Poison Elves

Supercbbox
title=Poison Elves


caption=
schedule= Monthly, Bimonthly, varied
format=Ongoing
publisher=Mulehide Graphics
Sirius Entertainment
date= December, 1991 – September, 2004
issues=88
main_char_team= Lusiphur
Jace
Parintachin
writers=Drew Hayes
artists=Drew Hayes
inkers=
colorists=
creators=Drew Hayes

"Poison Elves" is a black-and-white comic book by the late artist/writer Drew Hayes, concerning the life and times of an elf named Lusiphur. Hayes originally self-published the series during the early 90's under his company Mulehide Graphics under the title of "I, Lusiphur" for the first seven issues before switching over to "Poison Elves". The first ten issues of the Mulehide series were published in a larger magazine size format. In 1995, he signed on with Sirius Entertainment, a move that increased his exposure, fan base, and publishing rate. "Poison Elves" has contained explicit content for mature readers. To date, ten trade paperbacks have been released, but the last issue of the main series published by Sirius was #79. A commemorative issue #80 was released to give fans a look at sketches and plans Drew Hayes had for the future of the series before his death.

Early name change

Drew Hayes is rumored to have renamed "I, Lusiphur" to "Poison Elves" because the similarity of Lusiphur to Lucifer led to him constantly being asked if the series was about Satanic themes. Sales were reported to have increased significantly after the name change. [The foreword to the “Traumatic Dogs” Collected Edition] Drew claimed in one of his Starting Notes that the name change was prompted by a letter from a teen-aged fan whose mother had thrown out his comics after finding "I, Lusiphur" comics amongst his collection.

Origins and influences

Drew Hayes' work was influenced by "Dungeons & Dragons", "Elfquest", and "Cerebus". Lusiphur was originally one of Hayes' Dungeons & Dragons characters. The book version of the character was based on Lux Interior of The Cramps, Glen Danzig of The Misfits, and Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy.

The World of "Poison Elves"

Amrahly'nn, the world of "Poison Elves", is one where magic and technology meet. An example of this is Lusiphur's magical semi-automatic handgun that never runs out of bullets. Hayes had described the world as "...a mix of Tolkien's Middle Earth and the Neo-Romantic world seen in the Adam and the Ants video for 'Stand and Deliver'". [From the foreword to "Poison Elves: The Mulehide Years" trade.]

Desert Of the Third Sin

The beginning sees Lusiphur left to die in a desert. He stumbles upon a lamp, with the subsequent genie. After a failed attempt to ask for a million wishes, he settles on three: A powerful Elven sword named Cinlach, super speed to get out of the desert, and the “well of souls,” an assassin tool.

Genie gives him the wishes. But to give them, she has to take them from somewhere. Cinlach comes from an Elven Warduke named Ailwon Sann Fenlach, who quickly notices it missing. He is a veteran of many long-ago wars against the Orcs even if age and time have worn down his fighting acumen. Sann Fenlach has his mage transport him to Lusiphur’s location in the desert where he challenges the elf to a duel for stealing his property. At first the Fenlach is winning, due in part to his mage immediately fixing any wounds Lusiphur can inflict.

The turning point comes when a magician named Tenth steps in. Tenth was quietly reading in his study when he felt a temporary shock. The genie drained his power to accommodate Lusiphur’s request for super speed. Tenth also pinpoints where Lusiphur is located and sees that he is currently fighting Sann Fenlach. He also sees the disparity in the fight. Lusiphur is a young but experienced assassin, having to fight for everything he ever had. The High Lord is sedentary, fighting his last significant battle hundreds of years ago. In the meantime he has been sitting on his throne recounting past battles. Tenth sees that he is relying too much on the magical connection and severs it.

After Lushiphur defeats the High Lord when the odds are more even, he starts burying the body. Tenth then arrives to take back the small sliver of power that Lusiphur took from him. Tenth wants it to be a fair contest however. Lusiphur could best Tenth in a physical contest and Tenth could destroy Lusiphur quickly if he chose. The wizard has not had a challenge in a while, and so decides to make a sport of it.

In “Tenth’s Game,” the Elf is given a fighting chance: Make it across 50 meters through an arch. If he does he will survive. His only weapon is a temporary power of shape-changing into animals given to him by Tenth. The wizard promises to only use his shape-changing powers in return.

The two play a cat-and-mouse game, both at one point turning into panther-like creatures. Lusiphur gets his teeth on Tenth’s throat. Up to this point in his existence Tenth has thoroughly beaten any competitor. Lusiphur has made the wizard fear for his life for the first time in many years. In desperation Tenth morphs into a dragon. Lusiphur follows suit. The dragon battle drags on, until Lusiphur disappears. Tenth assumes he is dead and scans the ground for his body. A cockroach passes through the arch unseen.

pin-offs

There have been a number of miniseries and ongoing title spin-offs from the core "Poison Elves" book, and they have generally been written by other creative teams. The two currently ongoing series are ', about Lusiphur's adventures prior to the "Poison Elves" series, and ', which are self-contained stories about various characters from the "Poison Elves" universe.

Quotes regarding character creation

"(...), the first "Elfquest" series is one of the most amazing comic book runs ever. Period. You can blame the length of my Elves' ears on Wendy Pini." [From the forward to "Poison elves: The Mulehide Years" trade.]

"Dave Sim and "Cerebus" influenced me in every other way." [From the forward to "Poison Elves: The Mulehide Years" trade.]

"No one impedes us...no one denies us....and if need be....no one survives us...," said Dominion. "My hands, my hands," says the man with no hands...

Characters

*Lusiphur:Lusiphur, originally named Luis Amerillis Malaché, was found by a married Elvin couple in the Carpathian forest in 1380. He grew up in their inn in Port Sarnwog. However, his childhood was an unhappy one after a drunken patron set fire to their establishment leaving his adoptive parents desperate for money. His father sank into depression and was later killed in one of the city's violent class wars. With nowhere left to turn, his mother was forced to enter into the only profession she could, prostitution.

:In 1390, things took a turn for the worse when an abusive client battered Luse's mother. She escaped without being beaten to death, but in her hurry, she stepped on a nail. The wound became infected and gangrene soon spread, crippling her and leaving her bedridden indefinitely. Her Elvin immune system prevented her from dying, prolonging her suffering until she begged a young Luse to end her suffering. With no money for a doctor or medicine, the young Elf had little choice. He slit her wrists with a razor blade to set her free from the suffering. The image of her death would haunt Luse for the rest of his life.

:The orphaned Luse learned to survive on the streets alone where he adopted a new identity which he uses today, Lusiphur Malaché. He spent his younger years working for a crime lord called The Nick, where he was involved in risky heists. During this tumultuous time in his life, he met and fell in love with the beautiful priestess Elf, Lirilith. However, he was unable to leave the gang and the continuing life of crime drove the young lovers apart. (This part of Lusiphur's life is chronicled in the mini series, "Lusiphur and Lirilith" written by Drew Hayes and illustrated by Jason Shawn Alexander). [Davidson, Keith J. "The Poison Elves Companion" Vol. 1. December, 2002. SIRIUS Entertainment, Inc.]
* Jace san Lanargaith:Lusiphur's companion
* Parintachin:the Imp that lives in Lusiphur's head, whose name no-one can pronounce
* Cassandra:Lusiphur's third serious love who kills herself because of Jace
* Morachi:head of Sanctuary together with Talon
* Talon:head of Sanctuary together with Morachi
* Vido:Head of the blood guard of mandratha, archnemesis of Sanctuary
* Hyena:Lusiphur's sorcerous ex-wife
* Tenth:the second-greatest Sorcerer in Ammrahl'ynn
* Fleece:Lusiphur's friend from Sanctuary
* Cleah:Friend to Lusiphur and jace
* Wisp:Psychokinetic boy
* Mogre'Ur:head of the Elvin High council and most powerful sorcerer in Ammrahl'ynn

References