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ElfQuest: Hidden Years Gallery Edition
  • Published: 11 August 2026
  • ISBN: 9781506748542
  • Imprint: Dark Horse Books
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 168
  • RRP: $320.00

ElfQuest: Hidden Years Gallery Edition

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A collection of exquisitely illustrated standalone comics short stories from the world of ElfQuest.

A color art collection of exquisitely-illustrated, standalone short stories from the world of ElfQuest.

ElfQuest premiered in 1978 as a black-and-white independent comic—with an engaging tale, diverse cast of characters, and alluring art by Wendy Pini—and the title quickly took fandom by storm.

In 1990, co-creators Wendy and Richard Pini made a leap into full-color publishing, with the series ElfQuest: Hidden Years. The first five issues contained standalone stories that could be enjoyed by anyone. Wendy Pini created those iconic pages in vibrant watercolor, with each brush stroke, line, and tint now presented in a unique gallery edition hardcover to present the full effect of her original art pages, which are now permanently housed at Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library for preservation and study.

Each of the five color issues within the ElfQuest: Hidden Years Gallery Edition hardcover are standalone stories, unlettered to offer an unprecedented look at Wendy Pini’s lush artwork, complete with her margin notes, color tests, and behind-the-scenes material. This volume is a powerful example of the incredible world-building and visual storytelling in ElfQuest that has set the standard in fantasy comics for decades.
  • Published: 11 August 2026
  • ISBN: 9781506748542
  • Imprint: Dark Horse Books
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 168
  • RRP: $320.00

About the author

Wendy Pini

Wendy Pini was born Wendy Fletcher in San Francisco. Growing up on an isolated ranch in Gilroy, California, Wendy's imagination was fueled by all forms of fantasy and mythology. At an early age she began spinning her own tales of elves, monkey-gods, aliens, and sorcerers. While her artistic talents were influenced by turn-of-the-century illustrators, film, and TV animation, her storytelling abilities evolved from a love of Shakespeare, Japanese history and legend, modern fantasy, and the epic poetry of the Ramayana. In 1977, a deeply personal project called ElfQuest was born. As the first continuing fantasy/adventure graphic novel series in America to be cocreated, written, and illustrated by a woman, ElfQuest became a phenomenon in the comics industry. Appealing to comics and sci-fi/fantasy fans alike, it attracted a unique and unprecedented audience, an equal mix of male and female readers. More than three million copies of the collected graphic novel volumes have been sold to date.
WP

Also by Wendy Pini

ElfQuest: The Final Quest
ElfQuest: The Original Quest: Book 4--The First War
ElfQuest: The Original Quest: Book 3--Wolf Blood Caged
ElfQuest: The Original Quest: Book 2--Forbidden Grove
ElfQuest: The Original Quest: Book 1--Fire and Flight
The Complete ElfQuest Volume 8: FutureQuest
ElfQuest: Stargazer's Hunt Volume 2
See all

Praise for ElfQuest: Hidden Years Gallery Edition

The comic is utterly addictive."—NPR

"One of the most important works in American fantasy."—American Library Association

"ElfQuest redefined graphic novel storytelling on an epic scale."—Barnes and Noble

"One of the most beautifully crafted, well thought out comic book fantasy epics of all time."—CBR

"Wendy and Richard [Pini] created and sustained one of the most successful independent comics of all time."—Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

"[ElfQuest] is particularly important because of its key role in the establishment of a highly visible phase of alternative, independent comic books and also its creative direction by a female artist."—Karen Green, Curator for Comics and Cartoons, Columbia University

Wendy and Richard Pini, Winners, Adamson Awards

Wendy and Richard Pini, 2019 Inducted into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame (Comic-Con International)