Miscellaneous Debris

dumb outdated meme thing i made over a year ago but never posted, new revised edition

characters included based on the criteria of “i could think of something mildly amusing to say about them”

Here’s a good example of Elfquest refusing to shy away from the savagery of nature, in direct contrast to the apparent cuteness of the elves and their wolves. The series’s almost ligne claire style causes its critics to make an error in judgement, seeing the book as childish and cute.

The only childish aspect is the purity, although perhaps not quite innocence, of the protagonists, and the style is a means to convey this world view. But part of their place in the world is in step with the savagery of nature as much as its beauty, and there is no attempt to disguise this, or soften the more brutal scenes through style or obfuscation. Thus the menace of these dogs would not be out of place in Game Of Thrones- and there is more than a little of Ramsay Bolton’s sadism in the character of the Djun- therefore ensuring that readers are fully aware of the threat these creatures pose now, which can only grow under the evil spells of Winnowill.

A comiXologist recommends: ElfQuest

by: Jen Keith

Long ago, the High Ones came to a world sparsely populated by tribes of superstitious humans. Descended from these otherworldly creatures – these aliens – were the Wolfriders: a group of hunter-gatherer elves who found friends and mounts in the wolves that howled at the two moons in the sky. Cutter, with the blood of ten chiefs flowing through his veins, protects his pack against all threats, human and troll alike, while seeking the kin he longs to connect with.

ElfQuest has it all. Fantasy and science fiction alongside romance and action. At once you have space travel and magic mingling with trolls and fairies. There are soulmates found through the Elven phenomenon of “Recognition” and battles raged for life and home. The elves face a changing world of politics and cruelty yet it only strengthens their bonds as friends and family.

ElfQuest is a groundbreaking, indie series co-created by a woman in the 70s featuring women not only healing and loving but fighting, leading, and standing as equals in positions of power. The men and women of ElfQuest are beautiful, smart, strong, and fierce with relationships and emotions that run deep.

It may have come out decades ago, but it is still relevant to today and today’s readers. The elves face fear from humans who, unlike the Wolfriders, find difficulty in living harmoniously with nature. When meeting their own kind, they find both open-armed acceptance and fierce scorn for their differences. Like I said: it has it all.

I owe a lot to the creators, Wendy and Richard Pini, as it was among the first comic series I ever picked up. It’s the kind of series that, no matter how many ways I own it, I want to buy every version I see, and these gorgeously rendered black and white omnibuses are no exception. As a creator, I know these books influenced me more than I may ever know; as a fan, I still get the same warm/fuzzy feeling as when I first read about the Wolfriders and their adventures.

Having the first and second omnibuses and Final Quest Vol. 1 at my digital beck and call was one of my personal highlights of having Dark Horse on comiXology. I’m pleased to invite you to join the pack and pick up ElfQuest today.

[Read ElfQuest on comiXology]