Comics / Comic Reviews / Marvel Comics

Elektra #2 (of 5)

By Andy Frisk
April 30, 2009 - 14:29

Elektra faces down a squad of HAMMER agents whose job is to kill her since she’s considered “an omega-level threat.”  Of course the HAMMER squad leader talks too much before shooting, giving Elektra time to figure out an escape, which she does, racking up the body count along the way.  Some more bounty hunters enter the race to collect the $82 million bounty on her head while Elektra races across New York City in order to crash into the Law Offices of Nelson, Murdock and Blake to get a hold of what are, most likely, either antibiotics, or painkillers, or both that Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil), and Elektra’s former lover, keeps on hand for obvious reasons.  After downing some medication, she mutters a question to Foggy Nelson then promptly collapses on the floor unconscious.  Meanwhile, Norman Osborne turns Bullseye, who is playing Hawkeye, loose with orders to kill Elektra.

 

There’s not much drama in this issue, but there’s a decent amount of action, of course, as Elektra makes her predicable escape from the helicarrier.  It was a nice touch having Elektra break into Matt’s office looking for the painkillers and medication that Matt keeps stashed away for emergencies of the sort he might encounter while battling bad guys as Daredevil.  Elektra’s knowledge of Matt’s stash helps remind readers of the once intimate, literally and figuratively, relationship between the two.  With Bullseye showing up at the end of the issue, we can speculate and hope that Daredevil might make an appearance, at least for old time’s sake, and reunite the three classic characters.  The problem with this idea is that it might turn out to be a rehashing similar plot lines we’ve seen recycled several times involving them.

 

As for the art, in this issue we get more of the same from Mann, with the exception of some more fully detailed background, particularly in Matt’s office.  The helicarrier scenes are still pretty devoid of background detail but, interestingly enough, so are the shots of Bullseye and Osborne in Avengers tower.  Perhaps the lack of background detail in these particular scenes speaks more to the single, and simplemindedness of the characters who call these locales home.  Osborne wants to rule the world, and Bullseye wants to kill Elektra, ‘nuff said.  Previously, I suggested that the minimalist backgrounds in issue #1 revealed more about the single minded mindset of Elektra, her focus being only on escape, and a disregarding of all else.  Perhaps it’s more indicative of the simplemindedness of Osborne and his cronies.  Either way, this variance of background detail is an interesting contrast. 

 

Overall, it appears that this issue loses some of its creative energy by being a tad too predictable, but the developments in this issue serve as a necessary bridge to what, hopefully, looks like a promising showdown.

Rating: 8 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12