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Elfquest: A greater challenge

Wendy and Richard Pini at 8:00 am Mon, Sep 17, 2012

Leetah

The sun village's healer and sister of Shenshen, her powerful magic can close wounds and restore life. Her tranquil life was turned upside-down by the arrival of Cutter and his Wolfriders, but she accepted her recognition to him and became his lifemate.

Shenshen

Midwife for the Sun Folk, a flirt, a gossip, and Leetah's younger sister.

Kimo

The son of Newstar and sun villager Lutei, Kimo usually has dark hair and skin—at least when his shape-shifting talents are not in play.

Shuna

Shuna was just a child when she first encountered her "blessed spirits." The daughter of an abusive father, she grew up believing in the magic and mystery of elves—and has some trouble accomodating herself to the everyday reality.

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Ed. note: Welcome to the second page of a new chapter of Elfquest, the long-running series of graphic novels first released in 1978 (Do you want to know more?) Published online-first for the first time here at Boing Boing, a new page of the ongoing narrative will be posted each Monday over the next few months. First time reader? You're a few issues behind. — Rob

Conceived in the heat of creativity early 1977. Born in the throes of Ypsilantean adversity on February 28, 1978. Entering that long golden afternoon even now.

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  • http://www.tavie.com Tavie

    Love Leetah in the right-hand panel in the second row looking like she’s throwing a hex on her sister here. Hee, hee.

  • GraceAlexander

    Silly human.

  • krissdevalnor

    Wonderful, amazing page!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D thanks Wendy and Richard!!!!!!

  • http://twitter.com/cjporkchop cjporkchop

    I love Elfquest, but get squicked by the thought of childbirth. Hope this part is over soon…

  • http://www.facebook.com/sephieswings Anna Hull

    I love what I see and I have been reading since I was 7

  • http://www.facebook.com/maurine.starkey Maurine Starkey

    This is a great idea. Looking forward to reading more.

  • http://www.facebook.com/maurine.starkey Maurine Starkey

    Looking forward to reading more. Great idea!

  • http://www.facebook.com/sonny.strait Sonny Strait

    Favorite panel? 4. Shuna’s pose on the line “Like all ordinary creatures” she looks very animal like.

  • RainmakerA

    *sniff* okay, now that I am done crying, that last thing that Leetah said… That’s exactly how I felt when I had my daughter. And yes, more has been asked of me than I wanted to give… But I did anyway. How could I not? Having a child teaches us who we really are, and is a journey and a challenge. I can’t wait to watch their journey unfold. Thank you, Leetah. High Ones bless you, Shuna and cub.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1410197080 Amy Price Green

      Rainmaker – ditto to everything you said!!

  • RainmakerA

    Oh good I’m not the only one who accidentally double posted :P

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sara-Jung-Classen/1241201109 Sara Jung-Claßen

    Ooh, this is lovely. I have always adored the depictions of birth in Elfquest, and this is no exception!

  • http://www.facebook.com/dc.mizejewski David Miz

    Total chills. One of things that has always set Elfquest apart is that its creative force is a woman, the amazing Wendy Pini. This page is a perfect example of why Elfquest is like no other comic you’ll ever read. This is all about the power of women – no pink, no frills, no frou-frou “girly” stuff necessary.  (Not that there’s anything wrong with the pink-girly-frou-frou stuff; there’s plenty of that in EQ too – it’s just not the ONLY representation of femininity like it sadly is in so many other forms of media, and that’s one thing that makes EQ so special.)

  • http://www.facebook.com/maura.scherrer Maura Scherrer

    Man I am just so glad to have it back, and even better you both behind the wheel.   Its just so exciting and such a privilege to continue on this journey.   

  • http://www.facebook.com/natascha.artworx Natascha Artworx

    wonderful!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=35800075 Bijou Vann

    My friend just introduced me to Elf Quest earlier this year and I’m in LOVE with it! I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning every night catching up on the entire story and am so glad that it’s continuing. Hunt Howl and Live Free!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/trinton.garrett Trinton Garrett

    I have been reading EQ since I was a teen (45 now).  I am enjoying every bit of it now then I did then.  Thank you so much Wendy and Richard for sharing your talents!

  • http://www.facebook.com/jerry.humes Jerry Humes

    Elfquest has been my favorite story since I “discovered” it in with the “adult” books for sale at a tattoo shop in San Diego back in 1984 when I was a Sailor!  Even have my name in the second fan address book – back then it was MM3 Humes on the USS Dixon!  More important – I had never seen ANYTHING like EQ before, and after getting spoiled by both the fantastic art, and the “not just for little kids” story, I had a Heck of a time ever finding anything else that was even close to as appealing to me!  Until I stumbled onto Anime – with it’s similar Graphic Novel format stretching over years sometimes – I really enjoy getting to “know” the characters, almost as well as I enjoyed getting to Know Leetah & Cutter!  Elfquest is, without any doubt, the reason that I now own an Anime Store in Edinboro, Pennsylvania!  Thank you Wendy and Richard!  I am thrilled to once again be along at the start of a new chapter in the long history of the Wolfriders!  I am 53 now, but I have enjoyed these first two pages just as much as I did then, and I have already introduced my 14 year old son to the wonders of ElfQuest!

  • Frank Diekman

    That one chica needs to lay off the green eye shadow.

    • http://www.facebook.com/dc.mizejewski David Miz

      hahahaha, you shoulda seen it back in the late 70s – Leetah’s gotten very subtle with her makeup nowadays.  ;-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/savanna.wilson.376 Savanna Wilson

    I have first stumbled upon ElfQuest when I was 9.  3rd book and ever confusing, but I was in love.  It actually was what brought me to start writing and drawing, though I know I will never be as wonderful or skilled an artist and story teller as Wendy and Richard Pini, I have nevertheless been inspired greatly, and throughout the years have read everything there is to know about ElfQuest, and to learn that once more they are creating a wonderful story with the same beloved characters is utterly amazing!  I can barely wait for the next page but rereading every other book is really helping. One day I would like to meet and shake the hands of these two wonderful parents of ElfQuest because they are so friggin’ EPICALLY AMAZING!

  • kyleen sixtysix

    So super geeked to see new Elfquest! I can’t wait to see how this is going to all unfold!

  • http://twitter.com/BlendAbout Kate Spivak

    I’ve been a dedicated EQ fan since I was 7 (originals were still being published). I’ve also been in Consumer Marketing for over 14 years. I like the idea of weekly updates, but a page a week is a REALLY bad idea for acquiring readers, unless your only target audience are soon-to-be-mothers and established mothers. The fact that these are the two pages you’re starting with tellme that it’ll be a LONG time coming before there’s content that would attract the average person, let alone the average EQ fan – which is mostly of the male variety. The last thing the average man would want to see is a woman giving birth.

    • http://www.facebook.com/dc.mizejewski David Miz

      I don’t think the average EQ fan is a man.  And I don’t think that Wendy and Richard worry too much about attracting “the average person.”  Nor have they ever.  Somehow Elfquest has managed to still be a huge success.  Elfquest is different, and that’s what makes it great.  Paying attention to target demographic interests and market research is important — but not if it impedes the creative process.  W&R are telling this story they way they want to, and that’s how it should be.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sara-Jung-Classen/1241201109 Sara Jung-Claßen

      “the average EQ fan – which is mostly of the male variety”

      I’d like to see your source on that. Because all EQ fans I know personally are female*.

      Also, we have seen at least one pretty graphic birth before (Mender). Didn’t seem to hurt sales all that much. This is really tame in comparison.

  • http://www.facebook.com/dc.mizejewski David Miz

    Also, as far as the one page a week schedule, am I alone in saying that I’m actually kind of enjoying it? Even though it’s thoroughly modern digital art being delivered via the internet as a webcomic, getting it this way still feels kind of old fashioned, like reading a serial comic strip in the Sunday newspaper. 

    The wait is giving me time to pour over each page, drinking in the art and trying to figure out where the story is going. 

    And as I’ve said before, I think Wendy and Richard (and Boing Boing) are taking genius advantage of what doing this online has to offer (e.g., the sending stars with background info on characters and links back to elfquest.com). Like everyone else, I do eventually want to get a hard copy version of this in my greedy mitts, but I’m enjoying this new experience.

  • Lila2004

    Why is the background on Leetah’s sending-star description different from everyone else’s?  All the others have a solid black background, but Leetah’s seems to have a leafy, woodsy background.  Does that mean something?