Being a new reader of Elfquest, I am not familiar with your established world, though I must say, in four issues you have certainly captured my attention. Most appealing to me are the concept of a different fantasy world than any of the others, and that one artist will continually illustrate each chapter.
I ask you to help a newcomer by answering a few questions for me:
1) I understand that Cutter's
tribe is small, but just how many
warriors does he have?
2) What is the name of the elf
in issue #1, page 19, panels 2 and
3 (I believe he's Rainsong's lifemate)?
3) What the devil is the
Lodestone? Does it possess any
magical powers?
4) Not a question; this time a
comment. I take it the much
spoken "AYOOAH!" is an elfin
call-to-arms or battle cry. Nice
touch!
Brad Rutschke
Spruce View, Alberta
Always glad to help new readers.
1) Mulching is a process of inbred
fertil... Oops, wrong letters
page.
1) The Wolfriders number seventeen
right at the moment,
though they're not all "warriors."
2) That's Woodlock. Yes, he is
Rainsong's lifemate, and one
heck of an elf.
3) The Lodestone is just what a
lodestone is here-- a magnetic
rock. It has no magic powers, bet
it does make a dandy compass.
4) Thank you. --RP
I first found out about Elfquest
from a poster in a comics store. I
have issues 1, 3, and 4. I have a
couple of questions for you:
1) On the poster I told you
about there was an elf with a fin
on his head. Who is he?
2) What are the Lodestone's
powers?
3) If the elves' powers don't
work on earth, why can the Sun
Folk use magic?
4) How old do elves get?
Michael Dunlap
Mt. Vernon, NY
1) A fin? On his head? There's
one possible answer, but he was
never on a poster... Wendy, help!
2) Michael, meet Brad. Answer
#3 to his letter.
3) First off, let's make it clear
that the World of Two Moons is
not Earth-- never was, never will
be. On this world, almost any elf
has the potential ability to use
"magic" (although you'll find
out that Elfquest magic is quite a
bit different from what you may
be used to). However, some
choose not to, and some have
forgotten how to.
4) If they don't die in accidents,
of disease, or in other unnatural
ways, elves can live for
thousands of years. --RP
1) Why isn't there a space at
the bottom of the last page of
each Elfquest issue for the title of
the next issue?
2) Do only the Wolfriders have
soul names? At what age do they
get their soul names and everyday
names?
3) How old is Treestump? How
old are Cutter and Skywise?
4) How did One-Eye lose his
right eye?
5) Strongbow's an archer,
Moonshade a tanner, Redlance a
tree-shaper, Scouter a scout,
Skywise an astronomer, Cutter a
chief, and most of the rest are
warriors. Using these as examples,
what are Woodlock, Rainsong,
and Dewshine?
Donna Rail
Flushing, NY
1) I really don't know. But I'll
try to find out.
(Donna, Richard...
We don't do next issue
"banners" at the end of each Elfquest
because in almost all
cases, the final page of the issue
is a page that was previously
done for the original WaRP editions
of Elfquest. Since no space
was planned to add blurbs into
the art, and we'd have to cut an
inch or so off the existing pages,
well...
Tell you what. We could start
putting next issue boxes, with
brief synopses and story titles, at
the end of the letter columns.
Send us letters, and let us know
what you think. --Jo Duffy)
2) The Wolfriders are the only
elves we know of who have soul
names. Everyday names are
usually given to an elf cub at
birth by its parents, although this
name can change later. An elf
most often finds his soul name
as he grows into young adulthood.
3) Treestump is about 800 years
old. Cutter is in his twenties at
this point; Skywise in his thirties.
But these are just rough
numbers; elves don't age the
way we do.
4) That's a story for another
time.
5) Woodlock and Rainsong are
prolific, is what they are! And
Dewshine, though young, is as
much a warrior as any of the
others.
And that wraps it up for this
issue-- see you next time!
--Richard Pini.