Marvel rejected this couple, so they revolutionized the comic industry

How did two industry outsiders upend the comic industry?

Start reading Elfquest FOR FREE! Right Now! Do It!

THE COMPLETE ELFQUEST

These are the beautiful collections that Dark Horse has put out. They look great on a shelf and reprint the original black and white art. Everyone should own at least the first volume.

Instead of Volume 7 though, I actually recommend you pick up the original trades for the Final Quest, as Sonny Strait’s colors really make Wendy’s art look like animation.

Elfquest isn’t over! Wendy and Richard have continued the story in Stargazer’s Hunt:

*ART BOOKS*

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Photo & Asset Credits

Graphic Novels In Bookstore
Box in Comic Shop Diagram

[jasondudda]

Elfquest #1 was the first comic book I bought with my own money. The Pini's hold a special place in my heart.

[ElfQuest-Official]

Thank you for this in-depth and raw look at the history of ElfQuest, Matt. We're beyond delighted at how it turned out.

[CorbieMitleid]

I have been part of Warp -- as staff, as writer, as friend -- since 1983, and even **I** didn't know a lot of this. Brilliantly done.

[haileyshannon]

Now, this is what you do, if the big companies won't publish your stuff start your own company. Mainstream comic companies couldn't do it, animation companies couldn't. That's what I call a real success story.
Also, she got appear on TV with real celebrities wearing that costume? I'm impressed!

[jbird]

My grandpa used to take me to yard sales every Saturday, which is nothing short of amazing to a eight or nine-year-old boy, but at one of these yard sales, I found these immense thick elfquest graphic novels. The first experience i had with comics. Elfquest was so unique. I loved it.

[rogueguardian]

There's a stan Lee quote that has stuck with me ever since I heard it. "If you have an idea that you genuinely think is good, Don't let some idiot talk you out of it."(I mentioned it in the Todd McFarlane video before) Wendy had an idea she wanted to share with the world and she refused to let the world tell her no.

[percyvolnar]

Met Richard and Windy in the late 80's.. Words cannot describe how awesome they were. They were pure magic to me...

[antonydrossos]

You know, I've never read Elfquest, though, of course I've heard of it. I appreciate the struggles Wendy & Richard went through to get their vision realized.

[thomasgrable]

I was at the 1981 Comic Book Convention in San Diego, a tiny fraction of the size that it is today. Gary Owen was the announcer for the costume contest, and there were two huge groups dressed as ElfQuest characters. He remarked, "I didn't know Leonard Nimoy had so many illegitimate children, " which got a huge laugh from the crowd.

[sidhenihilist]

As a young child I learned how to read by reading the Elfquest comics in the 80s. I was held back in first grade because I despised reading. My older brother gave me his comics and sat down with me and taught me to read over the summer after I was held back. By the end of that next school year I was reading at a high school level, I devoured everything. Elfquest ignited a love for all reading.

When I became a father years later, before my son went to school, I sat down with him with my old copies of Elfquest and taught him how to read the same way as my brother did me.

Thank you WARP and thank you to this channel.

[gravy]

I'm 50. I discovered ElfQuest on a spinning rack at my local supermarket in the farm town I grew up in. I was looking for the latests "ROM, SpaceKnight", but it wasn't out yet. Epic Comics (Marvel) was reprinting EQ in color at that time. It was issue #8, and I was captured by the cover. And you're right about the importance of letter columns... I'd never heard of Lord of the Rings until someone compared EQ to it in one of the letters columns. I was hooked. I had my grandmother take me to any comic shop I could find in the phonebook, collecting EVERY issue I could find, even managing to find the Fantasy Quarterly issue. The EQ family got me through a really dark period of family upheaval in my life. I was 11 when I found it... 39 years later, I'm happy to share the books with my 14 year old daughter.

[PeanutButter]

This channel came out of nowhere and is suddenly making the absolute best comics content

[Niemand]

After watching this, I hope and wish that they will one day see their work be turned in beautiful animations.

[johncolosimo]

I was a die-hard Elfquest fan from the moment it hit my local comic shop! It's about time the Pinis receive acknowledgement on a major platform

[KayButtonJay]

Sometimes I feel jaded and negative about the world. Then I listen to something like this and find myself tearing up multiple times over and feeling better. Thank you

[TitularHeroine]

...I just realized Matttt mentioned Wendy was winning belly dancing contests -- and later that she had hip dysplasia. Wow. I now have more respect than I already did.
Thanks to all involved for giving us this video! I have newfound gratitude for the Pinis as well, for leaving a bigger mark on comics as a whole than I was aware. This is a remarkable story.

[SongsOfSavagery]

Glad to hear someone telling the tale of the Pini's. Such wonderful folks.

[Shane_Blaq]

This is one of my all time favourite youtube videos period. Elfquest had an immense impact on me as a kid, and somehow over the years i lost that connection until this moment. Thank you so much for reminding me about this inportant part of my life. I cant wait to delve back into this series.

[LowellLucasJr.]

Honestly, I hope Elfquest and Bone get a series or a movie that they so lovingly deserve! They have such unique narratives completely on their own! They are nothing like the norm and in this age of staleness, we need Original Stories like these!!!

[joelman]

“The reward of patience is patience” that last quote has left me floored. It’s a quote I know I will never forget.