Firsties: Icons. Grab at will; credit enjoyed but not necessary. (I'd love to see lots of EQ icons; I'm hoping that if I make simple ones from each issue, that'll inspire more skilled iconmakers to play around with the images.)
Meta: Comparing this to later issues--Wendy hadn't yet figured out how to make human speech different from elf speech. The humans here talk in rounded bubbles (although a little more angular than the elves', I think, but hard to tell 'cos they're mostly yelling at each other), and don't use the later < > to indicate the coarser human language. Hmm. Also, the characters weren't as polished as later, and the wolves were perhaps a little oversized... maybe we can chalk that one up to memories being affected by adrenaline.
Less-fun meta: sexism. I didn't notice this when I first read this issue (when I was, what, 13?), but looking at it now, after reading much of the series and with much fannish meta practice... when Cutter sent for his tribemates, why did he call Scouter but not Dewshine? I can understand not calling Nightfall if she was tending Redlance, and not calling Moonshade, Woodlock or Rainsong, all of whom were tending young children--but why not Treestump and Dewshine along with One-Eye and Scouter? For that matter, why not Clearbrook?
Later, we learn that Nightfall is one of the fiercest hunters of the tribe; I'd expect Cutter to ask someone else to tend Redlance (either Dewshine or Clearbrook, if the families with children are presumed too busy), and call Nightfall away to help confront the humans.
I don't like the "women's job is tending the menfolk" idea; it gets in the way of my happy squeeful "all elves are valued for their unique talents" concept of the EQverse. Harrumph.
no subject
Meta:
Comparing this to later issues--Wendy hadn't yet figured out how to make human speech different from elf speech. The humans here talk in rounded bubbles (although a little more angular than the elves', I think, but hard to tell 'cos they're mostly yelling at each other), and don't use the later < > to indicate the coarser human language. Hmm. Also, the characters weren't as polished as later, and the wolves were perhaps a little oversized... maybe we can chalk that one up to memories being affected by adrenaline.
Less-fun meta: sexism.
I didn't notice this when I first read this issue (when I was, what, 13?), but looking at it now, after reading much of the series and with much fannish meta practice... when Cutter sent for his tribemates, why did he call Scouter but not Dewshine? I can understand not calling Nightfall if she was tending Redlance, and not calling Moonshade, Woodlock or Rainsong, all of whom were tending young children--but why not Treestump and Dewshine along with One-Eye and Scouter? For that matter, why not Clearbrook?
Later, we learn that Nightfall is one of the fiercest hunters of the tribe; I'd expect Cutter to ask someone else to tend Redlance (either Dewshine or Clearbrook, if the families with children are presumed too busy), and call Nightfall away to help confront the humans.
I don't like the "women's job is tending the menfolk" idea; it gets in the way of my happy squeeful "all elves are valued for their unique talents" concept of the EQverse. Harrumph.