A dream for every fan

In the US, the trend has emerged in recent years to present in quality produced hardcovers accurate scans of original pages particularly popular comics. The ElfQuest Gallery Edition Darkhorse now puts forward the first volume, which has ElfQuest material to the content. The result is a beautiful book that I like receiving despite the steep price in my collection.

The large-format hardcover offers the reader to almost 180 pages scans the original pages of the first 5 editions of the original Quest (ie ElfQuest # 1-5). Each artwork page and the cover and back cover are included (only the back cover of # 1 was not there). The pages are presented in their original size and are printed on very thick, high-quality paper, so you almost feel like to hold the originals in hands exactly that is also the meaning of these editions. The originals are as apparently in this case the property of their creators or have gone for a lot of money at very enthusiastic and wealthy collectors; most it would be thus never permitted to look at these works of art in all its detail. This opportunity now offers the Gallery Edition. With a height of about 44 cm and a length of about 30 cm, the pages are shown bigger than ever. Every little detail can be seen, including the places where Wendy has then reworked or the lettering, which was completely made by hand changed. In addition to ElfQuest # 1-5 there is a new foreword by Richard Pini and a sketchbook section, which is unfortunately only 6 pages long.

Wendy Pini include drawings for me with the best of what it has to offer the comic book industry, and it was never better than in these early issues. Completely detached from all that, now more than 35 years ago, was the standard at that time, she has created something that did not exist and has never existed again. Your Elves are something special, and the history through which it guides the reader, is the beautiful and very detailed drawings only get better.

If anyone reading this review who does not know what it is about at ElfQuest, here's a quick look at the action: The small tribe of elves Wolfriders / Wolf Rider is forced to leave its ancestral home. In their journey that begins as an escape, soon a search for other elves, who have spread a long time ago about the world of two moons. This leads to encounters with people, trolls and elves various tribes and eventually to a search, which is much larger than itself Cutter / reaper, the young leader of the Wolf Riders, it beyond your wildest dreams.

What is simple sounds in the Executive Summary, is actually one of the best fantasy stories ever told, and not just in the field Graphic Novels / Comics, but ever. It is a story full of beauty and danger, full of pain and hope, which makes the clichéd division into good and evil far behind and instead creates complex characters whose motivation the story drives. With its World of Two Moons Wendy and Richard Pini have created a world that, since I have met her for decades, unleashed never has a real masterpiece, as one meets very seldom.

Each ElfQuest fan and anyone who appreciates beautiful drawings, I can recommend this Gallery Edition. I hope the book is successful enough to be followed by further volumes can. Having all 20 editions of the original quest in this format would be great; until that happens, I am pleased with the first 5 I give this book 5 stars because it's a great collector's item, which you will still know to appreciate in years or decades.