Elfquest: New Blood #1 Summer Special
Warp Graphics, Aug 1992, colour.
1 NB 1-1 cover Includes "Darkness Rising" part 1.
A blond, blue eyed elf boy in light blue pants and aqua marine belt with belt buckle walks. He has a gleaming pendant around his neck on a necklace. He wears an open, short cut, brown jacket with sleeves. Beneath the jacket he has no shirt on and his navel is slightly above the belt buckle. He has wandered as he thinks. This long haired blond is Suntop and he hears someone talking. He climbs a tree to listen and see. A bearded warrior calls to a black haired boy and a blond boy with pony tail. Suntop remembers humans. Geoki's People. Blue Mountain. That was long ago. Father says that humans have changed a lot during the centuries. Eric is the boy in blue tunic, tights, and sleeves. His Prince, the blond with the pony tail wants to go swimming. The bearded man mocks Eric, who was mocked by the Prince about things in the lake that live on the bottom. Superstitious peasant beliefs only. Eric tells them the Master of the Hounds told him he saw something. The Prince tells him the Master of the Hounds sees plentyóóespecially after a visit to the tavern. Eric has a flute. The Prince fakes that something has gotten hold of him, "Oh Eric, if you could see the look on your face." Eric has green eyes. The Prince, who wears a blue jewel around his high forehead. He tells the page, Eric, that he must learn what is real and what is made up by traveling minstrels. He slaps Eric hard across the face and makes the soldier with them toss Eric into the lake. He orders Eric not to get out until he can no longer see the leaving Prince and his warrior and also orders him not return to the castle until sundown or else he will be flogged. Eric holds his shoulders, "But...but the creatures of the night...the dark!!!" The boy forbids him to spout such...such tripe in his presence ever again. Suntop feels sorry for Eric and yells as a swamp man monster comes up toward Eric's feet at the rock the page sits on, examining his flute. Suntop yells, "Look out!!" But the branch he is on snaps off and he falls. The shadowy green swamp man with red eyes retreats into the lake. Eric wonders what happened to Suntop's earsóóthey are pointy. Suntop puts his arm around Eric, "We must get away from this place. It's evil!" Eric doesn't understand the language but figures this new boy is right. The sun is red in the sky and this is the time monsters are out. Suntop says, "We must go into the forest. It's safer there." Eric says, "We'll go to the castle, it's the safest place."