Elfquest: the Bellyripper's breakfast

The latest page of The Final Quest: Prologue is published online first for the first time here at Boing Boing. First time reader? You're a few issues behind.

• [Emby Quinn]

  Love the snarl! That’s Cutter’s cub and no mistake!

  And his spines are toxic? Who knew?

  • [Rob Beschizza]

    No-one told the bellyripper that one does not simply eat Pteroinae without proper preparation.

    • [David Miz]

      Nice use of the Latin there  Rob!  ;-)

      • [Rob Beschizza]

        http://blueherald.com/uploads/Batocchio/2008/HughLauriePrinceRegentBlackAdder3.jpg

  • [Ananda Syapin]

    I don’t think the spines are toxic, I think he’s just using them like a whip.

    • [David Miz]

      I think Sunstream’s Wavedancer shape is based on that of a lionfish, which do indeed have venomous spines.  http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/lionfish/ 

      I suppose we’ll find out for sure next week based on what happens to the bellyripper!

• [Tavie]

  ZOMG the hand-wringing Wavedancers were RIGHT ALL ALONG!!!

  • [David Miz]

    Looks like they were.  But I think Sunstream and Brill were also right in embracing a more “Wolfridery” philosophy of “the world might be dangerous, but I’m not going to hide away in fear.”

• [David Miz]

  Absolutely LOVE seeing protective-papa Sunstream!  Even gentle elves can be fierce protecting their loved ones (think Redlance and Woodlock).    And looks like those healers modelled Sunstream’s Wavedancer shape after the lionfish, complete with venomous spines!

• [Candice Graham]

  ayyyoooooaaaahhhhh SunStream!!! He’s  cutter’s alright :) beautiful art and story as ever!!

• [Stephanie Rogers]

  He’s his Chief-father’s son all right; protecting the family with ferocity! 

• [Larry H Scheinman]

  Looks like Sunstream has a touch of the wolfblood after all….

• [Hokulani Ka’anapu]

  Wolf blood carries true! He is truly Cutter’s Son!! 

• [Margherita Tramontano]

  O Wendy, don’t give us bad surprises yet… we already know there will be some, but not so fast…

• [Tavie]

  HOLY CRAP. You guys the bellyripper is in the beautiful family-dancing panel in the last page! Blood-curdling!!!

  • [Stephanie Rogers]

    I JUST noticed that! 

  • [Francois Labarbarie]

     Thanks for pointing. I did not see it at all before reading your comment. Nice one Wendy :)

• [Kristy Hearn]

  Cutter’s son?  Or Leetah’s?    Lionfish Venom, or anti-healing?

  • [cynthia butts]

     Sunstream was born to Cutter and Leetah in Sun Village and was named Suntop, along with his twin sister, Ember. Suntop and Ember are Wolfriders by birth.  The Wolfriders split up and Cutter gave the other half to Ember who is now chief of the desert tribe. Suntop became Sunstream when he became immortal in the the FirstComers’ Palace, grew taller and went through a transformation.  He remains a Wolfrider, but has added other facets to himself, and remains the son of Cutter and Leetah, no matter what transformations he experienced.

    • [Erika Westberg]

       I think Kristy meant did he fight like Cutter, with his body, or did he fight like Leetah with magic. :-)

      • [Francois Labarbarie]

        Good question. But the fin effect does not look like elfin magic like we see in EQ. It usually comes with our traditional diamond-shaped magical sparks.

        I can not decide if it is venom or mere hits. Either one is so not Sunstream-like it is almost disturbing :)

    • [Margherita Tramontano]

      Suntop is immortal since he was in the womb, when Ember’s spirit asked their mother to give her all the wolfblood, and he accepted to make the exchange.^_^ See “Leetah’s Song”.

• [cynthia butts]

  Good to see gentle Suntop-Sunstream rear up his Wolfrider side. Perhaps he can now relate to his father Cutter’s world view. :-)

• [David Miz]

  Oh, and the bellyripper (terrifying name!) is another example of World of Two Moons fantasy-fauna being informed by real life biology.  Note the placement of the eyes on the very top of the head.  This is an adaptation to allow the creature to lurk under the sea-floor sand unseen until prey swims above it.  Then, lightening fast, it lurches up to “rip the belly” of its next meal.  The appendages on its back mimic seaweed and coral and would stick above the sand too, adding further to its deadly camouflage.  Love. It. 

  • [Francois Labarbarie]

    Good thinking David. But if you’re right, it means this terrible creature does not see well in front of its head, just above. Meaning it can see nothing useful when rushing upward to rip its prey. That may come handy for Sunstream in his fight.

    Also, the bellyripper does not use real fins, it’s more like muscled limbs which can only push hard from the sea bottom. I can’t see it swin with that. If logic rules, this ugly beast should quicly sink back to where it comes from, with a very bad headache.

• [William Clark]

  Love it. Sunstream can hold his own. Its pretty apparent that he is Cutter’s son.

• [Tavie]

  I really, really enjoy that Sunstream is smiling in the last panel.

• [Tavie]

  (YES I came back to this page to read it for like the 6th time today)

  • [David Miz]

    only 6?  ;-)

• [Krondor2000]

  Oh man, if only Cutter could see his son now!!  Ayyyoooooaaaahhhhh Sunstream!!

  • [Francois Labarbarie]

    He may as well do from the surface. I would be surprised if any of this went unnoticed from waiting Wavedancer and Woldrider tribes. Surely, events are broadcasted to the others elves. Or at least fellings. Wavedancers might already be on their way to rescue our endangered little family.

    I fear this might be another issue between not-fearing-death Cutter and be-suspicious-of-everything Snakeskin. Let’s expect an argument with some “I told you so” and “that’s life”.