Stargazer‘s Hunt #1

I remember reading, some time ago, that Wendy actually has health problems that affect her ability to draw. (I'm not sure where I read it, facebook or some interview. I tried to find it on google just now, but failed.) So it could be that the option of Wendy drawing it all herself is not available anymore, and they've decided that Sonny imitating Wendy's style is the next best thing.

Unpopular opinion time: I enjoyed reading this issue. The art is good enough, we've seen much worse. The story is entertaining. I like seeing a new side of Skywise - and I also like him going back to wolfrider size and looking like his old self again. Jink is indeed obnoxious. She is three years old and more than a little spoiled - what would you expect? There are all kinds of delicious details, such as the nursing gambling troll mama and a rare sighting of Minyah. Maybe I don't set my standards as high as some of you, maybe I have bad taste - I also like the new Star Wars and I loved how Game of Thrones ended.

I... didn't hate it.  If I look at it closely, I really miss the fine-ness and level of detail of Wendy's work but I didn't actually notice it right off.

I thought it was funny that Chitter preferred speech when she was little and then here's Jink preferring to send.  Nice reversal.

I was off-put by the nether-pipes thing, too.  And why on Earth (or wherever) would Old Maggoty be any kind of expert on where Jink left her pod to begin with?

I also have to roll my eyes at the scene of Timmain giving birth.  Unless elf females actually flesh-shape themselves open for nice easy births, having her spread-eagled on her back is a better look for getting Jink IN than getting her OUT.  

And that was more of Cutter than I ever needed to see, thank you.  Not just the skin but he was so over-muscled it creeped me out.

My biggest problem with Jink is she doesn't act like a three-year old.  I have one of those running around to compare with, as it happens.  There was only one example of her mis-pronouncing a word and the rest of the time, her sentences were just too complex for a toddler.  Maybe it's because she has a High One mother but other elf children in the story have more or less been comparable with human development.

Story-wise though, I found it engaging enough.  I'll probably keep reading for now at least.

Leanan wrote:

There are all kinds of delicious details, such as the nursing gambling troll mama and a rare sighting of Minyah.

This just reminded me...yes I too liked the nursing troll mama, but that scene also jarred me slightly. I’m sure I’ve seen that basic artwork before, and it’s been tweaked to include the troll female & her baby. Reused, tweaked artwork again...I’m just too lazy to go through all my EQs to find the original.

Quote :

Unpopular opinion time: I enjoyed reading this issue.

Why unpopular, Leanan?

I'm ambivalent towards FQ ... still not know what to think about Stargazer's Hunt. What I know for sure: I welcome your positive view on it as much as I appreciate that we can voice criticism, disappointment and else on our forum. Fathertreeholt was indeed made to tell our mind freely - love and criticism alike. And everything between.

I like that you've pointed out the gambling Troll mother, Leanan. She caught my eye at first sight and made me smile.

@Stargazer This gambling scene was at least shown three times before ... two by Wendy Pini
http://elfquest.com/read/index.php?s=OQ/OQ04&p=9
http://elfquest.com/read/index.php?s=KOBW/KOBW07&p=18
and one in the Kahvi mini series.
http://elfquest.com/read/index.php?s=KA/KA05&p=18 (just for completation)
Cannot remember others.

Yes, I’m aware there have been gambling scenes numerous times, Embala. I’m talking about that artwork specifically. I remember the kneeling troll with his hand on his head. I just can’t remember where.

Isn't there a line somewhere in OQ that elf kids mature sooner than human kids? EQ kids never seemed to act as human kids of the same age would, so I can ignore that.
The reason why I can't stand Jink is, is that her being Uber-super special is not balanced by anything. She's bubbly, but also deep (sensing the sadness in Skywise), she has all those never seen before powers, everyone loves her (well, no elf is ever disliked, right?), she has the most lovable voice, even though she only ever sends, is supposedly charming, the list goes on. Additionally, she is a carbon-copy of Chitter, they even kinda look the same with the hair. Jink is not a character, she's a type.

Also, we know from Future Quest, how the story is most likely to unfold. The major change will be probably, that Jink will never be in a futuristic setting, but we will see the other elves on Abode again. We know that Jink will wipe her father's mind, we know she will be separated from the other elves because of this and we know that "the master of the palace" will look for his daughter.

An interesting twist could be that Skywise, who's now set on raising is daughter will miss this chance again as she fled in her pod.

BTW, why is it so disturbing to see Timmain shape herself into Cutter's form? Shouldn't this be something all palace elves can do? Timmain has more than one "wolf look", why should she have only one elf look? Unlike humans, elves are more 'pliable', any look they want to choose should be possible

Actually, I wonder if it's not TIMMAIN's mind she's going to wipe - assuming they do actually follow FutureQuest at all and don't toss it out whole.

The "Master of the Palace" we see looks like Cutter - which Timmain can do. Other hints point to Skywise, but the Pinis do love their red herrings.

(Yes, she calls the MoP "Father" but if Timmain now starts regularly "being" Cutter - turning her relationship with Skywise into some kind of threesome - then Jink would have plenty of time with him and could start to call him "Father" as well.)

"The "Master of the Palace" we see looks like Cutter - which Timmain can do. "

Where can we see that? Is there a picture availlable?

Here you go, Yeee: http://elfquest.com/read/index.php?s=FQ&p=3

Thanx again , Embala!
aha, whoa is this drawn shitty! I remember having seen this once long before, and that`s from the "artist" who drew Rogue`s Curse, puke!
I sold all of that old stuff , which was not drawn by Wendy. I kept only the hidden years story with Haken and Rayek and that with Egg and those 2 with aquarell painting showing a story of Timmorn.

So Timmain turns into Cutter and stays that way, maybe. Ok, maybe Wendy starts to draw again a little bit, if Cutter get`s revived (sounds like one of those stupid super hero stories, lol).

Hey, wait a moment guys!

Remember in "Kings of the Broken Wheel," when Cutter said he and Skywise were Recognized except for having cubs? Skywise said "I should hope so!

But now they DO have a cub.

Well, I'm almost 80% convinced, that Cutter (not Timmain) is going to get resurrected from the dead. I mean, is Wendy really comfortable with having the rest of the story playing out without her self-elf?

To me, there's no point in all the "death is just the next adventure" talk if dead elves then disappear from the story. It's time to start bringing them back in some way. They did a small start by having Leetah call on Zhantee to sheild Cutter when Surge took him.

Speaking of... If Zhantee passed through Cutter and Leetah's bond somehow when he died (see "Shards" and "Dreamtime") does that mean he knew about Tim/Tam?

Kahvi, for some reason, knew of TimTam. Maybe it was an open secret to all the dead elves? Must’ve been weird for Cutter’s parents to find out about this...

Honestly, I still can’t understand how someone who apparently recognised and thereby know someone to the very core (heck, Winnowill could extract a lot of knowledge by simply knowing Dewshine’s soulname), not know about TimTam. This applies to Leetah and even more so to Skywise, who actually recognised both, Cutter and Timmain. Obviously, the concept of soul names and recognition and the soul splitting isn’t really thought through and kinda made along as they went, but by adding stuff the problems just get more glaring

I’m guessing spirits of dead elves can see other spirits, even while they’re still inside their skin, so for them TimTam is self evident.

I’ve also wondered why those two who recognised Cutter didn’t know about TimTam. Even before he recognised Timmain, Skywise was spending a lot of time with her, sending with her, joining with her. How did he not realise these two were one? Timmain doesn’t have a soul name - her soul is there to see.

And another thing - presumably Skywise’s recognition with Cutter was triggered because he was supposed to be recognising Timmain...so why didn’t Leetah recognise the Timmain half? Or even feel attracted to her? She seems to have no particular connection to Timmain at all, even though she *is* Cutter. Timmain seems to regard both Skywise and Leetah as lifemates, and yet Leetah is weirdly unattached.

Actually, why does Cutter's soul even look feral? This feral attributes stem only from his wolf genes, but not from his soul. Shouldn't his soul, or what we see when Leetah recognizes him in OQ, be Timmain or at least a version of her with some wolf features thrown in there (should the wolf blood indeed somehow influence the "soul form").

Don't ask questions isn't how you should tell a story

Stargazer wrote:

Yes, I’m aware there have been gambling scenes numerous times, Embala. I’m talking about that artwork specifically. I remember the kneeling troll with his hand on his head. I just can’t remember where.

I associate this pose with Smelt, Stargazer ... totally baffled by Two-Edge's birth. But I cannot find evidence either.

Good questions, Miss Gillespie. Familiar questions.

It is logical for me that a "true" Wolrider soul show some wolfish traits of features because a Wolfriser IS wolf to a small degree. But if Tam's soul a sliver of Timmain's "pure" soul ... how can flesh and blood and genetics can "rub off"?

Too many unanswered ... better: unasked questions.

I was reading back through the original series and I noticed his scene
http://elfquest.com/read/index.php?s=OQ/OQ13&p=24
It now takes on a whole new meaning...

@Stargazer Have I accidentally found the "baffled Troll" you remember? Look at Smelt! He showed up this morning in my Advent calendar.

I guess that’s it then...just a similar pose, not reused artwork after all.

Just read the issue online for free. Not gonna pay for single issues at the very least - doubtful if I'll ever buy the collected version.
I'm... okay with most of it. But then again, I didn't expect much...

Hmmm, so now we know from the blurbs of #2 and #3 what will happen next.

Spoilers:

Why do Cutter and Skywise even freak out about the reveal? I'm a human and would probably not freak out of my mind if this would happen to me (I'd be shocked, sure, but I would also be curious). Why should it be such a problem for them, that Timmain and Cutter share a soul? Elves don't put such an emphasis on individualism as we humans do, right?

Read the preview of the 2nd Star-Gazer issue and I already can't stand Jink >,<