[TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: The primary focus of this page is an EQ 10th Anniversary "eyes" graphic/logo. Bonus points for figuring out where those eyes come from. --MK ]
It's 1988...
10th Anniversary
1978 - 1988
--Richard Pini
After far too many delays, I have finally gotten my hands on Siege at Blue Mountain #5. I am definitely getting worried about Rayek. He seemed for a while to have done a lot of growing up since the early days, but his tangling with the Scroll seems to be making him regress -- or worse, go wrong in a whole new set of directions. He's really showing a manipulative side with Aroree. It's all the more obvious (even to her!) when compared to how Skywise has been treating her. Further, look how callous he's become with anything or anyone he can no longer use: first he blithely gives his deer to Aroree to feed her hawk, and then when poor Two-Edge goes screaming off into the hills, Rayek just leaves him with no more than a contemptuous shrug.
Rayek recognizes traits of himself in Winnowill and thinks he can help her. Who knows, maybe someone as sick as she is really can only be helped by someone who's "been there" but I'm more afraid that she'll simply corrupt him further than he is already. It would be ironic if Cutter and his bunch clash with Rayek in the unlikely role reversal of their wanting destruction and revenge and his having the compassion! On the other hand, it isn't his baby. This time.
Alice Willoughby
Palo Alto, CA
About those delays. Parts is parts, and facts is facts, and the facts are truly and simply that it's taking us longer to produce each issue than we anticipated. We felt at the time we announced Siege that a bimonthly schedule was possible; it's not. As these words are written, issue #7 is being inked and issue #8 is being pencilled; we hope to have the story done by summer's end. Please be patient; the wait'll be worth it.
It seems to me that all these Hitler/Winnowill
comparisons stem from Kureel's statement: "She
knows all elves with tainted blood must die." It does
sound like an order for the Final Solution. But think it
over! It is, simply, a literally true statement! All elves
with wolf blood will, eventually, grow old and die.
Nothing else in the story indicates that she has any
particular grudge against the elves with Timmorn's
blood, for that reason alone. She uses the animal taint
to prejudice the Chosen Eight against the Wolfriders.
But for her hatred of them there are many other reasons,
with which we are all familiar. Nothing in the story
indicates that she would have Two-Edge construct an
elf-sized oven in the cause of racial purity. I don't believe
she would hunt the Wolfriders down for any other reason
either (as if she could!). In all these conflicts Winnowill
has been minding her own business. A seamy business,
to be sure, and Hitleresque in her fascist leadership
style, but her web only extends as far from the mountain
as is necessary to keep her supply of human pets
coming. But then two incidents occur: a fledgling is shot
(old EQ), a babe is brought (new). She bargains on her
own territory and keeps to her word. Precipitous events
keep barging in on her world, and she must deal with
them, but never has reached outside of her web. except
for sending Aroree for the preservers. And I for one find
that it was Aroree's fault that tangled the Wolfriders in
the web once more.
Linda Weiss
Upland, CA
Several people commented on how Rayek's life in
the first series had certain parallels to that of Luke
Skywalker: both found a strange and ancient mentor
who taught them to tap great powers inside themselves.
How it seems that Rayek is starting down the path
followed by Luke's father, for he wants, in Leetah's
words, "To fish for more power." Rayek is also showing
his own arrogance more and more, along with a hubris
that comes close to matching that of Winnowill. He talks
smoothly and pleasantly to Aroree in order to use her,
but what does he think of her? "Dullard! Child-thief!"
How soon will it be, I wonder, before Rayek decides to
use and discard Leetah in order to achieve his goals?
During the final issues of the first Elfquest series I kept wondering if and when Dart and the Sorrow's End Home Guard would take their place in the main line of the story, and as can be seen on page 28 of SABM #5, it is happening! Dart seems to be following the old military adage that when a commander has any doubt about what to do, the best thing is to "ride toward the sound of the guns." He knows Strongbow and the Wolfriders may need help, and he intends to give what help he can. I just hope that Dart's group does not ride smack into the Hoan G'Tay Sho!
Richard Paul Smyers
La Porte, IN
Woops...
When I first saw the Chosen Eight, I looked for
something to tell them apart and sure enough there were
the different combinations of tights, leotards and feather
collars, and the different patterns that ran down the
middle of the front and back of each Chosen's leotard.
Speaking of clothes, I also noticed that Rayek is not only being drawn to Winnowill, he is dressed similarly to that she-snake, too! All black. Flowing cape to match flowing robes. Shorter, smooth, black hair versus the long. Shorter hair, lesser power, lesser evil? Long hair, great power, great evil? Then there's the shawl-thing on Rayek's shoulders matching those on Winnowill's. Just what are you two up to?
The Chosen Eight, I know, are not out of the picture yet. Thanks to those patterns on those skin-tight outfits, I know that that is Kureel's cocoon that has a tear in it. What now?
Lorraine Reyes
Chicago, IL
Well, what now is that this is a short letters page this time, because on the very next page is an announcement that we've been waiting ten years to make! Elfquest has been up and down and all around but it's never been complete and just the way we've wanted it until now -- so help celebrate Elfquest's Tenth Anniversary in style, and I'll see you on the flip side!
-- Richard Pini