Poison Elves: Long, Pointy Ears And Bad Attitudes

[@StrangeBrainParts]

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[@t.jefferson6365]

That dude was my best friend. I spent most days with him for almost six years. Insanely funny man, brilliant storyteller and deeply intelligent. I miss him every damned day. Thanks for this. This title deserves more attention and love than it was ever privy to. Your critiques are all things he was aware of and sometimes leaned into it. Esp with the cheesecake. He even answered the buxom thing with Clea, specifically designing her to be different from his usual Chris Coop type goils. Bendis does a introduction for one of Drew's Trades that goes into their "feud". It started off a one off comment from Bendis. "It's public knowledge that Drew Hayes is in fact my bitch." Drew also traded barbs with the Elf Quest creators. He was a fearlessly funny dude. Addendum: Both Lusiphur and Jace were characters created in Rolemaster not D&D played by Drew and his BFF Bart respectively back in their teen years.

[@Tarkus337]

This was interesting, I really like the videos covering comics from smaller publishing companies. Really enjoy seeing the depth the comic scene has to offer.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Excellent! I will see what I can do to incorporate more independent stuff in the very near future.

[@invidusspectator3920]

That and maybe you should branch out to more than just the American comic book scene, not sure how much you follow it, but would be nice to see and popularise certain series in North America.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Will do! Or, I'll try to do.

[@sklba632]

Thanks to Image Comic's success, there was a boom of independent stuff published in the late 90s. So many 12 issues or less stuff out there to dig into.

[@bufordhighwater9872]

I can't believe I missed this episode! Drew Hayes' death and Poison Elves being left unfinished are two of the greatest tragedies in comic book history. I could go on at length about how wonderful this series is and what it will always mean to me but I'm already crying.

[@Fastwinstondoom]

Poison Elves is peak 90's goodness and I make a point to reread it every couple of years.

[@CesarIsaacPerez]

Awesome!!! They have a kickstarter going on soon. I hope it puts all the series into an omnibus or 3

[@scottr7635]

Thanks for making this. Poison Elves was my favorite comic when i was in high school. I still have every issue except the last one. as well as most of the graphic novels. It still stick with me today but i haven't gone back to read any of it since I learned about Hayes passing. I think for me it was a right place right time comic.

[@wyrdhunter]

Damn this was an obscure pull. I loved Poison Elves, and still do. It heavily resonated with me at the time as I was also an angry young man trying to figure out who he was and what he wanted. It was cool seeing his art and life mature over the course of the comic’s run, especially after the birth of his daughter. The comic isn’t everyone’s cup of tea; it’s often bleak and nihilistic but retained a dark, wicked sense of humor. Poison Elves will always be of massive sentimental value to me. It let me know that I wasn’t the only one going through shit and made things a bit more bearable. His death hit me hard as we weren’t too far apart in age and he was finally getting out of the dark hole he had spent a lot of time in. My signed copies of his original, over-sized, self-published issues are amongst my most prized possessions. I’m really glad to see this series get some time in the spotlight.

[@ChattingwithGPT5]

Facts wish he wouldve gotten more recognition

[@jeffersonhouse94]

I loved what I read of Poison Elves and I REALLY loved Drew's "Starting Note" columns in the beginning of each issue. Drew Haues had a singular vision and voice, and is well worth checking out. R.I.P. Drew, you were one of a kind!

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Indeed. I would still be reading Poison Elves if it was being produced by Drew Hayes today.

[@omenscreamingraven3956]

Like many Drew and his world has been discovered and helped me get through life when it's been dark, to appreciate the humor in his comic and the moments in between when he shared moments of his life the good bad and ugly to see how not only how his art and the story were evolving but him as well. Sadly it ended too soon he is dearly missed.

[@dono42]

Your video makes me interested in the series. Sadly I had never heard of Poison Elves or Drew Hayes. It is ironic though as I was living in Seattle at that time. There seems to be a Kickstarter campaign going now for a new hardback of volumes 1-20. Maybe now is the time for me to read this series.

[@ChristopherRomero]

Man, I really loved his raw unpolished art style. Still do.

[@briangarber4232]

I love Poison Elves. Thanks for making this video.

[@KalleVilenius]

Hayes did have someone else come in to do the lettering for a lot of issues but that didn't help with the typos.

[@alfredolopez9642]

Another obscure comic book series that I now have the irresistible urge to read thanks to you. It totally looks and feels like something born out of the 90's, with the grungy aesthetic, angsty characters and the like. Too bad the creator passed away before concluding it. Still, 100 issues is a lot more than many other creator owned comics get to last though. Great video as always. 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@ChattingwithGPT5]

This was a great story especially when everyone was sick and tired of traditional super hero Lusiphur was the perfect anti hero I really wish Netflix would pick this up it was insanely good

[@greyspeight8776]

Never heard of this series before but I gotta say it looks like something I would appreciate. I'm definitely gonna keep my eyes peeled for issues of it at my local shops.

[@sklba632]

As someone who started reading it back when it was new, I really don't recommend it now - maybe grab a TPB for a taste, but even then, I wouldn't. It had a time and place. There's some fun stuff in there, but it's not always gentle on the eyes, and the author of this video doesn't properly detail how bad the writing of text on pages is in some cases. I'm talking size 8 fonts for entire pages of paragraphs of text. It was sooooo bad even then.

[@omenscreamingraven3956]

In case you didn't know as of the 20th of this month a Kickstarter is beginning to release his comics in hardcover so what better time than now to look for them ?

[@greyspeight8776]

@@omenscreamingraven3956 hey thanks for the info I'm gonna look into that later today.

[@JohnJackson-hv8it]

I love the Poison Elves and it was a shame and tragedy to lose Drew Hayes. What fun storyteller he was! His opening thoughts on the front cover were many times well worth the price of the book! I love the fact that you cover lesser known titles and especially the old Sirius titles! I feel that they became the #1 publisher in another reality.

[@castironchaos]

I came to this channel for the Mage videos, and stayed for Poison Elves. R.I.P. Drew Hayes, and also the crazy Purple Marauder.😁 Cerebus was a definite influence on this great series, but I also see some similarities between Lusiphur and Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone, especially with the way the entire universe seems out to make Lusiphur's life an unending painful ordeal (witn healthy doses of black, black comedy). If anyone can find them, I would recommend the trade paperback reprints "Desert of the Third Sin" first for newcomers, followed by "Sanctuary," which covers the first year of the Sirius Comics series. Also, a look on eBay revealed a number of sellers were offering huge batches of Poison Elves comics at reasonable prices...which is unusual for eBay.

[@themanwithnoname5310]

I just hopped on eBay myself to grab a lot of trades. Managed to snag Volume 1-6 for around 40 bucks. I’m very excited to read this! I get Berserk like feelings when looking at the art.

[@omenscreamingraven3956]

Another way to grab them could be through the Kickstarter the 20th of the month they're going to release them again in hardcover.

[@futurocomics]

A couple of years back i found an issue of this series and found the art very interesting, something in the vein of James O'Barr. Hope to get more issues someday

[@TheLDpwnz]

I'm a fan of the indie comics boom so this kind of content is right up my alley. Kudos for taking the time to cover this. I appreciated how well you shared the comic's history so succinctly. Oftentimes there's very little information on comics from this period (at least online) and the context is invaluable for modern readers going back. Additionally, the criticisms were just as well put and admirably even-handed, even when dealing with touchier subjects. Cheers for that too. I only wish that you spent more time on the positive critique. Although you shared aspects you liked, I didn't fully grasp why you liked them (especially compared to how well I grasped aspects you didn't like). Although the video paints Poison Elves in a positive light, I don't think it adequately answered what makes it worth reading today or even being covered in this video? What makes it stand out compared to all the other of indie comics published during that era? I hope that helps and I look forward to future videos.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Perfect feedback! Thank you very much. I will definitely think certain questions you mention aren't adequately answered. Such as, what makes it worth reading today? What sets it apart from other independent titles of the day? I will definitely keep those in mind.

[@tiffanydegoya]

This is 1 of the first comics I started collecting as a kid in the late 90s, I have a shit ton of the comics (I’m missing about 30 of them) and a few of the volumes. My Poison elves collection takes up prime space on my bookshelf. When I turned 18 I even got Cassie’s lower back tattoo Art tattooed onto my back 😂 (I thought I was so cool thinking outside the box 😅). The man who ran my local comic book store use to call me “Johnny” (after Johnny the homicidal maniac) and “poison elf” after poison elves, I would come in and buy mainly those 2 and would see if anything new came in (like the Lusiphur statue I now wish I had bought 😭). I was so sad and shed a tear when Drew passed away, poison elves holds a special place in my heart, it was part of my awkward teenage years. Thank you so much for posting this vid, i just randomly thought about if someone had posted anything about PE on KZbin and found this.

[@fedupN]

Well! That is a blast from the past. A 90s gem of grimdark and grimderp. As a young lad, it was eye opening, revolutionary, showing a difference from the mainstream offerings of DC and Marvel. Eventually, I moved on from my angst filled days and, upon revisiting, found it didnt resonate. Hell, i found Lusiphur rather insufferable. Of it all, there is one issue that still stays with me. Even after i outgrew the series, Poison Elves No 8 (i think) where he confronts a memory from his past, remained strong. The questions of relating to others and dealing with the trauma, with what was a slapstick character as a guide, still has some resonance. TLDR: great vid! Its edgelord as fuck, great for angsty teens, might be a bit meh for a reader otherwise. Really showing a single creators vision and work.

[@nicodemous52]

"All there is is all there ever will be" Come for the obscure comics, stay for the deep philosophy.

[@jacob_ian_decoursey_the_author]

This is the kind of obscure stuff I love hearing about.

[@joedent3323]

Excellent! I've never seen this series - as a big fan of Cerebus? Im going to hunt the series down, and give it a whirl. Thanks for the tip! And another excellent video 😊 Joe.

[@AlfredComic]

I love Poison Elves, for Drew having no real art background, being able to do 100 issues on his own just based on a character he created for D&D is incredible and crazy inspirational. How can you not try to do something difficult after hearing that. Glad to see the Kickstarter for the new Hardcover Collections, Drew created some really cool comics, good to see them getting some love still after he’s gone.

[@johnsilverman656]

I was a huge fan back in the day, I remember being heartbroken in my twenties when he died. I realize the book is silly, and hasn’t aged all that well… but god, what a fun story Indie comics used to feel edgy and dangerous, and that’s silly in hindsight, but it was really cool at the time. As always excellent video!

[@erikwirfs-brock2432]

Indie comics for sure had an edgy energy back in the day that doesn't often feel present now, I think it's an overall shift in how the culture views 'edgy' material, and also in a change in the intentions of up and coming comic creators.

[@johnsilverman656]

@@erikwirfs-brock2432 oh absolutely and when stuff is edgy now, I usually find it very try hard and lazy writing But back in the day, it tickled my silly teenage and early 20s rebellious streak

[@KitchenSinkSoup]

@@erikwirfs-brock2432 I think the definition of edgy has changed

[@gregbasore2108]

I think a big part of how indie comics have changed, is the growing number of adaptations into live Action Film and TV for streaming services. Looking at Amazon, Netflix, HBO etc. there's a plethora of content out there adapted from indie or creator owned comics. Back in the '90s, this wasn't the case. If you were telling a story in the medium of comics, that's where it was probably going to remain. While high minded literary critics were juuuust starting to take notice of things like The Sandman or what not, most of society was still ignoring comics as junk art outside the realm of "serious consideration". That shift in societal acceptability and mainstream marketability has impacted how newer stuff is created. For good or ill, modern creators know that there's a wider world that might see and judge their material, which includes companies with deep pockets who might be interested in turning their story into an animated show or a full on movie meant for the big screen. That knowledge of potential audience and opportunity, changes how creators present their stories to some degree.

[@carlgibson285]

​@@gregbasore2108sorry for the late reply but I just wanted to say this is one of the most astute comments I've seen in regards to the current comics industry. Comics are no longer the final product, they're the R&D for potential franchises.

[@seannyhan2254]

Poison Elves is one of my favorite comics. Not was. Is. It's raw, and sophomoric, and beautiful. It's a comic I read from cover to cover, literally - from the Starting Note, to the last letter in Death Threats. Thanks for cover this.

[@sarawelling5271]

Very minor trivia bit. Drew Hayes was born the day the crew of Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, July 20, 1969.

[@ethansloan]

Fascinating. I've never heard of this before, and it doesn't really sound like my kind of story, but I'm glad to know about it. Some of the art is really cool. You've got one of the absolute best comic channels on youtube. Keeo up the great work.

[@yuhaturi3329]

Awesome Video. Comic reviews are rare these days. Keep up the good work!

[@kareliask]

Your research on that "feud" is appreciated.

[@minespatch]

When I saw the title, I was shocked to see my friend Aaron Bordner's work mentioned on this show. Thanks for making this. I followed Sirius publication's work by Bordner and I recognize the title but not the author featured in the description since I guess Bordner worked on a later incarnation.

[@yankee2110]

I think I have all of the published TPBs. I loved Poison Elves and was sorry to here about Drew Hayes. What a loss.

[@Gigas0101]

Could you please look at the history of the Marvel character Death's Head? I like how this character's history in comics is a bit interesting as his trajectory was defined by real world legalities as much, if not more than, by author-driven narrative. I feel the character is somewhat similar to Judge Dredd, and could be a good point of reference if you ever dive into the various comics from 2000 A.D.

[@jakepalermo9181]

I was always curious about this franchise. So yeah, thanks for helping fill in some of the gaps. So far I just have one trade and now I've got a direction to follow.

[@xelar001]

I love Poison Elves. Drew would have appreciated your always complete analysis. RIP Drew!

[@morockapdx7174]

Thank you. This is the kind of thing I would possibly never come across but might be interested in. There are so many surprising creative projects out there. Even if they may be failures or not live up to their potential, whatever the case may be.

[@TheLoneMutant]

Thank you for covering Drew Hayes' 'Poison Elves.' It was a fantastic series to me, and Hayes is sorely missed. Could you, would you please do a video for Michael T. Gilbert's 'Doc Stearn... Mr. Monster' series?

[@nerdfatha]

I love these videos about obscure indie work.

[@TylerTheDestroyer97]

I've been slowly reading through the Mulehide Years trade after nabbing a copy a few weeks back and honestly, I think the amateur aspects add a whole lot to its appeal. It's fittingly very much a "punk rock garage band" sorta thing in that way; flawed, uneven, and rough but also full of passion, a genuine love for its craft, and a very earnest desire to get you to follow along in seeing where it goes. Makes me wonder how Hayes's work would be if he were still around, honestly- great example of someone taken too young.

[@mdespard]

thanks for this. solid series.

[@bigdurk4115]

I used to love this series

[@Getwright-]

Man i miss those Jinx/AKA Goldfish days of Bendis! It (and series like this) really made me believe I could make my own comics

[@carloscrecelius9597]

Love the independent content, guy! 👍

[@michaelvance6125]

Hayes seemed to take pride in spelling errors which both annoyed and entertained me.

[@brunfranc]

Really like these videos on interesting old comics worth checking out.

[@paulnash9851]

Without a doubt, this is the best comics channel available. SBP does great work. Please could you cover CONCRETE or DESOLATION JONES. I’d love to see/hear your takes on them, two of my favourite comics of all time + I just know this channel would do them proper justice. Thank-you SBP. Until next time...

[@TheRealOfficialAmazingAdam]

I remember Poison Eleves good series.

[@TheAutistWhisperer]

4:55 A man of culture.

[@MrBallofa]

love these videos covering some more obscure comic runs, one thing i’d love is maybe separate videos focusing souly on story analysis

[@cristiancarrasco3651]

Tengo un número de esta serie pero no conocía su historia. Gracias!

[@3SCAPER00M13]

I got two issues from my local game shop, they have a bunch of those comics there. It's great!

[@silverseto1158]

Comic Tropes, Cartoonist Kayfabe, Strange Brain Parts, youtube's gifts to the comic fan.

[@FemboyCatGaming]

I’m reading the five years later era of DCs legion of superheroes which apes both watchmen’s 9 panel grid and also has some jaka story like prose pages in issue 6.

[@Cro-EYE]

So you did make a video about this! I thought I just imagined it!

[@Cro-EYE]

I would love to see more remakes/reuploads of your older deleted videos, especially the one about Sleeper.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Not a dream! Not an imaginary video! This is almost completely new, to be honest. It is a remake but I restructured and rewrote at least 70% of the old script. As to your other comment: More remakes are on the way! However, I would like to do them in a week where there was also a new video. Unless, like this one, it's practically new anyway.

[@bigdurk4115]

You should do a video on thieves and kings by mark Oakley

[@sklba632]

IDk. I think PE would work in an animated format with someone like Todd McFarland behind it. First-time viewer. Liked this. Subscribing. IDK what your resources are, but how I learned about PE back in the day was Wizard Magazine. If you're looking for something full of mentions of weird and oddball releases in the 90s, that magazine is full of mentions of stuff to look for to make content off of. Maybe one day you could do the Ultimate Warrior Comic series, lol.

[@penelopegreene]

The Perilous Realm is Perilous...

[@Rgoid]

Can you do a video on Jack Katz’ The First Kingdom?

[@joedent3323]

Can somebody please tell me the reading order of this series? Its not clear, from Wikipedia + guessing! Thanks in advance, guys :) 😊 Joe

[@CappyLarou]

ignore my post on Bone, you got this covered...lol

[@Tjrush-rm4jj]

In which issue was that map of Amralynn?

[@012family]

I find your videos on indie comics very interesting, because the world of indie comics is so foreign to me, but I prefer to watch videos on mainstream comics. That probably won't be a popular opinion among your regular viewers but I wanted to share my feedback.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

All feedback is welcome! As it all tastes concerning material. Although, I do try to find a balance between both mainstream and independent work. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.

[@repps8839]

Anybody remember "Elflord" from Aircel?

[@Antdevamp]

......"New Statesman'. If you can find it, I mean. I have a copy of the Limited Series if you don't.

[@qwellen7521]

Huh. Reminds me alot of early BERSERK. Honestly the BERSERK parallels are uncanny.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

I was going to make that comparison! But I thought Berserk was a lot more hardcore than Poison Elves so I left that unsaid. Still, they are reminiscent of one another.

[@RothurThePaladin]

I honestly might give this series a shoot.

[@samwill7259]

A writer has two choices Either reject the siren's call of **WORLDBUILDING** Or give into it I think we know which path was chosen.

[@RallyTheTally]

I'm a female comic artist who draws a lot of naked or half naked men in my comics, so I can't really judge him for doing the same to women lol.

[@pootisengage6672]

Love your channel so much! Loving your comic ages series

[@insomnyteq]

rip DH.

[@transopticon13]

I tried to read some of the stuff done after Drew's death, but it just didn't click with me. Maybe I'd moved on as a person or maybe it was missing something.

[@omenscreamingraven3956]

Yes I have to agree it was missing something, it was missing Drew. Mind you I have read and even own a few of the book especially the three reboot issues but it's definitely not the same.