Elfquest Archives Vol. 1 [Hardcover]

Wendy Pini (Author), Richard Pini (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This near-definitive edition collects the Pinis' classic tale of elves struggling to survive in a hostile world. Exploding off the page in lurid, Technicolor splendor, the art should enthrall a new generation of pixie lovers. Originally published in the 1970s, ElfQuest chronicles the adventures of a forest-dwelling tribe of elves forced from their homes by evil humans. After encountering some duplicitous trolls, the band of refugees makes its way across the wilderness and finds another, previously unknown tribe of elves. The perils of the trip and the integration of the two tribes make for all sorts of dramatic tableaux. The woodland elves, who are hunters, ride wolves and court danger, while the desert elves are civilized townsfolk with elaborate social customs. The conflict is embodied in Cutter (a wolf rider) and Leetah (a desert healer); it isn't surprising that the two are destined to be together. Perhaps more unexpected is the irrepressible sexuality of these elves. Every elf female has the figure of a petite Playboy playmate, while the elfin males resemble diminutive body builders. With such fabulous looks, it's no shocker that they enjoy scampering into each other's beds at every opportunity, although this is hardly the tale's central point. Rather, the Pinis focus on how their elven archetypes—the dreamer, the hero, the earth mother—interact and change as their world faces upheaval. Subtle it ain't, but it's fun, and the series has captured a loyal following in its 25-year history. Some new readers may even decide this confection of swirling color and masterful brushwork merits the hefty price tag.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. The Pinis spearheaded the independent-comics movement in the late 1970s with their self-published, black-and-white Elfquest magazine. Now the original stories are being reprinted in full-color hardcover editions. In these early tales in the elaborate saga, the elf Cutter leads his tribe in search of a new home after humans burn down their woods. Following an arduous desert crossing, the travelers encounter another tribe of elves, the Sun Folk, and Cutter finds his mate, Leetah. The story lines are compelling, if lacking in originality, and the artwork is straightforward and appealing. It's the characters that have given Elfquest its popularity and longevity: the elves are brave, loyal, and persistence, and the elf tribes not only learn to coexist but also benefit from each other's strengths. Many libraries can attest to Elfquest's appeal to young readers, especially girls, and the recent popularity of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy may give this a boost. The early stories are also being reprinted in compact, black-and-white paperbacks. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401201288
• ISBN-13: 978-1401201289
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 0.8 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #378,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RIP Elfquest but a great book - while you can still get it!, August 7, 2004

By 

Parkermann347 (U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elfquest Archives Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

UPDATE 2011: The Pinis decided to let their partnership with DC die in 2007. So if you want this book, grab it while you can. Wendy went on to a webcomic that tanked, its site is out of business. She spent 4 years on that, and meanwhile, DC moved on and gave them the boot.

So, this and other newer EQ books are out of print along with the rest of the canon. What is odd, is that they are now offering it all for free on the website. That's ok, but they don't seem to be interested in making any money.

They are still working on the movie after 28 years. Still. But no books, webcomics, cd's or anything else. Just the same few fans writing the same banal garbage on the EQ forums to keep us all going. Yeah, right. And of course Richard will throw out a teaser every so often about 'getting into gear' to write the Final Quest while the same 4 or 5 fans write about Norwegian versions of EQ and the rest just write every few years or so. And Wendy will travel to comic cons (for a comic that died 10 years ago) and is STILL working on the movie. Elfquest is dead, and that is the Pinis fault.

About the book:
This is the definitive EQ book 1. You probably want to know why the 2 other editions of this book aren't good enough,and for some of you, they might be.
Two considerations:
1. This book contains a georgeous extra chapter exclusively drawn by Wendy that features Skywise! That and all the rest of it is re-colored by Wendy herself, not Chelsea animation or Donning. This is the way she wants us to see the story. And the colors, while bright, are so crystalline clear and add so much depth to the expressions - even leaf dapple patterns on elven faces in some panels- that the other books seem bland and pale in comparison.
2. The production value on this is astounding. Most DC hardcovers, like the Sandman series, are ok but the qulality of paper used is like that in the original throw-away comics, kind of like colored magazines. This book is printed on super lush quality paper like the kind used in large art books, museum quality. This book, barring misfortune, disaster, cigarette smoke- will last for many years, truly archival quality.
The only tiny criticism I have is that the book should have been in the larger format like the Donning and Warp graphic version, but I guess they chose to make it bookshelf sized. It's normal comic book size. However, the clarity of the art is such that it's really no eye strain, just a minor 'oh well' .
So, hope that wrap it up. Enjoy! :)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fabulous New Version of an Old Favorite, December 30, 2003

By 

Rachel Wolfe (San Marcos, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elfquest Archives Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

I've been an ElfQuest fan for years (since I was six years old, in fact), and so I've already come to expect the best from EQ. But this new DC edition of book one far exceeded even my expectations and completely blew me away! The new coloring is so rich and fantastic that when I finally closed it, I was a bit disappointed to see the rather drab colors or real life again. Wendy Pini's artwork is so stunning on its own that simple black-and-white would be beautiful, and so when you add in the new colors you end up with dazzelingly brilliant art. And quite besides the pictures, the story is a strong, meaningful, and enduring one that I have loved for as long as I can remember, and which I find a new reason to admire every time I re-read it. If you're an old ElfQuest fan hesitating to buy material you may already have in another edition, I strongly urge you to go for it. This new edition is worth every penny. If you're new to ElfQuest, you couldn't ask for a better introduction.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Brought Back To Life, June 30, 2004

By 

Heretic (Saratoga Springs, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elfquest Archives Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

This IS the definitive edition of the Elfquest comics. The color is perfect, and this beautiful hardcover book contains many bonus images and interviews/bios with the creators of the comic. A must have for fans and a great way to introduce someone new to the world of Elfquest.

I can't wait for volume 2!