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ELEKTRA: GLIMPSE & ECHO #1
Recommended (8/10)
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Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights
Writer/Artist: Scott Morse
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Stuart Moore
Price: $2.99 US/$4.75 CAN |
Say what you will about the "new" Marvel, but they're providing a big and bright spotlight for creators whose styles are far from the conventional. Scott Morse is one of those creators. When this project was announced, I was surprised, to be honest, and that gave way to curiosity. Morse offers up a surprisingly grounded story given the unusual nature of the title character, and he does so with some stunning painted artwork.
Elektra visits the grave of her father and soon discovers she's picked up a new shadow. The Hand -- the evil ninja cult for which she used to work -- is back in her life, and they lead her to a quiet little bar where she's hired to carry out a lethal assignment. She also learns of an old story about a father, a son and the tragic divide that kept them apart.
For someone with such a simple but quirky style, Morse brings a remarkable level of depth to his visuals, and it's enhanced even further when his artwork is painted. Simple shapes merges to form a more complex picture, and the colors are subtle, diverse and textured. I love how i the flashback, Morse uses bright primary colors as symbolism for a shift in priorities, in allegiances. The painted artwork also brings out the subtle supernatural story elements nicely.
There have been past stories in various Marvel comics that made the Hand seem like fairly generic, uninteresting antagonists. Here, though, Morse grants them a far creepier quality. The Hand ninja are so much enemies to be feared, but little, malevolent imps that scurry about the edges of the real world, manipulating and taunting those who are unfortunate enough to be aware of them.
The real strength of this story, though, is the story of "Black Cat" Buddy Crawford. There's something in that story that just about anyone can relate to. Buddy's love and wisdom aren't enough to overcome his uneasiness with words, or his son's preconceptions about him and about his "new friends." It's a universal barrier between generations, and it's clear that fathers and their children will serve as a recurring theme in this series.
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