Fungusamungus ... (now the Rootless Ones)

They started off in classic "show don't tell" territory with the writing -- and have veered wildly in the other direction, using social media as a platform by which to inform fans of how they are supposed to interpret the story. Well, sorry, but when you write a stpry and publish it-- you let it go. You can't control interpretations-- and if things are getting wildly misinterpreted from what you intended, maybe the fault lies in the story telling?

The original quest had depth because it was complex and had variety layers to it and people came away with different reads. Now... It's just smacking you in the face with the author's world view.

Lunakat wrote:

They started off in classic "show don't tell" territory with the writing -- and have veered wildly in the other direction, using social media as a platform by which to inform fans of how they are supposed to interpret the story. Well, sorry, but when you write a stpry and publish it-- you let it go. You can't control interpretations-- and if things are getting wildly misinterpreted from what you intended, maybe the fault lies in the story telling?

AMEN!! preach it sis!

Funny... coz I think Wendy - and Richard for that matter - has/have an amazing ability to say absolutely nothing at all, just think of how rich we'd all be if we got a penny every time Wendy posted her *grin*...
The fact that Wendy went out and pointed out that we should call them Fungusamungus rather than Tree Elves was actually being helpful for once.
The new name; Scary Ones might have originated with the people in charge of writing the official bios, which Wendy then decided to pick up, making it a case of the author adopting a "fan thing".

Somehow I doubt that we get to know individual names for those Fungusamungus anywhen soon ... or at all cus they exist as a hive mind. Last night Storm and me had some fun giving them mushroom names (from bottom left in a circle to bottom right):



Inkling (Tintling) - Ink Cap Mushroom because his ears look like they'll melt away in an instant.

Jitterling (Zitterling) - jelly mushroom (choose one) because he always looks afraid and trembling.

Morel (Morchel) - like a Black Morel because his hair-do and pose reminds me of those mushrooms.

Earthstar (Erdstern) - well, this lady should have a pretty name and the look of it seems appropriate, too.

Fairhorn (Schönhorn) - simply because the hair of the second lady reminds me of a staghorn/coral mushroom.

Dwindling (Schwindling) - this would be a "leaf parachute mushroom" in English, but we went with the German meaning "dwindle" because we know next to nothing about him/her.


Yeah, this was simply for fun ... and I'm aware to risk wrath in case Wendy Pini would know.

I can't deal with the interraction between the Pinis and the fans, but I'm always annoyed when creators start talking to their fans. Even that *grin* got annoying to me, like to me it reads as "Oh! My minions have done a thing, and I should reward their efforts with a reminder that I see everything and my smile may mean approval or laughter at their mistakes who knows I wont reveal anything THEY DON'T DESERVE IT!"

...ok, I know that's just the result of years of being increasingly annoyed at their behavior online and elsewhere, the *grin* isn't really that bad but I just got my heckles up. Very touchy.

Anyway, yeah, I'm frankly a little less interested in the tree-elves because of Wendys responses on the net. I like mysteries that have such aura of mystique and in my mind, an excellent introduction (if a little crowded). Some mysteries of Final quest have felt a bit like being told parts of the riddle and parts of the answer and told to figure out the details ourselves and that's annoying, but her responses to the tree-elves feels like the answer to a riddle I wasn't allowed to think about at all!

Ohhh, I like 'Earthstar'! =D
Jitterling (the one who has some of his haired tied up?) kinda bothers me. His eyes are so weird.

Lunakat wrote:

The problem with this moniker is that it tries to dictate how we are supposed to perceive and react to them.

Yup. Some of them look downright silly, like the guy looks like he just shoved one of his "twigs" into an electrical outlet.

Bluetree wrote:

The worst one-two punch for me in regards to Elfquest (aside from those years when they let other artists make a dog's breakfast of the characters) was discovering W&R's online presence, and watching them: 1) really ramp up the "coy little winks/nudges/hints" game, and 2) go seven kinds of apeshit when fans veer too far off-base in their guesses for W&R's tastes.

This is where I am with them too. They seem to like the thrill of direct fan adulation, but only on their terms. I actually find it very difficult to follow the fan FB page due to the tenor of the interaction, although I do stop by from time to time to see if there's any news. I think smart creators either go all in in terms of fan-engagement and accept the good with the bad or (more wisely) take a step back from fandom for their own creative and mental wellbeing.

Well-- Richard had a flat out temper tantrum. I can't get past that, frankly. They don't seem able to handle anything other than constantly adoring feedback. It's lame.

Not everyone is that defensive. I met Terry Moore once, who created the independent comic Strangers in Paradise. He's branched off since into writing other series. Rachel Rising is particularly good. But... most of his characters look like renditions of his Strangers in Paradise characters-- just with different names and storylines. When I met him, I told him how much I liked his art and his writing (I really do!) and then I asked him about the fact that his characters all look like variations on his original creations. He didn't react negatively-- he gave a thoughtful and balanced response.

He said (this is a paraphrase based on my rough recollection) 'I know. I've read some criticism about that from people online who like to get together and chat about my work. They do have a point. And it upset me a little bit at first to read that. But I thought about it, and this is how I see it. Everyone has a style. Other artists are known for their styles and how they paint women or draw characters. This is just my style. It's how I draw. It's how I like to draw and what I will probably be known for." And he said he was happy with that. That made perfect sense. He didn't get all defensive and angry-- he acknowledged the point people made and addressed it. I had to respect that and agree with him.

I would have had a lot more respect for Richard Pini if, in response to the comment about the Sun Folk growing paler, he had, instead of getting angry and telling people they were essentially reading the story wrong... If he had said something like "I can see where you are coming from and how you could interpret it that way. All I can say is, the story isn't concluded yet and I hope you would all give it a chance and see how it plays out in the long run before passing judgement. Wendy and I have been writing Elfquest since the 1970s and we have always tried to have diversity in our comic and feature characters with a variety of skin tones. Sure, their features are all pretty similar-- but they are elves, based on European mythology-- so what do you expect there?" And maybe acknowledge that they created this in the 1970s-- and conversations about race have evolved since then-- and suggest we trust them to head in a positive direction, having enjoyed the ride this far. But instead.. He had what I only describe as a hissy fit.

And then suddenly shut down the forum with no warning. He didn't like what a few people said-- so he took it out on everyone. Ibunderatand that was probably in the works for a while and that they were planning on transitioning to Facebook and letting the forum go before that.. But every other time they made a drastic change of that sort, they gave everyone ample heads up. This time, it was abrupt, immediate and followed right after that conversation. I can't help but think he did it that way out of childish passive aggressiveness because he couldn't handle criticism.

I lurked on the SoC and I was reading while that whole thing happened. Needless to say, the timing was extremely suggestive. Richard did not behave maturely, but I don't think he should have involved himself in the conversation at all. Better to just let the fans do their thing. As long as they're buying what you put out, who cares what they say?

We had actually ended that whole discussion and he brought it up again. It was like he poked to see what would happen and didn't like what he got.

I think he literally quoted something from a page back and wrote "discuss" underneath  it-- long past when the conversation had turned in a different direction.. And then was all "you can't discuss like that!"

I guess there's nothing else to be said about it now. I've had no respect for them since though. I mean-- I respect Wendy for her long career as an artist. She's amazing. But I'm not really seeing the point of Richard much anymore. That's just my opinion tho. I don't know the guy personally. I'm sure he's fine to share a beer with at a bbq.

I was mostly reading final quest out of loyalty to them. I followed elf quest Sensi end of kings primarily out of loyalty as a reader. Most of the latter stuff has sucked, frankly. If I'd seen that before reading the original quest I would've completely dismiss the series and never touched it again. I don't feel any more loyalty to them. If anything it's kind of the opposite. I sort of dislike them now. I guess I don't think the story is much better lately, then Richards capacity to make an argument. At this point, I'm sort of just following up to see how it ends, because I picked it up when I was eight I followed it this far. I hope you gets better. So far I think this is turning out to be a sad conclusion to what was a really great series back in the day.

I'm right there with you, Lunakat.  I was actually very happy through the Hidden Years collection.  Those four stories are among my favorites in all of EQ, and I quite like Wendy's style there as well.  The art was still mostly enjoyable for me in Dreamtime, although I found the crypo-dream "plot" flimsy and boring.  It's only really interesting in relation to the stories that came after.  I read all of Wendy's Masque when it came out online because I was such a big fan and....I don't know how I made it through to the end.  The style was so clunky and unappealing compared to her early drawing in EQ, I don't think she handled horror and the macabre particularly well, and most of the characters were flimsy.  

Unfortunately, that proved to be a bellwether for where EQ itself was headed.  I'm in this to the end.  I've accepted the art and story for what it is.  But there's no way FQ will satisfy me the way the old comics did, nor do I find it as subtle or as beautiful as other graphic novel series currently underway.  In fact, that's exactly why it drives me up the wall whenever W&R start talking about how EQ is so challenging and so different from the pablum the idiotic, undiscerning, great unwashed masses are accustomed to consuming.  I'm just like....are you following any of the amazing properties out there right now?  There are graphic artists doing things so expressive, so original, so heartfelt that it makes FQ look like kabuki theater. And those folks produce 100% fresh art for every issue

tl;dnr  
I'm cruising on nostalgia, but that's enough to get me across the finish line for sure.

And I'll call them fungi or tree elves or whatever I darn well like, but thanks for the input mom and pop.

Embala wrote:

Somehow I doubt that we get to know individual names for those Fungusamungus anywhen soon ... or at all cus they exist as a hive mind. Last night Storm and me had some fun giving them mushroom names

Also, these names are awesome!! So perfect!

Thanks, Wisp! It was fun to make up names ... and to look for mushrooms which could have been inspiration for their individual shells. Glad you share the fun.

In fact I start to think that Wendy Pini actually studied various mushroomes to spark design ideas.
Morel is an elfyfied mirror image of his namesake for me - in hairdo, head shape and pose. The earthstar mushroom fits the lady's hair-do too perfectly ... just a coincidence? And the old one we called Jitterling would be inspired by the "yellow staghorn". It's called "Ziegenbart" in German = Goatee ... and now look at this fungus guy. ^^ And I can see drops falling from those ink-cap-like ears of Inkling.
Yes, I fancy that Mrs. Pini used real mushrooms to design some body details (possibly those we saw in them) ... and I like this idea of creation.

Shadowpath wrote:

Ohhh, I like 'Earthstar'! =D
Jitterling (the one who has some of his haired tied up?) kinda bothers me. His eyes are so weird.

Wellcome to the naming party, Shadowpath. I'm afraid Earthstar will be my head canon for the lady - no matter whether she'll get offically named or not.

The guy with the "googly" eyes ... he looks old, much older than the rest of the bunch. Reminds me of Ekuar ... many of his scenes show him with very big and comparably round eyes. Might be an indicator for "really old age" and the fungus looks weird because the effect is twisted and exaggerated like the whole body.

Embala wrote:

Last night Storm and me had some fun giving them mushroom names

Too fun! I love the thought you put into those. Got me to Googling those particular fungi too-- and am now beginning to develop an appreciation for the diversity, weirdness, and (often) beauty of the mycological world.
Cheers, Embala  

Wisp wrote:

 In fact, that's exactly why it drives me up the wall whenever W&R start talking about how EQ is so challenging and so different from the pablum the idiotic, undiscerning, great unwashed masses are accustomed to consuming.  I'm just like....are you following any of the amazing properties out there right now?  There are graphic artists doing things so expressive, so original, so heartfelt that it makes FQ look like kabuki theater. And those folks produce 100% fresh art for every issue

^Truth.

I ask this in dead seriousness: Does anyone have insight as to why there is still a gulf of time between issues these days? I mean, back when they were doing all the work themselves-- and elements such as backgrounds had much more hand-drawn detail-- I can understand why it took so long. And yes, that work was a notch above the traditional pablum. Today, it's a markedly different story. Supposedly they've had FQ fleshed out in their minds for a couple of decades now... plus they have assistants, a colorist, and PhotoShop (which allows for lots of cut-and-paste, among other time-shaving properties). So aside from creating more opportunities to suck filtered praise from and generally fuck with their fans, what is the rationale for taking this long to put out an issue now? I really want to know.

Mycota is fascination and beautiful indeed, Bluetree. This reminds me of the prints I got of Fauna, Flora and Mycota - old drawings but Mycota was the one fascinating me most.

You can get a glimpse here - it's a pity they are too small to show detail.

So the "tasty pin-up" calendar with these shrooms could be a little different from the last one

@Bluetree-- it's really time consuming to write and draw a comic-- even if you aren't coloring it too. It's takes quite a lot of energy-- even if you have it to burn. I think that she's in her... 60s?...now, and maybe can't work with the intensity she used to. Plus she is doing two jobs, even without the coloring-- pencils and inks. I don't mind the delay. I think bi monthly is fine. Apparently she also has health issues-- so I hope she feels better. It's not easy, physically, to sit at a desk and draw day in and day out for hours  (it's just labor intensive in ways you wouldn't expect) and even less easy when you are in pain. The timing makes perfect sense to me.

*chuckles* ... and going with recipes  

Yummy!

Yummy!

Wanted to post here a realization someone on the Facebook group had...
those fungi peeps are ALWAYS touching each other! Would they need that to survive or to communicate, maybe? Are they literally stuck to each other?

Interesting observation! *nod to the unknown guy on FB*

Yeah ... from the first time they were introduced they tend to keep physical contact. They are a hive mind. They are supposedly fungus-like ... a mycelium is one huge organism. It is kind of logical that "individual" bodies want to keep in contact as much as possible.

I don't think physical contact is necessary to communicate. I'd see it more like a habit, an instinct - something that gives them a familiar feeling, a kind of safety. They are used to be "in touch" with each other when they share the mycellium body.

btw: Even when we don't see them touch  - they can be in touch with each other by "roots" which reach in the mycellium.

Embala wrote:

*cuckles* ... and going with recipes  

Yummy!

Time to bring up that old Elfquest recipes thread again!

Lunakat wrote:

@Bluetree-- it's really time consuming to write and draw a comic-- even if you aren't coloring it too. It's takes quite a lot of energy-- even if you have it to burn. I think that she's in her... 60s?...now, and maybe can't work with the intensity she used to. Plus she is doing two jobs, even without the coloring-- pencils and inks. I don't mind the delay. I think bi monthly is fine. Apparently she also has health issues-- so I hope she feels better. It's not easy, physically, to sit at a desk and draw day in and day out for hours  (it's just labor intensive in ways you wouldn't expect) and even less easy when you are in pain. The timing makes perfect sense to me.

Well... I can understand that. There's always so much more that goes on behind the scenes. Guess I'm just thrown by the fact that there are so many more hands on deck versus the OQ days-- and, truth be told, I'm still all kinds of irked about the rampant copy-pasting (I know it's been part of Wendy's EQ-verse for a while, but is a comparatively new discovery to me).

Embala wrote:

*cuckles* ... and going with recipes  

Yummy!

Evil. Love it! (and am now a bit hungry)

Thanks also for the link to that lovely non-EQ artwork. Have seen the "Blue Mermaid" before, and will go to my grave swearing that there's more than a kiss of Winnowill to her...

The copy and paste is really obvious and detracts from her art. She's always had great drawing skills-- and I think in the past, as someone pointed out, she handled crowd scenes well without having to reuse images from other panels. I think she's been doing it a lot less since Sonny took over coloring. I'm willing to bet you anything she is faster with a pencil and pen than a Wacom-- but it's probably not with the effort when it comes to revisions to not use the computer. That was probably a time saver but I'm glad she is generally back to her original way of doing it.

[quote="Bluetree"]

Lunakat wrote:

go seven kinds of apeshit

LOL some of your expresions are really funny.

Thing with the Pinis is, they're not very creative. Wood Elves, Sun Elves, Bird Elves, Snow Elves. Then there came Water Elves aka as Mermaid Elves, and as soon as I saw her latest tribe I thought, "Aha Ent Elves." LOTR is the first association, no matter how hard she screams that LOTR hasn't anything to do with it.

What I find an interesting feature of all these tribes, don't know if they intended it that way, is how the magic gifts of each tribe seems to suit their environments. Does magic adapt to the environment? The Wavedancers for example have an unheard of amount of healers and selfshapers. 4, if i counted correctly. Really handy with all that adapting to living underwater. They are also the only ones with "coralshapers". The wolfriders only have a healer now and then and tree shapers.
Would a gift die out if it's not useful?