Dark Reign: Elektra (Comics) | Review

The deadliest woman alive barely survived alien torture and experimentation. Now everyone wants her dead while she's at her weakest moment. Elektra escapes Skrull captivity after Secret Invasion only to face assassination contracts and Norman Osborn's interrogations.

Writer Zeb Wells (Shadowland: Elektra, Venom: Dark Origin) and artist Clay Mann (Trinity: Better Together, X-Men: Age of X) deliver a survival story that plays like Die Hard with sais. This isn't standard superhero fare where heroes debate morality while punching each other.

An 82-million-dollar bounty transforms Elektra from rescued victim into hunted target within hours. Every assassin, mercenary and opportunistic killer converges while she struggles with injuries from months of experimentation. This five-issue series focuses on pure survival against overwhelming odds during Norman Osborn's reign.

Elektra stumbles from a crashed Skrull ship after Secret Invasion, barely conscious from alien experiments. Norman Osborn's H.A.M.M.E.R. agents capture her immediately, seeking answers about modifications during captivity. Her escape triggers pursuit from multiple directions.

Hired killers flood New York hunting Elektra for an 82-million-dollar contract. The bounty stems from atrocities committed by her Skrull replacement, including a brutal massacre that killed hundreds of government agents. Nico, whose brother died in that massacre, becomes the primary hunter alongside other mercenaries.

Paladin attempts collection but underestimates Elektra despite her weakened condition. She dispatches him efficiently, demonstrating that even injured and exhausted, she remains leagues above operatives. The fight establishes her competency while showing physical limitations.

Iron Man provides assistance helping Elektra evade H.A.M.M.E.R. forces. Tony Stark recognizes she deserves answers about what happened during her replacement, giving her breathing room to investigate. His involvement connects this series to broader Dark Reign politics without drowning the story in crossover event obligations.

Bullseye appears as Dark Avengers Hawkeye, creating immediate tension since he killed Elektra years earlier during Enemy of the State. Their confrontation crackles with history and violence. Elektra fighting while compromised against her murderer delivers satisfying character work.

Wolverine shows up midway after learning Elektra survived Skrull captivity. Their shared history from Enemy of the State adds weight. Logan was manipulated by The Hand into killing heroes before Elektra helped free him. His appearance acknowledges their complicated past without dwelling on exposition or treating readers like children.

Investigation into who posted the bounty reveals connections to crimes by Elektra's Skrull double. Wells structures this as detective work between sequences. Elektra pieces together what her replacement did while imprisoned, understanding why many want vengeance.

Norman Osborn operates as the antagonist orchestrating capture attempts and interrogations. His Dark Reign authority makes H.A.M.M.E.R. omnipresent throughout the limited series. Osborn wants Skrull resurrection secrets, viewing Elektra as research material. Wells captures Osborn's malice without overplaying villain theatrics.

The climax involves Elektra confronting the bounty's source and dealing with enemies converging. Action escalates naturally rather than feeling manufactured. Wells balances multiple threats while maintaining focus on Elektra's personal stakes about clearing her name.

The ending includes a twist about Elektra's resurrection that changes her understanding of herself. This revelation connects to her death and return during Enemy of the State without requiring readers flip through back issues. Wells plants seeds for future stories while providing satisfying closure to immediate survival narrative.

Dark Reign: Elektra follows Secret Invasion during Norman Osborn's control period. The series acknowledges Enemy of the State events heavily, making that storyline nearly essential context. Shadowland references this series later when dealing with Elektra's resurrection.

Clay Mann delivers gritty realism with strong figure work and kinetic action choreography. Fight sequences flow smoothly across panels with clear spatial geography. Mann excels at showing Elektra's exhaustion through posture and facial expressions, making her physical degradation visible without any dialogue explaining injuries.

Background detail fluctuates noticeably between issues and within single issues. Some panels feature intricate environments while others present minimal information. The inconsistency occasionally breaks immersion when characters move from detailed locations to blank spaces.

Matt Hollingsworth's colors emphasize shadows and bruising. The palette remains muted and dark, reinforcing Elektra's brutal circumstances. Hollingsworth uses color temperature effectively. His work elevates Mann's pencils significantly, adding atmospheric weight.

Zeb Wells writes tight action sequences with minimal dialogue, letting artwork carry fight choreography. Elektra stays silent, communicating through action rather than quips or internal monologue. This choice emphasizes her professional focus and physical exhaustion. When she speaks, words matter and reveal character efficiently.

Dark Reign: Elektra succeeds as focused survival thriller that respects character history. Wells builds tension through relentless pursuit while showing Elektra's competence despite injuries. The series never forgets she's deadly even when compromised, avoiding cheap vulnerability.

Clay Mann's artwork delivers brutal action with strong figure work despite occasional background inconsistencies. Fight choreography remains clear and impactful throughout five issues. The visual storytelling supports Wells' minimal dialogue approach, creating efficient narrative pacing without unnecessary exposition.

Worth reading for Elektra fans or anyone following Dark Reign comprehensively. The series works as standalone thriller if you understand Secret Invasion basics and know Elektra died previously. Connections to Enemy of the State enhance appreciation but aren't mandatory.

This ranks among better Dark Reign tie-ins by staying focused on character rather than drowning in event mechanics. Elektra's journey from captive to hunter tracking her impostor's crimes provides clear stakes. The ending twist adds depth without feeling cheap or unearned, setting up future stories while concluding this arc.

Dark Reign: Elektra collects the full 5-issue limited series, available in trade paperback through local comic-book stores and major online retailers. It is also available for readers digitally on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology and Marvel Unlimited platforms.