Daredevil 8, Elektra 6

Daredevil 8

Matt and Kirsten take in the town on a vigilante-free date when Kirsten reveals that she recently got a call from her somewhat estranged father, who lives in the Bay Area and invited Kirsten and Matt out on his boat. They accept and it goes rather well for a bit, up until Kirsten's father, a publisher, reveals that he wants Matt to write an autobiography, which annoys Kirsten. They head home with Matt sort of thinking about it (he calls it a flattering offer, which Kirsten points out is his kryptonite). Meanwhile, the Purple Man is back on the scene and collecting his illegitimate children, who have the same powers he has but who he hopes will be immune to his own powers and will therefore love him for who he is and not for an ulterior reason. Unfortunately for Purple Man, they don't love him for ripping them out of their homes and killing their mothers and they use their considerable combined powers to send Purple Man walking in front of an oncoming bus before preparing to tour the town.

The Purple Children are already proving themselves to be formidable and terrifying foes for Daredevil to go up against in short time and Mark Waid does a good job to illustrate these kids right off the bat while Chris Samnee and new colorist Matt Wilson do a phenomenal job showing just how creepy they are. Another thing I don't think I've talked about enough with this series is that Waid is doing a really nice job with Kirsten McDuffie. Obviously Daredevil is one of those characters who tends to make an impact with women and has both a slew of long-lasting relationships and one-night-stands on his resume. By and large though, I tend not to like the women writers bring in (obviously excluding ones who I do like from the larger Marvel Universe but still may not like in context of him dating, like Black Widow, Elektra kind of, and Black Cat) and Kirsten marks the first love interest since probably Echo that I've found myself liking and who doesn't seem to play the typical superhero love interest. Of course, that probably means Waid is ready to kill her off.

Total Score: 5/5


Elektra 6

Elektra has led Cape Crow, Kento, and Matchmaker from safe house to safe house, only to be attacked every step of the way by mercenaries and assassins looking to bring in the sizable fee on all of their heads. Elektra has met every challenge but finds herself worn out and running out of safe places. They reach Cape Crow's last safe house only to be attacked by the Serpent Squad. Elektra sends Cape Crow (no longer a killer) and Kento running for the house only to realize a moment too late that the Serpent Squad is a distraction and that sending Cape Crow into the house is exactly what whoever is behind this trap wants. She disposes of the Squad and rushes for the house with Matchmaker, who discovers Cape Crow's helmet torn apart by a sword before she herself is stabbed through the back by the culprit: a healed and monumentally more powerful Lady Bullseye out for revenge on Elektra.

About half of this book is a recap of their recent days interspersed with information about the assassin's guild and their extensive fees and health care plan, which Lady Bullseye utilizes. It's an effective storytelling technique as we stay with our main characters and learn a bit about them through dialogue and through their interactions with one another but also get key plot points, like the experimental and probably fatal procedure Lady Bullseye agreed to undertake to wipe out her debts to the guild and save her life temporarily, giving her a chance to go after Elektra. Though I think the art is pretty good here, it's hard to go from Del Mundo to anyone else and my love of this issue suffers a little as a result (not to mention that Matchmaker has ditched the amazing aviator cap and goggles for a more Alex-in-A-Clockwork-Orange outfit, which is a super bummer, you guys). Also, I'll be pretty upset if they kill off Matchmaker, I think she's phenomenal and I simultaneously want to learn everything about her and be given no explanation for her. It's complicated. Really like that cover, too.

Total Score: 4/5