ElfQuest

[Tawmis]

Well, not sure how many here have read ElfQuest... great series of fantasy comics. Well, I was thinking with the success of Wizkid's Heroclix (www.heroclix.com), imagine if there was ElfQuest Clix?

With DC having rights to ElfQuest these days, what I wouldn't do to see ElfQuest as Clix. Naturally, they wouldn't work as super hero type Clix. But sort of like the Baseball Clix that they have released, create a new set of Powers, Team Abilities, etc.

Some HC powers would actually still work:

For example:

Movement:
Flurry
Leap/Climb
Phasing (Shaping Stone/Trees)
Charge
Mind Control
Stealth
Running Shot

Attack:
Blades/Claw/Fangs
Pulse Wave
Incapacitate (Vines, Telepathy)

Defense:

Super Senses
Toughness (mostly trolls)
Defend
Barrier
Mastermind (Winnowill, Humans)
Willpower

Damage:

Range Combat Expert
Battle Fury
Support
Enhancement
Shape Change (High Ones)
Close Combat Expert
Perplex
Leadership

TEAM ABILITIES:

Wolfriders - Any Wolfrider that is touching base with another gains +1 to their Attacks and Defense.

Sun Folk - They enhance ranged-combat attacks by delivering an extra click of damage with an adjacent attacking friendly figure’s hits.

Go-Backs - Go-Backs can move without using an action for that turn. This allows you to move more figures more often, allowing you to bring more of your Go-Backs into play faster.

Blue Mountain - All Blue Mountain Elves enjoy the highest defense value of any Defender in an adjacent square.

Trolls - The Trolls can share the attack values of adjacent Troll members.

Humans - The Humans all possess a natural team ability of Outwit, making them deadly in combat.

Preservers - Preservers do not take an action token when they move, but can only move once per turn.

I could see it as Blue Mountain and Preservers being the only figures that can actually fly.

Also for the big figure, it's easy to decide what it'd be.

Madcoil!

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hi Tawmis, and welcome to the chronicles-network!

Please excuse my ignorance, but I am a little confused - what is a "Clix"? I know what a RPG is, but this is a term that escapes me. :S

 

[dwndrgn]

Welcome Tawmis, I'm clueless too. But I am an ElfQuest fan. Do explain for an old fogey what the heck a clix is. I didn't know that DC had the rights to ElfQuest...were they planning to re-release them or to create something new?

 

[Tawmis]

Heya!

Well, first - for what Clix are. It's from HeroClix (www.heroclix.com) - a game Wizkids has put out. Basically, it's a figure with a dial on it. The top dial has their movement, their attack, their defense and their damage.

As a character takes "damage" from another, you turn the Dial to represent the damage.

So for example, say I had a Cutter Clix and a Picknose Clix. Picknose hits my Cutter Clix and Picknose has a "2" for his damage. So I'd turn Cutter's clix 2 down.

Each clix has 12 slots, but depending on the Clix, not all 12 slots will be full. (Well, 12 slots would never be full, because the 12th slot HAS to be at least KO).

Let me find a direct link on Wizkids that talks about it.

http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/howtoplay.asp?cid=36388

There, that explains the dial.

Each dial has a plastic figure on top of it, to represent the character.

For example, here's one of Thor (from Marvel Comics)

http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figuregallery.asp?unitid=2735

And here's what Thor's dial looks like:

http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figures_dials.asp?dialid=3999

If you hoover the mouse over each of the numbers (if they're colored), it will tell you what powers they are and what they do.

It's a fun, collectable game. But, very, very, very expensive. One pack of four figures will run you $6.99 typically. Each pack has 4 random inserted characters. Each set typically has 96 figures. Of those 96 figures, there's 12 Uniques (don't let the term "Unique" throw you off).

Each figure has three rankings/figures. Rookie, Experienced, Veteran (and of course some have Uniques). The rookie figure has a yellow circle around it, the Experienced figure has a blue circle, the Veteran has a red circle, and Uniques have a silver circle.

So if we were to break down Cutter into a HeroClix type figure, I'd probably do something like:

Rookie Figure = Original B&W Series up to issue #12
Experienced Figure = ElfQuest B&W Original series from the Troll/Elf Wars
Veteran Figure = ElfQuest days of Seige at Blue Mountain

Now as each figure goes up in rank, typically they get more health, better attacks, better defense.

Using Thor's dial for example again, you can compare:

Rookie Thor:
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figures_dials.asp?dialid=3999

Experienced Thor:
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figures_dials.asp?dialid=4000

Veteran Thor:
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figures_dials.asp?dialid=4001


The standard is, as you can see, as a figure takes damage, their attacks, defense, movement, damage all slowly decrease. (This of course isn't always true - if you look at Hulk's figure, it starts off bad, and gets better to represent the figure going from Banner, into Hulk).

As for Uniques, they usually represent a special time in a character's life. For example, using my Cutter - a Unique Cutter might be Cutter as a kid (like while Bearclaw was still chief).

Phew!

That's a lot of blabbering on my behalf!

Now move on to DC Acquiring ElfQuest.

http://www.elfquest.com/news/EQDC.html

<FONT color=#990000>INTO THE FUTURE WITH CUTTER & CO.

Elfquest kicks off its second quarter century with a new look (or rather, a whole set of new looks), a new publishing program, and most importantly, a powerful new partner.


After months of non-stop and intense discussion and negotiation, Warp Graphics and DC Comics have entered into long-term agreement whereby the publisher of such international icons as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman will put its muscle behind the Wolfriders as well.

For months, you've been wondering "What's up?" with Elfquest, when would new material be forthcoming, and so on. Wendy and I have wanted to share the news, but until a signed contract was in place, we couldn't say a word. Now, the news is out and Wendy and I will be adding to this page our thoughts, hopes and reactions throughout the hours and days to come.

Below is the first press release that Warp and DC are releasing simultaneously. You can find an interview with Wendy and me about this wonderful turn of events at

 

[Tawmis]

Doh! It cut off the message...
Anyway.
- - -



at Newsarama.com. We'll also certainly link you to any other web sites that carry news about Elfquest's new adventure! Be sure to read the latest WendyWords for the artist's take on this newest anniversary development.







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DC COMICS ACQUIRES PUBLISHING, MEDIA & MERCHANDISING RIGHTS TO THE LANDMARK COMIC BOOK SERIES ELFQUEST





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New York, NY - March 6, 2003 - DC Comics has acquired worldwide publishing rights in all formats and languages as well as media and merchandising rights to the wildly successful, epic-adventure fantasy comic book series Elfquest, it was announced today by Paul Levitz, President & Publisher, DC Comics.



Elfquest is the magical universe of elves, trolls, mer-elves, primitive humans and fairylike creatures that has attracted a rabidly loyal fan base since the first black and white comics were self-published in 1978 by artist/writer Wendy Pini and her husband and series editor Richard Pini.



"It's a pleasure to bring Wendy and Richard's incredibly original universe into our diverse publishing program," said Levitz. "We hope to take their quarter-century of success and build it together to new heights."



"We are big believers in new beginnings," said Wendy Pini. "Coming as it does on the silver anniversary of the release of our first issue of Elfquest, we feel this opportunity is a gift from the Universe that frees us up to create new epic adventures in brand new formats for a brand new audience as well as for our longtime fans."



"After a quarter century of shepherding Elfquest as far as the two of us could take it, we are thrilled, now, to have the power, punch and creativity of DC Comics behind us," said Richard Pini. "We can't imagine a more respectful and enthusiastic partner to help us take our beloved characters into new realms."



Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Elfquest has been called "one of the most important works in American fantasy" by the American Library Association. As part of the initial publishing plan DC Comics will be publishing a full-color, hardcover archive series and compact-sized black and white trade paperbacks, along with a DC Direct merchandise program, plus new, original Elfquest material to be produced by the Pinis.



There are over 12 million Elfquest works in print as the series has been published in a variety of formats including comic books, graphic novels, prose novelizations, short story collections, reference and related books. The Pinis published the series out of their modest two-person office in Poughkeepsie, New York.



With an audience ranging from pre-teen to adult, a captivating, diverse cast of characters and emotionally charged stories, Elfquest is a natural fit for DC Comics, the world's largest English language publisher of comic books.



Elfquest is TM & © 2003 Warp Graphics, Inc.



DC Comics, a division of Warner Bros. an AOL Time Warner Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC superheroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics' web site is located at www.dccomics.com

 

[dwndrgn]

Ooohh cool! New hardcover and trade paperbacks! And just today I found a local comics store while wandering around waiting for the library to open. They weren't open because it was Sunday but I'll have to check them later. Now I might be able to see what a lot of you guys are so jazzed about. They even had a poster in the front window for Neil Gaiman's Sandman. I'm also interested to see if they carry any of our friend The Khan's Roaring Studios stuff. I might just find some nice Christmas presents there, and if I'm really good I can get something for myself

.

I'm going to take your word on the clix stuff - it sounds awfully complicated for my tiny brain and that is one of the reasons I didn't get into D&D as I could have...all the technical aspects seemed to take away the fun of the story for me.

Thanks Tawmis for the info. It might help in the future though to just quote a small portion of an article or web page and then link to the full thing so you don't get cut off in mid-byte, so to speak

.

 

[Tawmis]

No problem! Glad to spread the wonderful word of ElfQuest! (I am partial to Wendy's work on it - the others who touched ElfQuest after her... some were okay, and some were down right horrible - I am surprised sometimes that the Pini's are not more selective over who they have touch their work)

As for Clix - lol - it's pretty much as simple as. "Okay, I have 6 movement, I can move six squares. I move next to your guy. My guy has an attack of 6, you have a Defense of 12. That means I need to roll 7 or higher on two six sided dice." (Since 6+7=13, over coming the 12 defense). (Roll dice) "Got a 8, so I hit. Okay, I have 3 damage. You take 3 clix of damage." (Opponet turns their Clix figur three slots down)

This goes on until one team is completely KO'ed.

Trust me. I hate board games. I never got into MAGIC: THE GATHERING or any of those, because they were too complicated for my brain. (Math is my worse subject by far. Creative mind hates thinking logically). And I managed to pick this up first time around. And I believe if I can, ANYONE can! lol

And good luck on your quest for ElfQuest!

The new stuff has not come out yet (only the #1 issue of the original reprinted and recolored, beautifully!, by DC; and a book with B&W comics retelling stories during Bearclaw's time as chief, mostly Wendy Pini stuff).

 

[dwndrgn]

And good luck on your quest for ElfQuest!

The new stuff has not come out yet (only the #1 issue of the original reprinted and recolored, beautifully!, by DC; and a book with B&W comics retelling stories during Bearclaw's time as chief, mostly Wendy Pini stuff).

I'm definitely going to look at that reprint at the very least. We'll see if I've got any money available to buy after I've gotten most of my Christmas shopping done.

And clix still sound complicated - I hate math too unless I can keep a calculator close by and not have everyone laugh at me as I do simple stuff like 12-6 on it...

 

[Tawmis]

LOL! That works! At least check into the ElfQuest stuff - especially whenever the new stuff comes out... that's just going to be wonderful! More Pini work... makes life a little brighter.

As for HeroClix, lol - maybe go to a gaming shop and watch a game happen.

 

[Vodstok]

I have the original four color-books that came out in the 80s (starblaze graphics), and some of the marvel run of the comic. I absolutely adore this comic, and have been waiting with baited breath since 1998 for the movie.....

At any rate, ElfQuest is the most influential comic i have ever read. It lead almost directly to me discovering dungeons and dragons, and fantasy in general. Cutter is the greatest comic book character ever.

 

[Tawmis]

Wow, I was surprised to see a reply to this thread! (Yeah for email announcements!)


Aye... anyone who hasn't read ELFQUEST should really pick up the original story... incredible. No matter who you are in life... sometime between issue #1 and issue #20 (of the original run) - you will find yourself associating with at LEAST one of the elves... if not more.

Cutter is indeed icnredible, though I associated far more to the nature centered Redlance.

(Not to mention his life/soul mate was the most beautiful of the female elves in ElfQuest)