Elves Books

Reviewed by Samuel Peralta (age 6) for Reader Views (12/07)

This story is about an Elf named Jingleheimer who invents a magic telescope for Santa's Toy of the Year Award. This special telescope allows kids to see "Santa's everyday life at the North Pole," and also is a tool to change "nonbelievers into Santa's biggest fans." To Jingleheimer's surprise, he gets to ride with Santa and delivers the telescopes to good boys and girls all over the world.

Note from parent: Even though my son thought the story would be better for a younger child, he enjoyed the story and thought it would be exciting to see Santa in the North Pole. "The Magic Telescope" is nicely illustrated. The rich colors are definitely appealing to younger kids. We are giving the book to my sister so she can read it to my 3-year-old nephew. I'm sure he will enjoy it.

"Poison Elves: Amrahylnn" is the latest collection of tales chronicalling the adventures and misadventures of one of the greatest comic book characters ever created- Lusiphur Malache. Ironically, Luse does not actually appear in most of these stories. The 'Ventures' series is meant to focus on some of Luse's co-stars and their unique personalities. As longtime fans of the regular Poison Elves series no doubt know, Drew Hayes has had ongoing health issues that sidelined the ongoing storyline. So, what's a poor PE fan to do while awaiting the continuation of the regular series? Enter writer Keith Davidsen and artist Aaron Bordner, the minds behind "Ventures".

This TPB collects four issues of "Ventures", each narrated by Parintachin, the infamously demented imp inhabiting Luse's sanity. A virtual wellspring of knowledge about Luse and those with whom he comes in contact, naturally, 'Par' has got some stories to tell:

"Cassandra"- Does love truly extend beyond death? In this case, yes. Cassandra, the former lover of Luse who laid down her own life to save his, now discovers herself in a position to save him again. But she is forced to choose between saving him and possibly losing his memory forever...

"Lynn"- Enamored with the legend that is Luse, young, beautiful Lynn sets out on the dangerous path to becoming just like him. This leads her to Grig, a former friend of Luse, who agrees to help her become a master thief. However, Grig has his own sinister reasons for grooming Lynn into Lusiphur...

"Purple Marauder"- Possibly the most misunderstood character in the PE series and a ludicrously goofy departure from the typically hardened cast. Watch as the self-proclaimed smiter of women takes on a bondage cult. Maybe he'll actually learn a thing or two about women...

And finally, "Jace". Captured by the diabolical Morlagan while storming her castle and forced to become a pit fighter for the entertainment of her and her goblin horde, it seems Jace has grown complacent with his excuse for an existance. But a visit from the high wizard Tenth convinces Jace that he may hold the key to salvaging the only possible spark of hope for Elves...

Rounding out this compilation are three classic 'shorts' by the man himself, Drew Hayes. Lusiphur vs. an annoying street mime (I love this one), Lusiphur vs. a drunken idiot and finally, a bizarre battle between two imps, enacted vicariously through the minds they inhabit.

While most of the tales compiled herein would work as 'stand alone' stories, "Amrahlynn" is not a good starting point for readers new to Poison Elves. Nothing against the Davidsen/Bordner team, but while their stories/art are not quite on par (no pun intended) with the depth and memorability for which Drew is an underground legend with this series. Still, four stars well earned.

Drew Hayes might hate women, but he's a great writer and a good artist. Sanctuary was great, and this new story seems even more intriguing! Thanks for keeping up the story, Drew! :-D

Reviewing the latest installment in the Poison Elves saga is a bittersweet experience. You see, series creator and underappreciated genius Drew Hayes died last year, and I'm still struggling with that. I didn't know Drew personally (though I did have the good fortune of meeting him once), but as his faithful readers know, we learned more about Drew through the opening page and letters columns of each issue of Poison Elves than we do about most people we interact with on a daily basis. In some ways, Drew was family, and now he's gone, so it's hard to look at this volume without thinking about the fact that he was literally dying while writing it.

Given the circumstances, it's not surprising that Alliances is more uneven than the preceding Poison Elves graphic novels. There's an interlude by Drew that explains how he has been ill, and expected to get the book back on schedule in the future, and he was assisted by a handful of guest artists (who were not credited by Sirius). Alliance was supposed to continue the Dark Wars storyline, but mostly serves as an interlude, with several prose pages, that helps get the major (and minor) characters on the right path towards the major conflict to come.

Honestly, this is probably the weakest of all of the Poison Elves trade paperbacks, and I hate writing that because I completely understand why it is the way it is. I'm also monumentally disturbed that there was absolutely nothing in this collection to even acknowledge Drew's passing. No dedication, no tributes from peers, not even a little introduction or postscript from Sirius to note that the guy who created, wrote, and illustrated every single issue of this series was no longer among the living. There are five more issues that need to be collected, so I'm hoping this infuriating oversight will be corrected in the final Poison Elves trade paperback. If it isn't, Sirius will never see another dollar from me.

Poison Elves Volume 6: Guild War collects issues 13-25 of the Sirius-published Poison Elves series, and continues the long running Sanctuary storyline.

For those of you unfamiliar with this excellent (and criminally underrated) series, Poison Elves is the story of an elf named Lusiphur. Now, before you get visions in your head of pretty-boy elves like Legolas or those Elfquest characters, you should know that Lusiphur (Luse, as he's known to the few people he likes well enough not to have killed) is not that kind of elf. He's a street fighting, hard drinking, mercenary/assassin described by his creator as (and I'm paraphrasing here) "having the temperament of a rattlesnake and the ability to deliver sarcasm faster than lightning hits the ground." Sound intriguing? Drew Hayes is a master storyteller, and besides getting a great non-traditional fantasy story, there is plenty of social commentary and very relevant, very cutting observations. Drew was doing this kind of thing long before Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, et al made it commonplace. And his artwork is terrific too.

Guild War is very much the Empire Strikes Back chapter in the Sanctuary saga. In Poison Elves, Volume Five: Sanctuary (Poison Elves), Luse joins Sanctuary, a secret guild of assassins and thieves, and finds true love. You know how rare that is for someone like Lusiphur, so you can tell this means something. At the same time, Luse's pal Jace joins the Blood Guard, an elite police task force assigned to bring down Sanctuary. Guild War finds Luse captured by a rival guild, and the subsequent war between guilds. Not to mention the first conflict between Sanctuary and the Blood Guard. This volume also sees the involvement of the Elven High Wizard known as Tenth, Luse's ex-wife (and a powerful sorceress in her own right) Hyena, and the return of Widowmaker. Like Empire Strikes Back, Guild War is the middle chapter in the Sanctuary saga. As such, it really doesn't leave you with a satisfying ending, but trust me; it is an ending that you will never forget.

I can't recommend this series highly enough. When you're ready to take a break from "comics as usual", you owe it to yourself to check this series out. My recommendation is to pick up volume 5 first, as it provides an excellent introduction to the series. When you finish that one, you'll no doubt be torn between wanting to go back and read volumes 1-4, or going directly to this book to see what happens next!

Poison Elves Volume 9: Baptism By Fire collects issues 48-59 of the Sirius-published Poison Elves series, and contains the entire Elvin Fire storyline.

For those of you unfamiliar with this excellent (and criminally underrated) series, Poison Elves is the story of an elf named Lusiphur. Now, before you get visions in your head of pretty-boy elves like Legolas or those Elfquest characters, you should know that Lusiphur (Luse, as he's known to the few people he likes well enough not to have killed) is not that kind of elf. He's a street fighting, hard drinking, mercenary/assassin described by his creator as (and I'm paraphrasing here) "having the temperament of a rattlesnake and the ability to deliver sarcasm faster than lightning hits the ground." Sound intriguing? Drew Hayes is a master storyteller, and besides getting a great non-traditional fantasy story, there is plenty of social commentary and very relevant, very cutting observations. Drew was doing this kind of thing long before Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, et al made it commonplace. And his artwork is terrific too.

In this volume, Lusiphur and Jace sign on as guards on a ship carrying a secret cargo. The ship gets boarded by pirates led by none other than Cleah (from Poison Elves, Volume Eight: Rogues (Poison Elves)). The elves discover that the cargo is actually the last ember of the Elvin Fire, an ancient power capable of creating great weapons against the Dark. Uncharacteristically, Luse and Jace decide to return the Fire to the elves, all the while pursued by the worst monsters the Dark can throw at them.

This is the beginning of a huge event in the Posion Elves series called the Dark War. This brings our misfit heroes back to the elvin homeland, where they will prepare to battle the forces of the dark. This is the stuff of epic fantasy, though presented in typical irreverent Drew Hayes fashion.

I can't recommend this series highly enough. When you're ready to take a break from "comics as usual", you owe it to yourself to check this series out.

Poison Elves Volume 6: Guild War collects issues 13-25 of the Sirius-published Poison Elves series, and continues the long running Sanctuary storyline.

For those of you unfamiliar with this excellent (and criminally underrated) series, Poison Elves is the story of an elf named Lusiphur. Now, before you get visions in your head of pretty-boy elves like Legolas or those Elfquest characters, you should know that Lusiphur (Luse, as he's known to the few people he likes well enough not to have killed) is not that kind of elf. He's a street fighting, hard drinking, mercenary/assassin described by his creator as (and I'm paraphrasing here) "having the temperament of a rattlesnake and the ability to deliver sarcasm faster than lightning hits the ground." Sound intriguing? Drew Hayes is a master storyteller, and besides getting a great non-traditional fantasy story, there is plenty of social commentary and very relevant, very cutting observations. Drew was doing this kind of thing long before Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, et al made it commonplace. And his artwork is terrific too.

Guild War is very much the Empire Strikes Back chapter in the Sanctuary saga. In Poison Elves, Volume Five: Sanctuary (Poison Elves), Luse joins Sanctuary, a secret guild of assassins and thieves, and finds true love. You know how rare that is for someone like Lusiphur, so you can tell this means something. At the same time, Luse's pal Jace joins the Blood Guard, an elite police task force assigned to bring down Sanctuary. Guild War finds Luse captured by a rival guild, and the subsequent war between guilds. Not to mention the first conflict between Sanctuary and the Blood Guard. This volume also sees the involvement of the Elven High Wizard known as Tenth, Luse's ex-wife (and a powerful sorceress in her own right) Hyena, and the return of Widowmaker. Like Empire Strikes Back, Guild War is the middle chapter in the Sanctuary saga. As such, it really doesn't leave you with a satisfying ending, but trust me; it is an ending that you will never forget.

I can't recommend this series highly enough. When you're ready to take a break from "comics as usual", you owe it to yourself to check this series out. My recommendation is to pick up volume 5 first, as it provides an excellent introduction to the series. When you finish that one, you'll no doubt be torn between wanting to go back and read volumes 1-4, or going directly to this book to see what happens next!

Lusiphur and Lirilith is basically a love story. But it's a Poison Elves love story, so you know it's going to be at least a little messed up and closer to reality than most mainstream comics will ever get, even considering that the main characters are, you know, elves.

The 4-issue limited series collected in this volume chronicle the first meeting of Poison Elves main character Lusiphur and his once (and future?) love interest Lirilith. It has elements of the classic "rich girl falls in love with the bad boy from the other side of the tracks" story, but with the twists and dark humor that make Poison Elves unique among comics. Even if writer Drew Hayes hadn't pointed out in the introduction that the story was more than a little personal, the emotion he brings to the story would clue you in pretty quick.

This one is a must have for Poison Elves fans. It is an important chapter in the PE saga, gives some new insight into what makes Luse tick, has some great artwork, and is a hell of a love story in a genre not typically known for that kind of tale.

As advertised. This is a Dover book, so it includes no scholarly apparatus to speak of. Still, the printing is good, and it includes a nice collection of prints that I hadn't seen. Shipping was timely.

In this Original English Manga from Segamu and artist Melissa DeJesus the story continues for Kana and her classmate girlfriends in the lost elf/demon world of Sokora. The fish outta water humor holds up despite not having the benefit of goblins popping up in the girl's shower (see vol. 1!) Tien, Tristan, Salome, Tamara, Julie, and Kana/Veila must all band together now... if they could ever stop fighting amongst themselves! This story pops along with crisp, funny dialogue, impressive expressive artwork, a wild premise, and a healthy dose of fanservice.