by Alan Rapp on July 15, 2014
in Comics
Since the title relaunched with Matt Murdock and Kristen McDuffie relocated to San Fransisco we’ve known Foggy Nelson “died” but we haven’t known how exactly Daredevil arranged it, until now. Daredevil #5 offers a look back after Murdock publicly outing himself as Daredevil but before moving to the West Coast to start his new life.
Knowing his friend would prefer a hero’s death, and taking advantage of an unique situation, the latest comic gives us a look at Foggy’s final heroic moments and how, with the help of Hank Pym, Daredevil managed to sell the lie giving Foggy the chance to continue his cancer treatments while the rest of the world mistakenly believes Daredevil’s best friend is died helping Daredvil fight Leap-Frog.
Nothing is really gained by waiting until the fifth issue to explain events (other than getting that first trade paperback out the way), but the story Mark Waid tells is a nice moment for Foggy to shine and reminds us, through Foggy’s eyes, just who Matt Murdock is. Worth a look.
[Marvel, $3.99]
by Alan Rapp on June 24, 2014
in Comics
The opening arc of the new series concludes as Daredevil finds himself in the middle of a battle of wills between the Owl and the Shroud, one of whom is obsessed with achieving a new level of unfettered knowledge and the other who Daredevil comes to believe has a death wish.
Dispensing with the death trap that closed the last issue fairly quickly, Daredevil #4 deals mainly with Matt Murdock coming to understand the reasons behind the Shroud’s actions and attempting to stop the blackmailed hero from helping the Owl steal unfiltered photons of data which will transform the character into something more than human before the issue comes to a close.
Although Murdock counts the capture of the Owl as a win, Daredevil is unable to stop the villain from fulfilling his purpose (suggesting he’s become an even greater threat), and fate of the Shroud’s girlfriend is left very much up in the air. Victory? I’m not so sure. Worth a look.
[Marvel, $3.99]
by Alan Rapp on June 22, 2014
in News
by Alan Rapp on May 29, 2014
in Comics
You know what they say about the best laid plans? Never lacking in self-confidence, Daredevil turns the betrayal of the Shroud (the discovery of which ended last month’s issue) into a new plan to take down their common enemy: The Owl. Despite his “brilliant” plan of walking straight int the villain’s lair, once again Daredevil finds himself walking blindly (forgive me) into a trap.
Setting up the Owl to be a major player on the West Coast, and perhaps long-running villain of the new series, Mark Waid certainly sells the intellect and venomous nature of a character who at times over his turbulent comic history which has varied wildly from legitimate threat to little more than a C-list version of the Vulture.
And, as expected, Waid and artist Chris Samnee confirm Foggy Nelson is still alive and in hiding for his own safety. Judging by the chance Foggy takes here (entering the law office in a flimsy disguise) it’s a secret that won’t stay buried for long. Worth a look.
[Marvel, $3.99]
by Alan Rapp on May 25, 2014
in Comics
The final issue of the new series’ opening arc only reaffirms my position that She-Hulk and Daredevil need to be working, and practicing law, in the same city as She-Hulk makes a stop in San Fransisco to pick Matt Murdock’s brain about her recent case involving the son of Victor von Doom before setting out to Latveria on her own to do something about it.
She-Hulk #4 not only gives us Marvel’s two law-practicing crime-fighters together but also plenty of Doombots as She-Hulk sneaks into Latveria and then makes a destructive appearance at Castle Doom to draw the attention of a giant Doombot and make her case for her client.
With everything else more or less wrapped up, the comic turns its attention to the mysterious Blue File teased in the first issue as She-Hulk returns home and asks for the help of both Angie Huang and Hellcat to get to the truth of a forgotten lawsuit involving herself and several heroes and super-villains. Worth a look.
[Marvel, $3.99]
by Alan Rapp on April 30, 2014
in Comics
After the last issue offered readers a glimpse of things to come in Matt Murdock‘s life down the line, Daredevil #2 returns to the present and the newly-relocated hero/lawyer to San Fransisco alongside his new law partner Kristen McDuffie. We don’t get any more information on Foggy Nelson (other than the fact the world appears to believe he is dead), but the new version of the title does offer Daredevil with an opportunity to do something rather unusual – go up against another blind vigilante.
Pulling the Shroud out of half-forgotten Marvel mothballs, writer Mark Waid and Chris Samnee dust the vigilante off first as a rival for Daredevil, but later the character is be revealed as the new (sorta ridiculous) kingpin of crime in the city.
A poor man’s Daredevil in several respects, the Shroud is an interesting first choice to pit against the hero, although it does make me wonder how far Waid and Samnee will have to scrape the bottom of the Marvel barrel for West Coast threats going forward. Worth a look.
[Marvel, $3.99]
by Alan Rapp on April 16, 2014
in Comics
Feeling more than a little unnecessary and out of place for a comic that just relaunched with a brand new issue last month, and feeling more like an annual or special than part of the ongoing continuity, the over-sized Daredevil #1.50 is 50th Anniversary celebration of the character which takes a look forward rather than back with what Mark Waid has in mind for the character going forward.
Split into three separate tales, each of which take place years in Matt Murdock’s future introduces us to Matt Murdock‘s son Jack and the villain Jubula Pride who turns most of the city of San Francisco in order to push Daredevil out of retirement to confront a villain who he, but not the reader, knows all too well.
Featuring back-up stories of Murdock’s wife by Brian Michael Bendis by and artist Alex Maleev and wacky fake twin storyline in homage to the character’s goofier period by writer/artist Karl Kesel, Daredevil #1.50 is a curiosity more than anything else offering a glimpse of what Waid might do with the character given no constraints and several decades. Hit-and-Miss.
[Marvel, $4.99]
by Alan Rapp on March 25, 2014
in Comics
Picking up from the events of the last series’ final issue, Matt Murdock has publicly outted himself as Daredevil, was disbarred in New York, and has moved across the country to San Francisco with his kinda sorta girlfriend Kristen McDuffie.
Bringing over the same creative team from the last series (making a renumbering even less necessary), Murdock’s new situation allows the drama queen to publicly share his unique abilities with the local police. However, the hero does find jumping from building to building much more difficult in California than in the middle of Hell’s Kitchen.
Daredevil #1 sets up the new series with McDuffie helping Murdock in both the courtroom and as an extra pair of eyes on the unfamiliar streets as the vigilante attempts to save a kidnapped girl who terrorists plan to use as a living bomb. My only real complaint with the issue how hard it works to stay away from the subject of Foggy Nelson before the inevitable tease of the outcome of his cancer treatment. And no, I’m not buying Waid and Samnee killed him off-panel. Worth a look.
[Marvel, $3.99]
by Alan Rapp on February 24, 2014
in Comics
With the final issue before yet another relaunch, writer Mark Waid and Chris Samnee send Daredevil out in style with Matt Murdock‘s public admission in a court of law to his radar sense, his vigilante activities, and why he enjoys parading around in red tights. Daredevil #36 feels a little rushed as it deals with Murdock’s big shocker while also tying up the loose ends of the Sons of the Serpent, Foggy‘s life-threatening illness, Matt’s relationship with Kristen McDuffie, and setting up the new monthly title featuring Murdock and Nelson in San Fransisco.
Before its over Daredevil will get to kick a little ass and kiss the girl, but Nelson and Murdock will both be disbarred (setting up more obstacles to their possible return to New York sometime down the line). As to McDuffie, it’s left unsaid whether or not she will be accompanying the partners out west or if this is (for now) the end of Matt and Kristen’s story.
The final issue does its best to justify an unnecessary renumbering and reboot next month while providing a milestone in both of Murdock’s chosen professions. Worth a look.
[Marvel, $2.99]
by Alan Rapp on January 22, 2014
in Comics
With the penultimate issue of this version of Mark Waid’s run on Daredevil before Marvel reboots the title along with most, but not all, of the Marvel NOW! titles in favor of yet another new numbering scheme that may or may not last a full year or two, the writer sets up the pieces for major shifts for Matt Murdock both in the courtroom and while donning his red tights.
Blackmailed by the Sons of the Serpent (who have a full portfolio on Murdock’s night-time activities and a complete profile highlighting Daredevil’s weaknesses) to represent a member of their organization who is actually innocent of the crime he’s been accused of, Daredevil calls on the help of Elektra to help him work out his options (and punch bad guys). Stuck in a no-win situation, Murdock does what he does best – improvise.
The move Waid makes here is certainly bold, but it’s also a genie that’s going to be hard to ever put back in the bottle should Marvel find an outed Matt Murdock problematic to deal with.
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