plain DUMB; and the artwork, although by Wendy, doesn't 'match' and is looser. And unlike the rest of Archives 1, it's not appropriate for children because of its heavy sexual content. The Pinis never claimed EQ was for kids in the first place, and of course it's their right to write stories that are not appropriate for kids. But it's a bit annoying that a book that is pretty much PG throughout has an "epilogue" that is NC-17. Knowing the Pinis' fierce dedication to "hippie" values (pacifism, tolerance and free love) I wonder if it was perhaps included as a way for them to say, "In your face, all you Puritan prudes!" Anyway, for all those reasons, to me the insertion of this story was not only unnecessary but annoying. So I had a simple solution: I got an Exacto blade and cut those pages out, and secured pp. 175 and 192 together with photo mounting tape. ...ah, much better! ; )
A longtime favorite that I've recently revisited. And rediscovered. I never really knew there was alot more to elfquest than those first five or so. Can't really remember the number offhand.
My original collection had somehow been lost over time, so I just rebought all of them, and then some. I got lost again in a beautifully created other world. Great art, epic story, what more can one ask for.
Elfquest Archives This newly coloured version of the original elfquest is stunning and well worth the money. Elfquest has always had that knack of catching readers attention of all ages. It is a remarkable story elegantly illustrated and written by Wendy and Richard Pini.
Though, I have to say as a collector, the original colouring done when the comics were released under the Father Tree Press name are much more satisfying. The digitally coloured Archives are stunning and beautiful but to me take away from the character of the hand coloured versions.
A plus from the archives-Contains the story "the Heart's Way". Also, contains an introduction by Mercades Lackey and an Afterword by the Pini's.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
