Monday, March 30, 2009

Dark Reign: Elektra #1

Some characters only seem to work when their original creator is handling the storytelling.

The Spirit never seems quite right in other hands (with the possible exception of Darwyn Cooke's take). The Silver Surfer never quite works unless Stan and/or Jack are involved. The New Gods only worked for Kirby.

I'd add Elektra to that list. Her creator, Frank Miller, has produced a number of outstanding stories featuring the character, but no one else seems to have a handle on her.

This comic gives it the ol' college try. Written by Zeb Wells, it picks up where Secret Invasion left off. Elektra walks off a Skrull ship along with all the other heroes and villains who were replaced. She's somehow still alive despite being replaced by a Skrull for who-knows-how-long.

She is near death, so SHIELD agents take her to a helicarrier for medical treatment - but that organization is soon replaced by HAMMER, and her treatment goes from benign to outright torture.

Hey, we haven't played the "what does HAMMER stand for" game in a while. Here's today's guess: Headquarters for All Menace Monitoring, Enforcement and Rescue.

Anyway, this issue basically sets the stage for Elektra's presumed comeback. It features decent though not outstanding art by Clay Mann and Mark Pennington, and a few decent plot twists - but it still doesn't "feel" like Elektra.

Of course, there's still time to bring the character into line with her earlier promise - but it's not there yet.

Grade: C+

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