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Elfquest #9
Elfquest Book #09: Rogue's Challenge
Rayek. To followers of the Quest, the name speaks of pride, magic and, thwarded ambition. Why is the black-haired Sun Villager the way he is? What secrets lie buried in his centuries-old past? What drives him to become the rogue elf who issues the final challenge to Cutter, Blood of Ten Chiefs -- his only rival -- for the love of the healer Leetah?
Contains Hidden Years 6, 7, 8, 9 and 9.5.
Contains Hidden Years 6, 7, 8, 9 and 9.5.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1994
139 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Pini
614 books395 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 4, 2021
''Let me show you what I have never shared with anyone else''
Oh, Cutter, you break my heart.
The rest of this book is a little meh. It retcons some events mentioned in the original story, as well as messing up the timeline of the original story. It is interesting to see where the Gliders and the Wolfriders differed in their arrival to to the world of Two Moons, and it's interesting to see how Leetah became the woman we know and love. But, I never liked Rayek, and not because of what he does in Broken Circle, but because of who he is, and how he thinks he owns everything - or at least he should.
So the events leading up to the last story in this book are just meh, and together they get a 3/5 star rating. But that last story... it breaks my heart, it made me cry, and even if Rayek does a bit of growing, it does not change him much in my eyes. My tears are for Cutter and what he lost.
Oh, Cutter, you break my heart.
The rest of this book is a little meh. It retcons some events mentioned in the original story, as well as messing up the timeline of the original story. It is interesting to see where the Gliders and the Wolfriders differed in their arrival to to the world of Two Moons, and it's interesting to see how Leetah became the woman we know and love. But, I never liked Rayek, and not because of what he does in Broken Circle, but because of who he is, and how he thinks he owns everything - or at least he should.
So the events leading up to the last story in this book are just meh, and together they get a 3/5 star rating. But that last story... it breaks my heart, it made me cry, and even if Rayek does a bit of growing, it does not change him much in my eyes. My tears are for Cutter and what he lost.
October 23, 2008
WOW! The payoff at the end of this book is the strongest I have ever read. The stories that lead up to the final climax are OK. But they don't have Wendy Pini's art or poerful stortelling. Once you read them you will probably not read them again. But the final part of the story will bring you back again and again. The bad blood between Rayek, rogue elf once of the Sun village, and Cutter, chief of the Wolfriders, just can't get any deeper. Rayek stole Cutter's wife and two children and vanished far into the future. Cutter endured endless ages hoping against hope that he would live long enough to see them again, not knowing if he ever would. Thousands of years pass. Man progresses from the Stone Age to the Medieval, while Cutter counts the years. Finally Cutter and his family is reunited. He and Rayek agree to an uneasy truce for the good of all. But what Rayek did just rots and festers unresolved until neither can take it anymore. What results is a contest of blood unlike any other in fantasy. It will rock you!
January 9, 2024
ElfQuest is a beautiful exploration of people and culture in a fantasy world that started back in the 1970's and still runs to this day. On this world humans are still very much in their barbaric cavemen days while elves are the fierce hunters but also fun loving children of the forest who just want to be left alone. We meet Cutter and his clan of Wolf Riders just as they're escaping a deadly clash with the humans of their area that results in them burning down the whole forest and its through these elves' eyes that we get to explore this lush world and storytelling.
Back when I was introduced to this world in middle school by my cousin, I was immediately taken with the stunning artwork and the way these characters were portrayed. The Wolf Riders and the other elves in the story are very obviously part of the same race, but show a wide variety in every aspect of their design depending on where in the world they settled (much like actual humans in our world). From the beginning we have a large handful of characters to keep track of, elf, troll and human alike, and yet it never felt like a struggle to keep track of them because of their design and how their names just fit them so well...
Read my review on the full series at Well, Are They? A Queer Review blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2022...
Back when I was introduced to this world in middle school by my cousin, I was immediately taken with the stunning artwork and the way these characters were portrayed. The Wolf Riders and the other elves in the story are very obviously part of the same race, but show a wide variety in every aspect of their design depending on where in the world they settled (much like actual humans in our world). From the beginning we have a large handful of characters to keep track of, elf, troll and human alike, and yet it never felt like a struggle to keep track of them because of their design and how their names just fit them so well...
Read my review on the full series at Well, Are They? A Queer Review blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2022...
July 9, 2024
This volume focuses mostly on Rayek, with a story in the middle about the first ones (which is thematically about Rayek). Opening after the palace has arrived in the future, Rayek is without his magic. Venka takes him on a hunt to get to know the Wolfriders better. Then, through the scroll of colors, we get a story of the first ones. We know Timmain embraces nature. Meanwhile a black-haired elf named Haken embraces the violence of humans. (So, metaphorically, the Wolfriders versus Rayek (or maybe Winnowill, but it's tough not to see Rayek when he's telling the story).) Then we get a story of Rayek as a child and how he got to be so self-important. Also, he tries to groom Leeta to be his mate starting WHEN SHE'S IN THE WOMB because she's the only other elf with magic powers. Then, finally, back in the present, Rayek picks a fight with Cutter as a way of burying the hatchett.
Writing chores are shared by Sarah Byam and Wendy Pini for each issue. The art by Paul Abrams and Charles Barnett is fine. The big fight issue is illustrated by John Byrne, and has much more of an action feel.
I read the color version, which I recommend when reading anything to do with the scroll of colors.
Writing chores are shared by Sarah Byam and Wendy Pini for each issue. The art by Paul Abrams and Charles Barnett is fine. The big fight issue is illustrated by John Byrne, and has much more of an action feel.
I read the color version, which I recommend when reading anything to do with the scroll of colors.
February 1, 2026
Generally a disappointing volume, and I suspect that's because much of it is authored or co-authored by a guest writer.
The two-part High Ones story is not just quite bad, but feels out of characters. I have a suspicion it wasn't in the recent 8-volume series of B&W digests because it's been decanonized (at least one can hope).
Then we get some Rayek stories that are OK. His reconnection with his daughter and the tribe is decent, and I think would have read better if it hadn't been used as prelude to the awful High Ones story. His flashback to his past with Leetah is ... weirdly creepy because of his adult interest in an infant. Ugh, not good, and I'm not sure I believe Leetah's decision to kill herself to tune her healing ability.
The last issue, with Rayek and Cutter putting to rest the theft of Cutter's family is magnificent. It's definitely what makes the volume. But there was a lot to get through to get there.
The two-part High Ones story is not just quite bad, but feels out of characters. I have a suspicion it wasn't in the recent 8-volume series of B&W digests because it's been decanonized (at least one can hope).
Then we get some Rayek stories that are OK. His reconnection with his daughter and the tribe is decent, and I think would have read better if it hadn't been used as prelude to the awful High Ones story. His flashback to his past with Leetah is ... weirdly creepy because of his adult interest in an infant. Ugh, not good, and I'm not sure I believe Leetah's decision to kill herself to tune her healing ability.
The last issue, with Rayek and Cutter putting to rest the theft of Cutter's family is magnificent. It's definitely what makes the volume. But there was a lot to get through to get there.
February 21, 2024
This overlaps quite a bit with the second half of The Complete ElfQuest, Volume Three. But this book is just better. It's a better length. It has better framing. It has better story selection. And really I prefer Elfquest in color. And in Rogue's Challenge the story it just makes the art easier to follow. And we get some real back story - we get the first days of the elves on the world, and Rayek's story and Letah's story. Just a worthwhile volume, even with other than Wendy's words and other than Wendy's art.
May 16, 2025
I own the individual issues but for the Great ElfQuest Read of 2025, I am reading them on my tablet via ElfQuest.com (nearly all EQ comics are available to read on the website, for free!).
This printed volume collects Hidden Years #6-9.5. I liked the earlier stories, but the real gem (and the biggest reason for the five stars) is issue 9.5, Rogue's Challenge. Cutter and Rayek finally have it out now that Rayek has brought the palace (and Cutter's family) home. The ending to this story is truly lovely.
This printed volume collects Hidden Years #6-9.5. I liked the earlier stories, but the real gem (and the biggest reason for the five stars) is issue 9.5, Rogue's Challenge. Cutter and Rayek finally have it out now that Rayek has brought the palace (and Cutter's family) home. The ending to this story is truly lovely.
March 30, 2021
The elves are reunited. Rayek lives in the Palace, deep undersea. For him, little time has passed. He cannot understand why Cutter hates him so badly. When he offers a challenge, to let Cutter blow off steam, he learns why.
March 1, 2015
Out of print
Collects Hidden Years 6-9 & 9 1/2
the How Shall I Keep From Singing story was an interesting look back to the landing-time of the HighOnes.
But the semi-resolution of the Cutter/Rayek issue made me cry. And laugh at the Trolls and Mender
re-read 12/26/2010
I have this as the individual issues, but also the TPB in HC
Collects Hidden Years 6-9 & 9 1/2
the How Shall I Keep From Singing story was an interesting look back to the landing-time of the HighOnes.
But the semi-resolution of the Cutter/Rayek issue made me cry. And laugh at the Trolls and Mender
re-read 12/26/2010
I have this as the individual issues, but also the TPB in HC
February 11, 2011
I was so excited to get to continue reading this series, but all in all it didn't compare to the first 8 in my opinion. I still liked it but maybe my childhood reading of the first 8 gave them a sort of shiny awesomeness, and reading this one later just didn't have the same impact.
September 1, 2017
(found read date in diary)
October 5, 2014
The end of this book always brought me to tears, so well developed..
January 21, 2016
Re-reading, prosecting nuggets...
February 14, 2016
Fantastic blend of fantasy and comics. Incredible characters and story line. Highly recommended
October 1, 2014
great best graphic novel by an american in forever
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews