I was first introduced to ElfQuest when I was in elementary school, and I am fairly certain it was my first real exposure to comics, particularly ones that told a long-running story. I couldn't have been more than nine or ten years old at the time, and I was simply enchanted by the characters and the story (even if there were plenty of things that flew right over my head at that age). ElfQuest was different than any of the other stories I'd read up to that point, and it was something of a personal yardstick for years against which I measured other sequential art works I came across. I would haunt the local comic shop, trying to find the back issues I was missing, and I wished I could get copies of the big, full-color omnibus editions like my friend had. I got my hands on several sets of the Ral Partha miniatures, and I picked up all the short story novel collections. So I can pretty safely say that ElfQuest had a rather substantial influence on my childhood, and it continues to hold a very special place in my heart.

When I learned Dark Horse would be publishing ElfQuest in omnibus form I was very excited. Despite that knowledge, I failed to make firm note of the publication date, so I was excited all over again when I saw the first volume on the shelves at my local Barnes & Noble. The book is gorgeous. There is a part of me that misses the color art, but the black and white images are just as stunning. My one real quibble is that over the course of 720 pages, one of the pages wound up duplicated, meaning that there is one missing page. It isn't a huge issue, but it did make me a little sad (then I went to the ElfQuest website and found the missing page to reread it). ( )

This is FANTASTIC! This is the original quest which was published in black and white, magazine size format. When it was republished by Marvel additional art was added because of the differences in the format between comic size and magazine size. The Marvel printing was colorized. They have returned to the black and white, but also have the additional art (in black and white).

I have loved ElfQuest for many years and I am so utterly happy to have this edition and be able to read it. I can't wait until 2015 for volume two. ( )