What do you think?
Rate this book
Elektra by Frank Miller #2
Elektra: Assassin
Elektra Natchios, usually referred to only by her first name Elektra, is a fictional character in publications from Marvel Comics. She is a kunoichi - female ninja assassin - of Greek descent. She wields a pair of bladed sai as her trademark weapon. She is a love interest of the superhero Daredevil, but her violent nature and mercenary lifestyle divide the two. She is one of Frank Miller's best-loved creations, and subsequent writers' use of her is controversial as Marvel had originally promised to not resurrect the character without Miller's permission. She has also appeared as a supporting character of the X-Men's Wolverine. According to Marvel Comics, Elektra is the world's most lethal woman and one of Marvel's most cold-blooded characters. She has killed more men than just about any other Marvel character while remaining one of the most popular heroines in the Marvel Universe.
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
27 people are currently reading
1581 people want to read
About the author
Frank Miller
1,355 books5,348 followersFrank Miller is an American writer, artist and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. He is one of the most widely-recognized and popular creators in comics, and is one of the most influential comics creators of his generation. His most notable works include Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One and 300.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
September 2, 2020
Hmm wow. Not in a good way. This collects the "Elektra Assassin" series written by Frank Miller and illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz. Back when this GN came out- Frank and Bill were pretty hot shit. Frank had written the great "Dark Knight Returns" and Bill had illustrated the good "Daredevil Love and War" GN. So they teamed up to do Elektra. Bad idea.
First the gist:
A SHIELD operative is tasked with tracking down and taking out Elektra, a mysteriously elite assassin. As he travels down the rabbit hole of Elektra, The Hand, Demons, Ninjas, CIA etc. he finds that Elektra is trying to stop the Beast (an Anti-Christ like figure and patron "diety" of the Hand) from becoming US President.
The story is an absolutely bizarre romp through this scenario. Miller's writing is all over the place and the strongest character, Elektra, has little to say. Rather, this story is told from the perspective of the SHIELD agent. I didn't care for it, nor his confusion with the events. The story is overly ambitious with the various themes miller is spouting and might have been better served to focus on Elektra and her methods. There is some of that, but it is lost under the deluge of liberal angst and conspiracy theories manifesting as jibber-jabber masquerading as prose. It acts as white noise from the whole "mysterious ninja assassin" concept. That's also a shame since that's the really cool part about Elektra. The stuff about the Hand and even the Beast? Pretty cool. The rest? A bit too much. This could have been good if it was told from Elektra's perspective fighting the Hand and the Beast. Ditch the SHIELD aspect.
The worst part is the art. It's not good. At all. Out of 300 pages and countless panels, only a handful stand out. Bill Sienkiewicz hit his high point with the Daredevil GN. This thing was terrible. I dislike art which makes the story hard to understand, as comics are a VISUAL medium. Duh.
So? A 2 star rating. I didn't like it. The Elektra parts were rather cool, but the rest? Meh.
First the gist:
A SHIELD operative is tasked with tracking down and taking out Elektra, a mysteriously elite assassin. As he travels down the rabbit hole of Elektra, The Hand, Demons, Ninjas, CIA etc. he finds that Elektra is trying to stop the Beast (an Anti-Christ like figure and patron "diety" of the Hand) from becoming US President.
The story is an absolutely bizarre romp through this scenario. Miller's writing is all over the place and the strongest character, Elektra, has little to say. Rather, this story is told from the perspective of the SHIELD agent. I didn't care for it, nor his confusion with the events. The story is overly ambitious with the various themes miller is spouting and might have been better served to focus on Elektra and her methods. There is some of that, but it is lost under the deluge of liberal angst and conspiracy theories manifesting as jibber-jabber masquerading as prose. It acts as white noise from the whole "mysterious ninja assassin" concept. That's also a shame since that's the really cool part about Elektra. The stuff about the Hand and even the Beast? Pretty cool. The rest? A bit too much. This could have been good if it was told from Elektra's perspective fighting the Hand and the Beast. Ditch the SHIELD aspect.
The worst part is the art. It's not good. At all. Out of 300 pages and countless panels, only a handful stand out. Bill Sienkiewicz hit his high point with the Daredevil GN. This thing was terrible. I dislike art which makes the story hard to understand, as comics are a VISUAL medium. Duh.
So? A 2 star rating. I didn't like it. The Elektra parts were rather cool, but the rest? Meh.
June 2, 2020
The most positive thing about this book is the art, it might not be everyones cup of tea but I loved it especially the coloring.
But in terms of substance.. its over the top and sooo far out there... this is one of the most ridiculous stories I've read in quite some time. You can't take it too serious otherwise you will be fuming at the end. The story went extremly of the rails, you kinda know miller was on drugs writing this.
Very hard to recommend.
3.0 stars out of 5.0
But in terms of substance.. its over the top and sooo far out there... this is one of the most ridiculous stories I've read in quite some time. You can't take it too serious otherwise you will be fuming at the end. The story went extremly of the rails, you kinda know miller was on drugs writing this.
Very hard to recommend.
3.0 stars out of 5.0
August 16, 2015
This "graphic novel" was originally an eight issue mini-series published by Epic (Marvel's mature reader imprint) back in 1986. At the time I thought it was merely "good" but on later re-readings I think it is revolutionary in terms of the artwork of Bill Sienkiewicz. Sienkiewicz started his career as one of many artists imitating Neal Adams art style and evolved into a truly unique artist doing comics in an impressionistic style. This series was his breakout for that style.
[image error]
">
Elecktra was introduced in Frank Miller's Daredevil run. When this series was announced, we were all excited to see what would happen to her after Miller left the series - she was in particularly strange state. As the series got closer to release, we discovered this story would take place in the past, before Elektra re-entered Daredevil's life. How strange! But it was actually much more interesting without being tied down to Matt Murdock.
[image error]
">
The first issue is very hallucinogenic, where Elektra is trapped inside a mental hospital. I found this very confusing the first time, on subsequent re-reads it was more clear how she came to be there. It is unique in that the entire narration in this issue is from Elektra herself. In issue 2, this continues until the best supporting character ever comes, along, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent John Garrett, who is the Six Million Dollar Man times 100 with an addiction to alcohol. Then after issue 2, the point of view is entirely Garrett. As if to say that Elektra is such a superhuman force of nature, she's best seen through the eyes of someone else.
[image error]
">
You get a lot more insight into Elektra in this series. I do think it pays off better if you re-read Miller's Daredevil run beforehand. We figure out more of the timeline in her early training, how that happened before college, and how she got to the Hand after her father's death. She has many more ninja powers than she ever displayed in Daredevil: killing with her voice, catching bullets, and mind control. You have to wonder how Bullseye ever got the better of her in Daredevil #181, or how Daredevil himself lasted more than a minute.
The first half of the story takes place in a fictional South American country where Elektra has been dispatched to kill a politician. In doing so she runs across the Beast, yep, a biblical reference there, but someone from the Hand as well. The Beast can jump between bodies so he's hard to kill, and he wants nothing less than to trigger a nuclear apocalypse. Garrett becomes Elektra's pawn in helping to stop him. One of my favorite action sequences involves an underwater fight between Elektra/Garrett and a squad of ninjas and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. The second half of the story shifts to the United States where we get some cameo appearances from Nick Fury.
Having re-read this again I know why no one has been able to write a good Elektra series since 1986. Nobody can write like Frank Miller, period, but also no one can do a Tour de Force art job like Sienkiewicz.
[image error]
">Elecktra was introduced in Frank Miller's Daredevil run. When this series was announced, we were all excited to see what would happen to her after Miller left the series - she was in particularly strange state. As the series got closer to release, we discovered this story would take place in the past, before Elektra re-entered Daredevil's life. How strange! But it was actually much more interesting without being tied down to Matt Murdock.
[image error]
">The first issue is very hallucinogenic, where Elektra is trapped inside a mental hospital. I found this very confusing the first time, on subsequent re-reads it was more clear how she came to be there. It is unique in that the entire narration in this issue is from Elektra herself. In issue 2, this continues until the best supporting character ever comes, along, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent John Garrett, who is the Six Million Dollar Man times 100 with an addiction to alcohol. Then after issue 2, the point of view is entirely Garrett. As if to say that Elektra is such a superhuman force of nature, she's best seen through the eyes of someone else.
[image error]
"> You get a lot more insight into Elektra in this series. I do think it pays off better if you re-read Miller's Daredevil run beforehand. We figure out more of the timeline in her early training, how that happened before college, and how she got to the Hand after her father's death. She has many more ninja powers than she ever displayed in Daredevil: killing with her voice, catching bullets, and mind control. You have to wonder how Bullseye ever got the better of her in Daredevil #181, or how Daredevil himself lasted more than a minute.
The first half of the story takes place in a fictional South American country where Elektra has been dispatched to kill a politician. In doing so she runs across the Beast, yep, a biblical reference there, but someone from the Hand as well. The Beast can jump between bodies so he's hard to kill, and he wants nothing less than to trigger a nuclear apocalypse. Garrett becomes Elektra's pawn in helping to stop him. One of my favorite action sequences involves an underwater fight between Elektra/Garrett and a squad of ninjas and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. The second half of the story shifts to the United States where we get some cameo appearances from Nick Fury.
Having re-read this again I know why no one has been able to write a good Elektra series since 1986. Nobody can write like Frank Miller, period, but also no one can do a Tour de Force art job like Sienkiewicz.
January 11, 2009
As everyone comments, this is Frank Miller at the top of his game, and working with one of the greatest comic artists of the late 20th century, Bill Seinkewicz. The art is frenetic and fragmented and incorporates just about every medium you can imagine - pen and ink, watercolor, crayon, pencil, collage - whatever Seinkewicz thought would work for a given panel. And it does work, incredibly.
As Miller and his work have literally gone to Hollywood, his obsessions have gotten more pronounced. They're present in Elekra: Assassin, but more toned down. The government agent who pursues Elektra now looks like a sort of stand-in for the author, but with a degree of self-awareness that's entirely absent from any character in Sin City or the Dark Knight stories. He's a bit of a badass, but quite a bit of a buffoon. Elektra evades, eludes, and outwits him at many turns until finally she's caught - and then she manages to work her mojo on him yet again. Miller wrote this one before he reached the "whoreswhoreswhoreswhores" stage, and the work is much better for it.
As Miller and his work have literally gone to Hollywood, his obsessions have gotten more pronounced. They're present in Elekra: Assassin, but more toned down. The government agent who pursues Elektra now looks like a sort of stand-in for the author, but with a degree of self-awareness that's entirely absent from any character in Sin City or the Dark Knight stories. He's a bit of a badass, but quite a bit of a buffoon. Elektra evades, eludes, and outwits him at many turns until finally she's caught - and then she manages to work her mojo on him yet again. Miller wrote this one before he reached the "whoreswhoreswhoreswhores" stage, and the work is much better for it.
November 30, 2015
"It could be my way out of this nightmare of a life. It could pay a fortune. It could get me killed"
Increíble.
No sé exactamente como describir esta novela gráfica. Primero que nada hay que destacar el arte de Sienkiewicz. A lo largo de toda la historia se hacían cada vez mejor sus ilustraciones, había una que otra que me puso la piel de gallina de solo verlas. I m p r e s i o n a n t e.
La historia es bastante rara, abstracta, desconcertante pero sobre todo retorcida.
Me encantó. Nunca había leído algo así y tengo que decir que se convirtió
April 4, 2019
It's called "Elektra: Assassin" but it SHOULD be called "All The Creepy Men Who Call Elektra a Whore While They Perv on Her". The art style is really cool but the writing is off the rails in the worst way possible. This isn't really about Elektra. It's about the men around her and what they want to do to her - from the Beast/Anti-Christ/President to the pervert she possesses and turns into her minion, to Nick Fury. It's all white men talking and Elektra is sort of there, sort of not, sort of intangible, sort of in her own head.
Look. Just don't read it. It's a complete waste of time. You won't really learn anything about Elektra or see her in action in an empowering way. You won't be impressed by anything she does. You'll just be confused and disappointed and bored and angry. I'm upset that I paid money for this.
Look. Just don't read it. It's a complete waste of time. You won't really learn anything about Elektra or see her in action in an empowering way. You won't be impressed by anything she does. You'll just be confused and disappointed and bored and angry. I'm upset that I paid money for this.
January 25, 2016
Yes, Frank Miller went insane years ago--- see his whole set of right-wing rants, see the way "300" ruined the tale of Thermopylae. But once upon a time...once upon a time...Frank Miller did some of the greatest work of the 80s graphic novel renaissance. "Ronin", "The Dark Knight Returns", and "Elektra: Assassin" are all classics. "Elektra: Assassin" is eerie, shattering, surreal. Miller's story pairs brilliantly with Bill Sienkiewicz's haunting artwork in a tale of revenge and rebirth. The story drifts between dream and nightmare, and it's far, far more than just a "Daredevil" spin-off. Read it--- read it and lose yourself in a terrifying world.
March 13, 2015
So did anyone ever tell you comics were supposed to be weird? Political satire, sexy ninjas with awesome mind control powers and mental health issues, ultra-violence, secret intelligence agencies, cyborgs, and wet looking art.
Elektra: Assassin was published by Epic, in the improbably distant time between August 1986 and March 1987. Written by the industrious awesomeness that is Frank Miller and illustrated by the dripping tendrils of Bill Sienkiewicz, Elektra: Assassin was an eight-issue limited series fueled with sex and violence and the smell of rancid mayonnaise that changed my world.
Elektra: Assassin was published by Epic, in the improbably distant time between August 1986 and March 1987. Written by the industrious awesomeness that is Frank Miller and illustrated by the dripping tendrils of Bill Sienkiewicz, Elektra: Assassin was an eight-issue limited series fueled with sex and violence and the smell of rancid mayonnaise that changed my world.
November 19, 2024
This is a very polarizing graphic novel, and with good reason. Truthfully, I was confused throughout the whole thing. The hard to decipher art combined with the non linear writing was just too hard to follow. I had to look up the plot online to really figure out what happened. Once I was able to decipher what was going on, I thought it was pretty cool.
I went with the three star rating because underneath it all there was a good story, so I'll place part of the blame on myself for not being to follow it all. If you've read any of Miller's more recent work, you'll know what to expect, as I find myself with confused with some of his recent work. I'm still a Miller fan, but I wish he would write things more like his original Daredevil run. You know, stuff where I know what's going on.
I went with the three star rating because underneath it all there was a good story, so I'll place part of the blame on myself for not being to follow it all. If you've read any of Miller's more recent work, you'll know what to expect, as I find myself with confused with some of his recent work. I'm still a Miller fan, but I wish he would write things more like his original Daredevil run. You know, stuff where I know what's going on.
September 27, 2015
Uh, ovo je bilo naporno!
Cijeli strip je kao jedan, ili čak nekoliko psihodeličnih tripova ispričanih u isto vrijeme, tako da je poprilično težak za čitati. Hrpa toga je tu nabacano, ali i bolje da je tako, jer sama priča da je ispričana na klasičan način ne bi ni bila zanimljiva.
Početak stripa, odnosno prvo poglavlje je i najbolje, odlično uhvaćeno ludilo i poremećenost jednog uma, uz par pamtljivih rečenica ("Pronašla sam što da osjećam. I sjam od toga"). Naracija je isprekidana i preklapa se, tako odlično simulirajući nekontrolirani tijek misli. Zanimljiv je bio i dio kada je Elektra, svojim ninđa supermoćima kontrole uma, počela opsjedati jednog agenta S.H.I.E.L.D.-a (karikirane CIA-e) i prikaz kako on polako ludi, koji evocira legendarnog Hunter S. Thompsona. Osnovna priča je samo pozadina, Miller je htio istražiti poremećeni um Elektre i kako bi to izgledalo viđeno njezinim očima. I dosta je dobro to odradio, ali problem je što se nakon nekog vremena počinje ponavljati i onda postane naporno, pogotovu pred kraj kada sam samo čekao da strip završi.
Crtež mi se jako svidio, Bill Sienkiewicz ima taj svoj prepoznatljivi stil, i on je i glavni razlog zašto sam i uzeo pročitati ovaj strip. Ovdje je bio na vrhuncu svoje kreativnosti, i on definitvno podiže ovaj strip na višu umjetničku razinu.
Sviđa mi se i kako je usput karikirana tadašnja politička scena.
Demokrat je prikazan s nemijenjajućim nasmješenim licem, koji se prodaje kao da je kul, kao bivši hipi, a republikanc kao ružna spodoba iz nočnih mora, sa konstantnim grčem na ljutom, namrštenom licu - očita referenca na Richarda Nixona - sa nosom i stasom Pinokija, koji stalno drži prst na prekidaču za aktivaciju nuklearnog oružja i kojeg njegova groteskno velika žena mora tješti i smirivati poput djeteta.
Pa karikiranje i kritika (tadašnje) agresivne američke vanjske politike u Južnoj Americi, hladnoratovske napetosti i CIA-e.
Sve u svemu možda je najveća mana ovog stripa što je predug, i što se teme i motivi ponavljaju toliko dok ne počnu iritirati, tako da mu ne mogu dati veću ocjenu od trojke.
Cijeli strip je kao jedan, ili čak nekoliko psihodeličnih tripova ispričanih u isto vrijeme, tako da je poprilično težak za čitati. Hrpa toga je tu nabacano, ali i bolje da je tako, jer sama priča da je ispričana na klasičan način ne bi ni bila zanimljiva.
Početak stripa, odnosno prvo poglavlje je i najbolje, odlično uhvaćeno ludilo i poremećenost jednog uma, uz par pamtljivih rečenica ("Pronašla sam što da osjećam. I sjam od toga"). Naracija je isprekidana i preklapa se, tako odlično simulirajući nekontrolirani tijek misli. Zanimljiv je bio i dio kada je Elektra, svojim ninđa supermoćima kontrole uma, počela opsjedati jednog agenta S.H.I.E.L.D.-a (karikirane CIA-e) i prikaz kako on polako ludi, koji evocira legendarnog Hunter S. Thompsona. Osnovna priča je samo pozadina, Miller je htio istražiti poremećeni um Elektre i kako bi to izgledalo viđeno njezinim očima. I dosta je dobro to odradio, ali problem je što se nakon nekog vremena počinje ponavljati i onda postane naporno, pogotovu pred kraj kada sam samo čekao da strip završi.
Crtež mi se jako svidio, Bill Sienkiewicz ima taj svoj prepoznatljivi stil, i on je i glavni razlog zašto sam i uzeo pročitati ovaj strip. Ovdje je bio na vrhuncu svoje kreativnosti, i on definitvno podiže ovaj strip na višu umjetničku razinu.
Sviđa mi se i kako je usput karikirana tadašnja politička scena.
Demokrat je prikazan s nemijenjajućim nasmješenim licem, koji se prodaje kao da je kul, kao bivši hipi, a republikanc kao ružna spodoba iz nočnih mora, sa konstantnim grčem na ljutom, namrštenom licu - očita referenca na Richarda Nixona - sa nosom i stasom Pinokija, koji stalno drži prst na prekidaču za aktivaciju nuklearnog oružja i kojeg njegova groteskno velika žena mora tješti i smirivati poput djeteta.
Pa karikiranje i kritika (tadašnje) agresivne američke vanjske politike u Južnoj Americi, hladnoratovske napetosti i CIA-e.
Sve u svemu možda je najveća mana ovog stripa što je predug, i što se teme i motivi ponavljaju toliko dok ne počnu iritirati, tako da mu ne mogu dati veću ocjenu od trojke.
April 9, 2018
Quite possibly the best comic book of the 80's. Entirely overshadowed by Watchmen and The Dark Knight returns-this is Art-House comics at it's absolute best. Bill Sienkiewicz art is a transcendent exploration all the styles and forms that can exist within a comic book format. It's all at once thrilling, sexy, post modern, nauseating and raw. Legend has it that Sienkiewicz re-drew (painted, collaged, experimented) many large sections of the book to create a greater impact.
Elektra, back from the dead, hunts a demon who is running for president. That's all you need to know and the story is going to do some double back flips, tail spins and general WTF moments several times before you get near the end of this bad girl. Truly a masterwork of comics art and storytelling.
Elektra, back from the dead, hunts a demon who is running for president. That's all you need to know and the story is going to do some double back flips, tail spins and general WTF moments several times before you get near the end of this bad girl. Truly a masterwork of comics art and storytelling.
December 31, 2016
I've heard many, many times that this is the best Elektra story ever told. Sadly, I can't agree with that. Yes, it is a good story, a great story, even. But it's not an Elektra story. She is the main character in the first issue and it's beautiful and daunting and wonderful, but after that this stops being her story. It's a story about a man who meets her and interacts with her, but Elektra remains a mystery and we are only seeing bits and pieces of her through that man's eyes. And I don't find it THAT amazing.
Otherwise, this is a really great story. Complicated and twisted and kinda surreal. It's definitely worth reading.
Otherwise, this is a really great story. Complicated and twisted and kinda surreal. It's definitely worth reading.
July 7, 2018
When you get a legendary writer like Miller you have to pair him with an artist that goes beyond the plaebian notion that comics should look good. I suppose it's a match for the sketchy style of the story and the occasional lack of punctuation. Too bad the story has long-winded interruptions, but they do offer depth for the characters. One thing the author got right is the internal monologues for the two main characters. They feel genuinely different and do a good job of revealing the first character's single-mindedness and the second's obsession to stop the first. The bad guy turns out to be a third character, the one the author pulled out of his ass. He sucks as much as his origins.
The psychotic story follows Elektra since right before being born, onto her molestation by her drunkard foster father, her ninja training and her eventual escape from the asylum. She becomes a skilled assassin, but her mind is still broken with past memories haunting her and a creature she calls the Beast. Her mission will be to stop the destruction of the world by a group led by the apparently very real Beast.
The psychotic story follows Elektra since right before being born, onto her molestation by her drunkard foster father, her ninja training and her eventual escape from the asylum. She becomes a skilled assassin, but her mind is still broken with past memories haunting her and a creature she calls the Beast. Her mission will be to stop the destruction of the world by a group led by the apparently very real Beast.
October 22, 2015
Your ability to separate Frank Miller the person from Frank Miller the artist (or, in this case, writer, as Bill Sienkiewicz's lovely watercolors comprise the art) will quite likely affect how much you will agree with my four star rating. The recurring theme of your worth being mainly defined by how much of a badass you are, along with the portrayal of liberals as at best feckless airheads and at worst the actual Antichrist, may not sit well with some.
To me, however, this wasn't really a problem. Ol' Lanky Frank isn't exactly subtle about bringing his views across, so it's not like he's going to poison any minds with surreptitious snuck-in messages. In the meantime, Sienkiewicz and he deliver a balls-to-the-wall action epic full of spies, ninja, cyborgs, demons, flying dwarves and weirdly conical helicopters almost reminiscent of the absurd superstructures in a Beksinski painting.
It's a fun, fast-paced, over the top book that sometimes feels like it doesn't quite know what it would like to do in terms of R-rated content (Epic Comics was a Marvel imprint designed to deliver creator-owned books, but due to faltering sales, Miller and Sienkiewicz were commissioned to do a miniseries about a relatively popular Marvel-owned character).
I knocked the one star off for the really dumb humor that occasionally pops up ("Soviet ambassador Jakkoff", really?). Frank Miller is at his funniest when he's being dead serious!
To me, however, this wasn't really a problem. Ol' Lanky Frank isn't exactly subtle about bringing his views across, so it's not like he's going to poison any minds with surreptitious snuck-in messages. In the meantime, Sienkiewicz and he deliver a balls-to-the-wall action epic full of spies, ninja, cyborgs, demons, flying dwarves and weirdly conical helicopters almost reminiscent of the absurd superstructures in a Beksinski painting.
It's a fun, fast-paced, over the top book that sometimes feels like it doesn't quite know what it would like to do in terms of R-rated content (Epic Comics was a Marvel imprint designed to deliver creator-owned books, but due to faltering sales, Miller and Sienkiewicz were commissioned to do a miniseries about a relatively popular Marvel-owned character).
I knocked the one star off for the really dumb humor that occasionally pops up ("Soviet ambassador Jakkoff", really?). Frank Miller is at his funniest when he's being dead serious!
October 21, 2018
this book is very hard to rate. i absolutely adore the art. it's a beautiful abstract water color fever dream that conveys strong emotion and does a better job with symbolism and metaphor than the prose does. which brings me to the weakness of the book. it is above all else, confusing. the plot is as fractured as the stream of consciousness writing style that pops in and out of the heads of multiple characters without warning. the points i will give for originality and daring do not cover the points i want to take away for the heavy handed cliches that are supposed to represent deeper meaning but fail. the book as a whole is beautiful but pointless. it does not expand on elektra's character in any meaningful way and dehumanizers her to a sexualized animal craving flesh and blood. she is given no personality and is even largely ignored for a more dominant male character who is more machine than man. flip through it to appreciate the paintings but don't bother to read the words.
March 9, 2008
Frank Miller was on, what they call, the top of his game when he collaborated with often misunderstood artist extraordinaire Bill Sienkiewicz to bring us this 24 carat model of graphic novel perfection which rivals, if not exceeds, Miller's deservedly ubiquitous The Dark Knight Returns in every important sense. I may as well assure you that after approaching the book's conclusion under the mistaken impression that there will be no satisfactory resolution you will turn the penultimate page and be flat-out stunned.
June 10, 2016
perfect art and just a fun story !!!!!
August 21, 2025
Bill Sienkiewicz’s work is kaleidoscopically grand in its variation and detail, but this also features Frank Miller’s nonsensical id coming out for the first time (I think?) and it makes this nearly unreadable at times.
August 15, 2023
Puntaje: 5 Estrellas.
Qué maravilla ha sido leer el tomo de Elektra de la colección de Los Héroes más poderosos de Marvel. Desde ya estoy viendo muy complicada la elección de la mejor novela gráfica del año, he leído tantos cómics impresionantes que sé que sufriré en Diciembre cuando esté eligiendo el ganador a esta categoría.
En este tomo encontraremos la famosa saga de Elektra, la cual fue presentada en la serie regular de Daredevil y que sin duda es una de las historias más importantes del guardián de Hell’s Kitchen.
Ya conocía a Elektra por varios cómics que leí previamente, así como por la serie de Daredevil en Netflix. Sin embargo, me hacía falta conocer esta historia en específico, en donde vemos cómo Matt conoce a Elektra y se enamora perdidamente de ella, así como cuando ella decide abandonar los Estados Unidos, para regresar muchos años después, convertida en la asesina y cazarecompensas más peligrosa del mundo.
Me encantó cada cómic de este tomo, si bien seguían una trama principal, cada entrega tiene también una subtrama de aventura que complementa a la historia. Esto es muy común de los cómics de los 80s y lo he disfrutado mucho. De hecho, me han dado ganas de buscar esta serie regular de Daredevil para leerla desde el primer número. Es una gran hazaña, pero siento que la difrutaría mucho, pues es uno de mis personajes favoritos de Marvel.
Además de la fascinante trama de las mafias y el peligro que esta conlleva, en este volúmen tenemos la aparición especial de Iron Fist y Luke Cage, quienes fueron contratados para proteger a Nelson Murdock durante uno de los cómics. Además, al final del tomo tendremos la aparición de uno de los personajes más mortales: Bullseye, quien tendrá un papel esencial para el desenlace de la historia.
Gracias a este tomo no solo quiero explorar la serie regular de Daredevil, si no también quiero aventarme algunas de las mini-series de Elektra, un personaje que me ha dejado picadísimo. En la mira tengo aquellas historias de Marvel Knights, de las que he escuchado cosas muy positivas.
Sin duda esta es una lectura obligatoria de esta colección. No la pueden dejar pasar y es 100% recomendado!
Qué maravilla ha sido leer el tomo de Elektra de la colección de Los Héroes más poderosos de Marvel. Desde ya estoy viendo muy complicada la elección de la mejor novela gráfica del año, he leído tantos cómics impresionantes que sé que sufriré en Diciembre cuando esté eligiendo el ganador a esta categoría.
En este tomo encontraremos la famosa saga de Elektra, la cual fue presentada en la serie regular de Daredevil y que sin duda es una de las historias más importantes del guardián de Hell’s Kitchen.
Ya conocía a Elektra por varios cómics que leí previamente, así como por la serie de Daredevil en Netflix. Sin embargo, me hacía falta conocer esta historia en específico, en donde vemos cómo Matt conoce a Elektra y se enamora perdidamente de ella, así como cuando ella decide abandonar los Estados Unidos, para regresar muchos años después, convertida en la asesina y cazarecompensas más peligrosa del mundo.
Me encantó cada cómic de este tomo, si bien seguían una trama principal, cada entrega tiene también una subtrama de aventura que complementa a la historia. Esto es muy común de los cómics de los 80s y lo he disfrutado mucho. De hecho, me han dado ganas de buscar esta serie regular de Daredevil para leerla desde el primer número. Es una gran hazaña, pero siento que la difrutaría mucho, pues es uno de mis personajes favoritos de Marvel.
Además de la fascinante trama de las mafias y el peligro que esta conlleva, en este volúmen tenemos la aparición especial de Iron Fist y Luke Cage, quienes fueron contratados para proteger a Nelson Murdock durante uno de los cómics. Además, al final del tomo tendremos la aparición de uno de los personajes más mortales: Bullseye, quien tendrá un papel esencial para el desenlace de la historia.
Gracias a este tomo no solo quiero explorar la serie regular de Daredevil, si no también quiero aventarme algunas de las mini-series de Elektra, un personaje que me ha dejado picadísimo. En la mira tengo aquellas historias de Marvel Knights, de las que he escuchado cosas muy positivas.
Sin duda esta es una lectura obligatoria de esta colección. No la pueden dejar pasar y es 100% recomendado!
August 6, 2008
Elektra Assassin has the funkiest art of any book I think I’ve read. The famous author Frank Miller (the same guy that wrote Sin City and a couple of the most famous Batman stories) wrote it, But Bill Sienkiewicz really is the stand-out on the book.
elektra-cover.jpg
At times the book looks like something a ten-year-old drew after a horible nightmare, but then you start to notice the small details that make it really pop. I looked forward to the next page of art as much as I did the continuing story. It’s very jarring, and sometimes startling to look at.
Now Elektra is probably most well-known as a horrible movie starring Jennifer Garner a few years ago, but she used to pop up in many different books, mostly Daredevil. She’s an assassin trained by seven ninjas and is hired to kill an ambassador in a South American country. When shes caught she is sent to a mental asyum and tortured. The story follows the interactions between Elektra and a U.S. agent Garrett that may or may not be under her control.
The story moves fast with interesting flashback to her childhood and how she became the assassin she is now. It follows her as she tries to uncover a plot against a U.S. Presidential candidate, and she is forced to decide whether he is who she thinks he is, and forcing Garrett to help her kill this politician.
Garret is a great character. He’s over-the-top like Rambo or Bruce Willis, but at the same time starts to figure out the plot against him pretty quickly. The president is a buffoon, a great caricature of Reagan, and the Presidential candidate is a smooth talker that easily falls under the spell of the enemy. The storyline is very emotional with each character dealing with heavy issues throughout.
elektra-cover.jpg
At times the book looks like something a ten-year-old drew after a horible nightmare, but then you start to notice the small details that make it really pop. I looked forward to the next page of art as much as I did the continuing story. It’s very jarring, and sometimes startling to look at.
Now Elektra is probably most well-known as a horrible movie starring Jennifer Garner a few years ago, but she used to pop up in many different books, mostly Daredevil. She’s an assassin trained by seven ninjas and is hired to kill an ambassador in a South American country. When shes caught she is sent to a mental asyum and tortured. The story follows the interactions between Elektra and a U.S. agent Garrett that may or may not be under her control.
The story moves fast with interesting flashback to her childhood and how she became the assassin she is now. It follows her as she tries to uncover a plot against a U.S. Presidential candidate, and she is forced to decide whether he is who she thinks he is, and forcing Garrett to help her kill this politician.
Garret is a great character. He’s over-the-top like Rambo or Bruce Willis, but at the same time starts to figure out the plot against him pretty quickly. The president is a buffoon, a great caricature of Reagan, and the Presidential candidate is a smooth talker that easily falls under the spell of the enemy. The storyline is very emotional with each character dealing with heavy issues throughout.
January 18, 2018
I can easily understand why not everyone would love this graphic novel. There is a certain Joycean element to it, along with a Philip K. Dick level of paranoia and the surrealism of Pink Floyd’s The Wall. I enjoy these aspects of Electra, but they do make for a somewhat disjarring experience and encourages a person to reread the book to better understand what is going on as a whole. I can also see the masculinist nature of Frank Miller’s prose as being off-putting, but I feel that it is not as bad here as I have encountered in works of his like Sin City. It still can be a little much here. However, because this book is unlike any Marvel comic I have read, and more importantly, because this book felt like I was reading a work of art that is difficult to comprehend but isn’t impossible to understand, I feel prone to giving this book a higher rating. It’s not too esoteric, but a person can’t read this the way they might read another literary comic series (like Saga) that has a more linear narrative. Electra: Assassin may be nonlinear at times, but the poetic nature of this nonlinear structure hints at something unique to this specific story that would not work for other heroes as well. Electra is a fragmented hero/antihero. To even attempt understanding her, we must enter into a liminal space and challenge the ideologies that we hold.
November 25, 2015
Told mostly through alternating narration/internal dialogue this book tells the tale of Elektra on a silent mission to save the world.
The story was good and interesting but sadly drawn out in places that it wasn't needed. I suppose they would have worked in the actual issues but not in the TPB. Also the narration/internal dialogue bubbles can be hard to keep track of. Sometimes you just have to read a page worth and then quickly work it out in your head what was actually said.
The art in this books is a really mixed bag. Elektra looks great and so dos some of the other characters but the world that has been designed just seems so out of place. Think Blade Runner meets The Matrix meets Naked Lunch.
Overall this is a decent book if you are a fan of Frank Miller or looking for something quick to read. Other than those reasons I would say skip it. For me this is just more proof that Frank Miller is a bad comic writer outside of Sin City.
The story was good and interesting but sadly drawn out in places that it wasn't needed. I suppose they would have worked in the actual issues but not in the TPB. Also the narration/internal dialogue bubbles can be hard to keep track of. Sometimes you just have to read a page worth and then quickly work it out in your head what was actually said.
The art in this books is a really mixed bag. Elektra looks great and so dos some of the other characters but the world that has been designed just seems so out of place. Think Blade Runner meets The Matrix meets Naked Lunch.
Overall this is a decent book if you are a fan of Frank Miller or looking for something quick to read. Other than those reasons I would say skip it. For me this is just more proof that Frank Miller is a bad comic writer outside of Sin City.
April 24, 2012
I'm no fan boy of Frank Miller (but maybe a bit of Bill Sienkiewicz) but he did create two of my favorite works of all time - Elektra: Assassin and The Dark Knight Returns. This has easily been one of my formative influences since my teen years. Its dreamy, insane, animalistic, vicious, nearly mute, chaotic force of nature Elektra spoiled me for life with regards to badass assassins, whether male or female. Like how they portray SHIELD as another oppressive bureaucracy. Love how she doesn't say a word through the entire series (that I remember) and the reader is in her head. Hate how she's been watered down ever since.
Goddamn you, Jennifer Garner. God damn you.
Goddamn you, Jennifer Garner. God damn you.
September 4, 2008
When I first got this book, I was hesitant about it because it would have been the first time that anyone other than Miller had drawn Elektra and Sienkiewicz's artwork is an acquired taste (to say the least). When I read it, I was blown away by the beauty of the artwork and how it worked perfectly with the story that Miller was telling. Usually people don't really get as much out of Sienkiewicz as they could. Miller gets it all. A lot of people might not give it chance, but they should. I think anyone who likes superhero ninja stories with a mystical bent will really get into it.
May 13, 2018
Frank Miller definitely knows how to make the Daredevil universe hardcore, and this book is one of the testaments to that. In Elektra Assassin, Elektra is not shown as a master ninja, but also a cold-blooded warrior who is not shy of shedding innocent blood if necessary. The book contains few of the craziest, over-the-top actions in the Marvel universe and presents Elektra in the way she is supposed to be. A must have for any Elektra and Frank Miller fan.
September 5, 2013
Bill Sienkiewicz is the real star of this book.
The story by Frank Miller is good, but wouldn't stand out were it not for Sienkiewicz art contribution.
The best part of this story is that it "seems" to take part outside the regular Marvel Universe (SHIELD being the exception) and more into a somewhat real-world setting.
I'm happy to own the original mini-series as floppies, maybe someday I'll "transform" it into a hardcover.
The story by Frank Miller is good, but wouldn't stand out were it not for Sienkiewicz art contribution.
The best part of this story is that it "seems" to take part outside the regular Marvel Universe (SHIELD being the exception) and more into a somewhat real-world setting.
I'm happy to own the original mini-series as floppies, maybe someday I'll "transform" it into a hardcover.
February 6, 2021
20210205 ◊ Yikes. This did not age well. I understand from reviews that this was supposed to be satirical, but the sexism, racism, and ultraviolence... actually just read as sexism, racism, and ultraviolence. Also, the plot sucked. And I didn't like the art. So yeah. Marginally interesting to see S.H.I.E.L.D. viewed through a different lens within the Marvel Universe, but not worth the time spent slogging through an eight issue series.
March 1, 2018
Mindblowing
May 10, 2024
Лімітка з 8 номерів "Elektra Assassin", яка виходила в марвелівському імпринті "Epic Comics", є приквелом який розповідає про пригоду Електри до того як вона повернулася в житті Метта Мердока. Автором лімітки є Френк Міллер, який є її творцем, а художником є Білл Сінкевич і от здавалося, що може піти не так?
Ця лімітка для мене вийшла досить трешовою психоделічною подорожжю і я не впевнений, що зрозумів все що тут відбувається.
Сам сюжет, як я зрозумів, крутиться навколо того, що Електра намагається зупинити Звіра, це демон якому служить Рука, який бере людей під контроль за допомогою молока (я не жартую). Ускладнює ситуацію й те, що під його контроль потрапив кандидат в президенти, який уже на півдорозі до перемоги у виборах. І віддам належне це хороша ідея для сюжету і місцями мені справді було цікаво читати. Однак деякі сценарні рішення Міллера просто вбили для мене цю серію.
Почнемо з того, що в нашої вбивці з якогось дива з'являються психічні здібності й вона може змушувати людей бачити замість себе когось іншого. Також завдяки її здібностям у неї з'являється телепатичний зв'язок з другим героєм нашої серії Джоном Ґаретом. Джон є агентом Щита якого дуже сильно калічить Електра, в результаті чого 80% його тіла заміняють на кібернетичні імпланти. Щодо його телепатичного зв'язку з Начоус то тут в основному все зводиться до того, що у нього на неї величезний стояк і він ніяк не може її покинути, незважаючи на те, що вона його покалічила, і знову ж таки, маю віддати належне, тут є пара прикольних моментів пов'язаних з цією динамікою, нехай вона, разом із місцевими монологами, залишали бажати кращого.
Щодо малюнку то чим далі йшла серія то, тим більше мені він подобався. Суть у тому, що якщо перші номери в наративному плані більше спантеличували ніж зацікавлювали то в художньому вони вийшли місцями аж занадто абстрактними, що мені не дуже сподобалося, але як я вже зазначив вище ситуація далі покращується. З прикольних художніх моментів можу виділити те як Електра придушує спогади про джоніна, чи те, що кандидата в президенти під контролем Звіра Сінкевич малює з таким білим обличчям яке виділяється на фоні усього іншого, я таке дуже люблю і щось схоже досить часто в аналогових горорах використовують.
З того, що мені ще не сподобалося це підсюжет з підрозділом Щита який таємно набирав злочинців у свої ряди й створив кіборга, як на мене, ця лінія була досить зайвою та породила одну нелогічність. Плюс тут була ще от карикатура на Ніксона, яка була потрібна лиш для того, щоб Міллер висміяв його. Якщо говорити про фінальний акт, то він вийшов досить спантеличуючим й розчаровуючим, ну і сама кінцівка й твіст настільки тупі, що я заржав.
В результаті лімітка "Elektra Assassin" є величезним розчаруванням. У Міллера була досить цікава ідея, яку йому, на жаль, не вдалося вдало реалізувати. Якщо й рекомендувати цю серію то тільки для того, щоб подивитися на малюнок Сінкевича.
Ця лімітка для мене вийшла досить трешовою психоделічною подорожжю і я не впевнений, що зрозумів все що тут відбувається.
Сам сюжет, як я зрозумів, крутиться навколо того, що Електра намагається зупинити Звіра, це демон якому служить Рука, який бере людей під контроль за допомогою молока (я не жартую). Ускладнює ситуацію й те, що під його контроль потрапив кандидат в президенти, який уже на півдорозі до перемоги у виборах. І віддам належне це хороша ідея для сюжету і місцями мені справді було цікаво читати. Однак деякі сценарні рішення Міллера просто вбили для мене цю серію.
Почнемо з того, що в нашої вбивці з якогось дива з'являються психічні здібності й вона може змушувати людей бачити замість себе когось іншого. Також завдяки її здібностям у неї з'являється телепатичний зв'язок з другим героєм нашої серії Джоном Ґаретом. Джон є агентом Щита якого дуже сильно калічить Електра, в результаті чого 80% його тіла заміняють на кібернетичні імпланти. Щодо його телепатичного зв'язку з Начоус то тут в основному все зводиться до того, що у нього на неї величезний стояк і він ніяк не може її покинути, незважаючи на те, що вона його покалічила, і знову ж таки, маю віддати належне, тут є пара прикольних моментів пов'язаних з цією динамікою, нехай вона, разом із місцевими монологами, залишали бажати кращого.
Щодо малюнку то чим далі йшла серія то, тим більше мені він подобався. Суть у тому, що якщо перші номери в наративному плані більше спантеличували ніж зацікавлювали то в художньому вони вийшли місцями аж занадто абстрактними, що мені не дуже сподобалося, але як я вже зазначив вище ситуація далі покращується. З прикольних художніх моментів можу виділити те як Електра придушує спогади про джоніна, чи те, що кандидата в президенти під контролем Звіра Сінкевич малює з таким білим обличчям яке виділяється на фоні усього іншого, я таке дуже люблю і щось схоже досить часто в аналогових горорах використовують.
З того, що мені ще не сподобалося це підсюжет з підрозділом Щита який таємно набирав злочинців у свої ряди й створив кіборга, як на мене, ця лінія була досить зайвою та породила одну нелогічність. Плюс тут була ще от карикатура на Ніксона, яка була потрібна лиш для того, щоб Міллер висміяв його. Якщо говорити про фінальний акт, то він вийшов досить спантеличуючим й розчаровуючим, ну і сама кінцівка й твіст настільки тупі, що я заржав.
В результаті лімітка "Elektra Assassin" є величезним розчаруванням. У Міллера була досить цікава ідея, яку йому, на жаль, не вдалося вдало реалізувати. Якщо й рекомендувати цю серію то тільки для того, щоб подивитися на малюнок Сінкевича.
April 6, 2018
This is hard. Elektra: Assassin, two decades old comics. The art is still fascinating. It looks good but the whole thing resembles more some art catalogue than comics book. But he pencil & watercolours style looks great. The art "look" is consistent in style, but lack it in execution - some pictures are sloppy (even if it somehow serve the story) and some are great. And that just amplify the "art catalogue" feeling for me. The story is interesting and good. But the text. Too much of it, sometimes in combination of chaotic lettering. Text fields and bubbles are all over the place. It lack finesse and crawling trough it feels unease. I don't mind loads of text and experiments in lettering. But it must feel right. Here it doesn't. The rush from action is often killed with pages of text boxes, filled with too much unimportant and uninteresting text. It feels like reading Facebook wall of someone, who loves to write lots of post (and quantity is not quality) about almost everything, lacking context, point or real information. That post which are more for the writer than the reader, with sloopy stylistics and cryptic informations. Half the time Elektra: Asssassin feels like that Facebook walls. And it got so boring. So annoying. I really looked forward to it, the art look more like some Vertigo stuff than Marvel, especially nowadays it shows how Marvel slipped into some generic art, being more factory on printed paper than good comics with interesting art.
This 8-issue did aged well in art, but didn't in story and "direction".
Bottom line: if Electra: Assassin is somehow interesting for you, it's worth the try. If the art is interesting for you, go ahead, skip the "boring/annoying" part and enjoy the art, the story will still make a sense.
This 8-issue did aged well in art, but didn't in story and "direction".
Bottom line: if Electra: Assassin is somehow interesting for you, it's worth the try. If the art is interesting for you, go ahead, skip the "boring/annoying" part and enjoy the art, the story will still make a sense.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews