ElfQuest

Although all the hub-bub about Elfquest has been out for a while, I’m finally taking the chance to write about it now. It seems like it's still picking up steam this second week after the trailer was released.

Elfquest, written by Richard and Wendy Pini, was a major part of my life. When I was little I didn't read very much. However, Elfquest could make me drop everything, even though when my brother first brought it home, I couldn’t even read yet! I luuuuuved the series.

It’s a comic (graphic novel) with gorgeous art and a pretty exciting story line. It encouraged me to draw by copying images of elves from what I saw in the comics and stimulated my mind as I imagined that the forest a mile away from my home was the same forest where elves romped around with their wolf friends. Growing up, I would bombard my friends, trying to get them to read the series.  In fact, I’m still trying to get them to read it (by the way friends…you should read it!)  Most likely, reading these comics influenced my imagination and my writing.

Just a quick synopsis: Elfquest is about a tribe of elves who are chased from their home by humans. Tricked by trolls they end up in a desert and run into another group of elves. After discovering they are not the only ones in the world of two moons, they set out to find and unite other tribes of elves meanwhile discovering their ancestry.

Very recently a group of fans, primarily Stephanie Thorpe and Paula Rhodes, created a live action trailer for the series. It's pretty fun and I think well done. I'll say that I was disappointed that none of the male characters made an appearance but I understand it would be quite difficult to find men that look like the characters in this series. The art by the creator, Wendy Pini, is amazing and the elves are all beautiful. So, when watching it, if you are concerned about the all-female cast don’t be. There are tons of male lead characters and trolls in the comic series. Yes, trolls! Yet the female actors do an excellent job of showing how pretty the characters can be.
Check it out, see what you think: http://elfquestfantrailer.com/

Then if it piques your interest, definitely check out the actual series. The physical copies can be difficult to get, but electronic copies are freely available on Elfquest.com. I'd say stick to The Original Quest before you venture out to sequels and bits by other artists and writers. Plus, as I mentioned, Wendy's art is just amazing!