COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK

COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK


Welcome once again to another installment of our dive into comic book lore, and see what the Bin of History has brought us this week---and, I gotta tell ya, it's a GREAT ONE!  This week, we focus on the beginning of one of the greatest fantasy comics of all time - ELFQUEST!  That's right, it's been awhile, be we've finally gotten around to plucking the debut issue for WaRP Graphics' elven saga that has captured the hearts and imaginations the world over.  Wendy & Richard Pini's tales from the forest have captivated audiences for the last 40 years...and have only continued to reached greater heights of popularity.  So, without further ado...let's take a peek behind the cover of this historic series.


ELFQUEST #1


COVER: Wendy Pini
WRITER: Wendy Pini (co-plotter, script), Richard Pini (plotter)
ARTIST: Wendy Pini
INKS: Wendy Pini
COLORS: Wendy Pini
EDITOR: Wendy & Richard Pini
COVER DATE: apprx. March 1978
PUBLISHER: WaRP Graphics

STORY TITLE: "Fire and Flight"

Elfquest #1 was the brainchild of artist Wendy Pini, and her husband/writer, Richard Pini.  In 1978, they had come up with the story of Cutter and his tribal band of elves, and had published the first story in a book called Fantasy Quarterly.  Along with the likes of such characters like Cerebus the Aardvark, the poor quality of the book gave the Pinis the idea to publish the book themselves, and thus, WaRP Graphics was born.  They re-did the story in a brand new book, with much better stock, and in a more magazine-style format.  The book got released around March of 1978, and it became a huge success. It became one of the many successful "underground" comics of the time, and established Wendy and Richard as credible storytellers.  The success of Elfquest spawned off into Epic line of comics, which was a subsidiary of Marvel, DC, and eventually a deal with Dark Horse Comics, with expanded on the original story and the "universe" to which Cutter and his tribe lived in.  The series has also spawned an RPG game, board game, novelizations, toys, and even a music CD. 

THE STORY: A race of elves, who have evolved from a race called the High Ones, are occupying the forests of the world known as Abode, or the World of Two Moons.  Their leader, Cutter, is forced into action when the humans come to burn the forest down, and take away their home.  Thus, Cutter must take his tribe, and find a new settlement in the woods away from the humans.  

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This issue kicks off what becomes one of the longest running sagas in comic book history.  Wendy's beautiful art and amazing characters, along with Richard's plotting and writing (shared with Wendy as well), bring the World of Two Moons to life, with lavish color, and artistic brilliance.  You can't help but be enthralled by the style and presentation.  It has a very medieval kind of feel, and I can't help but think that maybe Wendy and Richard were inspired just a tad bit by the beginning of the RPG phenomenon with Dungeons & Dragons, considering it's fantasy element.  The character of Cutter himself, has become one of THE most popular and well known characters in the history of comics.  The story itself sets the tone for the upcoming feud between Cutter's tribe and the humans.  If you've not EVER read Elfquest before, you are SORELY missing out.  Elfquest should be in EVERYONE'S library.