| Type | Comic publisher |
|---|---|
| Industry | Comics |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder(s) | Wendy and Richard Pini |
| Headquarters | Poughkeepsie, New York |
| Key people | Wendy and Richard Pini, Michael Catron |
| Divisions | Apple Comics Father Tree Press |
| Website | www.elfquest.com |
WaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the Elfquest comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company title is an acronym formed from the founding couple's name: Wendy and Richard Pini. (In later years the capitalization was changed from WaRP to Warp, a mostly aesthetic move.)
In addition to Elfquest, WaRP also published several other comic book series, including MythAdventures and related titles by Robert Asprin, and Thunder Bunny, created by Martin Greim.
WaRP was also the original publisher of A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran, until Doran left under acrimonious circumstances, alleging that publisher Richard Pini was attempting to claim copyright on her work.[1][2] (The Pinis later sued licensee publisher Starblaze Graphics for publishing unauthorized Elfquest reprints, as well as for attempting to secure the rights to the A Distant Soil series.[3] Starblaze countersued; the dispute was settled in 1988.[4][5])
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From 1978 through 1984, Warp Graphics published the 20-issue original Elfquest series. When Elfquest subsequently went on hiatus, publisher Richard Pini began to contract the work of other writers and artists, to establish a line of generally fantasy-oriented comics titles. In 1986, Pini turned Warp's publishing and marketing duties over to Michael Catron's Apple Comics so that Warp could concentrate on editing its comics titles.[6] Titles packaged by Warp for Apple included the anthology series FantaSci, Vietnam Journal, and Lee Marrs's Unicorn Isle (which only ran to #5 of a projected twelve issues).
In 1987, Apple Comics took over editing duties on all the other titles, and Warp concentrated solely on producing new Elfquest series. In 1990 Warp and Apple parted ways. In 1992 Warp launched the first of several new Elfquest spin-off series (Hidden Years). Shortly thereafter, Warp for the first time invited other writers and artists to join in.[7] Beginning in 1997, WaRP also published some Elflord comics by Barry Blair and Colin Chan, who had also written for Elfquest. From 1992 to 2002 Warp Graphics worked with several dozen free-lance artists and writers to produce and publish a number of Elfquest related titles. In 2002, the company downsized to its original owners, Wendy and Richard Pini.
Warp also launched a book publishing imprint, Father Tree Press (named after the Wolfriders' original tree-home in Elfquest), primarily reprinting Elfquest stories. The imprint also appeared on Chroma, a book on the artwork of Alex Schomburg and Law and Chaos, a chronicle of Wendy Pini's early attempt to adapt Michael Moorcock's Stormbringer saga into an animated film. Warp and Father Tree Press still exist but are not currently publishing new books.
In 2003 the Pinis licensed the worldwide publication and media rights in Elfquest to DC Comics[8]. DC put out two series of "manga-style" digest reprints (now complete), the first four volumes of an archive reprint series, one new graphic novel, and a four-part comic series entitled Discovery, which has since been collected. DC and Warp split in 2007.
In 2008, Warp Graphics licensed the media rights in Elfquest to Warner Bros.[9] with the aim of turning the comic book series into a motion picture. To date, the project is in development, and a screenwriter and director have been attached.
Titles published include: