I bought my copy as a birthday gift ,to myself, on my twentieth birthday. It was Friday February 3, 1988. It cost me $12.95 which was a real chunk of change for a college sophmore back then. But I had to buy it. I had discovered Frank Miller the year before with his fantastic series Batman: The Dark Knight Returns as well as his 1983 series Ronin and I was in awe of the man. Basically I was a nerd.

It took me two readings to figure out what was going on. It’s a surrealistic, action-filled, viole
I bought my copy as a birthday gift ,to myself, on my twentieth birthday. It was Friday February 3, 1988. It cost me $12.95 which was a real chunk of change for a college sophmore back then. But I had to buy it. I had discovered Frank Miller the year before with his fantastic series Batman: The Dark Knight Returns as well as his 1983 series Ronin and I was in awe of the man. Basically I was a nerd.

It took me two readings to figure out what was going on. It’s a surrealistic, action-filled, violent, satirical, suspenseful, phantasmagoric, science-fiction, martial arts tale with Nick Fury/S.H.I.E.L.D., Ronald Nixon and J.F.K. thrown in for good measure. Did you get all that? No?
Well then you’re going to have to go and buy a copy for yourself. Oh and contrary to what some might tell you it helps to be stone cold sober when reading it.

Bill Sienkiewicz’s mind-blowing artwork needs to be appreciated by one when clear headed. Otherwise it’s just the stuff of dreams and drug addled imaginings. Actually it sort of is anyway, but if you’re sober you’ll be able to follow Frank Miller’s story which helps put everything in it’s place.

By now it should be obvious that this is a graphic novel that I have fond memories of. I bought it in college, when all seemed right with the world. I had a full head of hair, I was thin, I didn’t appreciate money ( meaning I spent it freely without guilt. Very fun.) and approximately three weeks after buying my copy I met my future wife (we’re still together twenty-three years later). So it’s associated with an eventful time in my life. That gives this graphic novel some real muscle. Nostalgia is a potent ingrediant.

But it does have some problems. Like many stories of this type it tries to be all things to all people. This tends to make the story a bit of a helter-skelter roller coaster ride. It’s fun, but after awhile you’re ready for things to level out – if only for awhile. The artwork is fascinating, but it can detract. Sometimes you find yourself wishing for something a little more mainstream.

Nevertheless this is both a fun and thought provoking read. Though somewhat dated in 2011 (a large part of the plot revolves around the Cold War and the nuclear arsenals of the two super powers) it’s still a great story. In my opinion one of Mr. Miller’s best works.
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Was thrilled to see this on the shelf at my library, since I’ve been wanting to read it for a while. Mostly enjoyed it, although there were some unpalatable aspects. A good dose of sex and violence cocktail. I am not a big fan of that combo. You may say a duh to that, since Elektra is a sexy assassin. I think it’s all in the execution.

Elektra was depicted as a whole lot of crazy in this book. It occurs after her death and is about her resurrection by the Hand. She becomes a killer designated in
Was thrilled to see this on the shelf at my library, since I’ve been wanting to read it for a while. Mostly enjoyed it, although there were some unpalatable aspects. A good dose of sex and violence cocktail. I am not a big fan of that combo. You may say a duh to that, since Elektra is a sexy assassin. I think it’s all in the execution.

Elektra was depicted as a whole lot of crazy in this book. It occurs after her death and is about her resurrection by the Hand. She becomes a killer designated in service of the Hand, indirectly the Beast (yeah that one). However, she slowly becomes aware of a conspiracy of the Beast to end the world through the use of political puppets and dedicates her exceedingly expert kills in the art of death-bringing to eliminate all involved. She leaves quite a body trail behind her.

The artwork is innovative and very stylish, with a use of multiple media to convey the visual message of and along with the narrative in this book. Elektra doesn’t speak much. She retains this mystique that adds to her allure. Most of her narrative was thought processes conveyed on the page. Honestly, I found her psychopathic in some ways. I wasn’t quite sure if what she was experiencing wasn’t a psychopathic break, and didn’t get clarity until the end.

I wasn’t quite in love with the storyline. It was way more political than I would have liked. I think I would have preferred a more intimate storyline. I certainly didn’t like some of the venues and the secondary players in this novel. Wasn’t that in love with Garrett’s character or his ex-partner who turns out to be all kinds of icktastic.

Would you like this one? It depends. If you like Sin City (by the same writer), then probably. If you find some aspects of Sin City repellent, you might be like me, where I do like some aspects and others not so much. Yes, you know you’re in for violence and lots of it with Elektra. I think I was hoping for something a little different in the execution. However, I can’t give it less than four stars, because it’s quite a work of art overall, the parts that were a turnoff, not withstanding.

At the end of the day, I am still a big fan of Elektra. A guilty pleasure of mine (since at heart I am not a fan of unnecessary or gratuitous violence). Yes on one level, I know that’s probably wrong of me, but she’s a bad@$$ female Ninja assassin who knows her way around a katana and sais (any edged weapon although her whole body is lethal), and can wreak all kinds of havoc in unimaginable ways. And I have to love her for that!
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