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The Complete ElfQuest #4
The Complete ElfQuest, Volume Four
The latest collection of the classic fantasy series by Wendy and Richard Pini continues the canonical adventures of the Wolfriders. The tale takes a dark turn as the seductive Winnowill allies herself with a brutal human warlord, Grohmul Djun, fanning the flames of hatred for all "elf-demons" and setting the course for inevitable war between humans and elves.
This fourth volume of the New York Times best-selling series weighs in at 492 pages. It collects issues from ElfQuest: Hidden Years (#10-#15) and the ElfQuest: Shards saga (#1-#16). Feast your eyes on elegant art from Wendy Pini and others.
This fourth volume of the New York Times best-selling series weighs in at 492 pages. It collects issues from ElfQuest: Hidden Years (#10-#15) and the ElfQuest: Shards saga (#1-#16). Feast your eyes on elegant art from Wendy Pini and others.
492 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2017
29 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Pini
614 books395 followersWendy Pini is one-half of a husband and wife team with Richard Pini that created, most notably, the Elfquest series.
Wendy was born in California and adopted into the Fletcher Family in Santa Clara County. Early on, she developed as an artist and was the illustrator of her high school year book. She submitted samples of her artwork to Marvel Comics at 17 that were rejected.
Pini attended Pitzer College and received her B.A. in the Arts and joined the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society.
In 1972, she married Richard Pini and began illustrating science fiction magazines, including Galaxy, Galileo, and Worlds of If. In 1977, Richard and Wendy established a publishing company called Warp Graphics to publish their first Elfquest comic. Elfquest was self-published for 25 years and in 2003, licensed to DC Comics. The comic series has won several awards, including the Ed Aprill Award for Best Independent Comic, two Alley Awards, the Fantasy Festival Comic Book Awards for Best Alternative Comic, and the Golden Pen Award.
Wendy has illustrated other works, including Jonny Quest in 1986, Law and Chaos in 1987, and in 1989, two graphic novels of Beauty and the Beast. Recently in 2007, she completed a graphic novel entitled The Masque of Red Death.
Wendy has received several awards over the last four decades, including the San Diego Comic Convention Inkpot Award, the New York State Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, the Balrog Award for Best Artist, and was inducted into the Friends of Lulu Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame in 2002.
Wendy and her husband currently reside in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Wendy was born in California and adopted into the Fletcher Family in Santa Clara County. Early on, she developed as an artist and was the illustrator of her high school year book. She submitted samples of her artwork to Marvel Comics at 17 that were rejected.
Pini attended Pitzer College and received her B.A. in the Arts and joined the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society.
In 1972, she married Richard Pini and began illustrating science fiction magazines, including Galaxy, Galileo, and Worlds of If. In 1977, Richard and Wendy established a publishing company called Warp Graphics to publish their first Elfquest comic. Elfquest was self-published for 25 years and in 2003, licensed to DC Comics. The comic series has won several awards, including the Ed Aprill Award for Best Independent Comic, two Alley Awards, the Fantasy Festival Comic Book Awards for Best Alternative Comic, and the Golden Pen Award.
Wendy has illustrated other works, including Jonny Quest in 1986, Law and Chaos in 1987, and in 1989, two graphic novels of Beauty and the Beast. Recently in 2007, she completed a graphic novel entitled The Masque of Red Death.
Wendy has received several awards over the last four decades, including the San Diego Comic Convention Inkpot Award, the New York State Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, the Balrog Award for Best Artist, and was inducted into the Friends of Lulu Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame in 2002.
Wendy and her husband currently reside in Poughkeepsie, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 14, 2017
4.5 stars.
The Elfquest collections never fail to impress, and always bring me back to a more peaceful state of mind when I read them.
I'm glad that the saga is still going stronger than ever in 2017 with these omnibus reprints and the "Final Quest" title, and that people can read the story from the beginning, as the titles generally build on one another.
Kudos to Richard & Wendy Pini for a modern classic, and thanks to Dark Horse for publishing these!
The Elfquest collections never fail to impress, and always bring me back to a more peaceful state of mind when I read them.
I'm glad that the saga is still going stronger than ever in 2017 with these omnibus reprints and the "Final Quest" title, and that people can read the story from the beginning, as the titles generally build on one another.
Kudos to Richard & Wendy Pini for a modern classic, and thanks to Dark Horse for publishing these!
December 8, 2017
Up until now the Elfquest collections have been re-reads for me, this is the first one that isn’t. Of course I’m curious to know the rest of the story about the elves and their quests, but for me some of the magic is lost compared to the earlier volumes. I don’t know if it’s because I’m older now (I hope not!), or because there are so many damn humans in this story. Or it might just be the drawings.
Because this is also the first time the majority of the drawings are not by Wendi Pini. Don’t get me wrong, all the artists that have contributed are really very talented, and once in a while it’s even hard to tell them apart from a real Pini. But I can, and being so close to the beloved characters, but not quite, feels like a special kind of longing. And every time I come across a few pages drawn by Wendy herself, it feels like taking a deep breath after having held it for a long while.
Because this is also the first time the majority of the drawings are not by Wendi Pini. Don’t get me wrong, all the artists that have contributed are really very talented, and once in a while it’s even hard to tell them apart from a real Pini. But I can, and being so close to the beloved characters, but not quite, feels like a special kind of longing. And every time I come across a few pages drawn by Wendy herself, it feels like taking a deep breath after having held it for a long while.
February 1, 2024
Während Elfquest ganz lange, durch die Zeichnungen von Wendy Pini, eine esoterische Magie ausstrahlte fühlt sich Shards einfach nur wie ein Fantasy Comic an. Immer noch gut aber irgendwas fehlt.
December 20, 2024
Of the four Complete Elfquest trade paperback volumes I have read, I would claim that this volume is the most science fiction of the bunch. Although the other volumes have the planet of the Two Moons, this anthology encompasses the exodus via space travel and a unique space vessel. There is a very nice mix of science fiction and the fantasy staples of elves, trolls, and castles.
Included here in this collection are Elfquest: Hidden Years #10 - #15 and Elfquest: Shards #1 - #16. Most of the work is done by Wendy and Richard Pini, the wife-and-husband team behind (W.a.R.P. Graphics), but they of course occasionally get assistance from various other creators (writers, artists, lettering.) The Elfquest books have been published since 1978 until the present through diverse incarnations and storylines.
Here Winnowill awakens to wreak havoc on Cutter's plan to unify all the elven tribes in the crystal palace by causing the destruction of the palace. However, the warlord Grohmul Djun witnesses the traveling castle passing as it floated in the air, and he has desire to claim it for himself. The crystal clearly demonstrates high value and anyone that could claim such a home would surely be considered a legitimate leader by the people.
The problem is exacerbated with the destruction of the castle when Rayek and Winnowill fight for control over the castle, and it falls from the sky only to shatter on the apex of a mountain. The warlord has his army gather every single shard and his mysterious master builder erects a new castle from the shards. Excellent story with some pretty stellar artwork.
Included here in this collection are Elfquest: Hidden Years #10 - #15 and Elfquest: Shards #1 - #16. Most of the work is done by Wendy and Richard Pini, the wife-and-husband team behind (W.a.R.P. Graphics), but they of course occasionally get assistance from various other creators (writers, artists, lettering.) The Elfquest books have been published since 1978 until the present through diverse incarnations and storylines.
Here Winnowill awakens to wreak havoc on Cutter's plan to unify all the elven tribes in the crystal palace by causing the destruction of the palace. However, the warlord Grohmul Djun witnesses the traveling castle passing as it floated in the air, and he has desire to claim it for himself. The crystal clearly demonstrates high value and anyone that could claim such a home would surely be considered a legitimate leader by the people.
The problem is exacerbated with the destruction of the castle when Rayek and Winnowill fight for control over the castle, and it falls from the sky only to shatter on the apex of a mountain. The warlord has his army gather every single shard and his mysterious master builder erects a new castle from the shards. Excellent story with some pretty stellar artwork.
May 30, 2018
This latest volume of Elfquest comics collects the Hidden Years #10 -15 and Shards # 1- 16 series, all of which comprise one of the longest storylines ever for Elquest. At this point in the 90’s the main story broke off into two different series. Cutter, the protagonist and leader of the Wolfriders, headed this one, while his daughter Ember created her own tribe of Elves and became the central figure for the remainder of the Hidden Year’s run. Those will be put into the next volume.
The story here is much more violent than your standard Elfquest title and, while the series is not known from shying away from violence, this series is a protracted siege of events, with a warband of Wolfriders storming a human citadel during a civil war to reunite the shattered shards of the Palace of the High Ones. There are more character deaths in this story than in the last thirty issues combined.
The only real quibble I have with the series is the return of the half-elf/half-troll Two Edge. Last time we saw him was 20,000 years in the past, on a different continent, where he had been stabbed in the guts by Clearbrook and then the remainder of Blue Mountain fell on him. Then he just appears and is working as the Master Architect for the Elves’ current threat. It’s a little contrived. Too much of a coincidence. The character’s arc had gone full circle. They should have left well enough alone, not pushed the rewind button on him- which is essentially what the writers did.
The story here is much more violent than your standard Elfquest title and, while the series is not known from shying away from violence, this series is a protracted siege of events, with a warband of Wolfriders storming a human citadel during a civil war to reunite the shattered shards of the Palace of the High Ones. There are more character deaths in this story than in the last thirty issues combined.
The only real quibble I have with the series is the return of the half-elf/half-troll Two Edge. Last time we saw him was 20,000 years in the past, on a different continent, where he had been stabbed in the guts by Clearbrook and then the remainder of Blue Mountain fell on him. Then he just appears and is working as the Master Architect for the Elves’ current threat. It’s a little contrived. Too much of a coincidence. The character’s arc had gone full circle. They should have left well enough alone, not pushed the rewind button on him- which is essentially what the writers did.
January 8, 2018
While I did not enjoy this as much as the other ones, ElfQuest is still one of my favorite graphic novel series. In some ways I liked having more humans in the story, but I wanted more of the elves! I've grown to love so many of these characters and can't wait to read more.
August 27, 2019
The most epic quest
The shards ark was probably the most intense in the whole series thus far. The wolf riders practically fight anything and everything as anything and everything is thrown there way as they try to reclaim The shards of the palace
The shards ark was probably the most intense in the whole series thus far. The wolf riders practically fight anything and everything as anything and everything is thrown there way as they try to reclaim The shards of the palace
February 24, 2017
The feeeeeeels
September 29, 2021
Was für ein verdammt gutes Buch und ein verdammt gutes Ende für den ersten Zyklus. Ich liebe es!
May 31, 2021
This is a good Elfquest story, in my opinion. It's not my favorite, but it's not bad either. I really enjoy getting to know Tyleet better, and I like the over-all plot showing so many sides of humanity and nature.
I am sad that the Pinis decided to draw this comic - although I'm also glad, for I really, really like their artstyle - instead of the next book, but I understand they can't fit everything into their schedule. Including telling parallel stories at the same time. The reason I'm mentioning this here instead for for the actual comic in question, is because I'm sad Ember didn't have a bigger role in this book. She's my fave of all the elves. Always has been.
I am sad that the Pinis decided to draw this comic - although I'm also glad, for I really, really like their artstyle - instead of the next book, but I understand they can't fit everything into their schedule. Including telling parallel stories at the same time. The reason I'm mentioning this here instead for for the actual comic in question, is because I'm sad Ember didn't have a bigger role in this book. She's my fave of all the elves. Always has been.
November 29, 2020
DPL hoopla
November 1, 2017
There will apparently be a volume 5. At least I seem to remember more of the nightmare that is Winnowill...
January 24, 2018
Interesting story though not quite great. Nice art though not always done by the Pini's so not always to the standard of perfection I'm used to.
At almost 600 pages long this graphic novel can be intimidating and it is a lot to read. Don't bite off too much or you might not enjoy it as much. Pace yourself.
I liked it well enough to get my own copy and I recommend it to fans of ElfQuest as well as those interested in comics, graphic novels, elves.
If you like this one you might also like The Complete ElfQuest, Volume Five coming out in 2018.
At almost 600 pages long this graphic novel can be intimidating and it is a lot to read. Don't bite off too much or you might not enjoy it as much. Pace yourself.
I liked it well enough to get my own copy and I recommend it to fans of ElfQuest as well as those interested in comics, graphic novels, elves.
If you like this one you might also like The Complete ElfQuest, Volume Five coming out in 2018.
February 2, 2019
What a bittersweet ending to an epic story that began when I was in high school. The story of the Wolfriders and other tribes of elves captivated me once again. All was made right and a new beginning will leave the elves to a happier place. I am sad this issue was not in color and that the ending was told in story form rather than panels. I still give it five stars as the storyline kept me going quickly through the pages. I will miss these elves.
January 10, 2024
ElfQuest is a beautiful exploration of people and culture in a fantasy world that started back in the 1970's and still runs to this day. On this world humans are still very much in their barbaric cavemen days while elves are the fierce hunters but also fun loving children of the forest who just want to be left alone. We meet Cutter and his clan of Wolf Riders just as they're escaping a deadly clash with the humans of their area that results in them burning down the whole forest and its through these elves' eyes that we get to explore this lush world and storytelling.
Back when I was introduced to this world in middle school by my cousin, I was immediately taken with the stunning artwork and the way these characters were portrayed. The Wolf Riders and the other elves in the story are very obviously part of the same race, but show a wide variety in every aspect of their design depending on where in the world they settled (much like actual humans in our world). From the beginning we have a large handful of characters to keep track of, elf, troll and human alike, and yet it never felt like a struggle to keep track of them because of their design and how their names just fit them so well...
Read my review on the full series at Well, Are They? A Queer Review blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2022...
Back when I was introduced to this world in middle school by my cousin, I was immediately taken with the stunning artwork and the way these characters were portrayed. The Wolf Riders and the other elves in the story are very obviously part of the same race, but show a wide variety in every aspect of their design depending on where in the world they settled (much like actual humans in our world). From the beginning we have a large handful of characters to keep track of, elf, troll and human alike, and yet it never felt like a struggle to keep track of them because of their design and how their names just fit them so well...
Read my review on the full series at Well, Are They? A Queer Review blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2022...
January 10, 2021
The fourth omnibus, this collection brings the fallout that has been threatening the elves since the end of the second collection. Excellent and well written like it's predecessors. This is a story about unity in the face of change, where we see the various friends and allies coming together again.
Humans have always played a role in the series, but now that time has passed and technology advanced, they are much more dangerous. There are three major villains/antagonists in this collection. One of them is a human, who embodies the changes in mankind and makes an interesting figure compared to the humans of the past who never posed the same existential threat. The other two villains are familiar faces. The reason I am giving this four stars instead of five is because while the elves have changed and matured along with the humans, these two largely play the same role that they did in the first and second collections. They play their roles well, but it feels repetitive and stands out. They are still interesting, especially in the ways they enable our new villain, but you'd think after all this time they would be more developed when this story kicks into gear. This is the only bad thing I have to say about the collection.
Humans have always played a role in the series, but now that time has passed and technology advanced, they are much more dangerous. There are three major villains/antagonists in this collection. One of them is a human, who embodies the changes in mankind and makes an interesting figure compared to the humans of the past who never posed the same existential threat. The other two villains are familiar faces. The reason I am giving this four stars instead of five is because while the elves have changed and matured along with the humans, these two largely play the same role that they did in the first and second collections. They play their roles well, but it feels repetitive and stands out. They are still interesting, especially in the ways they enable our new villain, but you'd think after all this time they would be more developed when this story kicks into gear. This is the only bad thing I have to say about the collection.
June 18, 2018
Story
The stakes are high for Cutter and the Wolfriders with Winnowill on the loose in a human village. Together with the Djun, she plots to take the palace for herself and rid the world of her elven cousins once and for all. I teared up several times (which is a good sign) and once again I found myself wishing to be a part of the world of Two Moons.
Art
As always, I really appreciate it whenever Wendy Pini takes over the illustrations. She was the creator of ElfQuest, after-all. However, the other illustrators have a lot of talent on their own, so no real disappointment here. I'm excited for the next complete volume!
4/5
Skywise is still my favorite single character (no surprise...who doesn't love that player?) and Strongbow and Moonshade are still my favorite couple (they're so loyal and cute)!
The stakes are high for Cutter and the Wolfriders with Winnowill on the loose in a human village. Together with the Djun, she plots to take the palace for herself and rid the world of her elven cousins once and for all. I teared up several times (which is a good sign) and once again I found myself wishing to be a part of the world of Two Moons.
Art
As always, I really appreciate it whenever Wendy Pini takes over the illustrations. She was the creator of ElfQuest, after-all. However, the other illustrators have a lot of talent on their own, so no real disappointment here. I'm excited for the next complete volume!
4/5
Skywise is still my favorite single character (no surprise...who doesn't love that player?) and Strongbow and Moonshade are still my favorite couple (they're so loyal and cute)!
September 5, 2024
This volume is one solid story which plays like a best hits of elfquest which mostly works. First there's a six issue story arc in Hidden years called Shards, and then there's the 16 issue Shards series.
In the Hidden Years issues, Winnowill wakes up and tries to steal the crystal palace. Rayek stops her, but in the process, the palace crashes and shatters. Humans see the flying palace and start gathering the shards for their king. For some reason Cutter is more concerned with splitting the Wolfriders into two tribes with Ember as the other leader.
The Shards series begins and Cutters group are ready to take the Shards back from the human citadel. Two Edge is still around, and he's helped the human king build special rooms for the shards. The humans destroy the Wolfriders' holt, so the Wolfriders go underground to the trolls' realm. They ultimately launch a mission to get the palace back.
The art is mostly solid, standard comics art, what you would expect in superhero books from the 90's (the good stuff, not the bad stuff). Most of the comic uses gray tones, and then, for some reason, stops towards the end of the book.
In the Hidden Years issues, Winnowill wakes up and tries to steal the crystal palace. Rayek stops her, but in the process, the palace crashes and shatters. Humans see the flying palace and start gathering the shards for their king. For some reason Cutter is more concerned with splitting the Wolfriders into two tribes with Ember as the other leader.
The Shards series begins and Cutters group are ready to take the Shards back from the human citadel. Two Edge is still around, and he's helped the human king build special rooms for the shards. The humans destroy the Wolfriders' holt, so the Wolfriders go underground to the trolls' realm. They ultimately launch a mission to get the palace back.
The art is mostly solid, standard comics art, what you would expect in superhero books from the 90's (the good stuff, not the bad stuff). Most of the comic uses gray tones, and then, for some reason, stops towards the end of the book.
August 31, 2023
Complex and satisfyingly
It is a bit sad to read an adventure in which the humans are the bad guys, but this is more nuanced than that. There are good and bad humans, and good and bad elves. Heck, even trolls are presented as individuals, good and bad within (not by surrendering their cultural traits. That's nice to see too. The Pinis and elves will always show an honest bias towards the natural world, but I expect most of their readers share it. I don't know why I keep expecting the saga to be over, having designated Cutter as the "Busy head high thing", he will always have something new to do.
My next quest is where to find the stories about Ember and Earth's adventures.
It is a bit sad to read an adventure in which the humans are the bad guys, but this is more nuanced than that. There are good and bad humans, and good and bad elves. Heck, even trolls are presented as individuals, good and bad within (not by surrendering their cultural traits. That's nice to see too. The Pinis and elves will always show an honest bias towards the natural world, but I expect most of their readers share it. I don't know why I keep expecting the saga to be over, having designated Cutter as the "Busy head high thing", he will always have something new to do.
My next quest is where to find the stories about Ember and Earth's adventures.
September 5, 2024
The first of these volumes that I've read in this form. I know I've read some of what was in this volume, in comic book form when it came out. But I definitely didn't read it all. And I definitely haven't re-read it. The last third is not quite as good, the art takes a drop in quality, the story is all war. And then the very end is really just a sketch of a story in prose. And the first 2/3 almost is a repeat of the earlier quests. But they are also kind of awesome. The art basically as good as Elfquest ever was, the characters themselves. The humans have grown up, the elves and trolls are basically still the same.
December 23, 2019
I’m glad I was able to complete this Quest before year’s end. Grohmul Djunn was a great new antagonist and it was great to see the familiar elves interact with a more “advanced” form of human civilization.
The Final Quest awaits!
PS the line art reached some whole new levels of detail and composition, I can hopefully add some images at a later time (worth a Google meanwhile).
The Final Quest awaits!
PS the line art reached some whole new levels of detail and composition, I can hopefully add some images at a later time (worth a Google meanwhile).
November 4, 2022
I'll be honest, I probably enjoyed the first three volumes more than this one. I mean I did enjoy it! Just not quite as much.
The art style changing two or three times was a bit jarring, but I suspect this is mostly because it's in black and white. I don't think it would have been as distracting if it was in colour.
The art style changing two or three times was a bit jarring, but I suspect this is mostly because it's in black and white. I don't think it would have been as distracting if it was in colour.
Read
March 28, 2023Cutter's tribe and family splits up to try to stop Two Edge's new game with Winnowill, called Lady Venovel by the human tyrant she's manipulating. Much better than Volume 3's unconnected spinoffs, this is once again a solid, continuous plot. I hadn't read this in full before! So that was neat. I enjoyed this. Would recommend including if you're reading through them.
April 20, 2020
This one is tough. I fall into the "not Wendy" crowd as much as I try not to. It's still a great story, but for me it loses a bit of charm in the art style. We love what we love, so I won't apologize for that. Well worth reading and continuing this wonderful journey.
August 6, 2023
This one was action packed, I really enjoy this series. Can’t believe I found it in the library and had no clue what I was getting into. I’m getting close to the end but I’ve got a little bit more to enjoy!
April 17, 2025
No lie, I thought volume three was a total dud. But this, this was epic. Probably my second-favourite arc in the whole series, after Cutter & co finding the Sun tribe in the desert.
Here's hoping we see more of Ember in vol. 5.
Here's hoping we see more of Ember in vol. 5.
April 4, 2018
A poor ending.
What started as so hopeful and wonderful ends poorly. Too violent and repetitive in its writing, without Wendy's artwork, this was just a bad way to end this series.
What started as so hopeful and wonderful ends poorly. Too violent and repetitive in its writing, without Wendy's artwork, this was just a bad way to end this series.
April 22, 2018
the shards sequence drags some, but otherwise great as usual
November 7, 2019
didn't love the warlord storyline. :-(
March 30, 2021
The third volume was a real drag but this got us back on track with everything that makes ElfQuest amazing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews