[The following editorial appears in Hidden Years #11, New Blood #15, and Blood of Ten Chiefs #5. --MK]
Every so often, we get a letter here at Warp Graphics that just cries out for wider sharing than any single letter column can provide. This one's a doozy! Out of a sense of compassion, I'm going to withhold the writer's name and address, but this person's self-given title is that of "Director, Society for the Preservation of Comic Art." (Heavens, maybe I'm going to run up against some bureaucratic juggernaut here if I'm not careful...)
Dear Sir:
I have been an avid lover of the ELFQUEST comics and books since I first discovered them. Recently I discovered the newest title in the collection, New Blood. I am appalled that this even bears the name of ELFQUEST. Except for the first story, the book bears little if any resemblance to Wendy Pini's beautiful art work and story. In fact, the variety of artists and stories, the worst of which appears to be a takeoff of the Tiny Toons cartoon, is the most horrid vandalism to an artist's work that I have ever witnessed, it would be easier to watch the Mona Lisa be ripped to shreds than to flip through this book.
Although I would like to see every copy of this book recalled and destroyed, I realize that would be too much trouble for you to take. In an effort to compromise, I demand that you never again abuse the name of ELFQUEST with the onslaught of poorly made imitations that you have allowed in New Blood. If you do endeavor to create another abomination such as this, I will be forced to use my resources against you. I hope that does not happen. Thank you.
Well, golly, I'm worried now. The letter - entered here for your perusal as it was received, run-on
sentences and all - was postmarked the beginning of January 1994, by which time we - Wendy, I
and several artists and writers had created a whole slew of additional abominations. (Clearly, the letter
writer refers to NEW BLOOD SUMMER SPECIAL #1 from mid-1992.)
So I must assume that those fearsome
resources to which the writer alludes have been brought to bear. I wonder what the result will be? Will I,
as the publisher and he at whose desk the decision-making buck stops even be aware if and when I
have been "resourced?" Stay tuned; I'll pass along the details as they come in... or don't.
Hmmm. What could I possibly have to say that could follow that act? Actually, nothing this month has got me real het up - aside from the coldest, snowiest winter to hit Poughkeepsie in a dozen years or so...
Hey! Remember back in November's issues, there was a sketch of Team Elfquest from the San Diego Comic Convention? Well, here's everyone again, in what we laughingly refer to as "real life." (No, of course I'm not there. Someone had to take the photo, remember?) See if you can match the caricatures to the real folks. Neatness counts.
[TRANSCRIBER NOTE: A group photo of 'Team EQ' appears here --MK]
That's it for now. And start looking in all the different ELFQUEST issues for a new featurette: "Scenes From Something Resembling Real Life." Seems wherever we go, we bring back strange and wonderful reminders - or you lovely folks send them to us out of the blue. We love it! We'd like to start sharing them. See you in 30!
Richard A Pini