I have just picked up NEW BLOOD #9. Let me just say that it was absolutely fantastic! I have been a fan since the beginning, and few stories have moved me more than this. Kim Yale and the art team did a wonderful job. Please pass on the praise and a hardy pat on the back. I would dearly love to see more from them.
Mica Tufillaro
<<street address removed from archive>>
As would we! We're currently working with Ken Hooper and Barb Kaalberg on other ELFQUEST stories, and Kim has said that she's cooking up some new stories for us. We await all with great anticipation!
It didn't happen, did it? It was all a "worldpool"
hallucination, right? I seriously hope so. If not, the
Wolfriders are wholly immortal. If Egg was Timmain's
mate-wolf, the Wolfriders don't have any wolf blood at
all. I like to think that the wolf pack has some elf blood,
but that it came from self-changers who, like Timmain,
lost their elf-selves to live and mate as wolves.
Oh well. It could have been a fascinating story if it hadn't been so lost in hallucinations. We really know nothing of Glider customs, so the writer had the whole world at her fingertips. Art is wonderful, but good stories are essential too. Otherwise all you have is a portfolio.
Mary E. Powell
<<street address removed from archive>>
Facts: the Wolfriders are mortal, and Timmain was/is the only shape-shifter capable of completely becoming a wolf. So if the episode wants the label of "hallucination," so be it. Maybe it was just a dream, right? But dreams are real. So it really happened.
NEW BLOOD #9. I didn't like it.
Well, actually, I did, but it wasn't easy reading for me, and that's what I didn't like. You see, I'm one of those ELFQUEST readers who drifted off a number of years ago. I enjoyed the original graphic novel collections ten years ago, but I lost interest during the SIEGE AT BLUE Mountain series. Since then I have paid attention to what Warp had been publishing, but I haven't read any of it.
Until recently, however. A few issues of NEW BLOOD have caught my eye, and I gave them a try because I knew the stories would not be too dependent on fifteen years of published stories for me to understand them. I really enjoyed the "bedtime stories" series by Lee and Beatty, and issue #8 by Collins and Neville, and I am looking for the issue by Nat Gertler (because his "Death and Taxes" was such a fantastic piece of work.)
But since the bulk of my ELFQUEST reading is a decade in the past, I had trouble following NEW BLOOD #9. I kept asking myself, "Who are these people?" and "What was that?" and "Huh?!" It took me two readings to begin to understand what was going on in the story, since I had no idea of who the characters were or what their relationships were to each other.
Now, it this a bad thing? No, of course not. ELFQUEST has a rich and well-developed publishing history which I would not want to trivialize by saying I couldn't understand what is going on just because I am not up to date on this mythos. However, since I am one of your "New Blood" in terms of readers, this story was not very accessible to me, for much the same reason it was probably a joy to longtime readers. And that is the story's main flaw, in my opinion. At least one of your titles should be a place where new readers can jump on without too much culture shock. Earlier issues of NEW BLOOD served this purpose, at least for me, but #9 did not.
Now, all that said, what did I think of the actual contents of this issue? Let's start with the art: Hooper and Kaalberg produced a truly beautiful book. The artwork was fluid, emotional, dramatic, and just plain enjoyable. They gave the book an unearthly feel that was perfect for the story, yet the art also had depth and weight. Suzanne Dechnik's colors were also fantastic (as were the production values on the whole package).
As for Kim Yale's script, and the story itself, it was quite exceptional. The opening page sets the mood very nicely, and following four pages set the scene in a method very rarely seen in comics today, where action is usually emphasized over cinematic establishing shots. Egg's internal conflicts were presented in a very real and touching manner. The origin of the Wolfriders is presented in a powerful scene that shows both the glory of the Wolfriders and the racist/classicist Glider perception of the other tribe. All in all, a very touching piece of work.
So you see, my initial complaints don't stack up to much when you get down to a real analysis of the story, but that doesn't invalidate them. Thanks for the opportunity to give you an opinion, and I hope what I had to say helps you out.
John R. Platt
<<street address removed from archive>>
I'm not usually an ELFQUEST reader. While I'm
familiar with the universe, having sampled various issues
over the years, I've found myself more appreciating the
series than enjoying it. That's not to say I haven't found
it valuable. I've been a stern supporter of this series,
encouraging others to sample it as an illustration of truly
alternative work that can be achieved in this medium.
Given this, it was Kim Yale who encouraged me to pick up NEW BLOOD #9. I've followed her work for years, enjoying her expansive and fresh viewpoints on life and the world. She brings to each project a creative intent that offers thought and care. She's a writer worth following.
I found the story of Egg to be interesting, though not revelatory. It's clear that Egg gained new insight into his world and himself. This appeared important and personally significant. Unfortunately, lacking the basic knowledge about this character hurt me. I watched from the sidelines his transformation rather than partaking of it with him. I'm not sure if this was due to Kim's intricate script or my lack of familiarity with Egg's history.
Still, Kim's editorial aided me. It's clear that this tale was personally rewarding to her. Her insights into the workings of the story and her take on WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES were wonderful. It's clear that writing this story had a profound impact on her. For that alone, I find it valuable. Yet, is it because I am not a regular ELFQUEST reader, because I'm a male, or because I lack some key insight that I failed to see that masks and shadows that Kim alludes to? Can I ever? As ever, a Yale work has encouraged me to look within myself and think about me. She's subtly prodded me to investigate Estes's book as it may help me understand women, Egg, and myself better. For that, NEW BLOOD #9 was worth sampling.
Mark Lucas
<<street address removed from archive>>
As I type these words, NEW BLOOD #11 - the beginning of the "Forevergreen Quest" prolog, has just been printed. We're keen to know what you think. Keep writing, and we'll see you in 30! - RP