Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra Hardcover Review

Verdict: Rucka's delivery is so natural that I forgot about what the book wasn't and concentrated on what the book was. Taken on its own, removed from its 616 counterpart, this book is just a good read.

Collects Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #1-4
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Salvadore Larroca

Where I had high hopes for Orson Scott Card's Ultimate Iron Man I and was subsequently let down, I went into Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra without a shred of hope and came away impressed.

The story centers largely on Elektra during her first year at Colombia University. Matt Murdock, who plays a supporting role throughout, is a pre-law student that hasn't yet donned the Daredevil cowl.

The story revolves around a pompous millionaire's son named Cal Langstrom III (who's actually called "Trey" by everyone, including his father ... why, I have no idea). Trey rapes a close friend of Elektra, and Elektra retaliates by breaking into Trey's bedroom in the middle of the night, nearly killing him. The feud between the two eventually leads to Elektra's father's home and business being burned to the ground. Because of Trey's wealth and political stature, his crimes are repeatedly swept under the rug. Elektra decides to take the law into her own hands, which leads to a climactic moral confrontation between her and Matt (who's been masquerading as something of a masked vigilante).

Given that writer Greg Rucka only had four issues to work with he was right to largely ignore Murdock's side of the story; instead he chose to write him in only when necessary. There simply isn't space in this story to delve into both characters equally. This mini-series probably should have been titled Ultimate Elektra Vol. 1., as it's an Elektra story through and through. Murdock is present only to juxtapose their differing points of view on the nature of justice (and, presumably, to sell issues).

The story itself isn't anything to write home about, and to be honest, if someone had pitched this book to me as "Elektra, The College Years"—which is essentially what it is—I doubt I would have even slightly cared. But Rucka's delivery is so natural that I forgot about what the book wasn't and concentrated on what the book was. Taken on its own, removed from its 616 counterpart, this book is just a good read.

Rucka writes with a wit and cogency that simply wasn't present in Orson Scott Card's Ultimate Iron Man I. Although he largely plays things safe, Rucka is easily forgiven because he weaves such a good tale. Also, I have to give props to any middle-aged white guy who convincingly writes urban dialogue, which is what he's done with Elektra's friend Phoebe.

Note to comic writers everywhere: nobody, outside of Randy Jackson, says "dawg." Nobody. And writing things like "Fo shizzle" and "shawty" doesn't mean you're in touch with today's urban youth, it makes you a thinly-veiled racist and an idiot.