Elektra: Assassin - 80s Super Ninja Love + Violence by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz

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[@lotsatrix]

I bought this entire series for 25 cents per issue in 1987 when I was 16 yrs old. It’s still in my closet right now in perfect condition.

[@Naurif]

The Ken Wind head was a photocopy of Kennedy. Sienkiewicz admitted that in an interview years ago.

[@bozmanga1]

That makes perfect sense. The name Ken Wind is just rearranged Kennedy with some small changes. Ken Wind rearranged is Kennwdi, W is rotated E and I instead od Y.

[@paulhardman2515]

One of the greatest things I've learned since subscribing to your channel is how to finally pronounce Bill Sienkiewicz's name! I've been way off for about 35 years!

[@AlexanderAlm]

❤

[@philiparsenault1043]

after reading this for first time, the incumbent president is supposed to be a diminutive reagan

[@jlolsson2]

You are on a roll guys!!!! The most informative and fascinating comics channel on YT! Keep ‘em coming!

[@ArtrichStudio]

They really are the best.

[@geoffscott9222]

Garrett appears as a character in Hickman's Secret Warriors, too. I was getting this comic as it was being published in 1986. I had been reading New Mutants, which led to this and Claremont's X-Men. Elektra:Assassin opened my eyes to what comics could be, especially artistically. It was certainly being talked about at the time, but as you said, it was so crazy that people just didn't know what to think. Sienkiewicz's name was almost a meme with people not knowing how to pronounce it at the time. 1986 was a great year to get into comics.

[@unrulysimian3897]

Having read this as it came out - it was as important to me as DKR, Watchmen, or anything else that preceded it. All the adjectives and cliches are well earned here. Love watching y’all break it down. Wouldn’t you love to see an artist’s edition of this entire series, if it’s even possible?

[@alfredfrancis1475]

I agree. It’s interesting that it wasn’t as revered in it’s time, or after.

[@jean-michelwalker8829]

I actually got to see the original pages of the first issue before publication. Other than the size differential, the (first) printed version was surprisingly faithful to the originals. What you see is in print is what (and how) Sienkiewicz put it on the page. He is just that good!

[@bbhollick]

YES!! LOVE THIS. PLEASE DO STRAY TOASTERS SOON!

[@mirarstudios]

Amazing, but the only comic that made me puke 😅

[@RichardPace]

Bill was more influenced by illustration at the time than comics -- though people like Breccia and Toppi were already there, Fuchs, Storey, Steadman, English, Peak were at their, well, peak at that time, as well as Klimt, Schiele and others from fine art. He's the connective tissue between editorial illustration which was far more expressionistic in the 70s/80s more than any other time, and the comics artists who got to see that door opened. McKean was following that lead more into Violent Cases. I think Bisley and Fabry were more influenced by Eurocomics art - -the next, more exaggerated step after people like Don Lawrence

[@bracketbasher]

Ive been buggin on this for 30 years, It is timeless

[@paulryan653]

I was literally about to ask when you are doing this one.

[@luckygitane]

I literally went to sleep thinking about it last night

[@francescplager]

I feel like bill would have been the perfect artist to work with neil gaiman for sandman

[@jimmygownley9573]

I bought this at the time, as I was 14 in 1986 (the best possible year to be 14 btw). I don’t remember this being ignored. I remember it being widely praised, but hated by some of the more square fanboy types. I think it’s just that it didn’t hit the dark knight nerve because it didn’t have a character the general public knew. Anyway, it sure blew my mind and still does.

[@hsatin20]

This was awesome. I remember seeing some of these issues as a kid and they made a huge impact. I did not understand them but the art blew my mind and really stuck with me.

[@Jordanf777]

I just got and read this tpb and it was amazing. Feel like it entered me into a new era of reading for my personal pallet lol

[@willagnes8376]

Hour plus deep dives replenish my soul.

[@robertjacques6812]

Makes me wish they released their notorious Wonder Woman book. Haha

[@MangaMattReviews]

Neat seeing the captions getting smarter. Now they read his name as “bilsinkiewicz”. Pretty close. Far cry from when it read as “bilson cabbage”.

[@alanblott4559]

I remember getting this on release. It was stunning and world opening.

[@philiparsenault1043]

I feel like the person who took those gun covers to heart was Jae Lee, specifically what he drew in X-Factor/X-Cutioner Saga

[@RichardPace]

they didn't sell aerosol marker spray set ups back in the 80s, as far as I can recall. IIRC, Bill was using watercolour, gouache, acrylics, various pens, cut paper, collage, colour photocopy, and airbrush for this

[@1971thedoctor]

I didn’t even notice Frank Miller did the writing for this, I was distracted by Bill’s very unique art style.

[@themoviejournal3080]

So glad you guys did a deep dive on this one! 🍻- Andy

[@R-A-9]

Very informative review helped me understand the story a little better than when i first read it. Earned a sub

[@mirarstudios]

One of the most memorable comic books I ever collected

[@ValleyOfWillows]

It's great that the books aren't filled with advertisements throughout, that would've been a huge fail. This is the kind of comic you need to get sucked into, only to get out of it when the story ends.

[@gregrosenberger7074]

Great video! Bought this treasure off the rack, it blew my mind as an adolescent & still thoroughly enjoy it to this day.

[@shadowskill9248]

One of the best works by Frank and Bill! I loved reading the Elektra Assassin Graphic Novel! One of the best stories I ever read!

[@jessepearson557]

Brilliant commentary, guys - thanks for this - keep it up!! 😁👍 Recommendations for future reviews: 1970s Son of Satan, Warlock, and Brother Voodoo.

[@joeschmoe487]

35+ years later and still way ahead of its time.

[@skeletonshorror5184]

Masterpiece, thanks for reviewing it. 💀🔥

[@bodegabear_official]

I see where David Mack got his ideas for Kabuki.

[@robintwiddy4246]

Love this book so much. Super psyched that you guys are doing a deep dive on it.

[@reunionortiz-luis449]

If memory serves me correctly I think Garret was used in the Elektra Root of Evil mini series wherein they retcon the events in Elektra Assasin as something that happened only in his mind. Need to reread it cause that came out years ago In the 90s.

[@chad8767]

when you are talking about the late Elektra poses in the final battle, I think that is very direct Frank Thorne inspiration, from Red Sonja or Ghita. Also RIP Frank Thorne

[@aentreri00]

Reading comics from about 1981 to 99, this was my #1. I think I heard you say this was on Baxter or Mando paper. Wasn't this one of the first to use what they used to call Hudson paper? I think that's pretty close to what modern comics use. It's much slicker feeling than newsprint or Baxter.

[@smallmanbigmouth2699]

I love Tank Girl! Cover Hewlett next!!! This was awesome!!! (ps I read all the Red Room pages on Patreon, pre-ordered the forst 2 issues, AND Ive been checking out Jim’s wrestling pics on his Patreon...so Im a pretty dedicated Kayfaber , lol!)

[@WarWorksProductions]

finest comic art in existence

[@aderemiporsche]

I literally received this notification while I was on Bill Sienkiewicz's Instagram page.

[@cosmicmorty4508]

My only problem with this comic is how often it recaps the story to make sure the reader understands what is going on. Well..some crazy shit happens but i don't think that was necessary. Appart from that, it is almost a masterpiece.

[@SuperMj4eva]

Such great content!

[@jamezdd73]

I find it funny that the "not wind like a watch - wind like the air" only works in a written medium. It's a moot point if someone is introducing themselves that way verbally.

[@CartoonistKayfabe]

You should hear the many pronunciations of “Kayfabe” we hear, no matter how many times people hear it in our videos.

[@jamezdd73]

@@CartoonistKayfabe hahah, yeah that's a fair point. I always just thought of it as a message directly to the reader of how to pronounce the character's name.

[@egattignolo]

@@CartoonistKayfabe should i subscribe to the kayfabey newsletter?

[@nessy1959]

@23:39. I'd love to get my hands on that Moore / Sienkiewicz

[@egattignolo]

book is very pricey but... this awesome video (a slide show of the pages set to a recording of alan moore himself doing a reading of the full text. is a gem pretty deeply buried by the youtube algorithm; kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmXIcmiseN2SeJY If you have $50-$100 for a book I think it's worth every penny. Either way, this video is a really cool thing.

[@josenieves7514]

Geof Isherwood art cane seen on 80's DC Suicide Squad. I also liked his work..

[@joebloggsgogglebox]

This song came out shortly after the first appearance of elektra in Daredevil. I wonder if John Cooper Clarke was a comics fan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIOri2VviNh5i7s

[@sdal]

I want to know what else is in Jim's Ninja Box.

[@portland-182]

Moebius Elektra poster is dated 1990

[@peterlinfield]

Jim Rugg doing a Wonder Woman comic, eh?

[@Homeschoolsw6]

48:30...S.H.I.E.L.D uses everything from Shi'ar Tech to Hard Copy and Steam (can't be Hacked)

[@dennyawright21]

This comic confused me at the time. It’s like reading Faulkner or something. I knew the art was amazing though.

[@Distrakt]

Yawl show no mercy😳