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A review by hypops
Elfquest Book #09: Rogue's Challenge by Wendy Pini, Richard Pini
4.0
[Comics Canon Review]
A fantastic end to an incredible (and still wildly underrated) comic. This final book doesn’t have the mind-blowing art or setting of the third book, and its being set mostly in subterranean caves doesn’t give the Pinis much room to play with to create striking visual moments. Nevertheless, the action, drama, pathos, and adventure shine through the darkness.
Whether by choice or circumstance, the book does end on a jarring heteronormative note, but it still leaves plenty of unrequited homosocial and homoerotic connections alive—unfortunately, they remain hidden and suggested rather than explicit. And I say this not because every book needs to have a broad sexual politics, but because the book is so much about romance, love, connection, and interpersonal relationships. It’s also focused on undoing the habits and rules that become “natural” with time. It gets very close in certain moments (especially the pre-battle orgy sequence), but never quite crosses the line into showing a vision of true sexual liberation—even if it would make a strong parallel to the elves’ search for a new home.
Regardless of what things it doesn’t do, the book does end surprisingly well. I was hooked from beginning to end.
A fantastic end to an incredible (and still wildly underrated) comic. This final book doesn’t have the mind-blowing art or setting of the third book, and its being set mostly in subterranean caves doesn’t give the Pinis much room to play with to create striking visual moments. Nevertheless, the action, drama, pathos, and adventure shine through the darkness.
Whether by choice or circumstance, the book does end on a jarring heteronormative note, but it still leaves plenty of unrequited homosocial and homoerotic connections alive—unfortunately, they remain hidden and suggested rather than explicit. And I say this not because every book needs to have a broad sexual politics, but because the book is so much about romance, love, connection, and interpersonal relationships. It’s also focused on undoing the habits and rules that become “natural” with time. It gets very close in certain moments (especially the pre-battle orgy sequence), but never quite crosses the line into showing a vision of true sexual liberation—even if it would make a strong parallel to the elves’ search for a new home.
Regardless of what things it doesn’t do, the book does end surprisingly well. I was hooked from beginning to end.