From: JONAGLIR
(via AOL)
When I read BLOOD OF TEN CHIEFS #14, I howled--with laughter! It was a refreshing change to read a lighthearted story (although some of its elements--like the cruelty of Elona's father--were pretty serious). The problems Elona's infatuation with Mantricker caused the elf were a scream! And Bentclaw is definitely one of my favorite wolf-friends now--talk about an excess of personality!
It wasn't over then, though--when I turned to the page "advertising" ELFQUEST: THE PUBLISHER, I almost fell of my chair I was laughing so hard. Please post or publish a list identifying all of the valiant psychos-er, I mean, heroes--in the sketch. It was just the thing to brighten up a rainy day.
All right, you asked for it... Starting at upper right, and working down toward lower left, we have Steve Blevins, pencil-meister on Hidden Years; Peggy Snow, office dominatrix; Barry Blair, master of the mystic bao; yours truly brandishing both pistol and maniacal expression; Mary Lou Keenan, terror of the production department; Steve Cartisano, terror-in-training; Conrad Stinnett, getting set to bullwhip sales into shape; Charles Barnett, "I can fix that" inker; and finally, doing his best impression of Brooklyn from the Newsboy Legion, Delfin Barral, lead-slinger on REBELS and TEN CHIEFS. A motley crew if ever there was one. - RP
Fm: Jamee Mikell [73537,2663]
To: Richard Pini [72077,12]
(via Compuserve)
Well, Richard, I guess BoTC 14 proves you guys aren't omniscient. If you were, you'd have started the series a month later so you could run 14 in February. (We tried, we really did! - RP)
Lessee, we'll start with the complaints department. Page 1, panels 2 & 3 aren't quite right. The emotion is there, but the face is all wrong. (Of course, that's just what I believe.)
Well, yeah. That's all the complaints so far.
Someone has been studying Japanese stuff. There are places where Mantricker reminds me of Rumiko Takahashi's RANMA. (This whole story reminds me of RANMA.) The long side-locks hark back to Rick Hunter of Macross fame (and scores of other anime stars, but Rick's are most memorable just now).
Delfin and Craig get major points for drawing humans that look like humans. I mean people I've actually met in mundane life. While everyone is making strides in this department, BoTC 14 has some of the best I've seen in a while. And Bentclaw did a wonderful job of upstaging everyone in every scene. Good work, guys and gals, on art and story.
Looking forward to #15. Surely "Lessons in Passing" isn't several puns on Mantricker's "ending" and "passing the chieftainship", etc. etc.
I'm also looking forward to "The Publisher". Will it come with "who's who" key for the cover? Of course, I recognized Barry, and you, but I'm not sure about the rest. (See above. - RP)
And finally, for the REBELS crew, "Materials Tech. -- Cdt. Ore -- 91". Whoever is responsible for that deserves the Rank-ing Punster Award.
INTERNET:dmhartma@students.wisc.edu
Subj: BLOOD OF TEN CHIEFS #14
After my post last night in which I grumped about BoTC #13, I felt I just had to put in my $.02 about this newest one. I like #14 much better.
My big complaint about last issue, The Incredible Changing Mantricker, is all taken care of in this one. He has the look I like the best -- the surly, shaggy, thick-browed, sneering trickster -- and his looks stay constant. Acorn, Lionleaper, and Longreach are nicely done, too; constant, recognizable, and well in character. I especially like how the few glimpses of Acorn put across his gentle nature, compared to fierce Lionleaper (especially on page 12). Unexpected comedy bits kept appearing, and I enjoyed them: for example, page 5 panel 2, where Mantricker is pacing and grumbling. Less "realistically" drawn, sure, both the elf and his wolf, but I didn't care. It made me chuckle, and was a good touch for the scene. I had the same thoughts on page 19, panel 3, where Mantricker is delivering his romantic drivel before the big "attack." The speech balloon "Blah blah blah yatta yatta" made me grin, and focused my attention where it was supposed to be: on Elona's gushing thoughts. And page 7 panel 1, where Mantricker does a quick pose to show Elona how horrifying he is... every time I look at that, I laugh. Well done!
And hey, lookit Bentclaw! Some folks have been wishing for more inclusion of the wolves as characters in their own right, and Bentclaw is just what the doctor ordered. Longing for fish on page 3... draped in seaweed on page 17... and the last panel on page 23, after the silent, static shots of water and reeds: "Bentclaw... stop licking me." Excellent!
A side note: I know it's hard to draw the more familiar "Wendy characters" with ease, but in my opinion, that's a good job on page 1 panel 1 (especially Pike's dreamy pose).
As for the very very very last page... BWA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! It killed me! I can recognize Richard (the most maniacal one, of course) and Barry and Conrad, but with the others I'll have to do a little more thinking. HILARIOUS!
Dorinda
From: Sarah H Harrison
<harrison@ecn.purdue.edu>
(via GEnie)
Marty Kuhn likened the BLOOD OF TEN CHIEFS series to the "pack omega" of the WaRP lineup. completely agree. Nice analogy there, Marty. Couldn't have said it better myself. It is definitely the omega (lowest) wolf in the EQ pack, and I doubt it will ever challenge the other titles for dominance.
I must confess that from the beginning. BoTC never struck a chord with me. I collected them for the sake of completeness and because the authors and artists were varied enough that some individual issues did appeal to me while the ones I disliked, appealed to others, etc.
I think BoTC needs an influx of brand new talent and stories. I thought it was supposed to be the "darker side" of EQ. What happened to that? I hate to be morbid, but I think a return to "grittier" stories would draw more interest in BoTC. I mean, how much can you have to say about a comical comic? Not much. A dramatic, even disturbing one? Plenty.
Sarah
Point well taken, and while we might debate what can be said about comedic versus dramatic stories, you will see more "grit" coming up, to balance the fun stuff. Keep those cards, letters and yatta-yattas coming in, and we'll see you in 45! - RP