This book could be written in a language I don't understand and I would still love it, because Morse's artwork looks that good in color. Fortunately, Morse also brings his somewhat strange and philosophical storytelling leanings to the writing, taking Elektra on a journey that ties into her family roots and spiritual health. Quite honestly, the story seems an odd fit for Elektra, who has never been presented as particularly human or sentimental, but I'm willing to go with it because it's a clever use of the character. And again, because the artwork is just drop-dead gorgeous.
For a character I had once seen as so limited, I'm a bit surprised to learn that there are so many possible dimensions you can explore. Bendis explored the enigmatic assassin side of her, Rucka is exploring the lost little girl side of her and Morse is exploring the more zen/ninja part of her personality and her ties to her lost father. Morse's journey for Elektra has elements of hallucination or fairy tale, as with his work on Soulwind or Ancient Joe, but he ties it into Elektra by making her "spirit guide" a member of the Hand, whose members have always seemed a bit ghostlike anyway.
While Elektra is generally presented as unemotional and shut off from the world, she does have her passions, including Matt Murdock and the love she had for her father. Morse plays on this love, largely left in the background but still a part of the character, to draw her out and humanize her. She visits her father's grave, and she talks more like a normal woman than a cold assassin. She investigates the death of a musician her father liked, and though it's a stretch, it's believable because she would want to know her father. I also liked the echos of Lyle's story with Elektra's, and I wonder if Morse is setting up a situation where the Hand was more involved with the death of her father than had previously been revealed.
This world of jazz cafes, remote graveyards and ninjas is surprisingly suited to Morse's art style. The color work is beautiful, giving the book an unusual look and accenting Morse's sharp lines and unusual shapes. While the sequential storytelling is strong, each page almost stands alone as a piece of art. I'm actually having trouble finding the words to describe how much I liked this artwork, but the phrases gorgeous, jaw-dropping and stunning all come to mind.
I'm really not an Elektra fan, so I'm having a hard time understanding how she can be the star of two books that have so impressed me. I guess when you get the right talent, whether it's Greg Rucka or Scott Morse, there's not much they can't make interesting or beautiful to read.
