THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEST! Intriguing covers we have this issue, no? What with the Quest wrapped up for now, what else could Wendy possibly have done for such a potpourri as ELFQUEST 21? The back cover, of course, is an early interpretation of the scene in Two-Edge's treasure vault, from issue #18. It was one of the first EQ pieces Wendy ever did, but not many people have had the chance to see it. As you can see, some things changed over time, though much is the same. This cover is the past.
And the front? Heh. What's going on here, you may ask. Cutter and Skywise, the mainstays of the series - of course they are represented; but what about Winnowill and Two-Edge? They don't look much the worse for wear after their experiences. And Dewshine? Looks like there's more story here than was told in twenty issues; good characters just don't fade away into comic book limbo when their series halts temporarily - at least, not as far as we're concerned. Those of you who've read the Afterword to the ELFQUEST Color Book 4 will already have gotten the hint that there's more to come, and there is indeed. It will take some time - about two years, until Fall 1986 - but there will be another EQ graphic story coming your way.
At this point you might be wondering, "What?! They said the Quest was over, and now they're saying there's more story?!" True. Because the end of the Quest is not the end of the Wolfriders, or of the World of Two Moons. There are still questions; some of these will be answered in the upcoming story (a hint: lots to do with Two-Edge), some in the story after that, and so on.
But at some point there will come an undeniable conclusion. This is something that even I didn't know until very recently, when Wendy told me the entire story of the elves and their stay upon this primitive world. It was a sobering revelation; all can say is, if someone someday makes me the offer to disclose my future, I'm going to reply, "No thanks!" At the end of issue #20, it was learned that one long-ago elf quest led to another - the one you've read about. Now, it seems that the end of the Quest is only the beginning...
HIP HIP HOORAY... No, huh? Well, I tried. To those who have sent cards and notes in to Wendy wishing her well, our thanks. The surgery, which was major (as well as relatively new in procedure), went exactly as it should have; the surgeons were pleased. The transitions in healing (where is Leetah when we really need her...) that Wendy has undergone - from walker to crutches to cane - have been quick and wondrous to behold. However, the deep muscular rehabilitation is going to go on for months to come, so we're still taking it easy - no skydiving, professional football, lifting race cars, that sort of thing - for a while yet.
SO WHY AN ELFQUEST 21? As you can see, this issue is full of material - sketchbook drawings, concepts, trial ideas, and so on - that (mostly) have not been seen anywhere else. We wanted to present a look behind the scenes of ELFQUEST over the years. The idea is actually similar to the one which gave rise to the ELFQUEST GATHERUM (you may be able to guess that we love "behind the scenes" features). But we also wanted to make sure that very little of the artwork here is a duplication of material in the GATHERUM, which we have done - so you can enjoy new experiences.
Now, many of you will protest, "But I can't find the GATHERUM anywhere!" Right. It's been out of print for some time. However, WaRP Graphics will soon be reprinting the volume (under its new Father Tree Press imprint) and making it available once more through your comics shops - and later in the year we'll be bringing out GATHERUM II, covering all new material not in the first book (remember, GATHERUM I only covers up to ELFQUEST #9). There'll be different articles, a new interview, and more unpublished art. Watch for both volumes!
THE ANIMATED ELFQUEST - And everyone is still asking about the movie. Let's see, how do I do a Reader's Digest version of everything that's happened in the last eight months...
Apparently there's still a thought out there that we're working with Nelvana, as was announced back in issue #13. Well, for a number of reasons (the strongest of which was that the studio just was not going to produce an EQ movie to our liking) we took back our story and went looking again. After a couple of false starts it began to look like the best thing to do might be to finance the film ourselves (with lots of help!) and build a studio right here in Poughkeepsie.
But now, as things stand, we won't have to do that - sigh of relief! We've assembled a crackerjack team of professionals - in finance, production, distribution, marketing, licensing - as well as found a great studio right in our back yard (as we will affectionately refer to New York City from now on), and we're on our way to a 1988 release date. The studio is Zander's Animation Parlour, and a more involved, pleasant, energetic bunch of people we couldn't find if we searched. See you at the popcorn stand!
SINCE THE IS THE LAST ELFQUEST EDITORIAL - for a while, anyway - I feel a kind of sadness that I won't be able to pass along bits of news and whatnot to you through this column. However, all's not lost, for you can still be tapped into the grapevine of EQ information by joining the Elfquest Fan Club. For a one-time fee, you become a member for life, and among other things you'll receive the Club newsletter The Lodestone, which will keep you up to date on whatever magic is coming out of Poughkeepsie. There's a coupon elsewhere in this issue to use to join, so don't delay. As I said at the beginning of this editorial - the end is only the beginning!
Don't let anybody kid you. Doing an encore is no easy thing. I remember back when the idea for ELFQUEST #21 was born, one of its parents was a desire to keep the momentum going, keep the cards and letters coming in. The comments and critiques we've received over the last several years have been a heady -- and to a certain extent, addictive -- wine. And then, all too suddenly there was the task of choosing some -- a paltry fraction, really -- of the hundreds of letters WaRP received when "Quest's End -- Part Two" finally hit the stands. I hope the samples and snippets here provide, as much as they can, a hint of the flavor of the commentary on the Quest completed. One thing that made us very happy was that the overwhelming majority of you seem to have liked the ending as it was done -- definitely a relief after eight years of tenterhooks! And since I've had twenty issues in which to spar with your words, this time I'll shut up and turn ELFQUOTES entirely over to you, the letter writers.
Finally I can say it --
I've just finished ELFQUEST!
I don't say it with remorse, for a mind as fertile as Wendy's will not long stay quiet.
I do say it with joy -- with the joy of the friendship between Cutter and Skywise, with the joy of finding that, in the end, we all belong.
It's been a wonderful journey, filled as it was with emotion and excitement, with fear and with hope. Eight years in which one of this country's greatest living comics artists grew and developed before our eyes. Eight long years.
And it was worth it.
Thank you for the Quest.
I'll be here when the next one begins.
Valentino
Earth
Having great fun.
When you come to something you've looked forward to
a long time, you always feel a little trepidation. What if I
don't like it? What if I don't feel anything?
When ELFQUEST #20 arrived, I went off by myself (not an easy thing in a house full of five kids) and began to read with just that uneasy feeling. My greatest fear was that you were going to kill the cubs. I'm awfully glad you didn't.
It did get awfully talky in the middle and there weren't any real surprises. I had trouble keeping all the characters straight.
But then came the very powerful birth scene, which I loved, especially the reactions of the kids in the background. And the ending was surprising, inevitable, end completely satisfying.
Looking back on the series as a whole, what changes would I make, if I could change things? I wish you had shown a little more fun and frolic, and a little less of the grim side of things. I could have done with less explanation. Let the reader figure out some things for himself. And I wish you had gone just a bit further with the nudity, since I find ail the elves very sexy.
But all in all, it is a wonderful creation, which I will read again and again, and which my children will read to their children.
Rick Norwood
(publisher, Manuscript Press)
Wayne, NJ
I wish I had the time to comment on the 600-plus page
story you've given us over the last several years. Of
course, there isn't much I could say that someone else
hasn't already said much better, so it may not really
matter.
I just wanted to remind you that even as you take that long-awaited vacation from ELFQUEST and all its various responsibilities, there are a lot of us who learned from and were very inspired by your example, and our work is continuing all the time. And if some of us can have the same effect on others that you had on us, there's a pretty good chance that the good work will never stop at all. That's true success.
Congratulations!
Scott McLeod
(creator/writer/artist, ZOT!)
Well, let's see. The last couple of years of ELFQUEST
have been blood, death, betrayal, madness, gouged-out
eyeballs, torture, unhappiness, suffering, and dead
wolves. They found the castle. The sci-fi history was
boring and uninformative. And the elves are nowhere. I
certainly hope #21 has a breath of fresh air, green trees,
and touches of beauty (like real life, strange to say)
because as it stands now, I don't want to ever reread the
series. You lost something along the way.
C. Emery
Brookline, NH
I read ELFQUEST #20 on the banks of the Smith River,
the last undammed river in California. I go back to school
in a week; in June, I will be released into the world as a full-fledged
Real Nurse. In the process of schooling, I have
written my assignments, given presentations about
medications, met so many times with my instructors, and
crammed so much knowledge that I have often forgotten
who I am and what is important to me.
When ELFQUEST would come, I would, in a flash, remember and (sometimes only for a day) believe in my ability to do what I believed in. When I started reading ELFQUEST I was 19, an ambulance driver, and I worked in a free clinic and travelled a lot. Now I'm almost 25. You must know what tumultuous years those are, so you can imagine how much I changed. Yet ELFQUEST has always been ahead of me. No matter how much I grew or how philosophical I might become there was always something in ELFQUEST that stretched me, gave me something to think about for another four months.
I have watched Leetah grow and have seen myself in her -- at the beginning, a patch-'em-up paramedic; in the middle, a great battler against death; and, at the "end," a true Healer, a balancer of Life and Death, someone who knows and is close to both Light and Dark.
I have watched Rayek come to know himself by reaching inside, instead of looking for answers from others, just as I have been learning to do. I have seen Cutter both creating and being created by his dream, forging and following his destiny, until at the end he knows his place, he accepts his role. It gives me something to hang on to in these frightening times.
Sheila Stone
Arcata, CA
The vast majority of people live their entire lives without
being able, through lack of ability or opportunity, to make
a truly original contribution to the world. You had the
ability and you developed it. You had the opportunity and
you seized it (or made it).
You have made a genuine contribution that has touched the lives of many, even, I'm sure, helped to shape some of those lives. But more important here, it was a personal triumph for you. I may not have liked or agreed with all that you said or did, but I admire your talent, your desire, your hard work, your risk-taking, and your forthrightness.
I found it both interesting and appropriate that after all their journeying, after all their hardships, injuries, and even deaths, the Wolfriders really found only themselves -- and then, not even completely. Not only, as Cutter said, did their quest reveal another, but their quest was only ended in a literal sense -- in actuality, it goes on, neverending.
So it is with us ordinary folk, who may never touch a sword or put on a helmet in our lives. If we are fortunate, our life will hold some quests for us. If we are a little more fortunate, we will be able to embark upon one or more of those quests, whether physical, mental, or emotional. And those of us who are luckiest (most worthy?) of all will have some small measure of success or fulfillment at quest's end.
T.M. Maple
Weston, ON CANADA
The last issue gave me some new insights into Leetah.
Leetah is an immortal for all practical purposes. She need
not fear age -- only accident or violence. For most of her
life, she has been surrounded by other immortals. Indeed,
one of her main role models was an immensely aged elf.
Add to this that Leetah is a healer. It is her gift to repair the
effects of accident or violence. At one point, Leetah says
to Nightfall, "...no one has died here since my powers
reached full strength..." Leetah has never lost to death
and I wonder if she has indeed ever seen anyone whom
she loved die. So, to Leetah, death is something unknown
and fearful: the ultimate enemy which she was born to
combat.
But when Leetah took Cutter as her lifemate, she made herself vulnerable to death. She knew what he was from the moment that she touched Redlance in her role as healer. She must have realized what being a lifemate to a mortal would do to her. To love someone or something that is doomed to die well before oneself is not easy. Cutter may not live as long as Leetah already has.
And her children? Is this one of the reasons that Leetah resisted Recognition so? I have to admire her for not using this knowledge as a weapon against Cutter at the time. It would have been an easy way to hurt him.
Whether or not this is the case, Leetah has, we hope, learned a valuable lesson, i.e., that death is not always an enemy. To the wolves and their riders, as Clearbrook says, "...death simply is..." Leetah's unthinking hatred of death, her automatic resistance to it, is, in the end, as unreasonable as the Go-Backs hatred of and resistance to healers.
Elizabeth A. Mancz
Atwater, OH
What a perfect ending! Instead of a razzly-dazzly special
effects-y ending, ELFQUEST boasts a "believable" ending,
one that somehow seems to obey some nebulous,
unwritten law that says "endings are never really final,
never perfectly happy."
ELFQUEST is one of those rare works whose love and simplicity touch the deepest emotions in the heart and whose thoughtfulness and scope stir the highest regions of the intellect. It explores drive and desires in all of us -- drives like love and lust and violence. More importantly, it explores the thing which each of us will face personally one day: death.
Yet, at the same time, ELFQUEST softly and tenderly bewitches us, takes us back in time, teaches us to be children again, and reminds us what a fairy tale is: something magical, wispy, like a dreamy puff of playful fog on a moonlit night that frolics and plays and teases, always jumping out of reach when we want to hold it and keep it like a firefly or a sprinkle of stardust.
That is the something in ELFQUEST that only the children in us can understand.
And there is another part of ELFQUEST that only adults who are young at heart can understand -- the innocent, selfless, giving, passionate, and spiritual love that can arise between man and woman.
Simple answers and small truths lie at the heart of the wants and needs of the ELFQUEST elves. Likewise, in our world there are simple answers and small truths to solve humanity's problems. It will be the young at heart and the sensitive, not the greedy and overbearing, who will find them.
Bill Holloway
Oklahoma City, OK
I found the end of the Quest very satisfying.
I was very glad that Nightfall and Redlance finally joined wholly with one another; they have perhaps opened a new alternative in elfin relationships by initiating a sort of Recognition, rather than waiting for it to come to them: another instance, perhaps, of Cutter's philosophy of taking action to make one's future what one wants it to be. If his tribe gained nothing else from the Quest, they all seemed to gain something of his vision and imagination -- even, fittingly at the very last, the die-hard Strongbow. I'm also very glad that Rayek has found his place and that it is one of equal honor with Cutter's. The birth scene was beautiful, perfectly timed, and sensitively drawn.
I did expect a High One, but I did not expect Timmain. I anticipated much of the story of the High Ones' coming; but I did not expect the trolls' part in it. Interesting to see that the bad blood between the two is in some measure justified on both sides. (Although I find it hard to believe that the shell's magic was powerful enough to have altered the genetic makeup of a different and primitive species to a point where it would be compatible enough to cross-breed with a much more evolutionally-advanced race of another species.) I also find it ironic that the High Ones were, in a way, responsible for their own mistake. Time loops can be funny things. If they hadn't landed there, they wouldn't have inspired the humans to create images of them, which wouldn't have inspired them to land there... You know, I think you've just created the first logical closed loop! I see now, too, why Winnowill was so determined to keep Voll away from the palace. She knew, either by being there herself or through her son, what had become of it; and Voll, with his idealized memory of it, would have been devastated to find it "like a pod popped" -- for, lacking Timmain, even the Scroll of Colors would have been dead to him. In his unbalanced state, who knows what he would have done?
You have left us with small intimations or hope. Treestump's subtle caring gives me hope that Clearbrook may one day be able to put aside her grieving and find new love, and a new reason to live. Most intriguing is Cutter's decision to move into the vicinity of the only human tribe who may be able to accept and learn from the elves, not as gods, but as equals. This gives a great deal of hope not only to the future of elf-human relations, but also to the idea that these humans might, in milennia, become High Ones of a sort themselves. They'll have good teachers, after all.
So your quest, your dream -- or at least the original part of it -- has come to fruition. But I don't think you will ever know quite the full extent of its fruit. Its seed has fallen and grown over a much larger area than any one person can conceive. It's impossible to know where it will all end. I look forward to future manifestations from both you and your fans; you seem to inspire the best in everyone you touch.
Who should know that better than me? When I first started reading ELFQUEST four years ago, I became obsessed with it and didn't know why. I thought at first that it must just be the emotional link I had with it; your characters were like pieces of my soul on paper, going through the same problems I had myself. There were times when I did not think I could bear to go on with either your quest or my own; and still my own "magic feeling" told me that there was something to be gained from this. There was. Your elves still mirror me. As they have changed, I have changed -- found strengths and powers in myself that I had never imagined were there.
Take care of yourselves and have a good rest -- you especially, Wendy; our caring is with you.
Betty Cerritelli
Ansonia, CT
I would like to thank you for ELFQUEST #20 and for the
overall ELFQUEST saga. I wondered how you were going
to manage to wrap up this eight-year epic in a satisfactory
fashion without it being anti-climactic. I still don't know
how, but you certainly succeeded and it felt good. With all
the violence and dismal gloominess so prevalent in other
comics, movies, TV, and just plain real life, you took
ELFQUEST to a new high by wrapping up the story with an
actual happy and productive ending. There is so little
around in entertainment these days that can leave a
person feeling good. This, and the overall series, has done
so.
By the way -- you say that ELFQUEST has been going on for eight years and this saga has concluded, for now. Have you given any thought to the fact that the elves' numerical system is based on the number eight?
Thomas H. Wheeler
Tucson, AZ
With regard to a certain yellow-headed elf cub. I was
widely quoted when I complained about Suntop's
"whining" during the chase across the desert, but that
complaint was rooted in an underlying belief that you
would not create a one-dimensional, unlikeable character
by accident. That particular situation was not exactly the
most advantageous for the character, but later events
have borne out the faith that I had in you. First by flinging
himself into the deep, black abyss that is Winnowill's self
in search of Savah and (this issue) by his reaching out to
the wolf that turns into Timmain, Suntop has proven
something: the kid's got guts. And not in the reckless,
slaphappy style of his sister, either; he thinks very
carefully about what must be done and plans before giving
it his best shot. When Suntop talks (with or without help),
he should be listened to.
I once expressed a fondness for Clearbrook, not knowing what was in store for her. At last, she is led by love and devotion to an act possibly unique and unmistakably loving. Though she has suffered, she is still luckier than many of us in this world, for we can't fail to recognize the attraction that has grown in Treestump for some time towards her. I don't know if it's love yet -- or if she recognizes it as anything more than kindness -- but it will ripen with time. Both are elders; both have lost lifemates; his daughter is bonded to her son -- they've got quite a bit in common. As I said, Clearbrook is lucky enough to have had two men in her life who care deeply for her.
You have presented a remarkably large group of vivid, distinctive characters, given them something to do worth their time and ours, presented a large chunk of the world they live in, and entertained us in a way that few others in this time and place seem able to anymore. You have shown that a story about people who love and care for each other can be far more exciting and involving than the car-chase action that has passed for entertainment for too long. In fact, you've shown us that emotions are the true heart of the storytelling art.
Roy Veldboom
Cedar Grove, WI
RE: ELFQUEST #20 -- WOW!
RE: FANTASY QUARTERLY #1 through ELFQUEST #20 -- Whew! (Yes, I'm an original reader.)
I found Timmain's story to be fascinating and the overall
history to be remarkable. This is about the only time I have
found a science-fiction sort of work to blend well with a
fantasy. I am accustomed to seeing a blend that falls
apart under the slightest bit of examination. Yes, I realize
that the history of the elves' world was not overtly science
fiction, but still...
I like it that you point out that One-Eye stayed dead basically of his own choice. And it's interesting that the one carrying One-Eye into the palace is the one who now would like to develop a relationship with Clearbrook.
Obviously the elf skeleton in #9 was the friend of Ekuar and Mekda.
I was not greatly sorry to see Rayek leave in #5, but in these final issues, I have truly enjoyed the changed Rayek.
Let me thank you so much for picturing Woodlock and Rainsong on the back cover of #20. As I wrote to you once before, they were the only two of the original 17 Wolfriders that had not been pictured as of #13 or so. I must compliment you on the subtle order of the pictures of Rainsong: pregnant on the cover, delivering the baby in the issue (will you tell us the baby's name?), and holding the newborn on the back cover.
One thing I would like clarified: Timmain, in her wolf form, had spent years at the mountains near the palace, true or false? When I first read that passage, I thought Moonshade referred to Blue Mountain, which did not sound right because that would have meant Timmain was with the Wolfriders since before they left the Holt and someone should have noticed the wolf that did not die. Why do all the Wolfriders have one-syllable soul names?
On page 31, last panel, Leetah is sending! Did I miss something? Or is it an influence of the magic at the palace?
Thank you for the courage to leave a number of matters unsettled. The first time I read a novel that seemed to end about 30 pages too soon, I reacted with anger -- until I thought about the fact that, in life, endings do not come complete. I would bet you received many letters of complaint about this very thing, so I decided to show you that there is some support from at least one reader.
I want to thank you for another thing regarding your story-telling. You showed me that it is possible and worthwhile to provide focus on all characters: secondary ones, of course, but also the more peripheral. This has helped me as I've been outlining my first book, adding much to it.
It sometimes seems odd when I contemplate where I was seven years ago, thinking about how slowly the ELFQUEST story has gone (I am not criticizing, just commenting) and how much has happened in my life in that time. But if I were given, at this time, the choice of reading ELFQUEST all at once, with no waiting, or of waiting four, five, even six months at a stretch for a new installment, I know I would readily wait, re-read, relish, hope, anticipate, speculate, memorize, review, and wonder.
But don't ever do it to me again.
Ronald Pangrac
Saratoga, CA
Just one small piece of unsatisfied curiosity. I had
wanted to see the saga linked to our own earth -- I
identified too much with Skywise to believe there was
anything alien about this story. The "small world with two
moons" is not Terra. In the end, I was left with only one
possibility -- Terra was the planet where the elves came
from. So we are the early High Ones in whose bodies
magic is sleeping and we will go to the stars and return
before it is awakened. Terra is the world that is used up
and the elves are in our future, not our past. You do not
actually say this, but let it remain possible -- for it is a
belief that possesses magic of its own.
Ellis R. McDaniels
Williamsville, NY
We are three generations who read ELFQUEST and have
been entranced with it. We came in late at #7, which was
nice in a way since it gave us a lot of the story to read at
once. However, we then waited very eagerly for each issue
to come out.
We just picked up color volume four and read the last quarter of the Quest all over again. What a beautiful way to end it: with a promise of a new beginning. We will eagerly await it no matter how long it takes.
The magic is indeed not gone.
Lois Cohenour
(mother and grandmother)
Jean Cohenour
(daughter and mother)
Wendy Leetah Cohenour
(granddaughter and daughter)
Here I am with tears streaming down my face. You guys
are incredible. At first I thought the tears would be of
sorrow for the breaking between Cutter and Skywise. But
they are for the joy of their reunion. Wonderful. The expression
on Cutter's face when he realizes that Skywise is
joining them without turning to see. The noncommittal
conversation. No windows, indeed. And the joining of
hands in love and friendship. *sigh*
By the last issue, I have accepted that One-Eye is gone. Maybe he WILL be returning to his body, but if he does not, Clearbrook at least, will be accepting. I love the "role reversal" of Redlance and Nightfall. Her words to him, convincing him to return: "I am the sword, the spear, and the arrow. You are the flower, the tree, the vine." So many things that we see only one way are seen and accepted as "being" among the elves. If not only for the entertainment, ELFQUEST should teach us to be openminded and accepting of change and other people's ideas.
I love your last two issues -- chock full of surprises, explanations, and further mysteries to boot. I am tired of reading the letters that complain and pick. Sometimes I wonder why these readers are bothering to spend money on this story if all they can do is write negative comments. From some of the responses, one wonders where people have been living. Somewhere in a twilight zone, perhaps.
I have a question, which probably won't be answered immediately, knowing how tricky and treacherous you can be. We see the birth of a child at Sorrow's End, I can't even identify the participants. Winnowill says "The child. HE is the link." Is she referring to THAT child or to Suntop? What link? How can you "end" a story and leave all these loose ends? Sheesh, back to hyperventilation time.
This has been an enjoyable and most beautiful experience, Wendy and Richard. Thank you both for allowing me to participate.
Robbie Sturm
Phoenix, AZ
I like the ELFQUEST saga most for the quality of its rich
characterization. Each of the players are consistent and
grow, developing in the mind of the reader.
And I like the premise. I'm a hardcore science fictioner and would normally steer clear of "fantasy." But the idea of elves, trolls, and fairies as aliens really hooked me. The "magic" wasn't voodoo, or praying-to-the-moon -type rituals; it was the full development of a race's natural talents of telekinesis, telepathy, healing auras, and other psi powers.
When Timmain described how the homeworld was broken up into a series of slowly expanding Dyson Spheroids, I was really startled.
I hope that the ELFQUEST saga is picked up again at some date In the near future. You have several jumping-off points for future adventures: One-Eye could revive, the elves could war with each other, the Go-Backs and Picknose's tribes could go to war again, humans in numbers could find Sun-Village, Winnowill is still out there, new trolls or elf tribes could be found -- even more High Ones could be found!
I realize you could be somewhat burnt out on it for now, but I hope you take pen to paper again. It certainly adds to your fans' lives as well as to yours.
Thanks for the fun and the mind-stretching.
John Stubbs
Springfield, IL
So the Quest ends -- for a time. And the end is really a
beginning. That's nice. Not what I expected (no, don't ask
me what I expected), but nice. My only concern is the
bittersweet nature of the wrap-up. Will Cutter ever be
happy again? Will the scars ever heal? There is so much
hurt. Even sweet, passive, innocent Suntop is not unscathed.
"The troll just screamed and fell over," Ember
explains. It wasn't Redlance's doing: the troll is unmarked
-- and ON TOP of Redlance. Did Suntop use a bit of
psychic blasting to kill the troll? He certainly seems a LOT
older afterwards: expecting a wolf-friend and uttering the
unchildlike curse, "Great Sun!"
I KNEW the Palace was a receptacle of souls. I'd guessed before, but Vaya's death proved it!
And Winnowill isn't dead after all. I shall always wonder what happened to her that produced Two-Edge. And what is the injury she has chosen -- and will not allow Leetah to heal? Curiouser and curiouser.
There are few works of "fiction" that have affected me with such haunting intensity. My mind said that somewhere your elves exist, and their fate became nearly as intensely important as my own. The delay between issues -- especially after some of those end-quest cliffhangers -- was agonizing!
Finally, do not leave our friends in limbo too long -- even though I understand your need for a break.
Barb Jernigan
Santa Clara, CA
Well, it's over. Regardless of what we may be told
concerning the future, ELFQUEST, the thrice-a-year adventure,
is complete. There are loose ends that will, at
some future date, be resolved; there are new storylines
that will be told and pasts that will be filled in. But it won't
be the same.
I do want to thank you, Richard and Wendy, for being the ones who were responsible for my introduction to out-of-the-Marvel-DC-mainstream comics and, as a result, my raised standards for comics magazine entertainment. I read fewer magazines these days, but get far more enjoyment out of them. (Once you've had steak, it's hard to go back to soyburgers!)
You've also taught me some things about life that I needed badly to learn. Because of Cutter, I'm trying to be a better father to my two cubs (how does he do it? Heck, how do you do it??) and to show more affection towards family and friends. It's not that I didn't know how before, or that I didn't do these things before; it's just that the Wolfriders have helped me realize that life is too short to be worried about what the other guy thinks about what you do.
For all the joy that you and your elves have brought to me, I say a hearty "thank you!" Long live the Quest.
Danny M. Davids
Colorado Springs, CO
I want to add my vote of praise to all the extravagant joy
people have expressed over the years. I feel you are more
than great artists because you have done more than
create a work of great beauty, with a story both subtle and
funny, serious and sad; you have shaken us all out of
complacency. You have caused us to think and challenge
our convictions. This is especially true of the poor woman
who had to tear the famous "Orgy Scene" out of her book
so the children wouldn't see. You told her that violence
and hate were the real obscenities, not sex. My respect for
you went up considerably when I read this. What I'm trying
to say then is that not only do you have something to say,
you say it beautifully and effectively. What you are telling
us is very important.
I can only offer one bit of constructive criticism; despite its beauty and mystery, I'm afraid issue 20 was your weakest. I found it anticlimactic. I was hoping Cutter and his roving band would at last have a place to hang their hats and call home: a Holt of Holts. Instead, they found an empty shell of memories where they could not stay. I am glad they were given the land. After all they have been through, they earned the right to live where they chose, but it might have been better if Timmain had stayed long enough to show them how to restore some of their magic powers.
I feel the Quest has not quite ended, as you probably intend. I hope the future holds some promise for Cutter and his roving band. What of the Sorrow's End elves? And those of Cutter's tribe who stayed behind (such as Dart and Woodlock's family)? Will they eventually rejoin the tribe in the forbidden grove? Will Leetah get home to visit her mother and father? I hope the elves somehow find a way to make a peace with all the humans as well. I have never liked that feud.
I also loudly protest the death-in-life Petalwing called Think-Do magic. I was shocked by the functionary elves in Blue Mountain. At first I thought Winnowill had forced them into such monotonous and eternal servitude. I can't believe anyone would freely choose it. I would rather live a mere 40 years of life, with the sun shining on my face and the ability to reach out and touch others than 4,000 years of being sealed up inside a cocoon in suspended animation.
I can't wait to see what the future holds for Cutter and his gang and I hope you give some thought to the past too. What of the wild life and times of Bearclaw? What of mad Two-Spear? You could probably produce volumes for the rest of your lives and never tell all there is to tell of the Wolfriders' history.
Thank you both for a beautiful epic which always has more to tell. With each reading, I notice things I didn't see before. I can't wait to see what the future holds.
Beth Wilson
Glenside, PA
I confess it, you surprised me with the ending and I'm
extravagantly thankful. I'd read every issue; I'd done my
best to read between the lines. Bit by bit, I saw your tone
darken and your responses to letters grow more and more
grim. I watched the Quest enter a cold north place.
In fear, I came to believe that the Quest would end in death for all -- a sort of prehistoric Jonestown -- and that the only way to enter the Palace would be beyond death.
When Vaya sailed off to a greater reward than any she had ever gone to before, I held my breath. "Will the Pinis portray a mass suicide with as much taste and class as they did the 'Elf Orgy'?" I wondered. "Will they kill themselves, or, more likely, lovingly slay one another?"
Oh, my imaginings took it a lot further; I saw the headlines telling of mass "elf suicides" across the nation. I saw you two creators weathering the storm because I imagined that you'd already been beaten, primarily by your own fame and success.
Wrong! I was wrong! And you've never made me so happy. The panels on pages 28 and 29 prove, I guess, that you celebrate life, living, and joy. I should never have dared to doubt you.
And thank you for giving us a buoyant "goodbye" portrait of Shenshen, the elf who is, perhaps, the most human of them all.
Jefferson Swycaffer
San Diego, CA
As I sit here, two weeks after returning from ConQuest, I
am happy in the knowledge that you did just what I
thought you would do in ELFQUEST #20: you have successfully
led everyone (well, me anyway) round in circles
so long that the actual event, for all the speculations and
guesswork, was totally unexpected except by hindsight.
Now, for example, it is obvious that Timmain, for all her
wolf form, was still sustained by her High One's soul, and
so could have survived this long.
In the return to the Go-Backs' lodge, my relief at the fact that everyone survived was slightly tempered by surprise that (my own impression, anyway), apart from those killed in the lodge by Redlance and the wolves, the kids had polished off those Trolls by themselves! This struck me as just a little unrealistic, considering how badly the adults fared in their two battles.
The scene with Nightfall and Redlance was simply exquisite: only a page or so, it is filled with a wealth of revelation and character. The contrast between the tough warrior and the gentle tree-shaper has never been more marked. The young Go-Back's innocent question, "What's wrong with him?" points out the glaring differences between his way of life and the Wolfriders'. For all its inherent violence, the Wolfriders' "Way" is about as pacifistic as you can get in nature, while the Go-Backs have had battle and the unattainable Palace for so long that such a way of life is the only one to be considered.
I must say something about Leetah's dilemma. The faces in this short flashback (p.6) are unbelievably poignant. Leetah's self-disgust is as obvious as Clearbrook's terrified bewilderment. That quiet look at the bottom of the page speaks volumes. It is clear to me that Leetah will not forgive herself, even long after Clearbrook has done so. (I am reminded of one of the songs on the WOLFRIDERS' REFLECTIONS tape, the beautiful and haunting "Healer's Hands.") If the killing of the troll back in #15 was a betrayal of Leetah's training and heritage, then how much more so is this forcing of life on someone already beyond its reach?
At this point comes one of those moments which are almost lost in the detail, but are glaringly beautiful and terrible in their depth of feeling and empathy for the characters. Back on p. 5 we see Dewshine being given the pelt of her wolf-friend. Two pages on, in the middle of that grim panorama, we see her again, face buried for one last time in her friend's scent. Whenever I meet scenes like this I feel I am intruding on the characters' privacy.
The next sequence culminates in the most beautiful scene in the whole story. the re-emergence of Timmain from her wolf-form. Like the elves of legend, Timmain has a strange, pure beauty all her own. Even clothed in nothing but a wolf-skin, she has an immense dignity and a sense of presence enough to make even Savah seem flighty. The calm acceptance with which she took her friend's place in the cocoon puzzled me for a moment. Is the Scroll of Colors more than a simple recording of memories? And why was Orolin still in his own shape?
Also consider the differing philosophies of the four groups of elves. They each stand at an extreme: four corners as different from each other as possible. Closest to their planet's nature and most in tune with it are the Wolfriders. Opposing them, close to the High Ones in all but vitality, are the Gliders. In the opposite corners, the Sun-Folk are so peaceful that deliberate injuries are inconceivable. The Sun-Folks' opposite in every way, the Go-Backs, have been forced by need into distrusting the "old powers" and anything which could cause a false sense of security.
These differences are made glaringly obvious when Kahvi and Picknose almost start again where Guttlekraw left off. The four points of view are easily defined: Rayek for knowledge; Kahvi for a rather unstable-sounding armed peace; Cutter for actual friendship; and Picky, apparently, for a good scrap and everyone's treasure.
And now it's all over. Yet many mysteries and problems remain to be solved. How will the Gliders and their pet humans, the Hoan G'tay Sho, react to the long-term presence of the Wolfriders nearby? What will Two-Edge do now? What CAN he do? How will those two Go-Backs integrate into the Wolfriders? Who will eventually follow Clearbrook back to the Palace? How will Picky stand up to marital (?) bliss (!?)? How long will Rayek be able to stand Petalwing's singing? And how will he shut it up?
Bruce W. Grant
Aberdeen, SCOTLAND
We have seen Dewshine go through a tremendous
change -- an elven rite of passage, if you will. We have
seen her in the beginning as a carefree, joyful, sparkle-eyed
teenager, hunting zwoots ecstatically with
Trollhammer in Sorrow's End and commenting casually on
how bothersome Recognition must be. Looking back on
her in issues #1-10, it's easy to see how much she enjoys
her youth, her independence, and her life in general.
But then, a crushing blow is delivered to her in Blue Mountain. It is something that threatens every facet of her way of living: Recognition. Her violent denial is quite understandable: Recognition scares her because it means many things. She will be forced to give up her independence in caring for a cub. She will be forced to give up her freedom because she must join with Tyldak even though she loves Scouter. Most importantly, she must give up her youth in undergoing all of these drastic and permanent changes in her life.
In short, she finds she has to grow up.
But she isn't ready yet. She is enjoying herself too much to have Recognition tear it away from her. When she protests against Recognition by saying that her life "is with the Wolfriders," what she really means is that she refuses to give up her freedom, her independence, her youth. She plainly doesn't want to grow up.
But at this critical moment, Scouter promises to stay with her every step of the way. It is at this point that she learns what life and living are all about. She realizes that real happiness and fulfillment need two people, not just one isolated soul. Here is where she conquers her "Bridge of Destiny": she faces her fear of losing her youth and overcomes it.
Later, in the halls of the High Ones, as Timmain gently touches her belly, her passage into maturity is made clear. Not only is she an adult now, but she has also learned how to accept loss.
As Timmain says to her, "A child... bearing child," look at the expression on Dewshine's face and body. It says this fragile, innocent soul has suffered much, and gone through many changes, both physical and spiritual, and she has survived it all, with weariness and relief. That one expression is so full of emotion, of spirit. It made me realize that I have suffered along with her. I respect her for overcoming her anguish. Dear, sweet Lree has truly grown up. Thank you, Wendy and Richard, for giving this Dewshine fan a nice capper to an already immensely satisfying final issue.
Vince Mora
Albuquerque, NM
I almost cried in #20, page 35, panels two and three
where Skywise said to Cutter, "I saw you born, when did
you get so much older than me?" That had so much
meaning to me (and most likely to a lot of other readers
too) because I had seen the changes in Cutter as the story
went along.
It was if all of a sudden he knew what he was supposed to be and started to take himself more seriously. In Skywise's case, it just took him longer to see the change because he didn't want to see it. He wanted Cutter to stay the same always. Even when he and Cutter had a misunderstanding in #19, pages 21 and 22, and Skywise's heart was said to "harden with the first stirrings of resentment," I took it to mean that Skywise suddenly realized that Cutter could never again be just his friend. Skywise realized that he had to share Cutter.
It pains me to think that from now on there will be no more "see you in 120" but I can truly say that I loved your work and both of you for brightening my life at least three times a year for the past three years.
Kimberley Robbins
Philadelphia, PA
Timmain's story answered many of Cutter's questions,
but after it was over and Strongbow began to speak,
something clicked in my head. Then as Kahvi and
Picknose went at it, it became clearer. Rayek and Leetah's
conversation put the finishing touches on it. A pattern for
the future of the elves lives unfolded.
Strongbow emerges as the "keeper of the Way." Dark and sullen, an elf of thought, preoccupied with the true path of the Wolfriders as it was and as it should be, he has or will become like unto a priest.
Then there's Kahvi. She is the warrior, dedicated to battle because it is the proven way to overcome force. She is the General to Cutter's King.
Cutter, in his quest for refuge, found and brought together the separate descendants of the High Ones. His daring and hard-won wisdom has earned the young chieftain the respect of even those who consider him an enemy.
Picknose becomes his opposite. A king, but for all the wrong reasons, he turned on the trolls instead of uniting them, thinking of personal gain instead of his people.
Rayek is the rekindler of the old powers. The teacher. Rayek's path has been to find the lost power and knowledge of the High Ones. He will stay with Timmain and the Palace and resurrect, first in himself and then in others, the abilities of the new-found past.
As for Winnowill and Two-Edge, there's revenge in their hearts and minds. I'm sure.
The letters to you have been one of the most interesting aspects of your magazine. They have clearly shown one of the most colorful and diversified cross-sections of readers I have ever experienced in my 20 years of comics reading; letters from Indians and housewives, mystics and cynics, Europeans and Australians, other famous writers/creators, and some pretty mature young people.
One thing that has fascinated me about ELFQUEST is the complex insights brought to light by the readership. More than once I've been surprised and shocked by things others have seen in your work that I had totally missed! That led me to marvel even more at the complexity of your conceptualization.
Philip Bennett Lepel
Marion, NY
ELFQUEST has touched and changed my life. That is
the ultimate measure of art and few artists have had the
effect on me that you have had.
I started reading ELFQUEST with the "Voice of the Sun," at a time when the struggles of Leetah and Cutter with Recognition sparked a special resonance in my own life. So closely entwined in that struggle were Scouter and Dewshine, with their own special courage and will. Then I read in The Comics Journal or the Gatherum that one of the characters will recognize someone that he or she doesn't care for. I didn't give it a second thought -- until I saw the cover of "The Way." My knees buckled, I felt faint, and running through my head was the refrain, "Oh my dear sweet Jesus. Not Dewshine!" I will remember that for the rest of my life -- and THAT is the measure of true art.
While I cannot say that I've been pleased with everything that happened along the way, I cannot fault you. Everything has revolved around the story, which revolves around life -- and I've never been pleased with everything that has happened there, either. As Cutter, Leetah, Skywise, and my other friends have grown, I have been with them and benefitted from their lessons as well.
James K. Woosley
Nashville, TN
ELFQUEST #20 was a fitting climax to your superb
graphic novel. By page 4, I was reduced to tears over
Redlance's reaction to the Troll's attack on the children
(as well as what this attack has forced him to do). This
sequence is one of the most powerful portions of the
ELFQUEST saga.
Cutter has always been my favorite of the elves. It came as no surprise to me that two of the three sequences in ELFQUEST #20 that made the most impression upon me involved Cutter and his relationship with Skywise.
I've recently experienced a friendship where one person changed, the other didn't, and a rift has appeared. Thus Skywise's abrupt reunion with Cutter and the Wolfriders had quite an emotional impact upon me. The most affecting part of this sequence was the two elves' elaborate air of casualness -- the hands behind the back, Cutter's casual glance (which turns into a grin) and the low-key conversation -- which is completely given the lie by the grasp of hands during Cutter's return of the lodestone to Skywise. It was beautifully done and completely true to character. I am so glad that the two elves remain together. The one thing that had bothered me the most about #19 was the rift between the two.
Terri Jo Madden
Boise, ID
A virtuoso performance.
That you managed to tie up so much so well was a very commendable display of your skill, but the really remarkable thing was that you did it so smoothly. Nowhere did I feel that anything had been hurried, or cropped to fit. Everything flowed at its proper rate and ended at its proper time, so that it seemed like pure chance that the proper moment for that final flourish coincided with the bottom of page 40. Such simple, natural work requires an immense amount of skill.
It was not as if you spent the whole issue just tying up loose ends, either. As well as answering all -- well, almost all -- of our questions, you provided so much that was new without giving me the feeling that things were being crammed in.
You found the time to elaborate on some of the characters, even some that we have been learning to know since #1. I pity Rayek, trying to think how to get the palace moving while Petalwing serenades him, but it was nice to see that Cutter has his sense of humor back now that the pressure is off him.
As ever, so much was conveyed in restrained little pieces of background art. It is a richness beyond what we hope for from most artists when Dewshine's reaction to her wolf-friend's death, and Guttlekraw's surviving warriors showing defeat and all its attendant emotions in every muscle of their bodies, are given to us as parts of the background to a single panel.
As ever, those little details of text or art refer backwards and forwards through the story. I felt once again Leetah's words at the end of #8: "I haven't the power to call back a spirit that has taken flight of its own accord!" Quite. Just what was going through your minds when you wrote that in 1980, I wonder? I wonder too if Two-Edge's garment matches those of the original High Ones from convenience or chance, or as a deliberate satire from that twisted mind. Details always linking up.
But Two-Edge has gone stumping off and Winnowill rules Blue Mountain, though if Tyldak and Aroree are sharing her councils and not just her panels there must be quite an interesting situation there. Loose ends all, like Two-Edge's father, or Malak, Selah and the rest of the humans. You may have given us seven year's training in patience, but it's going to be a very long wait for that graphic novel. We'll wait, though. You seem to have gained the complete trust of your fans by the simple process of showing yourselves worthy of it. We can trust you to do a superb job once you begin. It will be worth the wait.
I could easily ramble on about the delights of ELFQUEST #20 for many more pages: Timmain, every inch a High One; and the original form of the High Ones, so like that Galaxy cover for "Allegiances"; or continuing pleasures like Redlance and Nightfall, the most convincing comfortably married couple in comics.
The only adverse comment I have come across is from a few readers who feel that #20 doesn't really solve anything. Without exception, they turn out to have missed the point of the story. Instead of a search for the elves' origins, they see the Quest as being for a safe holt, a Final Solution to the human problem, or some such happy-ever-after folly. Thank heaven, the Quest may be over but the characters are safe from that kind of living death and ready to roam again when you feel like it.
Until then, I wish you every success with your other work and hope that the fans will give it the same consideration that they have ELFQUEST.
Ian G.S. Curtis
Surrey, ENGLAND
"An epic fantasy in the tradition of Lord of the Rings."
How many times have we all seen this hype on the cover of
the latest in a swarm of fantasy trilogies? And how very
few of them have lived up to that heady comparison?
Well, Wendy. I hope you're not embarrassed, but in ELFQUEST you have created a work which does indeed compare favorably with Tolkien's great work. A fully realized secondary world is the result of your labors, a world with its own history, its own peoples, and culture.
While the overwhelming impression left by the completion of your vision is breathtaking, I believe you have finally miscalculated in the final issue, #20. The problem is that of the dread "talking heads" syndrome. Too much is revealed in too little space. The result is that many scenes are overwritten, especially Timmain/Suntop's narration.
The storytelling also suffered a bit in the grand sweep of the tale's headlong rush. Characters' reactions were relegated to relatively small panels, so that the rest of the page could be devoted to the newest revelation (as on pages 8, 9, and 11). Sometimes, the panels seemed to jump around a bit, leaving me certain that I had lost an explanatory panel in between (page 5, panels 4-5).
Perhaps the only way to have solved these details is to have extended the tale by another issue or two. Or perhaps, given the many revelations and background which had to be related and the lack of any real conflict to sustain further issues, there was no other way to conclude.
It matters not. None of this diminishes the great achievement that is ELFQUEST.
Like the end of Lord of the Rings, the Quest's completion is bittersweet. One-Eye has died and his lifemate is mourning. Many more have died (including Vaya), Leetah has been humbled, a High One was discovered, and Nightfall and Redlance have found each other's soul names. Cutter has new responsibilities. Will the four very different elf-tribes be able to form a political entity under his leadership? The world seems even more complicated than it was before the Quest began.
Indicative of this increased complexity are the greatest scenes in the last issue, those between Cutter and his brother-in-all-but-blood, Skywise. By the tale's end, it seems that Skywise has accepted Cutter's role of increased responsibility, looking past the incident during the battle which caused the crisis in their relationship. One hopes and expects that their lifelong friendship will grow even greater as a result.
Leavetakings are always sad, but especially so when they have brought so much pleasure and been so much a part of one's life as ELFQUEST has been. And if this is true for me, how much more so for its creators? Nonetheless when people have done something so well for so long and finally completed it, the feeling of exhaustion and the need for a break is understandable.
Lon Levy
Brooklyn, NY
When Timmain asked Picknose if he caused the accident,
Old Maggoty (who seems unwilling to face Timmain)
seems to look back over her shoulder fearfully. Just
how old is Old Maggoty, anyway?
One-Eye is dead, long live One-Eye. You have said that "One-Eye's story is over," but it occurs to me, if he could theoretically re-occupy his body, couldn't someone else? Another dead Wolfrider, perhaps, who can "go where he wills?" One who's somewhat crazy? Two-Spear, are you out there?
Rayek is the perfect choice for custodian of the Palace. After all, every caped and costumed flying superhero ought to have a Fortress of Solitude way up North. All right, maybe not "solitude," what with Ekuar and Picknose and (especially) Kahvi to keep him company. Not to mention a musically-inclined preserver (now THAT was a dirty trick Cutter pulled, but Rayek had it coming for his behavior at the pit-trap).
I feel incredibly sorry for Two-Edge, even though he was responsible for the vast majority of the bloodshed in the series and possibly a great deal of other violence. (I have this theory about Greymung's rebellion: who gave Guttlekraw the idea to go back to the North? "It has begun... again!" Was that the first time?) Two-Edge didn't have any sharp objects, unless someone loaned him one, so I guess he must have pulled off his feet by sheer strength. And then he walked away! This guy has serious problems.
The Forbidden Grove is the perfect place for a new Holt, in that it's centrally located. Both Blue Mountain and Olbar's tribe are fairly close. It's been demonstrated that you can get there from Sorrow's End without major difficulties (assuming you refrain from shooting large birds).
Allen Wilkins
Pelham, MA
I've really been enjoying the artwork more and more
during the last 10 issues. It takes multiple readings of
each issue to catch everything in some of the panels. The
cinematic treatment has always been a trademark of
yours and I've noticed a few things in this last issue I
particularly liked.
One is large crowd scenes. At first reading, I follow the main action. Later on, I notice smaller actions that are touching and uphold the continuity. In #19, pages 20-21. a difficult action sequence, we are mainly interested in Skywise's plight at the lower left. Just a day or two ago, I noticed Strongbow on page 21, receiving the blow in the side that nearly killed him. I was impressed that, toward the end of a long and tiring series, you would take the time for this small detail.
Only one criticism: I wish there had been a way to lay out the pages so we would have had to turn the page to see Timmain's transformation from wolf to elf. The large white area on page 13 automatically draws the eye and it kind of ruined the appearance of the "mystery guest."
I think Clearbrook's acceptance of death is a very important issue that I hope all your readers pick up. Death is. It shouldn't be sought out or fought off unreasonably. It should be accepted as a natural process, not as punishment. With the current debates over euthanasia versus sustaining the body artificially, this sub-plot in ELFQUEST is especially relevant. I hope people will understand and learn from it, as I hope to.
Actually, ELFQUEST sneaks in a lot of important issues underneath the basic story. It deals with both choice and acceptance of the inevitable -- an odd mixture. Rather than blind acceptance, you can choose to shape your own path and change events. Large, inescapable events such as Recognition and death, can only be avoided to a certain extent. Accept it; it may turn out to be very pleasant indeed.
Thank you for a lovely series that is not only an entertaining story, but is also a learning experience. I believe it will change many lives for the better. I will try to apply some of the love presented in ELFQUEST to my own life and to my life with my lifemate.
Lorna Breshears
Spokane, WA
And so it's over -- but only briefly. As you know, ELFQUEST has been licensed to Marvel Comics' Epic line; they will be reprinting the saga intact and unchanged, except for one thing. Wendy will be providing new pages of art and story for each Marvel/Epic issue, as well as new covers. And yours truly, the ever-faithful Stamplicker has learned that he will be putting together the letters pages, just like before! What goes around, comes around. So, once again, keep those cards and letters coming in; and see you in May (and every 30 days thereafter)!