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Elfquest #1
Fire and Flight
Fire and Flight is the first adventure of the Wolfriders. The elves are burnt out of their ancestral home by vengeful humans. Betrayed by cowardly trolls, the elfin tribe, led by Cutter, Blood of Ten Chiefs, must cross the Burning Wastelands to find a faven they've never seen. Can the Wolfriders survive? If they do, what surprises await them at Sorrow's End?
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
17 people are currently reading
1315 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Pini
613 books385 followersWendy Pini is one-half of a husband and wife team with Richard Pini that created, most notably, the Elfquest series.
Wendy was born in California and adopted into the Fletcher Family in Santa Clara County. Early on, she developed as an artist and was the illustrator of her high school year book. She submitted samples of her artwork to Marvel Comics at 17 that were rejected.
Pini attended Pitzer College and received her B.A. in the Arts and joined the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society.
In 1972, she married Richard Pini and began illustrating science fiction magazines, including Galaxy, Galileo, and Worlds of If. In 1977, Richard and Wendy established a publishing company called Warp Graphics to publish their first Elfquest comic. Elfquest was self-published for 25 years and in 2003, licensed to DC Comics. The comic series has won several awards, including the Ed Aprill Award for Best Independent Comic, two Alley Awards, the Fantasy Festival Comic Book Awards for Best Alternative Comic, and the Golden Pen Award.
Wendy has illustrated other works, including Jonny Quest in 1986, Law and Chaos in 1987, and in 1989, two graphic novels of Beauty and the Beast. Recently in 2007, she completed a graphic novel entitled The Masque of Red Death.
Wendy has received several awards over the last four decades, including the San Diego Comic Convention Inkpot Award, the New York State Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, the Balrog Award for Best Artist, and was inducted into the Friends of Lulu Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame in 2002.
Wendy and her husband currently reside in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Wendy was born in California and adopted into the Fletcher Family in Santa Clara County. Early on, she developed as an artist and was the illustrator of her high school year book. She submitted samples of her artwork to Marvel Comics at 17 that were rejected.
Pini attended Pitzer College and received her B.A. in the Arts and joined the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society.
In 1972, she married Richard Pini and began illustrating science fiction magazines, including Galaxy, Galileo, and Worlds of If. In 1977, Richard and Wendy established a publishing company called Warp Graphics to publish their first Elfquest comic. Elfquest was self-published for 25 years and in 2003, licensed to DC Comics. The comic series has won several awards, including the Ed Aprill Award for Best Independent Comic, two Alley Awards, the Fantasy Festival Comic Book Awards for Best Alternative Comic, and the Golden Pen Award.
Wendy has illustrated other works, including Jonny Quest in 1986, Law and Chaos in 1987, and in 1989, two graphic novels of Beauty and the Beast. Recently in 2007, she completed a graphic novel entitled The Masque of Red Death.
Wendy has received several awards over the last four decades, including the San Diego Comic Convention Inkpot Award, the New York State Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, the Balrog Award for Best Artist, and was inducted into the Friends of Lulu Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame in 2002.
Wendy and her husband currently reside in Poughkeepsie, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
June 27, 2008
Reading the ElfQuest series has been one of the highlights of my life. I'll never forget the first time I saw one in 7th grade. I thought they were so scandalous with their elf orgies. haha, so tame compared to what I now know is out there. These are not just comics to me, they are the best comics. I love the story, the characters, the art, and the world it creates. I still enjoy reading the new ones, though nothing can compare with reading the first 4 in the series. I can't say that everyone would love these, but to be truly special it can't be liked by everyone.
January 5, 2016
I really enjoyed Fire and Flight (ElfQuest #1). I know I came late to this party so it is difficult to read this as a groundbreaking graphic comic; however, the strong story-telling and the themes which are developed quickly drew me in. The art didn't quite do it for me, but that is something I can overlook for a good story. Bring on more ElfQuest!
January 25, 2020
I haven’t read this since 1984 when I was a pre-teen. Amazingly I enjoyed it as much this time as I did back then.
January 11, 2008
Elfquest is a story very close to my heart, and I believe it's one of the most undervalued and unknown masterpieces of American fantasy. This is the first book in the series, and while the writing is overwrought at times and the art somewhat lacking in the sophistication that follows later in the series, it clearly establishes the Pinis' immense skills at storytelling, character building, and perhaps most all, beautifully expressive artwork.
Summarizing it will make it seem ridiculous to the uninitiated, but here goes: the Wolfriders are a forest-dwelling clan of elves. When superstitious humans set fire to their forest to drive them out, the Wolfriders must find a new home, dealing with devious trolls, a hostile desert, and strange and foreign elves along the way. I know that sounds pretty cheesy, and at times it is, but it is also magical, heartfelt, and transporting. Hm, maybe I should reread this for xmas...
Summarizing it will make it seem ridiculous to the uninitiated, but here goes: the Wolfriders are a forest-dwelling clan of elves. When superstitious humans set fire to their forest to drive them out, the Wolfriders must find a new home, dealing with devious trolls, a hostile desert, and strange and foreign elves along the way. I know that sounds pretty cheesy, and at times it is, but it is also magical, heartfelt, and transporting. Hm, maybe I should reread this for xmas...
August 25, 2018
And so it begins. One of my goals in life has been to read books and graphic novels that I missed or passed over at earlier points in time for one reason or another. The “Elfquest” series is one of those that I have never read, but I’ve always wanted to carve out the time for it. There is a lot of history here…..best to just dive right on in.
“Elfquest” is the brainchild of Wendy and Richard Pini. It was one of the first independent comics series that strove for mainstream acceptance rather than underground cult status. “Elfquest” was much more in line with standard fantasy and science-fiction stories, and its success would open the floodgates for many more publishers of independent comics. The “Elfquest” Wiki article gives a pretty good rundown of the basic history of the series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfquest
I’d prefer to instead focus on the stories and the art, along with my memories of what it was like to be a comic book fan back in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, when graphic novels were just coming into their own as a narrative form and the standard comic-book tropes of the past were being turned upside down by a whole new generation of writers and artists who were not afraid to experiment and take chances with their projects.
What I remember from when “Elfquest” first appeared was that it had a dedicated and rabid fanbase. It still does, of course, but back when it initially arrived on the scene it was so unique and difficult to find that it drove some people a little bit...uh….batty. I migrated to Houston in 1982 and moved in with some people my brother knew, friends from work. They were all a bit older than I was, but we got along well and did the nerdy D&D thing, and the crazy hippiemagicwizardcrystalballceremonialmagic thing and…..I’m getting off track here. Long story short, a new issue of “Elfquest” would appear in the house and someone would disappear into the bathroom with it, locking the door behind them. When they were done, they would pass it to another person in the house who would then disappear into the bathroom, locking the door behind them. You can see where this is going. “Fan” is shorthand for “fanatic,” and that’s what these folks were.
But I never caught the bug. I got married in 1990, and my wife is a big fan, but I still never latched on. I have friends who come over to our house and drool at our collection of the original Starblaze and Father Tree graphic novels, but they have just been sitting on the shelf. Until now. Now is the time for me to see what I have been missing all these years. And yes, we really DO have the original printings of the collected issues from back in the day. The first four graphic novels were published by Donning/Starblaze and comprised the initial 20 issues of the comic book as one contained story. Four more graphic novels were issued by Father Tree Press, and contained the next two sagas in sequence. Those were “Siege at Blue Mountain” and “Kings of the Broken Wheel.”
“Elfquest” is, naturally, the gift that keeps on giving, having spawned an empire of ongoing stories and reprints and other miscellania that could easily overflow a bookshelf, but I’m going to stop after the first two sets of graphic novels. Those original stories are iconic and legendary, and need to be read. The rest of the material still leaves me with a feeling of “meh.”
But enough. Onward.
Descended from an elder race of “High Ones,” young Elf Chieftain Cutter and his small band of followers find themselves on the wrong end of an aggressive attack by a neighboring human tribe. Burned out of their “holt,” they take refuge in the caverns of the untrustworthy trolls, who trick them into taking a passage underneath the mountain the trolls call home to a barren desert wasteland. Cutter and his group spend three horrible days crossing the desert to find another tribe of elves living in a sort of desert oasis. But these elves are more agrarian and civilized than Cutter’s company, and the introduction between the two elven societies is strained to say the least. Cutter and his tribe seem savage and primitive by comparison, and worse yet, they ride and bond with wolves. Events tumble even more out of control as Cutter instantly “recognizes” his lifemate amongst the newfound elves. But she already HAS a suitor, and he’s not happy with this newfound competition. And so the adventure begins……..
These are not your Tolkien’s elves, though the “High Ones” that we see briefly at the beginning of the story definitely resemble the sort of stock/standard graceful and elegant creatures that are usually found in fantasy literature. No, the Pini elves are more in line with Hobbits in stature and physical nature, though with decidedly less fur on their feet. The Wolfrider Clan are children of the forest , and have a sort of Celtic vibe going on. The Village of the Sun Folk have a more Amerindian thing happening, darker skinned and more rooted to the land than their woodland cousins. The entire story occurs on a planet with two moons that resembles Earth in some sort of a stone-age era. The elves have mastered agriculture and hunting, but the humans are stuck in a fearful and primitive state. The trolls are well, trollish. Dark and creepy, they have names like “Picknose,” which gives you an idea of what their race is like.
Wendy Pini’s artwork is suited to the material. She depicts all of her elves as having a sort of feminine grace no matter their gender, and she is good with action scenes. It’s solid, straight-ahead comic book art all the way around. The main strength of the “Elfquest” series is the complex storytelling and the depth of the characters. Even the sidekicks have solid backstories, and the tale itself has all of the elements that make for great fantasy writing. What struck me the most about “Elfquest” is that the whole thing always feels like it’s in motion, throbbing with a delicious sort of kinetic energy that keeps the story moving along even in the quiet moments. I think that’s a function of both the plot itself and Wendy’s art...everything about this book FLOWS.
It should be noted that while the original comics were issued in black & white, this composite graphic novel is colorized. It’s also worth recognizing that the WARP Graphics publications were larger when compared to the standard comic-book format, being magazine sized much like “The Savage Sword of Conan” was.
I’m getting a pretty good idea of why “Elfquest” was so strikingly original during its time. The only other comics that could really compare to it were sword & sorcery fare such as “Conan” and “Red Sonja.” “Elfquest” gave readers an entirely new universe to play in, even if it was a bit derivative and familiar to most fantasy fans. The combination of action, romance, and humor is strong with this one, though, and there are interesting hints of sexuality that couldn’t have been carried off in a typical syndicated comic book of the era. “Elfquest Book 1” wraps up as a more or less complete story cycle, but as we know, the wheel keeps turning for the Pini elves. I guess it’s on to Book 2 to see what happens next………..
“Elfquest” is the brainchild of Wendy and Richard Pini. It was one of the first independent comics series that strove for mainstream acceptance rather than underground cult status. “Elfquest” was much more in line with standard fantasy and science-fiction stories, and its success would open the floodgates for many more publishers of independent comics. The “Elfquest” Wiki article gives a pretty good rundown of the basic history of the series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfquest
I’d prefer to instead focus on the stories and the art, along with my memories of what it was like to be a comic book fan back in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, when graphic novels were just coming into their own as a narrative form and the standard comic-book tropes of the past were being turned upside down by a whole new generation of writers and artists who were not afraid to experiment and take chances with their projects.
What I remember from when “Elfquest” first appeared was that it had a dedicated and rabid fanbase. It still does, of course, but back when it initially arrived on the scene it was so unique and difficult to find that it drove some people a little bit...uh….batty. I migrated to Houston in 1982 and moved in with some people my brother knew, friends from work. They were all a bit older than I was, but we got along well and did the nerdy D&D thing, and the crazy hippiemagicwizardcrystalballceremonialmagic thing and…..I’m getting off track here. Long story short, a new issue of “Elfquest” would appear in the house and someone would disappear into the bathroom with it, locking the door behind them. When they were done, they would pass it to another person in the house who would then disappear into the bathroom, locking the door behind them. You can see where this is going. “Fan” is shorthand for “fanatic,” and that’s what these folks were.
But I never caught the bug. I got married in 1990, and my wife is a big fan, but I still never latched on. I have friends who come over to our house and drool at our collection of the original Starblaze and Father Tree graphic novels, but they have just been sitting on the shelf. Until now. Now is the time for me to see what I have been missing all these years. And yes, we really DO have the original printings of the collected issues from back in the day. The first four graphic novels were published by Donning/Starblaze and comprised the initial 20 issues of the comic book as one contained story. Four more graphic novels were issued by Father Tree Press, and contained the next two sagas in sequence. Those were “Siege at Blue Mountain” and “Kings of the Broken Wheel.”
“Elfquest” is, naturally, the gift that keeps on giving, having spawned an empire of ongoing stories and reprints and other miscellania that could easily overflow a bookshelf, but I’m going to stop after the first two sets of graphic novels. Those original stories are iconic and legendary, and need to be read. The rest of the material still leaves me with a feeling of “meh.”
But enough. Onward.
Descended from an elder race of “High Ones,” young Elf Chieftain Cutter and his small band of followers find themselves on the wrong end of an aggressive attack by a neighboring human tribe. Burned out of their “holt,” they take refuge in the caverns of the untrustworthy trolls, who trick them into taking a passage underneath the mountain the trolls call home to a barren desert wasteland. Cutter and his group spend three horrible days crossing the desert to find another tribe of elves living in a sort of desert oasis. But these elves are more agrarian and civilized than Cutter’s company, and the introduction between the two elven societies is strained to say the least. Cutter and his tribe seem savage and primitive by comparison, and worse yet, they ride and bond with wolves. Events tumble even more out of control as Cutter instantly “recognizes” his lifemate amongst the newfound elves. But she already HAS a suitor, and he’s not happy with this newfound competition. And so the adventure begins……..
These are not your Tolkien’s elves, though the “High Ones” that we see briefly at the beginning of the story definitely resemble the sort of stock/standard graceful and elegant creatures that are usually found in fantasy literature. No, the Pini elves are more in line with Hobbits in stature and physical nature, though with decidedly less fur on their feet. The Wolfrider Clan are children of the forest , and have a sort of Celtic vibe going on. The Village of the Sun Folk have a more Amerindian thing happening, darker skinned and more rooted to the land than their woodland cousins. The entire story occurs on a planet with two moons that resembles Earth in some sort of a stone-age era. The elves have mastered agriculture and hunting, but the humans are stuck in a fearful and primitive state. The trolls are well, trollish. Dark and creepy, they have names like “Picknose,” which gives you an idea of what their race is like.
Wendy Pini’s artwork is suited to the material. She depicts all of her elves as having a sort of feminine grace no matter their gender, and she is good with action scenes. It’s solid, straight-ahead comic book art all the way around. The main strength of the “Elfquest” series is the complex storytelling and the depth of the characters. Even the sidekicks have solid backstories, and the tale itself has all of the elements that make for great fantasy writing. What struck me the most about “Elfquest” is that the whole thing always feels like it’s in motion, throbbing with a delicious sort of kinetic energy that keeps the story moving along even in the quiet moments. I think that’s a function of both the plot itself and Wendy’s art...everything about this book FLOWS.
It should be noted that while the original comics were issued in black & white, this composite graphic novel is colorized. It’s also worth recognizing that the WARP Graphics publications were larger when compared to the standard comic-book format, being magazine sized much like “The Savage Sword of Conan” was.
I’m getting a pretty good idea of why “Elfquest” was so strikingly original during its time. The only other comics that could really compare to it were sword & sorcery fare such as “Conan” and “Red Sonja.” “Elfquest” gave readers an entirely new universe to play in, even if it was a bit derivative and familiar to most fantasy fans. The combination of action, romance, and humor is strong with this one, though, and there are interesting hints of sexuality that couldn’t have been carried off in a typical syndicated comic book of the era. “Elfquest Book 1” wraps up as a more or less complete story cycle, but as we know, the wheel keeps turning for the Pini elves. I guess it’s on to Book 2 to see what happens next………..
March 26, 2024
I fell in love with ElfQuest when I was in high school and my boyfriend who was collecting them introduced me to the World of Two Moons. Sometimes our "dates" would consist of us sitting side by side reading for hours and debating the finer points of elf lore. That my high school boyfriend eventually became my husband, makes this series dear to my heart.
Fire and Flight introduces us to the Wolfriders, an elfin band that rides wolves and lives in the woods, or as they call it, The Holt. Primitive humans are their enemies and have captured one of the elves, Redlance. A rescue is mounted to retrieve their friend, but at great cost, as the humans burn down the woods in retaliation. All the elves and their wolves are able to escape to the caverns of the trolls, but due to some trickery, the trolls lead them underground and abandon them near an entrance to a desert.
Raid at Sorrow's End (parts 1 & 2) has the elves, led by their leader Cutter, setting out across the sands in the hope of finding a new home. On the brink of disaster, they are completely shocked to find a hidden elfin village in the desert mountains. They barge into the peaceful village, creating chaos, for the other tribe is as shocked at their existence as they are. The Sun Villagers welcome the Wolfriders while Leetah, the Healer, uses her magic to heal Redlance.
The Challenge gives some important background to the story as Savah the eldest Sun Village elf there, explains how the elves and humans became enemies and how the desert tribe came to be where they are. Cutter feels the pull of "recognition" towards Leetah, to the great dismay of Rayek, the Sun Village's chief hunter. Cutter & Rayek engage in a series of physical challenges in an attempt to win Leetah's heart. The other Wolfriders have some character development in this segment, and we learn more about the family connections among them.
Voice of the Sun wraps up the intertwining of the two tribes, with Leetah accepting Cutter to be her mate. Rayek goes off into the great unknown and we are left wondering what will be the next adventure the elf tribes will face.
ElfQuest Book 1 contains the collected issues 1-5, which were originally in black and white, beautifully colorized for the graphic novel format. The artwork of ElfQuest is beyond amazing. While both Wendy & Richard Pini tell the story, Wendy's art IS ElfQuest. The details are extraordinary, with every panel inked with precision. The woods, the caverns, and the village have such details- a complete world is being created. Each elf is unique in looks and personality, and you really start to know the tribe members. Although this first book is stunning, the continuing books of the elf saga continue to get better in both artwork and storytelling.
The first comic came out in 1978 and new comics & graphic novels are still being produced today. The series has been published through many different publishers, from big ones such as Marvel and DC to independent publishers such as WARP (Wendy and Richard Pini) Graphics and currently Dark Horse Comics. A wonderful website (http://elfquest.com/), which includes the stories published through 2014, is a must for fans of this cult classic comic. I hope that you will adore this series as much as I have, and yes, the series has been introduced to my children, so the next generation will love it as much as my husband and I have. ♥
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/03/0...
Fire and Flight introduces us to the Wolfriders, an elfin band that rides wolves and lives in the woods, or as they call it, The Holt. Primitive humans are their enemies and have captured one of the elves, Redlance. A rescue is mounted to retrieve their friend, but at great cost, as the humans burn down the woods in retaliation. All the elves and their wolves are able to escape to the caverns of the trolls, but due to some trickery, the trolls lead them underground and abandon them near an entrance to a desert.
Raid at Sorrow's End (parts 1 & 2) has the elves, led by their leader Cutter, setting out across the sands in the hope of finding a new home. On the brink of disaster, they are completely shocked to find a hidden elfin village in the desert mountains. They barge into the peaceful village, creating chaos, for the other tribe is as shocked at their existence as they are. The Sun Villagers welcome the Wolfriders while Leetah, the Healer, uses her magic to heal Redlance.
The Challenge gives some important background to the story as Savah the eldest Sun Village elf there, explains how the elves and humans became enemies and how the desert tribe came to be where they are. Cutter feels the pull of "recognition" towards Leetah, to the great dismay of Rayek, the Sun Village's chief hunter. Cutter & Rayek engage in a series of physical challenges in an attempt to win Leetah's heart. The other Wolfriders have some character development in this segment, and we learn more about the family connections among them.
Voice of the Sun wraps up the intertwining of the two tribes, with Leetah accepting Cutter to be her mate. Rayek goes off into the great unknown and we are left wondering what will be the next adventure the elf tribes will face.
ElfQuest Book 1 contains the collected issues 1-5, which were originally in black and white, beautifully colorized for the graphic novel format. The artwork of ElfQuest is beyond amazing. While both Wendy & Richard Pini tell the story, Wendy's art IS ElfQuest. The details are extraordinary, with every panel inked with precision. The woods, the caverns, and the village have such details- a complete world is being created. Each elf is unique in looks and personality, and you really start to know the tribe members. Although this first book is stunning, the continuing books of the elf saga continue to get better in both artwork and storytelling.
The first comic came out in 1978 and new comics & graphic novels are still being produced today. The series has been published through many different publishers, from big ones such as Marvel and DC to independent publishers such as WARP (Wendy and Richard Pini) Graphics and currently Dark Horse Comics. A wonderful website (http://elfquest.com/), which includes the stories published through 2014, is a must for fans of this cult classic comic. I hope that you will adore this series as much as I have, and yes, the series has been introduced to my children, so the next generation will love it as much as my husband and I have. ♥
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/03/0...
September 18, 2016
This comic book was recommended by a friend who read the original ElfQuest series several times when she was a teenager. And yes, it is a pretty cool comic book, I will definitely read part 2, 3 and 4 as well.
As everything, the comic is a product of its time, as one can see by, say, looking at the protagonist's pants. At the beginning I thought one or two of the male characters where women, when in fact they are (young) men, which was almost a bit disappointing, since today I am used to fantasy worlds in which female characters can just as well hunters like the male characters – but eventually the disappointment faded away: some of the females really were hunting; and there is a male character who always stays with his two young children and his wife when the others go out hunting. So, from a gender perspective it is really interesting and fun, also for a book that was first published in 1978.
In the afterword, the authors explain how they always knew the whole story, including the ending – and I must say I really like the dynamic of the narration: it goes on and on, not just in a cumulative way. And I am excited for what is going to happen.
As everything, the comic is a product of its time, as one can see by, say, looking at the protagonist's pants. At the beginning I thought one or two of the male characters where women, when in fact they are (young) men, which was almost a bit disappointing, since today I am used to fantasy worlds in which female characters can just as well hunters like the male characters – but eventually the disappointment faded away: some of the females really were hunting; and there is a male character who always stays with his two young children and his wife when the others go out hunting. So, from a gender perspective it is really interesting and fun, also for a book that was first published in 1978.
In the afterword, the authors explain how they always knew the whole story, including the ending – and I must say I really like the dynamic of the narration: it goes on and on, not just in a cumulative way. And I am excited for what is going to happen.
May 1, 2012
Psychic aliens adrift in space (and time) wonder if other floating ships of their kind are out there, and finding an earth like planet where the mythology is sort of like theirs, use their ability to shape shift to a close approximation to the myths and artwork to scout out if this is the case, only to accidentally strand themselves in the paleolithic.
They become the elves of the series' title, big eyed, fay and light weight, with four fingers and flaring pointy ears. The primitive humans are non-plussed with their planet's new residents and make extremely bloody war on the stranded strangers, driving them into the woods. Our story focuses on a small pocket of their descendents, the Wolfriders, who've domesticated the local wolves and shrunk considerably from their predecessors, and eke out a mostly stone aged existence in a lush forest, ever careful of the humans.
When they rescue a captured member of their tribe, Redlance, from a grisly fate, the Wolfriders are burned out of their forest home, and through trickery by Trolls, narrowly avoid death by desert to find (by sheer chance) another small pocket of their kin, the oasis of the Sun People, similarly shrunken agrarian villagers who've enjoyed the centuries free of people. As luck would have it, the Wolfriders' tribal chief, Cutter, forms an instant psychic bond with Leetah, the Sun People's talented magical healer.*
Being used to raiding humans and cheating trolls in trading, the Wolfriders decide to deal with things by taking what they need. Barbarian style raiding ensues, following only the vague bit of shared cultural lore that no elf must die (that's played out in later books but its still in effect here), so the most violent thing that happens in a few people are knocked over and Cutter carries Leetah off, wench over the shoulder style.**
Not actually being very rape-inclined, and not being sure that brown is a good reason to assume someone isn't a proper elf, when the Sun People's only warrior, Rayek, shows up, a short scuffle and an argument later and most of the clan rejoins back at the oasis. The Sun People fled similar human mistreatment, and Leetah, showing the forbearance and patience of any health services worker of any era, helps them restore Redlance to health.
Thence follows the lighter side of this story, in which Rayek and Cutter run out a rivalry for the non-plussed Leetah, who really wants neither of them, having longstandingly refused a formal marriage with long term lover Rayek (referred to as "Life Mate", versus "Love Mate"). Unfortunately 'Recognition' cares a lot more for making health elf babies*** and the Sun People have just the delaying tactic to help people resolve the issue of which person they'll screw, given a choice of two. Cutter and Rayek square off in a challenge of balance, a puzzle and a fear test. Cutter wins the balance beam wrestling match, he's spent his life nimbly hopping around trees, is very lucky with the hide-and-seek puzzle, accidentally winning though Rayek exceeds him in actual brains, and manages to win out overcoming a phobia, since his caretaking desires exceeds Rayek's pride driven abilities.
After feeling shamed, Rayek blows town while Cutter and Leetah talk out their situation, in between the Wolfriders finding a place in the village. Since the Sun People's method of dealing with danger is to hide or come crying to their healer, the Wolfriders greatly increase the availability for dietary protein, help deal with the local "Zwoot" problem. A happy ending occurs, leading into the exciting mishaps and adventures of the later books.
The art is extremely colourful, with a bit of seventies influence (the pants everyone wears are decidedly bell-bottomy, and there is a fondness for that male vest-thing that seems like the must wear item of sci-fi, fantasy and tough guy rumblers in fiction of the period) and you can see an overlap in the art influence in Heavy Metal magazine from the same period.
*And probably scenting the chance to spice up the itty bitty gene pool each is functioning with, since everyone in the Wolfriders descends from one common ancestor, and the Sun People have like, maybe five? (I read the novel)
**I think I can assume this is the point he passes into team bisexual, since he has a longstanding canon um... brothers relationship with his male best friend and no such deal with any of his lady cousins.
***Wolfrider 'Pike' was conceived using healing magic, and is not the sharpest arrow in the quiver as a result. While the species seems to have a Lamarckian approach to evolution even without the help of healing magic, again itty, bitty gene pools!
They become the elves of the series' title, big eyed, fay and light weight, with four fingers and flaring pointy ears. The primitive humans are non-plussed with their planet's new residents and make extremely bloody war on the stranded strangers, driving them into the woods. Our story focuses on a small pocket of their descendents, the Wolfriders, who've domesticated the local wolves and shrunk considerably from their predecessors, and eke out a mostly stone aged existence in a lush forest, ever careful of the humans.
When they rescue a captured member of their tribe, Redlance, from a grisly fate, the Wolfriders are burned out of their forest home, and through trickery by Trolls, narrowly avoid death by desert to find (by sheer chance) another small pocket of their kin, the oasis of the Sun People, similarly shrunken agrarian villagers who've enjoyed the centuries free of people. As luck would have it, the Wolfriders' tribal chief, Cutter, forms an instant psychic bond with Leetah, the Sun People's talented magical healer.*
Being used to raiding humans and cheating trolls in trading, the Wolfriders decide to deal with things by taking what they need. Barbarian style raiding ensues, following only the vague bit of shared cultural lore that no elf must die (that's played out in later books but its still in effect here), so the most violent thing that happens in a few people are knocked over and Cutter carries Leetah off, wench over the shoulder style.**
Not actually being very rape-inclined, and not being sure that brown is a good reason to assume someone isn't a proper elf, when the Sun People's only warrior, Rayek, shows up, a short scuffle and an argument later and most of the clan rejoins back at the oasis. The Sun People fled similar human mistreatment, and Leetah, showing the forbearance and patience of any health services worker of any era, helps them restore Redlance to health.
Thence follows the lighter side of this story, in which Rayek and Cutter run out a rivalry for the non-plussed Leetah, who really wants neither of them, having longstandingly refused a formal marriage with long term lover Rayek (referred to as "Life Mate", versus "Love Mate"). Unfortunately 'Recognition' cares a lot more for making health elf babies*** and the Sun People have just the delaying tactic to help people resolve the issue of which person they'll screw, given a choice of two. Cutter and Rayek square off in a challenge of balance, a puzzle and a fear test. Cutter wins the balance beam wrestling match, he's spent his life nimbly hopping around trees, is very lucky with the hide-and-seek puzzle, accidentally winning though Rayek exceeds him in actual brains, and manages to win out overcoming a phobia, since his caretaking desires exceeds Rayek's pride driven abilities.
After feeling shamed, Rayek blows town while Cutter and Leetah talk out their situation, in between the Wolfriders finding a place in the village. Since the Sun People's method of dealing with danger is to hide or come crying to their healer, the Wolfriders greatly increase the availability for dietary protein, help deal with the local "Zwoot" problem. A happy ending occurs, leading into the exciting mishaps and adventures of the later books.
The art is extremely colourful, with a bit of seventies influence (the pants everyone wears are decidedly bell-bottomy, and there is a fondness for that male vest-thing that seems like the must wear item of sci-fi, fantasy and tough guy rumblers in fiction of the period) and you can see an overlap in the art influence in Heavy Metal magazine from the same period.
*And probably scenting the chance to spice up the itty bitty gene pool each is functioning with, since everyone in the Wolfriders descends from one common ancestor, and the Sun People have like, maybe five? (I read the novel)
**I think I can assume this is the point he passes into team bisexual, since he has a longstanding canon um... brothers relationship with his male best friend and no such deal with any of his lady cousins.
***Wolfrider 'Pike' was conceived using healing magic, and is not the sharpest arrow in the quiver as a result. While the species seems to have a Lamarckian approach to evolution even without the help of healing magic, again itty, bitty gene pools!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2024
I have wanted to read these since I was a little kid and it's just as fun as I'd always hoped. Damn I wish I had been allowed to read as a kid. My tastes are so underdeveloped! So retarded in their development!
October 23, 2008
This is the book that got me back into reading comic books. Until I read this I thought I was "too old" for such nonsense. I could not have been more wrong. "Elfquest" is not like any of the comic books I read in my childhood (the sixties and seventies, just FYI.) The characters seem real! You identify with them and grow to care for them. Wendy Pini's art and storytelling are compelling. When I first saw the book on the bookstore shelf in 1980 I just leafed through it. I walked around some more and came back to leaf through it again. And again. And again. Finally I walked back to my dorm room for the money to buy it --- I read it three times before sundown!!! These are not Tolkien's elves. They are not at all regal. Nor are they aloof or dreamy. These elves are flesh-and-blood. Not only that --- they bite! They aren't called the Wolfriders for nothing. Pini calls her EQ series "Fantasy with teeth!" and I heartily agree. Pick up this book and you will soon be looking for the rest of the series. Trust me. You will not regret it.
October 4, 2015
This classic was one of the first to define "graphic novel." I started with the original B&W comics; to see them in glorious color makes my heart sing. In this book we meet the Wolfriders and the elves living in the Sun Village.
Part of why I fell in love with the book is the acceptance of different choices in how the elves live. From Rainfall, the ultimate mother, to Dewshine, the young Wolfrider, to Leetah, a proud and independent Healer, each has a purpose and role.
If you enjoy well-written fantasy or graphic novels, give this one a whirl. I don't think you will regret it.
Part of why I fell in love with the book is the acceptance of different choices in how the elves live. From Rainfall, the ultimate mother, to Dewshine, the young Wolfrider, to Leetah, a proud and independent Healer, each has a purpose and role.
If you enjoy well-written fantasy or graphic novels, give this one a whirl. I don't think you will regret it.
February 7, 2008
Elfquest as a piece of American graphic novel culture is very important. The Pinis were unafraid to explore themes of sexuality, violence, friendship, racism (Elfism?), loss, and many others in ways that were honest, thought provoking, and beautiful. My life is immensely richer for having been exposed to this series.
June 21, 2007
One of the first comics I got into, and still one of my favorites.
May 2, 2012
Read the collection of books 1-32 which was about 200 pages.
Excellent! Makes me want to run to the woods, live in a tree and ride a wolf!
Excellent! Makes me want to run to the woods, live in a tree and ride a wolf!
December 23, 2015
I've been reading ElfQuest since I was a kid. Beautiful art and story. One of the few comic series I read.
June 21, 2024
I have read Elfquest numerous times, but am currently reading the book with the script for the Audio Movie, which is not on Goodreads because it has no ISBN. it's a totally new experience. Loving it.
5 stars again. Elfquest just never gets old, and it has stolen my heart from the time I was just an 8 year old kid. The audio movie itself was a bit too American for me, but I grew up with Elfquest in Dutch and somehow that just created a completely different experience.
But it's so good and these first adapted albums are just great to read, even in the form of a script.
Elfquest forever!!
5 stars again. Elfquest just never gets old, and it has stolen my heart from the time I was just an 8 year old kid. The audio movie itself was a bit too American for me, but I grew up with Elfquest in Dutch and somehow that just created a completely different experience.
But it's so good and these first adapted albums are just great to read, even in the form of a script.
Elfquest forever!!
May 1, 2011
Where would I be without Elfquest? Who knows! I discovered Elfquest in the form of graphic novels back in the 80s, when graphic novels were a new concept. The first three graphic novels were the first three major story arcs of the Elfquest books, each rolled up nicely in one location.
Elfquest did a lot for me. It opened my eyes to a comic book style I had never thought of before. I've always been a big fan of comics, but comics to me meant super heroes. But elves, and fantasy? Especially elves in a setting that wasn't medieval Earth, but some strange alternate world with two moons, where humanity was still mostly in the cave man stages? It was something new, something interesting, and it sucked me in completely!
I've loved these characters, and this world created by Wendy and Richard Pini for so long, I can't even remember not knowing them! Cutter, Leetah, Skywise, Strongbow, Treestump, Picknose.
OK, this is supposed to be a review, and I feel more like I'm gushing. I'll just leave it with this. These books are quite possibly perfect. I have never found a flaw in them. If you love fantasy, well-conceived worlds, and unique but amazing artwork, go back and find yourself a copy of the Elfquest books. You'll be glad you did!
Elfquest did a lot for me. It opened my eyes to a comic book style I had never thought of before. I've always been a big fan of comics, but comics to me meant super heroes. But elves, and fantasy? Especially elves in a setting that wasn't medieval Earth, but some strange alternate world with two moons, where humanity was still mostly in the cave man stages? It was something new, something interesting, and it sucked me in completely!
I've loved these characters, and this world created by Wendy and Richard Pini for so long, I can't even remember not knowing them! Cutter, Leetah, Skywise, Strongbow, Treestump, Picknose.
OK, this is supposed to be a review, and I feel more like I'm gushing. I'll just leave it with this. These books are quite possibly perfect. I have never found a flaw in them. If you love fantasy, well-conceived worlds, and unique but amazing artwork, go back and find yourself a copy of the Elfquest books. You'll be glad you did!
April 14, 2017
Being a huge Tolkien fan, I discovered this series back in the early 80's and had to have it. Being an avid reader, I am reminded that I cut my teeth on comic books so even though I had progressed into full length adult novels by the 80's, I could still enjoy a good comic here and there.
Aside from the usual Marvel and DC superhero publications, I found a growing interest in more fantastical works from the likes of Robert E Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs, especially when it was accompanied with art by people like Frank Frazetta. Elfquest took me to a new level!
Though it was a graphic comic series, Elfquest was a story, accompanied by fantastic artwork, that was a complete adult theme. Don't let the soft character features of these elves fool you; this is no comic for a child. There is adult drama, death, and even a surprising amount of erotic moments throughout.
Of course in today's graphic comic world, I'm sure Elfquest is no more shocking than some of the video game commercials shown on television, but in it's time, the series was a jaw dropper.
It's been many years since reading the series but it still remains in my mind as one of the memorable reading experiences in my life.
Aside from the usual Marvel and DC superhero publications, I found a growing interest in more fantastical works from the likes of Robert E Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs, especially when it was accompanied with art by people like Frank Frazetta. Elfquest took me to a new level!
Though it was a graphic comic series, Elfquest was a story, accompanied by fantastic artwork, that was a complete adult theme. Don't let the soft character features of these elves fool you; this is no comic for a child. There is adult drama, death, and even a surprising amount of erotic moments throughout.
Of course in today's graphic comic world, I'm sure Elfquest is no more shocking than some of the video game commercials shown on television, but in it's time, the series was a jaw dropper.
It's been many years since reading the series but it still remains in my mind as one of the memorable reading experiences in my life.
November 26, 2014
Probably the most original, heartfelt, and underrated fantasy story of all time! Wendy Pini was way ahead of her time in both art and storytelling!
I originally read the ElfQuest books in elementary school and was flabbergasted by them. Now 30 years later and as a father of two, I'm understanding the story on a whole new level. Not only have they stood the test of time, but now as an adult I understand the themes of family that underlies the entire series. Quite simply, these graphic novels are timeless.
If you enjoy fantasy at all (even if you only like Harry Potter), you are doing an injustice to yourself if you haven't read them. I can't recommend them highly enough.
I originally read the ElfQuest books in elementary school and was flabbergasted by them. Now 30 years later and as a father of two, I'm understanding the story on a whole new level. Not only have they stood the test of time, but now as an adult I understand the themes of family that underlies the entire series. Quite simply, these graphic novels are timeless.
If you enjoy fantasy at all (even if you only like Harry Potter), you are doing an injustice to yourself if you haven't read them. I can't recommend them highly enough.
March 18, 2010
I very much enjoyed the first book in the Elfquest series. I was actually planning on weeding this from our libraries collection since no one ever seemed to check it out, and it seemed so dated. However, once I got into the story (which really only took a few pages) I couldnt put it down. The characters are very well done and easy to align with. The art work isnt my favorite for graphic novels, but it wasnt that much of a problem since the story was so good. I just started the second book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
March 5, 2011
I was introduced to Elfquest by a friend in college, who was collecting the original black and white comics. I began my own collecting with the color graphic novel editions.
I love the stories, which withstand the test of time. Having re-discovered them, I'm going to have to inflict them on my friend's children.
Cutter and his tribe of Wolfriders begin their adventures in this collection of the first five comics. The characters are well defined, and the story complex and entertaining.
I love the stories, which withstand the test of time. Having re-discovered them, I'm going to have to inflict them on my friend's children.
Cutter and his tribe of Wolfriders begin their adventures in this collection of the first five comics. The characters are well defined, and the story complex and entertaining.
April 7, 2014
This was okay I guess. The art is a little too cheesy, though. It's like . . . these doe-eyed fairies that a 14-year old girl draws in her notebook, you know? I dunno. Such big eyes and big boobs and big bell bottoms, it was hard to take seriously.
October 13, 2008
If you like fantasy and graphic novels, this entire series has got it all. With a very cool save-the-earth theme long before it became trendy or so desperate. Great action, romance, battles.
October 7, 2018
Rereading this fantastic series for the first time this century. I’d discovered Elfquest in 1985 and collected the Starblaze graphic novels. Still holds up as great fantasy with beautiful art.
September 20, 2012
All of this series was great. I am only putting this book in amazing incredible to make it easy
February 13, 2016
Fantastic blend of fantasy and comics. Incredible characters and storyline. Highly recommended
August 16, 2019
[Comics Canon Review]
Before Saga, there was ElfQuest. In both books, a rag-tag group of political exiles wanders a fantastic landscape in search of a safe place to call home. Both books also foreground personal relationships (friendship, familial bonds, romantic love, sexual attraction, etc.) and suggest that those close connections might bridge any and all violent divisions. And also like Saga, it has an unusual blend of cutesy-ness, seriousness, irony, action, romance, and awe-filled wonder.
But despite these similarities, ElfQuest is distinct from Saga in that it was produced in the days before the big independent publishers and imprints. This book was unusual in blending the self-published hipness of the underground scene with the visual polish and populist genre-fiction of mainstream comics. I don’t want to claim that it was the *only* book to do this, but it was among the most prominent in its day. And compared to its peers, I very rarely see ElfQuest mentioned positively by critics, historians, or other readers.
I’ve thought about this book a lot over the years, but haven’t read it since I was a kid when ElfQuest was still (mostly) new. It had a reverential mystique to it, and I have strong early memories of tracing panels from various volumes. It was hard to find, so it seemed rare and somehow strangely foreign to me. I was worried, since this is my first return to it in over 30 years, that it wouldn’t hold up. There are undeniably some signs of its age, but overall, it still works beautifully.
Before Saga, there was ElfQuest. In both books, a rag-tag group of political exiles wanders a fantastic landscape in search of a safe place to call home. Both books also foreground personal relationships (friendship, familial bonds, romantic love, sexual attraction, etc.) and suggest that those close connections might bridge any and all violent divisions. And also like Saga, it has an unusual blend of cutesy-ness, seriousness, irony, action, romance, and awe-filled wonder.
But despite these similarities, ElfQuest is distinct from Saga in that it was produced in the days before the big independent publishers and imprints. This book was unusual in blending the self-published hipness of the underground scene with the visual polish and populist genre-fiction of mainstream comics. I don’t want to claim that it was the *only* book to do this, but it was among the most prominent in its day. And compared to its peers, I very rarely see ElfQuest mentioned positively by critics, historians, or other readers.
I’ve thought about this book a lot over the years, but haven’t read it since I was a kid when ElfQuest was still (mostly) new. It had a reverential mystique to it, and I have strong early memories of tracing panels from various volumes. It was hard to find, so it seemed rare and somehow strangely foreign to me. I was worried, since this is my first return to it in over 30 years, that it wouldn’t hold up. There are undeniably some signs of its age, but overall, it still works beautifully.
May 21, 2023
This graphic novel collects the first 5 issues of the ElfQuest comic series from the late 70s, early 80s. I loved the series back then, and I really enjoyed rereading them. The original issues were black-and-white, but this graphic novel collection is in colour - and it adds another dimension to the story. This graphic novel is an excellent collection, and showcases why this series won so many awards.
Read
April 11, 2025En trip down memory lane. Alvefolket dukka plutselig opp som en assosiasjon i en samtale, og æ visste at æ måtte gjenlese. Leste mine første da æ va kanskje 7-8 år, samla aktivt til æ va kanskje 14-15 år, men fikk ikke lest hele historia sammenhengende før kanskje 2013 da æ fant alt digitalt. Anbefales!
January 22, 2025
I have wanted to write this review for over a decade. I am so grateful that Elfquest was part of my life. The 1980s was a neoconservative, staid time, but there were a few compensations. Music (especially pop and rock ballads) was still amazing, movies were engrossing if not good, video games were adorably easy and kids could still bike all over the place. And Elfquest graphic novels were in every elementary school library. Nudity (no nipples, no genital, lots of renderings of glossy buttocks drapped over fur pelts), pansexuality, interspecies breeding, polyamorous marriages, idealisation of a hunter-gather lifestyle, killing, eating raw meat, and pair bonding (no Alpha/Omega distinction needed).
So how exactly did Elfquest sneak into a youth cultural landscape dominated by Care Bears and Alex Keaton? Well, boy and girls, because before the 1980s came a thing called the 1970s - and the 1970s was a wild disaster. Elfquest, Quest #1, Part #1 is definitely as child of the 1970s (1978 to be precise) and Wendy Pini was a 1970s creative. So in comes aesthetic homages to indigenous cultures of the Americas, exposed mid-drifts, low riding pants/skirts, huge hairdos, gold hoop earrings and men with flowing locks, exposed pectorals and circle necklaces. Also a desire for peaceful co-existence (that evaporated in the 1980s), inter-cultural understanding, gender equality and free love. Rebellion was still somewhat in the air. And yes, Wendy and Richard Pini's publication of Elfquest changed the comic landscape forever (I highly recommend the YouTube documentary on the Matttt channel for the history of Elfquest's publication and Wendy & Richard Pini's artistic career).
Elfquest's original series (1978 to 1984) opened the imaginations of North American children, be they rich or poor (me), urban, suburban or small town (me), White or otherwise engage - if you attended a reasonably well resourced public school in the 1980s, Elfquest just existed as a part of your life. Elfquest was warm and subversive. Part of the potency of Elfquest's subversions were that they were presented as answers to very human needs (yes, the story is about elves, but they are written as human avatars). Extramarital affairs, bisexuality, same sex friends with benefits, threesomes, communal bathing are presented as adjacent to traditional institutions such as life long, heterosexual marriage, child-bearing, child rearing and protection, same sex friendships and inter-generational hierarchies.
Elfquest was the a brilliant work of popular art: the ugly is presented with beauty, the hard facts of life are wrapped in an intoxicating warmth of invention and discovery. Basic archetype characters are presented as nuanced, living things, indelibly formed by their worlds yet alert and awake enough to craft their own futures. The brutalities, horrors and hardships the Wolfriders and their ancestors endure are made palatable, even appealing, by the strength of their interpersonal bonds (they are essentially one big, loyal, loving, squabbling family), the vitality of their existence and the enchanting beauty of their anime inspired faces, perennially young bodies and haute couture leather clothing.
The character design of the Wolfriders is excellent. Every character has a distinctive look, personality and even fashion sense, with martial bonds and familial resemblances constantly reinforced. Basic archetype characters are presented as nuanced, living things, indelibly formed by their worlds yet alert and awake enough to craft their own futures. It's unfortunate that the Sun Folk are not given nearly enough care. Most of the men are interchangeable, while the women are all different versions of cute.
As agrarian people protected from human predation by a vast desert, the Sun Folk are considered by the Wolfriders (and the narrative) as soft, good-natured and childlike. Their comfy village represents the settled, safe life; it's relative urbanity with even a blush of the suburban. The Sun Folk tile gardens, bake bread, roast meat, craft metals and weave the most amazing gauzy cloths. They have gold fringed cushions, house pets, cosmetics and nightgowns. This isn't just a desert oasis - it's an microcosm for civilisation, with all its luxuries, possibilities and enervating perils The Sun Folk even have specialized career paths, with one very talented man responsible for all of their hunting and open aggression. After the Wolfriders literally storm their village and terrorise them, the Sun Folk don't just forgive them - they worship them. Safety has made the Sun Folk not just easy going, but passive and nondescript. They are literal spectators, allowing the Wolfriders to be not just the protagonists of this tale, but its unequivocal heroes. The Fire and Flight tale is not so much one of two cultures meeting and integrating, as a hardy band of adventurers joining a really nice gated community.
The central story is a very well done love triangle, in that it is a tale of three young people growing up via a public struggle over who gets who (a threesome is a no-go). It's actually a great life lesson for young people because all three gets what they need the most.
First up is Cutter. He is extremely young for an elf (24) and has been a chief of what he believes to be the only surviving band of elves (stranded beings for outer space) on the planet not-quite-Earth (it has two moons) since he was a teenager (after both his parents were killed by a hybrid monster). He is a tender hearted warrior leader, passionate, sometimes ruthless, occasionally impulsive, introspective, a dreamer forced by circumstance to be a pragmatist, a soulful lover forced by duty to be a loner. He is tough, yet vulnerable, virginal yet virile. He's a schoolgirl fantasy crafted to perfection. And yes, he had the chiseled muscles, square square and baby soft platinum hair that made many a 10 year old girl take special interest in his plight. And his plight his real. He is feeling impelled on a chromosomal level to mate with a haughty, strong willed, breathtakingly gorgeous female elf he came by while raiding her village.
Enter Leetah: she's not like the other girls. No, really she is actually has magic powers. She's a great healer. She's also the most beautiful girl in the village. (Though for my money I always preferred her younger sister Shenshen, but as an Asian I'm a sucker for a flirtatious nature and a killer set of top knots.) Anyway, Leetah also feels compelled to do the dirty with this barbaric man-child, BUT a) he kidnapped her; b) his tribe is really too primitive; and c) she's spoken for, by
Rayek: The baddie in this equation. Arrogant. Rude. A loner with a superiority complex who has borne the sole responsibility for providing his village of almost 50 people with protein and pelts for the last couple of centuries. Loves Leetah and one other person. Keeps asking Leetah to marry her so they can have beautiful, magically empowered children. Has telekinetic magic powers and a superb work ethic.
Enjoys mind control and social belittlement. Is hurt Leetah is not ready to settle down after six centuries of dating. Is disgusted at her chromosome induced lust for Cutter. (Or could it be more?) Is disgusted at having to share communal air space with the Wolfriders. Is a lonely, frustrated person who puts too much pressure on himself.
Rayek is actually a fan favourite anti-hero. I loved his character arc in the Original Quest. It was an eye-opener to 10-12 year old that a person could be an hot-headed, unstable villain in one situation, and transform into a optimistic, level-headed hero when allowed to remake their identity in a different environment culture. Rayek taught me that if everyone in your hometown hates you, it's time to pack your bags and open your mind. Also, if your hot, gifted girlfriend refuses to marry you, it's time for her to not be your girlfriend. The vilification of his character in subsequent installments is one of the many reasons I only gravitate towards the original four-part saga, which is PERFECTION: ambitious, honest, mature enough to be ambiguous, adult enough to be optimistic. It was a gift from creative heaven to the kids in my small, Northern mining town in general, and to one lonely, bespectacled, working class, Chinese immigrant kid in particular.
It all began with Fire and Flight. This is arguably the best for the four installments. It's the most self-contained with the most accessible of central themes: vulnerable young people finding a new world by having the courage to grow into new people.
So how exactly did Elfquest sneak into a youth cultural landscape dominated by Care Bears and Alex Keaton? Well, boy and girls, because before the 1980s came a thing called the 1970s - and the 1970s was a wild disaster. Elfquest, Quest #1, Part #1 is definitely as child of the 1970s (1978 to be precise) and Wendy Pini was a 1970s creative. So in comes aesthetic homages to indigenous cultures of the Americas, exposed mid-drifts, low riding pants/skirts, huge hairdos, gold hoop earrings and men with flowing locks, exposed pectorals and circle necklaces. Also a desire for peaceful co-existence (that evaporated in the 1980s), inter-cultural understanding, gender equality and free love. Rebellion was still somewhat in the air. And yes, Wendy and Richard Pini's publication of Elfquest changed the comic landscape forever (I highly recommend the YouTube documentary on the Matttt channel for the history of Elfquest's publication and Wendy & Richard Pini's artistic career).
Elfquest's original series (1978 to 1984) opened the imaginations of North American children, be they rich or poor (me), urban, suburban or small town (me), White or otherwise engage - if you attended a reasonably well resourced public school in the 1980s, Elfquest just existed as a part of your life. Elfquest was warm and subversive. Part of the potency of Elfquest's subversions were that they were presented as answers to very human needs (yes, the story is about elves, but they are written as human avatars). Extramarital affairs, bisexuality, same sex friends with benefits, threesomes, communal bathing are presented as adjacent to traditional institutions such as life long, heterosexual marriage, child-bearing, child rearing and protection, same sex friendships and inter-generational hierarchies.
Elfquest was the a brilliant work of popular art: the ugly is presented with beauty, the hard facts of life are wrapped in an intoxicating warmth of invention and discovery. Basic archetype characters are presented as nuanced, living things, indelibly formed by their worlds yet alert and awake enough to craft their own futures. The brutalities, horrors and hardships the Wolfriders and their ancestors endure are made palatable, even appealing, by the strength of their interpersonal bonds (they are essentially one big, loyal, loving, squabbling family), the vitality of their existence and the enchanting beauty of their anime inspired faces, perennially young bodies and haute couture leather clothing.
The character design of the Wolfriders is excellent. Every character has a distinctive look, personality and even fashion sense, with martial bonds and familial resemblances constantly reinforced. Basic archetype characters are presented as nuanced, living things, indelibly formed by their worlds yet alert and awake enough to craft their own futures. It's unfortunate that the Sun Folk are not given nearly enough care. Most of the men are interchangeable, while the women are all different versions of cute.
As agrarian people protected from human predation by a vast desert, the Sun Folk are considered by the Wolfriders (and the narrative) as soft, good-natured and childlike. Their comfy village represents the settled, safe life; it's relative urbanity with even a blush of the suburban. The Sun Folk tile gardens, bake bread, roast meat, craft metals and weave the most amazing gauzy cloths. They have gold fringed cushions, house pets, cosmetics and nightgowns. This isn't just a desert oasis - it's an microcosm for civilisation, with all its luxuries, possibilities and enervating perils The Sun Folk even have specialized career paths, with one very talented man responsible for all of their hunting and open aggression. After the Wolfriders literally storm their village and terrorise them, the Sun Folk don't just forgive them - they worship them. Safety has made the Sun Folk not just easy going, but passive and nondescript. They are literal spectators, allowing the Wolfriders to be not just the protagonists of this tale, but its unequivocal heroes. The Fire and Flight tale is not so much one of two cultures meeting and integrating, as a hardy band of adventurers joining a really nice gated community.
The central story is a very well done love triangle, in that it is a tale of three young people growing up via a public struggle over who gets who (a threesome is a no-go). It's actually a great life lesson for young people because all three gets what they need the most.
First up is Cutter. He is extremely young for an elf (24) and has been a chief of what he believes to be the only surviving band of elves (stranded beings for outer space) on the planet not-quite-Earth (it has two moons) since he was a teenager (after both his parents were killed by a hybrid monster). He is a tender hearted warrior leader, passionate, sometimes ruthless, occasionally impulsive, introspective, a dreamer forced by circumstance to be a pragmatist, a soulful lover forced by duty to be a loner. He is tough, yet vulnerable, virginal yet virile. He's a schoolgirl fantasy crafted to perfection. And yes, he had the chiseled muscles, square square and baby soft platinum hair that made many a 10 year old girl take special interest in his plight. And his plight his real. He is feeling impelled on a chromosomal level to mate with a haughty, strong willed, breathtakingly gorgeous female elf he came by while raiding her village.
Enter Leetah: she's not like the other girls. No, really she is actually has magic powers. She's a great healer. She's also the most beautiful girl in the village. (Though for my money I always preferred her younger sister Shenshen, but as an Asian I'm a sucker for a flirtatious nature and a killer set of top knots.) Anyway, Leetah also feels compelled to do the dirty with this barbaric man-child, BUT a) he kidnapped her; b) his tribe is really too primitive; and c) she's spoken for, by
Rayek: The baddie in this equation. Arrogant. Rude. A loner with a superiority complex who has borne the sole responsibility for providing his village of almost 50 people with protein and pelts for the last couple of centuries. Loves Leetah and one other person. Keeps asking Leetah to marry her so they can have beautiful, magically empowered children. Has telekinetic magic powers and a superb work ethic.
Enjoys mind control and social belittlement. Is hurt Leetah is not ready to settle down after six centuries of dating. Is disgusted at her chromosome induced lust for Cutter. (Or could it be more?) Is disgusted at having to share communal air space with the Wolfriders. Is a lonely, frustrated person who puts too much pressure on himself.
Rayek is actually a fan favourite anti-hero. I loved his character arc in the Original Quest. It was an eye-opener to 10-12 year old that a person could be an hot-headed, unstable villain in one situation, and transform into a optimistic, level-headed hero when allowed to remake their identity in a different environment culture. Rayek taught me that if everyone in your hometown hates you, it's time to pack your bags and open your mind. Also, if your hot, gifted girlfriend refuses to marry you, it's time for her to not be your girlfriend. The vilification of his character in subsequent installments is one of the many reasons I only gravitate towards the original four-part saga, which is PERFECTION: ambitious, honest, mature enough to be ambiguous, adult enough to be optimistic. It was a gift from creative heaven to the kids in my small, Northern mining town in general, and to one lonely, bespectacled, working class, Chinese immigrant kid in particular.
It all began with Fire and Flight. This is arguably the best for the four installments. It's the most self-contained with the most accessible of central themes: vulnerable young people finding a new world by having the courage to grow into new people.
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