The mail that we've been receiving tells us that there's a certain amount of confusion out there regarding the overall-- and ongoing-- Elfquest saga. Perhaps now is as good a time as any to see if we can get the record straightened out; it's an interesting romp through multiple identities!
Elfquest first appeared in a series of twenty large-size black and white comic books that were published by Warp Graphics. (I'm deliberately ignoring Fantasy Quarterly #1, a one-shot issue, and Elfquest #21, which did not contain any additions to the story.) These appeared from 1977 through 1984, were available only in comics shops, and are now out of print. From 1981 through 1984 the same material was colored by Wendy Pini and assistants and was reissued in four large paperback volumes published by the Donning Company. These are still in print and generally available in bookstores.
In 1985, Marvel Comic's Epic line began to reprint the twenty Warp Graphics issues of Elfquest in regular comics size for distribution to both comics shops and newsstands. This is the series that you're reading right now. It contains all the material that was in the original issues, plus new covers and pages drawn by Wendy Pini just for this series. Because the Epic issues contain a different page count than the Warp issues, there will be a total of 32 issues of the Epic Elfquest, and the series will wrap us some months from now.
However, time lurches on and for Wendy and me it's been over two years since we completed the story of Cutter's quest. We've begun a brand new series entitled Elfquest: Siege At Blue Mountain which continues the adventures of our elfin friends. It's black and white, regular comics size, and available now in comics shops.
Now, we admit that this is a strange way to produce comics, and if you're reading this issue of Epic Elfquest you will probably wonder what's going on in Elfquest: Siege. That's OK, because the Epic series is just now flying into the most exciting part of the original quest, and there's lots yet to happen which lead into the new story. Pick up the Siege series anyway; the end of this quest and the start of that one blend right into each other and you'll be able to keep right on reading. Will the new Elfquest series come out in color? Oh, we'd say it's a safe bet, eventually. But why wait? Enjoy now!
On to your letters... --RP
In the book Blood of Ten Chiefs
it says that Pike is Rain's son. Is
this true? If it is then Pike is
Rainsong's brother, isn't he? Who
was his mother? Who was Rainsong's
mother? I'm totally confused--
can you straighten this
out?
Trina Burke
Winter Park, FL
I'll try. First, for those of you who don't yet know, Blood of Ten Chiefs is a collection of Elfquest stories written by well-known science-fiction and fantasy authors. These tales delve into the past history of the Wolfriders; the volume can be found in any good bookstore. Now, about Pike. Yes, he is the son of Rain the Healer-- note the facial resemblance-- but Pike was born outside of Recognition. This why he's... the way he is. Who were the two different elf mothers? We don't know either-- yet. --RP
I have some questions.
1) In the latest issues Dewshine
is in Recognition with Tyldak.
Why doesn't she like him? Even
though she said she's a Wolfrider
and free, I thought you can't
refuse Recognition, like what
happened to Cutter and Leetah.
2) Why does Strongbow hate
Cutter so much? Is he doing it just
becuase he's an elder or what?
3) When will Pike and Skywise
fall in love or Recognition, and
when will Redlance and Nighfall
Recognize each other?
David Janssen
UAFB, CA
1) First, a bit of word usage. You
say that you Recognize someone,
but you don't say you're "in"
Recognition. Dewshine does like
Tyldak in a way, or rather she has
admiration for what he is and
what he did. What she dislikes is
the idea that she may be trapped
by Recognition into staying in
Blue Mountain.
2) Strongbow is a very traditional-minded
elf, and Cutter is a
visionary. The two ways of looking
at the world often collide, and
tempers flare, but Strongbow
doesn't hate Cutter. He just
doesn't understand his chief all
the time.
3) I'll assume you don't mean
with each other. The answer is,
whenever and if ever it happens.
The same for Redlance and Nightfall,
though those two have been
together for so long that who
knows how it may happen. --RP
My two girls love Elfquest and
the older one reads to her sister
and their friends play out the
characters. How can they get into
the Fan Club? They also would
like to know if the elves help
Santa at Christmas time, or do
some of their cousins.
Bridget & Amanda Britton
(and their mom, Linda)
Carlisle, OH
The Wolfriders? Helping Santa? Do you have any idea how much Cutter and his crew like venison?! No, Santa is much better off sticking to the likes of Dudley Moore than employing the Wolfriders. You can get information about the Elfquest Fan Club by writing directly to it at 5 Reno Road, Poughkeepsie NY 12603. --RP
Happy Thanksgiving (and
Merry Christmas while I'm at it).
This is my numero uno time to
write to you guys... I think your
comic is fantastic-- I can't say anything
that somebody else hasn't
said already. Um...
How's this? Did you get any inspiration at all from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien? Just wondering. And while I'm on the subject of Tolkien, have you thought about what language the elves speak (besides English) and how they write it?
There's a pond near our house and I'll be darned if there's any shade and sweet water there. Lots of frogs, though.
Freya Kircher
Greensboro Bend, VT
A great deal of the inspiration for Elfquest comes from the tales and legends of different American Indian tribes, rather than from the works of any given author. Neither of us had read any of Tolkien when we started Elfquest, and these days we tend to find our "escapist" reading in almost anything other than fantasy. --RP
Most of my questions have
been answered already, and as for
my comments I'm sure you did
your best to change your flaws.
Another crisis has come into
view though. It's about the match
between Dewshine and Tyldak. I
want you to know I respect your
comic but I have stopped purchasing
it. I have finished it
though by creating an issue of my
own. I wrote it, drew it, and
colored it myself.
In it, Dewshine is saved from having sex with Tyldak by a young elfin warrior garbed in wolverine furs. He saved her by joining her heart to Scouter's, and Tyldak was matched with an unknown elf who lives in Blue Mountian. The young elf who saved her turned out to be her brother. He accepted full punishment for changing destiny. Now Cutter and the tribe have gone back into the forest to start over again.
An Elfquest Reader
Boise, ID
If only life were so simple. Perhaps it's significant that your letter arrived at this point in the saga, for we're now entering a dark and crucial part of the story. Dewshine and Tyldak have resolved their "problem" (in a way that brings about the events of Siege At Blue Mountain) but the rest of this quest will contain events that not everyone will like. In a sense, the elves have been protected against some of life's harsher realities until now; no longer. Life and death-- ours or theirs-- is not so simple. --RP
When I started reading Elfquest,
it helped me get out of the
real world for an hour a day. That
helped my spirits a lot.
I must tell you about my mom. She is my best friend. She is the only person I can talk to. Our relationship is something adults say is lost between many mothers and daughters.
On October 30, 1986 my mother died suddenly; she was only 46. I lost the dearest person in the world to me. I'm only 16 so it's hard to live without her.
The night she died I sat down and read all the Elfquest books I have. For some reason it gave me a perspective on life and death. My mother was in pain for the last two years of her life. Scouter said something-- "It's good to live. Maybe-- maybe it's as good to die"-- it put me in high spirits. I know now mom will always be with me, but she is out of pain.
You and the elves have helped me get through the toughest time of my life and I thank you.
Carrie Jo
Sparks, NV
Then at least a little, we've succeeded, and thank you. See you next time, and until then, shade and sweet water. --Richard Pini