Elfquest Archives, Vol. 1

Elfquest Archives #1

by Wendy Pini, Richard Pini

An astonishing mythology of fantasy and adventure, ELFQUEST: ARCHIVES VOL. 1 introduces the legend of Cutter and his Wolfrider clan of elves. Existing on a prehistoric world in which humans and elves are bitter enemies, the Wolfriders live a dangerous life of fatal battles, deadly hunts, and tribal traditions. Proud of their history but unaware of their origin, the Wolfriders are on an eternal quest to learn the mysteries of their past. A fast-paced tale of action and conflict, this hardcover edition includes the Wolfriders' fateful battle with a band of humans, their surprising discovery of another clan of elves, and Cutter's first meeting with his lifemate Leetah.

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Young Adult, Speculative Fiction

216 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2003

About the author

Wendy 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.

Reviews

[Anniken Haga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up on Elfquest, and so my view might be a little distorted by that. This series shaped me in so many ways, and was a safe haven when I needed it. This remake is good, and I like the added storyelements and drawings, although I do prefer the original format of single-issues and the colors there. It was also interesting to see some very new art by the Pinis and how it has changed from these early volumes. I'm not sure I like the change. It's a lot more sexualized, for while the elves are sexual and I really appreciate that, this more resent art is all about big eyes and boobs and not as much original character. At least that's what it felt like to me. But the art in this book is good and original, and it's a lot of fun revisiting the world of Two Moons!

I did read some of the other reviews for this book, and I do understand how this book may not hook new readers. There isn't a clear storyline other than Cutter/Leetah, as the Quest isn't introduced before the next book, so this one is just a big hunk o' romance.

And on that note, I do see some problems with this series reading it as an adult. The fact that Strong Bow says Cutter should just ''take'' Leetah, that it's his right... *shudder*
I do appreciate how Leetah stood up for herself all the way through the story, however, and while there was a kind of lovecharm involved with the Recognition, that Cutter tried to respect that, and that Leetah's people had different customs to his own.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd never read Elfquest before but I remember seeing it at my friends' houses in high school. I was always aware of it as a classic. A fantasy comic about elves! Truly, the literature of my people, yes? But overall I found this a big, disappointing meh.

[Carl Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous artwork, newly-colored and relettered for this collection, leaps off the page. The story of the destruction of the Wolfriders' home forest and their quest to find Sorrow's End stands up well. Most of the focus after reaching Sorrow's End is more personal and less epic, but shows a deft touch of character and an eye for relationships.

[Brian Bankhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotta say this was a very enjoyable read. I had heard about ElfQuest for a good ten years, but never read any. I remember seeing some individual issues at my old comic shop and later looked it up online. I guess it wasn't enough to for me to dive in at that point. I'm glad I decided to finally give it a chance after seeing it at the library.

This is a book that I got really caught up in. I started reading it last night after my family had gone to sleep. Suddenly I realize that it's 1am and I should go to bed. It's one of those times when you go to bed because you should and not because you want to.

After my kid woke up for a bit at 5am, I didn't want to go back to sleep. I had to keep reading. Well now I have to get my hands on more volumes. I must continue the story.

I can't put my finger on why I love ElfQuest. It's almost embarrassing if you haven't yet taken the dive. It seems so cheesy. Although most fantasy vibes that way for non-fantasy readers. The art is well done, but it is a little strange as well. Small humanoid elves with chiseled abs, bell bottoms and seventies hair. It all goes against what I normal gravitate toward. It has all the red flags of being dumb. It's just so great though.

The world created is unique and interesting and keeps evolving with each chapter. I still want to know more about the universe. The characters are more complex than at first imagined. There are relationships being built and others being explained. I really feel like I'm part of the tribe.

It all sounds so lame, but it is so cool.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really REALLY loved this collection! Being somewhat new to the comic book/graphic novel scene I'd have to say that this is one of my favorites so far! Though I had never heard of Elfquest I was amazed to find out that it was such a legendary comic.

First released in 1978 it was the first graphic novel series to be written and drawn by a woman AND was one of the first to bring graphic novels to the mainstream. This book is one of the reasons you can now find graphic novels in big chains like Barnes & Nobles, Borders, etc. And, it was all done between Wendy and her husband from their home as a totally independent venture!

I am glad that I was introduced to Elfquest through this edition; the DC Archives. The original art and lettering was somewhat bland whereas DC actually paid Wendy and her husband to use new technology (25 years after the original was released) to go back and re-color and ink everything. The result is some pretty unreal artwork that only makes the great storyline that much better! I could go on and on. If you haven't read this series yet and you enjoy fantasy or graphic novels, get a copy in your hands as soon as possible!

[Alicea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right off the bat, I was blown away by Wendy Pini who is an absolutely phenomenal artist. The entire thing is rich with color and a distinctive flair that I came to appreciate as Wendy's signature style. Another reviewer said that this series is born more of the heart than of the mind and I totally agree with them. [A/N: If you're looking for a cerebral sci-fi then you have made a wrong turn and need to look at your directions a little more closely.] Pini has created a true fantasy epic that is about the people just as much (maybe more so) than the journey they undertake.

Volume 1 introduces us to the Wolfriders, a tribe of forest elves, who are led by their young chief, Cutter, who is brave, strong, and dedicated to his people. At the start of the first volume (after we're introduced to quite a few of the Wolfriders and their wolf allies (actual wolves that they ride)) we discover that there has been a longstanding rivalry (and much bloodshed) between the elves and the humans that live nearby. This is partially why they've developed such a close relationship with the wolves and why they've developed into such powerful warriors. A determined human decides that the only way to win against their fierce adversaries is to burn down their forest home...and as a result the Wolfriders begin their quest to find a new home in lands unknown. #backstory

[Aran Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a little ambivalent about the coloring work done, but other than that I loved my first visit to Pini's world of Elves. I look forward to future volumes, but I am tempted to try reading the black & white versions instead.

[Fernando Angeleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elquest es una historia con tintes clásico, pero no hay que dejarse orientar por lo infantil que parezcan los trazos ya que posee una trama que toca temas como el amor verdadero, las relaciones sexuales y las drogas recreativas.
De todas maneras es disfrutable y de fácil lectura!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

when this series originally came out my brother was a teen and bought them all. I haven't read these in years. I stumbled on the collection at the library and decided to read them again. I still love them. My own teens found them slightly cringy with the kind of 70s fashion. But to each their own.

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic. Fresh. Beautiful. Engaging. Inspiring.

[D.M. Almond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still solidly holds up to past reads as a true treasure.

[Nolan Egly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork is gorgeous and the narrative text uses a high vocabulary level to broadly but succinctly describe the story. The main characters have an interesting depth to them.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic of alternative comics back when superhero’s was all there was.

[Ana Mardoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elfquest Archives: Vol. 1 / 1-4012-0128-8

"Colorful" barely begins to describe this archive volume. The drawings are incredibly detailed, beautifully colored, and lovingly crafted - several of the full page drawings are so artistic that I'm tempted to just frame them and hang them on my walls. The drawings are so realistic and lovely, that it's easy to become instantly immersed in the storyline, and it's fascinating how compelling the ElfQuest tale is.

Volume 1 portrays the movement of the Wolfrider elves from their ancient forest home after the evil humans destroy their home and everything they've ever known and loved. The young and inexperienced chief, Cutter, leads his people to the nearby home of the trolls, hoping to half-bargain, half-threaten passage through the mountain to the other side of the world, a world where perhaps the humans no longer exist and can no longer slaughter them. What they find on the other side, however, is a world so alien and inhospitable that survival seems impossible - until they chance until another tribe of elves, as alien and foreign to the Wolfriders as the desert that now threatens to kill them. From there, the Wolfriders and the Sun People must learn to live together in harmony; with Cutter's romance with the exotic Leetah a metaphor for the blossoming relationship between the two tribes.

It's hard to know how to classify ElfQuest. There's a lot of action here, in the early battles with the humans, the trolls, and the beasts of the forest, and yet ElfQuest is not primarily an action-adventure tale, as witnessed by the long periods of dialogue, emotional adjustment, and day-to-day life details of the elves and their pets. There's a great deal of 'adult' material, as Cutter and Leetah struggle with the imperatives of their hearts and bodies, but this isn't gratuitous titillation - the emotional turmoil that the pair explore is relevant and significant to all of us. Reasonable people will disagree as to what age minimum this comic is suitable for, and yet the sensitive and intelligent treatment of adulthood themes such as love, lust, friendship, honor, moderation, and self-control are so well-handled here that I'd prefer to hand this to a child over, say, the latest 'harmless' shoot-em-up graphic novel that fails to give more than mere lip-service to the idea that violence for its own sake might be bad. ElfQuest explores these and other concepts in detail, and in a manner that is always thought-provoking yet never bombastic or dictatorial.

Because I'm a new fan, I can't speak to how this archive compares to the original old issues. Snippets of the old issues are included in the beginning and ending of each archive; sometimes in black-and-white panels, others in full color portraits and covers. I believe, however, that the spirit of the original was perfectly preserved, and I find ElfQuest to be just as compelling today as it must have been when it was first published.

~ Ana Mardoll

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew of the ElfQuest series from a book-on-tape adaption I listened to as a kid but could remember very little of the story. I picked up this volume as a refresher and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

It took a little while to get settled into the story, but once I did I was hooked. It's true that there are elements that come off as a bit strange and dated. I didn't even have to read the back cover to realize that this was written in the 70s; the bell-bottom wearing elves who ride wolves, communicate psychically, and enjoy "dreamberries" and a certain amount of free love were a pretty big clue to that fact. Not to mention the at times psychedelic color scheme that is on full display in this reprint.

However, before long I was deeply invested in all of the characters who are archetypal but also complex, with room for growth that I imagine will be fully realized in latter volumes. I was especially impressed with Wendy Pini's dynamic art (cartoonish, at times, but very impressive) and the world-building. It was refreshing to read a fantasy comic involving elves that for once was not sent in a quasi European medieval landscape, but instead involves tribal societies and seems to draw more on Mesoamerican culture (at least for the Sun Folk).

All in all, I really enjoyed this. You can read ElfQuest for free on the official website, but this volume is worth picking up for the ease of settling down with a good comic book in hand as well as the extra art and information about the series that it contains.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining enough, but to my mind the art work is not of the very highest order (Rip Kirb, Wallace Wood, say) and the prose is pretty awful. Characters don't go somewhere, they "wend their way". Or take this passage: "The chatter of dearly-loved voices... the scent and feel of his family's nearness... the sight of wide-eyed, flushed faces... and the burden of a perilous journey dissolves in peals of joyous laughter." Ugh...

And there's so much of it, so much text. Which is a gripe I have with American comics in general: all this talk, talk, talk. Often this reads like an illustrated story more than a true comic strip, i.e. a medium where you use drawings and some text to tell a story as efficiently as possible. I think I found about one page in the entire volume where a story was told in panels without any text at all, and it really stood out as an exception.

It also shows in the characterization: the authors seem to have clearly delinated the separate characters of the pack of wolf elves -- in their own minds. But for the reader, few of the separate characters really come to life. So when in a battle one or the other gets wounded or killed and you see other characters grieving, you conclude that they're probably in some intimate relationship to each other. But you never had a very clear feeling of who these characters were to begin with, so it's hard to identify them -- or identify with them. In that respect, the story-telling isn't handled very deftly.

It's a sympathetic venture, but I think this is for fantasy lovers more than for lovers of le neuvième art per se.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the beginning of an epic. It's the story of how the Wolfriders lost their home and come to find another. It is also the love story between Cutter and Leetah.

The art is beautiful, the story is, great, the book is magical. I'm a huge geek for ElfQuest; been hooked since before I started school.

Technically I didn't read this ISBN in 1988 because it was only recently reprinted, but I've known this story since I was a kid because my sisters had the "Fire and Flight" comic. One thing about these reprinted Archives is that there are more panels than the original releases. Sometimes I like these new additions and sometimes I don’t. There is an added section at the end of Book 1 where Skywise is bathing with 3 girls. I’m not fond of it, but I still love ElfQuest.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story didn't hook me enough to want to continue with further issue archives. I do appreciate ElfQuest for its historical significance, and this book was fun to read through in an afternoon. I suspect I'd have been much more attached to the characters if I only got 1 issue every so often.

Other thoughts: The elves wear bell-bottom pants and the artwork is clearly from the 1970s. All elves are highly sexualized in form and function. Silliness is key to some of the art, especially trolls.

Overall, fun and highly original with a bit of debt to fantasy loremasters, but I am not compelled to continue the series.

[Carol Nicolas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elfquest is a wonderful fantasy adventure. I read this as a child, and I was haunted by the story and pictures: Cutter and his Wolfrider clan of elves, the dangers they faced, and Cutter’s romance with Leetah. I recently rediscovered Elfquest. To my delight, I opened the book and found the same story I’d read as a kid: the elves’ bond with wolves, battles with humans, deadly hunts, traditions, their search to find a safe place to live, and of course romance. The artwork, by Wendy Pini,was beautiful, and the story was rich in detail. My interest in graphic novels and comics has been rekindled.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elfquest is a great fantasy story in graphic novel format. This full-color edition really shows the beauty of the lush illustrations. After their woodland home is destroyed, a band of wolf-riding elves goes on a quest to find a new home. In the process, they meet other, different types of elves and find out more about their fascinating history. This book is filled to the brim with sympathetic characters, realistic emotional moments, and grand adventures. Readers new to the series will be able to make sense of things if they start here.

[Chanel Earl]

I read an Elfquest book as a teenager and loved it. I think it was my first graphic novel. Then last night at the comic book store I found this volume on sale. I just couldn't resist.

It isn't as good as I remember it being, and I really have a hard time with all the half-naked, muscular elf art, but I like the story, mostly.

As far as I can tell, Elfquest is an important series, and I really appreciate what it started. I will probably read at least some of this again, and maybe even check out a few more volumes from the library (although maybe I won't by them).

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in early high school - a friend had the individual comics. Was great back then, is still great now. There is some great character development - each of the early comics introduces a character (or two), and weaves their story into the storyline issue by issue, while still moving the plot along at a good pace. A well-crafted story, while staying true to both comics and fantasy. I couldn't put it down.

That said, thank goodness it was at the library!! The list price is $76.95!! Loved it....but there's a limit.

[Akyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great start for a new reader to the Elfquest world. I started with another graphic novel in the series and was a tad lost, but this is a reprint of the first few printed. A must for any graphic novel and fantasy fan as it has been worked on by some well known names in fantasy writing.

[Amity DeAngelis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edition has full color on every page, which makes it beautiful and more fun to read than individual issues which are mostly black and white. The story is fun too and I like that different characters are focused on in each part.

[Waterfall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this series over and over again since elementary school, and somehow it never gets old. :~) I enjoyed seeing the updated colours in this edition, and to see the extra material collected with the rest.

[BG Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was happy to find that this story stands up (mostly) unlike many other books from my youth.

it's a good story, you should read it.

the only thing is "recognition", it's one of the major plot points and they never explain it or look into the normal premise of it.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The coloring has been re-done in the archive versions and it SHOWS. These are beautiful versions of the ElfQuest stories. Definitely worth having.

[Laura Nason · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite graphic novel, favorite fantasy series. Beautifully illustrated, written, each character is fleshed out marvelously, and you will remember them for a lifetime.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are my favorite comic books of all time!

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely edition with the updated coloring, though the effects can look a little weird for some panels. It's shame this is out of print.