tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858828969874855814.post5770605536867399975..comments2023-11-21T03:24:50.235-05:00Comments on Here be Magic: The "Rules" of FantastyJody W. and Meankittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733607365443126784noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858828969874855814.post-21515964307272856292016-10-06T15:30:29.602-04:002016-10-06T15:30:29.602-04:00Speaking as a raving Elfquest fan for ages, I shou...Speaking as a raving Elfquest fan for ages, I should point out that Elfquest does break one mold in that it actually has brown-skinned elves--the Sun Folk. Which were a major inspiration for my own heroine, after all. :) And elves that _aren't_ pale are still a rarity.<br /><br />Though yes, all of Elfquest's elves still qualify as pretty, most definitely.<br /><br />And as Veronica points out above, while Tolkien may well have dictated the modern mold for many fantasy races, he was in turn drawing on many mythic sources. The Daoine Sidhe, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, the Alfar, etc., are all mythic archetypes that pre-date Tolkien. And mythologically speaking, all of these entities that we'd lump into the general category of 'elves' these days were, after all, often called the Fair Folk. Which argues against them being ugly. <i>Freggin' dangerous</i>, absolutely, and with perhaps a cold and inhuman edge to their beauty... but beautiful, regardless.<br /><br />It's easy to blame most modern depictions of elves on Tolkien, but there are older forces at play here too.Angela Korra'tihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01714228621697705946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858828969874855814.post-49358504755992735102016-10-06T13:05:26.775-04:002016-10-06T13:05:26.775-04:00I think you'll find that the concepts of fairi...I think you'll find that the concepts of fairies and elves and other magical creatures traces wayyyy back to myth and legend in various locales. I agree that Tolkien and Peter Jackson have set forth a pretty compelling depiction!Veronica Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04732940088047026021noreply@blogger.com