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Daredevil (1964 series) #168

Frank Miller

Daredevil (1964 series) #168 cover

Story Name:

Elektra


Synopsis

Daredevil (1964 series) #168 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 5 stars

On a street corner, Daredevil jumps down on Turk, looking for information about a thief named Alarich Wallenquist. Wallenquist witnessed a murder that an innocent man is being charged for, and he hired Eric Slaughter and his men to protect him. Another one of Slaughter’s men throws a bottle full of nitroglycerin at them, in order to keep Turk from spilling what he knows. The man, Bilge, makes a run for it only to get intercepted once more by Daredevil, who got clear of the explosion though with a clearly injured arm. Daredevil interrogates Bilge about Wallenquist, while a mysterious red-clad woman watches from above. With Daredevil’s senses dulled by the explosion and the pain, the woman is able to sucker punch him and captures Bilge for herself, stating that there’s a bounty out on Wallenquist that she intends to collect. Matt recognizes her voice as his former lover Elektra, just before he loses consciousness.

Fading into unconsciousness, Matt’s thoughts drift back to when he was a college freshman. Walking with his roommate Foggy Nelson, Foggy drops his books all over the library steps, right in front of the dean escorting around a new student named Elektra Natchios. Matt is instantly enamored with Elektra and a few days later, he has Foggy distract her bodyguard, Athos, so he can talk to her. Matt learns that Elektra is the daughter of a Greek ambassador and he tells her about his enhanced senses. Matt asks her out and the two begin a passionate romance, spending the next year very much in love. However, one day Matt and Foggy come upon the administration building, where they learn Elektra and her father have been taken hostage inside by terrorists! Matt realizes he has to do something and slips away from Foggy, donning the scarf he was going to give Elektra as a mask, and climbs an adjacent building to surveil the situation.

Matt hears that they’re planning to kill Elektra and makes his move, sneaking into the building and stealthily taking out the terrorists. Matt storms the room Elektra is in, and she and Matt work together to take out her captors. However, Matt miscalculates and accidentally knocks one of the men out of the window, which makes the police think the hostages are being killed. As a result, they fire on Elektra’s father when he steps in front of the window, accidentally killing him. Then, and all through her father’s funeral, Elektra never cries. She tells Matt that she’s leaving the country, unable to continue studying laws she no longer believes in, unwilling to let the world hurt her anymore, leaving Matt heartbroken. Matt then regains consciousness to find that Elektra bandaged his shoulder, showing that some of the woman he knew is still in there. Even still, he knows that Elektra has become something he can’t condone and that he must bring her to justice!

Meanwhile, Wallenquist is being hidden away by Eric Slaughter, when Bilge calls in to say that everything is fine. He gives the secret signal that tips off Slaughter that Elektra has him and Slaughter plans to lay a trap for her. Shortly after, Daredevil interrogates one of Slaughter’s men for the location and time they’re supposed to be sneaking Wallenquist out of the country, the pier at 4 AM. 4 AM rolls around and Slaughter and his men find Elektra waiting for them. She easily takes out his men before being surprised by a tranquilizer dart. Daredevil then arrives, crashing the seaplane they were planning to use and taking out of rest of Slaughter’s men. However, Wallenquist has a gun on Elektra and promises to kill her if Daredevil tries anything. He has Daredevil walk away, before pointing the gun at him. Daredevil hears Elektra stirring and reacts right when Wallenquist is about to fire. He calls out to Elektra by her old nickname, saying the same thing he did years ago, spurring her memory and allowing the two to take out Wallenquist together. This confirms to Elektra that Daredevil really is Matt and the two share a kiss. Matt takes Wallenquist away and only then, after the weight of everything catches up with her, does Elektra finally cry.


Characters
Good (or All)
DAREDEVIL
ELEKTRA

Enemies
TURKB
Plus: Alarich Wallenquist, Eric Slaughter.
Flashbacks
FOGGYNELSON

> Daredevil (1964 series) comic book info and issue index



Excelsioring your collection:
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Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Main/1st Story Full Credits

Frank Miller
Klaus Janson
Doc Martin
Frank Miller (Cover Penciler)
Klaus Janson (Cover Inker)
Unknown (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Joe Rosen.



Review / Commentaries


Daredevil (1964 series) #168 Review by (January 22, 2025)

Review: Frank Miller begins writing the series with this issue, in addition to drawing it, and this is where his run really gets going! Miller’s art is amazing as always and his writing immediately adds a layer of eloquence to the series, as well as a more noir-like tone. Miller starts his writing tenure off strong with his most significant addition this issue of course, the introduction of Elektra! He details Matt and Elektra’s history in college, establishing each as each other’s first, and most famous and well-enduring, love interest. With Elektra, he also of course created a very strong and compelling character in her own right. This issue begins Miller’s particularly good use of Elektra as a supporting character at times, an antagonist at others, as well as the protagonist of many of her own series. Miller also uses Elektra’s inability to cry to poignant effect, showing that doesn’t cry when her father is killed, and is only able to at the very end of the issue after the weight of reuniting with her lost love catches up with her.

Miller also adds other factors to Daredevil’s backstory, overall strengthening the series. He shows off Matt’s first time doing something Daredevil-esque, when he attempts to save Elektra and her father from terrorists while in college. Matt also might have accidentally killed a guy? When saving Elektra, he accidentally knocks one of her captors out of the window, making the police think the hostages are being killed, leading directly to them accidentally shooting and killing Elektra’s father. It’s kind of glossed over, and the fate of the guy isn’t established, which makes it even more weird. Incidentally, this wouldn’t be the last time Miller specifically had Matt accidentally knock someone out of a window (see his retelling of Matt’s early years, the Man Without Fear miniseries, for more details). Overall, a phenomenal issue debuting an important, enduring character, and strengthening and shifting the series into what it would become from here on out.

Comments: First appearance of Elektra. Frank Miller begins writing the series, in addition to drawing it with this issue. Matt is established as having been 15 when he lost his sight, though this age will remain inconsistent.





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