Dark Reign: Elektra [Paperback]

Zeb Wells (Author), Clay Mann (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Dark Reign | Publication Date: December 9, 2009

She's the deadliest woman in the world... and she's never been in worse shape. Broken, beaten, and tortured by alien scientists, Elektra stumbles to freedom in the aftermath of the Skrull invasion. Now she struggles and fights to stay barely alive, and to clear her name for atrocities committed by an impostor. A lot of people want Elektra killed... and in her state, that shouldn't be too difficult! By Zeb Wells (Amazing Spider-Man) and Clay Mann (Daredevil)! Collects Dark Reign: Elektra #1-5.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Marvel (December 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785138439
• ISBN-13: 978-0785138433
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.5 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A rare keeper!, December 17, 2009

By 

lakeqi - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Reign: Elektra (Paperback)

This is the best handling of Elektra since Miller and Sienkiewicz's Elektra Assassin over 20 years ago(seems like yesterday). Although the result of her battle with an old nemesis required some suspension of disbelief, the rest of the book is almost a masterpiece, both in terms of story and art. If Elektra Assassin is a 10, this is an 8, but a damn fine 8, and definitely worth buying.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will Have Your Heart Racing Until the Very End, June 23, 2010

By 

GraphicNovelReporter.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Dark Reign: Elektra (Paperback)

For those of you who do not know her (or if you haven't seen the

Daredevil or Elektra movies--and I wouldn't blame you if you haven't), Elektra Natchios is the Marvel Universe's greatest assassin. Draped in blood-red and wielding a deadly pair of sai, she is a true force to be reckoned with. Not even death can stop her: Elektra has been killed and revived on more than one occasion. This penchant for resurrections garnered the interest of the Skrull Empire, who captured the assassin in order to learn her secrets of everlasting life.

After being imprisoned for months, she was subjected to heinous experiments so that her captors could learn her secrets. Additionally, they sent an agent of their own down to Earth to pose as the assassin and further their endgame of taking over the planet. When Elektra was finally freed, she learned that the Skrull posing as her made a few enemies...enemies Elektra herself must now deal with. Standing in her way is "rehabilitated" supervillain Norman Osborn, now heading the world's largest spy agency, who sends a familiar face to take Elektra down: Bullseye, the man who once killed her with her own sai...and will gladly do so again.

Zeb Wells is one of the best--and most underrated--writers working in comics today. He manages to deftly weave together superb storytelling with years of continuity that captivates new readers and delights old fans. This review falls in the former category, as I was never a fan of the Elektra character (even during Frank Miller's acclaimed run on Daredevil, I could never really get into the character). Thus, I haven't kept up with her recent adventures, so I was a tad hesitant to read this series. But Zeb Wells rarely disappoints, and I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.

And I'm glad I did. While I initially feared I'd be lost since I haven't read an Elektra comic in years, Wells quickly lets his reader know who Elektra is, what Secret Invasion was, and how it all plays together, without leaving his audience feeling bogged down under the weight of exposition. What he does leave us with, however, is a tightly woven, fast paced story with enough twists, turns--and yes, even a few vivisections--to make any comic fan stand at attention.

On art duties is former Daredevil artist Clay Mann, whose work captures Wells' tone perfectly. Mann's artistic style is elegant although tinged with a hint of darkness, not unlike Elektra herself, making him the perfect choice for this tale. And kudos must go to Mann as the artist does not chose to oversexualize our heroine, a crime all too many comic book artists today are guilty of. Instead, he gives us a strong, powerful female figure, one who is equal parts graceful and deadly. By the looks of Mann's rendition of Elektra, the character could easily break your heart or break your neck.

The team of Zeb Wells and Clay Mann has put together a rousing tale of espionage and intrigue while somehow managing to keep the story grounded, despite such plot elements as reborn ninja assassins and alien impostors. A fun tale for anyone looking for a good alternative to standard superhero fare, Dark Reign: Elektra will have your heart racing until the very end.
-- Stephen Giordano

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, October 25, 2011

By 

woodx (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Reign: Elektra (Paperback)

I read this on a whim. I don't normally read Elektra, though I'm a big fan of Daredevil so I do follow her occasionally. I'm really glad I checked this out!

There is great writing in this small collection. At first, there was some confusion, as this heavily references events that happen before (H.A.M.M.E.R seems to randomly assume control of a S.H.I.E.L.D facility early on, which left me quite confused since that is related to events outside this book). However, there is enough information to figure out what's going on. Despite any confusion, and there were a few panels here and there that I found somewhat unclear at first, this book tells a great story. The characterization of Elektra is really strong, even though she is silent or quiet throughout. She is confused as to why these particular people want her killed, and can't remember the circumstances they refer to. You can feel her character and how her choices change the more she learns.

Beautifully drawn with great moments in the quiet and during the action. There is a real cinematic quality to the art, moments of stillness interspersed with frames that imply such dynamic movement. It combines with the writing to make a story that absolutely cannot be put down.