Cover: Wendy Pini

ElfQuest #6

Jan 1980 · WaRP Graphics · 1.25 USD

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“The Quest Begins”

About this Issue

ElfQuest #6 opens a pivotal new chapter in Wendy and Richard Pini's independent fantasy series, launching the titular quest itself as Cutter and Skywise depart Sorrow's End to seek out other elf tribes — a narrative engine that drives the entire remaining Original Quest. The issue also marks the in-story births of Cutter and Leetah's twin children, Ember and Suntop, who would become central to the saga's long-term mythology. As the first chapter of what would be collected as 'The Forbidden Grove' story arc, it represents ElfQuest at its most expansive, expanding the World of Two Moons far beyond the Sun Village setting established in issues #2–5. Published by the Pinis' own WaRP Graphics, it stands as a testament to the creative and commercial viability of creator-owned independent fantasy comics at a time when the direct market was still maturing.

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writer, artist, inker Wendy Pini · writer, letterer Richard Pini · cover Wendy Pini

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History

Written and plotted by Wendy and Richard Pini — the founding couple of WaRP Graphics, whose company name is itself an acronym of their names — the issue appeared in January 1980 as part of the original 20-issue series that ran from 1978 to 1984, published three times yearly. The Pinis self-published on higher-quality paper stock than the newsprint that had disappointed them when the very first ElfQuest story appeared in Fantasy Quarterly in 1978, and that production standard became a hallmark of WaRP's identity. The issue proved popular enough to warrant two additional printings, making it one of the early-run issues to receive that treatment alongside issues #1–9 of the series.

Trivia · 8 facts

Title: 'The Quest Begins' (January 1980, WaRP Graphics); written and plotted by Wendy Pini and Richard Pini, art by Wendy Pini.
Narrative turning point: Cutter and Skywise leave Sorrow's End to search for other elf tribes, launching the central quest that defines the series' title and overall arc.
First appearance (in-story births) of twin children Ember and Suntop, offspring of Cutter and Leetah, who become major characters throughout the entire Elfquest saga.
First appearance of troll characters Picknose and Old Maggoty in this issue, alongside the large ensemble of Wolfrider and Sun Folk characters confirmed in the Grand Comics Database character index.
The issue exists in three printings (First, Second, and Third); only issues #1–9 of the original series received reprint editions.
Opens the 'The Forbidden Grove' story arc (issues #6–10), which was later collected under that title in WaRP's Complete ElfQuest Vol. 2 (1988), Reader's Collection Vol. 2 (1998), and DC's ElfQuest Archives Vol. 2 (2005), as well as in a Spanish-language edition by Norma Editorial (2007).
The story content of this issue was split across Marvel Epic's color reprint series (#8–10, 1986) due to Marvel's shorter 22-page format, with additional bridging pages added to accommodate the difference from the original 32-page WaRP story pages.
Back cover features a Savah illustration by Wendy Pini, consistent with WaRP's practice of using character art as supplementary material throughout the original run.