Well, I'm intrigued. I've been enjoying "Introspect" as a story, but I've had serious doubts about the potential longevity of Elektra as an ongoing character. However, it becomes especially clear in this issue that Rucka's second story arc has been all about breaking down the current Elektra so she can be remade into something new. This issue is the culmination of that, a tense showdown between Elektra's guilt and survival instincts, as well as with an outside force in the idealistic Jeremy Locke, and it leaves me wondering what's next.
I'm reminded in the opening scenes of this issue of the opening scene in Brian Michael Bendis's Elektra story arc, which was one of his most effective Elektra scenes. The sexy but deadly Elektra, lying in bed with her target and threatening him with her sai, is an undeniably powerful image that conveys the two most important traits of the character, and makes for an interesting setting for some dialogue. Rucka's take on Elektra seems to play more to her shattered childhood, as the character seems to have shelved anything that made her human and turned into a killing machine. Her speech patterns when talking to Locke are often almost robotic, lacking human emotion for the most part, except for the restrained anger that makes it clear that Locke's plan to reach her has succeeded.
The question now is, just what was Locke's plan? He's gotten to Elektra, revealed to her just what she's done, and has broken down some of that inhuman shell she's built around herself. The hints are that he's going to help her direct her skills, possibly making this something of a Dark Angel/Birds of Prey type story, which would be interesting enough, but Rucka tends not to go for the easy direction, so I expect there are some more twists to come. No matter what comes next, though, this issue and the issues preceding it have provided a solid story for Elektra that is fairly different from the "inscrutable assassin kills everyone" plots that she has largely been saddled with.
The change in artwork has also been a benefit to Elektra, and though Pagulayan and Miki don't strike me as artists who I would follow to any old title just to see their artwork, they have strong storytelling skills. Elektra's mottled skin, an attempt to convey the torments she suffered in the deserts, is distracting, but the expressions that she and Locke have are very powerful and convincing. Given that much of this issue centers on making us see Elektra's anger and Locke's fear and determination to change her, it says a lot that the art conveys these fairly subtle emotions.
Most of this issue is spent driving the reader (or at least, this reader) to the more intriguing question of "Yeah? Yeah? And then what happens?" But as setup goes, "Introspect" has been pretty solid, and I must give credit to the entire creative team for keeping my interest in a character who traditionally can't hold it for very long.
