Well, let's see now... As long as we're considering having storylines cross over from title to title within the ELFQUEST universe, perhaps I can pull a little sleight-of-hand and do the same with some of our commentary.
Oh my. I did do a very good job of putting my
foot in it, didn't I? I would like to apologize profusely
for my slashing attack in my last letter. Upon reading
it in HIDDEN YEARS #6, I exclaimed, "I wrote that?!" I
must have been really mad. I'm feeling relatively sane
now, or as close to that state as I ever get. Contrary
to what it says in the letter, I do not have anything
against NEW BLOOD - in fact, I think it's a really neat
idea and is a perfectly acceptable addition to the
great ELFQUEST Universe. I don't presume to tell you
what to do and how you have to do it, but it was a great
disappointment to find that Wendy isn't going to draw
any more. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of
the artwork in HIDDEN YEARS #6, and amused at the
supposed ancestors of our beloved friends, but I am
afraid that something will be missing. That little
magical spark that is Wendy won't be there, gleaming
at me from the eyes of every elf and preserver and
troll, and I don't think ELFQUEST will feel right without
it. I do hope that as the new team does more, they'll
get even better. (Hell, the DEEP SPACE NINE pilot
sucked, and look at the show now!)
Now I know that you are being swamped with pleading (and accusatory, and ordering, and angry) letters begging you to reconsider, so I won't go into this too much, but... it was ELFQUEST that helped me to discover my elfin nature, and it has been a much-loved part of my growing up, and something will be missing without Wendy. Ah well, as usual, I understand your reasoning, but I cannot agree with it. I'm not sure what I would do in your shoes.
Maral Agnerian
<<street address removed from archive>>
You'd probably get lost in them, actually, unless you take a size 13 too...
Apology accepted. But if truth be told, we got a light misting of pleading, etc. letters, rather than a deluge. Beside which, when did we ever say that Wendy (and that other guy who used to do stuff on ELFQUEST, what was his name? Ralph? Robbie?) was never going to draw ELFQUEST any more? Why, coming up in just a few months, in the HIDDEN YEARS SPECIAL that we're slotting in November, between issues #9 and #10, Wendy will be writing and pencilling the GREAT, ONCE AND FOR ALL, CUTTER AND RAYEK DUKE IT OUT AND SETTLE THINGS TRAVELLING SLUGFEST, to be inked by none other than John Byrne. Here's where several hundreds of years of festering resentment - on both sides of the ring - come out. And there are only two rules. One: Whoever calls for Leetah's healing first, loses. Two: You can't die to save your pride. It's going to be a whopper!
And we will be in Toronto (and Ottawa) in November - watch for the Tour Update page that we put in the various ELFQUEST titles for the place and time. Just don't giggle too much about the World Series, OK? (Actually, I don't have much feeling about that. It's the Celtics losing to the Hornets that really frosted me!)
I just want to say that I love your ELFQUEST
books! All of 'em! The color books are a dream come
true, and the NEW BLOOD series is simply amazing. I think
one of the reasons ELFQUEST is my favorite series is
because it's not like other books. It's not just a bunch of
super beings dressed up in Spandex punching each
other out. It's a series with a beautiful, believable
storyline. The characters feel real. I love the many
different concepts presented in NEW BLOOD. What fun!
Great job!
A really neat thing happened just recently. I have a pen pal in Japan, and we always send each other things that represent who we are individually, as well as the way things are in our part of the world. Not too long ago I decided to send her a comic book. I chose "The Death of Superman" because he was the first action hero in the comic industry, and his comics have survived since day one. I also sent her a list of some of my favorite books. When she wrote back, she thanked me for the comic, and asked what ELFQUEST was (gasp!).
I couldn't let her go on living without knowing about ELFQUEST, so I sent her a copy. Here's the neat part. A few days ago I received a letter from her. She really enjoyed the issue! I don't know if you guys sell your comics over there, so I told her that if you don't, I would send her some if she wanted. I just wanted you to know (in case you didn't already) that your books are being enjoyed in far off places as well as here in Maine. Thanks for sharing your wonderful universe with us all!
Sarah Brennick
<<street address removed from archive>>
You mean Maine isn't far off? Then again, Poughkeepsie is equally remote from everywhere, so... Actually, I have a great fondness for parts of Maine, one of which is the section of the Kennebec River where I inadvertently went swimming while white-water rafting.
We know that some few copies of ELFQUEST do filter over to Japan; we have no idea how well-known it is. We've heard that manga fen who've read it like it; we've heard tell of two U.S. fellows who, dressed as ELFQUEST elves at a Japanese comics convention, were chased hither and yon by adoring female readers. We would dearly love to get more connected to the comics/ manga scene in Japan. Anyone got suggestions?
ELFQUEST: NEW BLOOD was a great idea. I love EQ
so much I don't really care who draws it as long as they
are good. Well, the artists, inkers and writers of NEW
BLOOD are good! I have no complaints that "it ain't
Wendy." (Well, I miss Wendy, but I know she'll be back.)
NEW BLOOD #5 was an interesting story. I wondered if you were going to skip over the story of Windkin's birth forever! The artist did a good - no, great job, as did the person who did the colors. Thank you for the large amount of effort you put into this comic. I really enjoyed it.
I am glad the Preservers got back into the story. They are so cute! I love the way they talk. Berrybuzz is one of my favorites. So is Petalwing. Then again, we readers only know the names of two out of an entire swarm of Preservers. I'm also glad you gave us the name of Dewshine's new wolf. I love names, and Squirrel Bane is one of the more interesting names I've heard.
Switching back to the story, I thought having Dewshine's wolf drop her litter the same time as Dewshine had her cub was fitting. A Wolfrider's wolf shares everything else with its rider, so why not birth?
I also thought what Dewshine did to have her baby was good. Scouter needed to put the ghost of Windkin's father, Tyldak, behind him in order to truly be a father and a lifemate to Dewshine and the cub. She's very clever.
I also compliment the writer on handling Nightfall's grief at not having a child very well. When she went to Leetah, I felt her pain and it struck me deeply. Although I am too young to even think about having a baby, I am starting to understand the emptiness a woman must feel to not be able to have a baby. I'm glad her dream came true later, because now we have the beautiful, kind Tyleet. (I hope we hear more of this nature's child, she is wonderful!)
Just one last thing. Do you read all of your fan mail? I really hope your read this. I love to write letters!
Courtney Hicks
<<street address removed from archive>>
I hope this answers your last question, anyway! Yes, we do read every single letter that comes in. Of course, we can't reply personally to all of them, nor can we print all of them - there's just not enough time in the day and room on the page - but we do read them.
Over the next several months, we think you'll see a gradual shift in the kinds of stories we choose to publish, not only in NEW BLOOD, but in all of our titles. We've gone out on the limb and said that we want to create an ELFQUEST Universe. Now, we're paying attention to the ways in which stories in one series, say HIDDEN YEARS, might touch upon stories in another series, say NEW BLOOD or BLOOD OF TEN CHIEFS or WAVEDANCERS. It's a little bit like giving birth itself - to an entire litter!
And now for something completely different... I said I would. I meant it. Back in issue #3 of NEW BLOOD, I printed a photo that appeared in a tattoo magazine, and I did say that if people sent in photos of ELFQUEST tattoos, I'd print them.
Herewith, number two in a series. Collect them all - and, if you call before midnight, we'll throw in the ginsu knives and the bamboo steamer absolutely free!
[TRANSCRIBER NOTE: Photo of a tattoo of Cutter appears here --MK]
Feeling a little shy about that Winnowill tattoo you don't recall getting on the trip to Tijuana? Tell you what. Send us any Elfquest strangeness you come across, and we'll find a spot for it! See you all next issue!