Greeting netizens, Fracadactyl speaking. We’re trying something new again; this time by backtracking to the days when comic book publishers include more than just a few independent outlets. From reading Comixology Unlimited, to the official website where someone can read all of the content of its franchise up until 2013, I’ve been going along the story of the cult hit comic book series, Elfquest.
Spoilers ahead for readers trying to start at the original quest.
Background on Elfquest
Elfquest is a fantasy comic made by husband and wife team Wendy and Richard Pini. It is a series about a community of elves struggling to coexist with different species and elf races. For its 40 year publication history the series deals with themes of race, religious fanaticism, genocide, culture, and identity.
The primary stories often revolve around the Wolfrider elves lead by their eleventh chief, Cutter. After being forced out of their forest by fanatic humans who burn the trees to the ground; the elves have to look for a new home. They encounter old rivals in the trolls and even another race of desert dwelling elves. From there, the story evolves from survival to uniting a people who divide amongst themselves. All for the sake of building a stable community by looking past the surface of people.
The Quest for Uniqueness
Comics have always been seen as a means for escape, especially if it involves almighty superheroes. But Elfquest is one of the most notable and successful indie series. It puts a focus on World of Warcraft-esque fantasies with real world issues surrounding the plot. In fact the elves offer more diverse outlooks unlike most fantasy genre tales. And this is the late 70s, a time of a lot of change in the real world. After all, this was before Marvel and DC start publishing its most mature content.
Make Way Claremont
Being different has always been something that history shows can be used to scapegoat people into treating others badly. Strangely enough, these factors almost mirror Chris Claremont’s simultaneous run on the X-Men. But rather than a battle between good and evil; Elfquest focuses more on culture clash. The humans due to their anxieties, fears, and faith start the catalyst by burning the forest to the ground. But the Wolfriders manage to find a new home in the desert with the dark skinned Sun Folk elves; after a few miscommunications of course. The human tribe however is in pieces by the circumstances that follow.
And that’s just typical fantasy series, where subjects like race are often seen through completely different species. But violence against others, is more or less directed at people of your own species. Confronting similar looking people often means more personal losses than group losses.
Let Me Explain
The wolfriders are often victims of racism from the other elf races; sometimes with more vigor than what the humans put them through. But rather than just make it so that the wolfriders are hated because they are different; there are more nuanced intakes. Most of the tensions come more from culture shock such as the True Sight ability.
However it is through the clashing between parties that began to look over the faults of others. Following the hero’s journey of Cutter, chief of the Wolfriders, he takes many chances and encounters many people. The first significant change however came when meeting his life-mate Leetah. After a rocky introduction and tensions between Leetah’s former love-mate Raylek; their collisions allow one another to change and offer insight to better communicate and thrive. Cutter wishing to know more about the world after losing his home finds community with the Sun Folk. Meanwhile Leetah learns not to burden herself as the tribe’s healer after seeing that the Sun Folk becomes more reckless. The two even have twins who go on to become great leaders on their own.
Enrichment Problems
But meeting different people often means encountering groups who have values and ideals alien to others; the worst are completely incompatible with others. This comes tightly packed with the mountain dwelling Glider Elves. Unlike their ground walking brethren, humans worship the Gliders as high spirits. The Gliders see themselves as being the closest to the elves ancestral High Ones. As such they see the Wolfriders as lesser elves; especially given their origins as chimeras with actual wolf DNA (it’s complicated). Unfortunately for the Gliders, because of their isolation and longing to be like the High Ones, they become stagnant. Only the Chosen Eight and the Chief(s) having anything similar to a life.
Heads in the Clouds
The worst of the gliders comes in the form of Winnowill, the most occurring antagonist in the franchise. On first impression, Winnowill comes across as haughty and imposing. Yet her backstory reveals that in spite of this bitter disposition, she is just as much a victim of the isolation she helps enforce on her tribe. As a healer like Leetah, Winnowill is to provide a means of comfort to her people; but because of their stagnant lifestyles, she often finds herself without purpose. So she uses her telepathic influence to control the Glider’s lives, including harming themselves so that she can practice her craft. However, she never knows when to stop to the point of controlling the Gliders’ every lives; she even makes them miscarriage their offspring. A sense of entitlement is a very dangerous thing.
It Gets Worse
Pretty soon, wishing to be with the high ones, Winnowill went to the mountains where they lived. There she meets a troll metalsmith named Smelt. Curious about the troll, she influences and seduces him to the point of bearing the halfbreed Two-Edge. However upon recalling her task, Winnowill begins to go mad; killing Smelt and torturing Two-Edge when he threatens to go to Winnowill’s former love-mate and Glider Chief, Voll.
Failing her task and wishing to reform herself; Winnowill uses her shapeshifting power to make herself into the image of a high one and enforce her rule on her tribe. With only her tribe’s traditions left, Winnowill grasps onto whatever she can to keep her sanity. However this makes Winnowill into a possessive and manipulative megalomaniac, failing to find the faults of the High Ones.
Clashing with Hard Truths
When things are intolerable, that is usually the time when change is necessary. Too bad that doesn’t come for the High Ones. The once great High Ones had actually roamed the world through a special ship. In fact, the High Ones were aliens that originally looked kind of like the Greys from pop culture. Their planet was overpopulated and lacked resources so they came to the planet with two moons. But their servant pets (the trolls) cause their castle to crash onto the planet. Their early encounters with primitive humans didn’t go so well either; a lot of the High Ones end up dying from these encounters. The rest are forced to adapt thanks in part to the fairy-like preservers or die not trying.
But even changes need to be overseen with a careful guiding hand. Lord Voll, with a sense of renewed hope excitedly goes out of the mountain in so long. Unfortunately his reckless enthusiasm causes his death by an accident. With the Wolfriders blamed for his death, Winnowill all but takes control.
Conservation and Progress Extremes
Wishing to fix everything, they recreate the High One ship and attempt to go back in time. Rayek meanwhile wants to restore Winnowill from her insanity but harms those around him. Doing so cost them both dearly with the Glider tribe wiped out; Rayek meanwhile lives in exile with Winnowill’s irreparable soul.
It is only by acknowledging flaws that the elves manage to thrive on their world of Abode; despite the numerous threats on them.
Other Themes of Elfquest
Elfquest certainly isn’t shy about its depictions of sexuality either. It is probably one of the earliest depictions of homosexuality and polyamory as normal and healthy. Elves being naturally omnisexual could have different partners as long as they manage to get along. However, to be frank its sexuality depictions including the use of recognition make it difficult to live with and understand. But maybe that’s because their definition of sexuality is different from any humans.
The Legal Quest
In its 40 year run, Elfquest is mostly independent via a small publisher the Pinis own, Warp Graphics; complete with a dedicated fanbase to keep the franchise going. Eventually to get Elfquest to a broader audience, the original series physical publishing rights go to major publishers; first to Marvel until the rights go to DC. It’s ironic considering that both publishers originally turn the pitch down. With the turn of the digital age and the series long epic, it makes sense to put the essential content on the internet. It’s perfect for newcomers and older fans to read. So the Pinis decide to put everything they already have on their website. But that wasn’t the end…
Elfquest Needs More Exposure
The only problem is, who has ever heard of Elfquest outside of its current fanbase and word of mouth? With very little merchandise including a set of figures, Elfquest is in obscurity. When you share the first year of publication with the likes of the more marketable Garfield, Jaws 2, and Star Wars, it’s too easy to overlook. There was a time when Elfquest almost gets animated. But there were some changes that were to be made for this to happen. From changing Leetah’s skin tone and making the twins into more gender-based stereotypes. So the Pinis reject the offer wishing to keep the integrity of Elfquest’s themes. I wonder if anyone today will be willing to animate Elfquest? Maybe the Pinis could work with independent animators and voice actors.
After all fans take leaps to show their support. They even produce a web trailer and a few board games that the Pinis get behind. With such a rich history, lore, and a compelling narrative; Elfquest could be enjoyed by a scores of people, enough to be on the same level as Warcraft.
But the ink’s not dry yet, so stay tuned for updates. As always remember to look between the panels.