Wendy Pini

2012 Bio

Born in San Francisco in 1951, Wendy Pini grew up in Gilroy, CA. Largely self taught, her artistic talents were influenced by turn-of-the-century illustrators, film and TV animation, Shakespeare, Japanese history, fairy tales, myths and modern fantasy. Wendy began exhibiting her artwork at sci-fi conventions in the mid '60s, garnering awards and recognition.

In 1972 she married Richard Pini and in 1974 she began her professional career as an illustrator for magazines such as "Galaxy" and "Worlds of If." In 1978 Wendy and Richard co-founded Warp Graphics and ELFQUEST was born. As the first Japanese anime-influenced graphic novel series with a high fantasy theme to be published in America, it became an international phenomenon attracting male and female readers of all ages. As of ELFQUEST'S thirtieth anniversary, millions of related comics, graphic novels, books, calendars and other merchandise have been sold worldwide.

Wendy has worked for various publishers such as Marvel, First Comics, Comico, Frazetta Fantasy Illustrated and DC Comics. She wrote and painted two critically acclaimed graphic novels based on the hit TV series "Beauty and the Beast" and supplied text and illustrations for "Law and Chaos," an art book inspired by the writings of Michael Moorcock.

In 1997 Wendy had the rare privilege of designing the elfin mascot for the Enclosed Laminar Flames investigation (ELF) an experiment performed in space by members of the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia. In June 2012, Wendy and husband/partner Richard are slated to be guest speakers at Spacefest IV.

Though Elfquest has yet to make it to the big screen, Wendy has never stopped producing new comics-related material for Warp Graphics. Her latest effort is "Elfquest: The Final Quest," the next epic story arc in the long-running Elfquest saga. Wendy considers this her life's work.

But the current love of her creative life is MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. In the Summer of 2010, after four labor-intensive years, Wendy completed her graphic novel based on the classic Edgar Allan Poe short story. Her ground-breaking animated web comic of the same name has received over 15,000,000 views. It has been published as a limited edition 400 page volume by Warp Graphics/Father Tree Press. Believing in its huge theatrical potential, Wendy has completed the libretto for a musical adaptation of "Masque" and is currently collaborating with composer Christopher Crites (AKA Mars Homeworld).