What do you think?
Rate this book
Daredevil (1998) (Single Issues)
Daredevil (1998-2011) #20
When a rich man decides to sue Daredevil for property damage, he hires Matt Murdock as his attorney. Wait a minute, Matt Murdock is Daredevil! So how can the Man Without Fear be in two places at once? Plus, a very special back-up tale that guest-stars Spider-Man, penciled by legendary DD artist Gene Colan, and scripted by none other than Stan Lee!
29 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
56 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 2, 2015
Just don´t. Not fun nor intelligent.
Bob Gale, one of the writers of the whole trilogy of Back to the Future, has written several comic books through the years, but he´s not good at all, and in this collection it really shows.
Here he makes a long and boring story of Daredevil getting sued. Gale throws several punches that hang in the balance of the final part of the trial, but in a superb use of a Deux ex Machina, a different Daredevil breaks into the trial, solving everything in a matter of seconds, leaving several things solved in the most shallow way.
It´s not just that the ending was terrible, but you can see how Gale had no idea of where this thing was going. Why did he introduce the wife of the guy who is suing DD? that is just pointless.
The most relevant lines in the whole thing are said by J. Jonah Jameson, but in the end he just says those, they never play a big part of the whole thing.
The art is terrible, and inconstant. The new assistant of Nelson and Murdock is depicted either as a Gwen Stacy kind of girl, or a punk rocker. Foggy Nelson gains al loses 17 pounds from one panel to the other.
When Matt and daredevil appear in the courtroom together, it seemed that Daredevil was impersonated y Captain America, he is depicted as this huge muscular guy, but in the end it´s Peter Parker who has never been as big as this two guys.
It is also strange how the editor let Gale write a story that relies so much on the concept of Matt´s Double Identity, and it makes a total mess with it. It´s strange because it´s clear that by this time Bendis had clear that he wanted to shake things up around the Duoble Identity, and this story dilutes the following story since it seems that the whole identity thing had been messy recently.
So if you are remotely interested in Daredevil avoid this thing.
Bob Gale, one of the writers of the whole trilogy of Back to the Future, has written several comic books through the years, but he´s not good at all, and in this collection it really shows.
Here he makes a long and boring story of Daredevil getting sued. Gale throws several punches that hang in the balance of the final part of the trial, but in a superb use of a Deux ex Machina, a different Daredevil breaks into the trial, solving everything in a matter of seconds, leaving several things solved in the most shallow way.
It´s not just that the ending was terrible, but you can see how Gale had no idea of where this thing was going. Why did he introduce the wife of the guy who is suing DD? that is just pointless.
The most relevant lines in the whole thing are said by J. Jonah Jameson, but in the end he just says those, they never play a big part of the whole thing.
The art is terrible, and inconstant. The new assistant of Nelson and Murdock is depicted either as a Gwen Stacy kind of girl, or a punk rocker. Foggy Nelson gains al loses 17 pounds from one panel to the other.
When Matt and daredevil appear in the courtroom together, it seemed that Daredevil was impersonated y Captain America, he is depicted as this huge muscular guy, but in the end it´s Peter Parker who has never been as big as this two guys.
It is also strange how the editor let Gale write a story that relies so much on the concept of Matt´s Double Identity, and it makes a total mess with it. It´s strange because it´s clear that by this time Bendis had clear that he wanted to shake things up around the Duoble Identity, and this story dilutes the following story since it seems that the whole identity thing had been messy recently.
So if you are remotely interested in Daredevil avoid this thing.
November 5, 2016
OH, IM FINALLY DONE!
This was bad. I don't usually use crude language, but this was crap. Sorry, Bob Gale. You just don't know Daredevil.
Interesting plot, RIDICULOUS execution.
So some guy comes to Matt Murdock saying he wants to sue Daredevil for breaking his greenhouse, a claim with no witnesses...
So Matt Murdock takes the case and has to battle Daredevil in court...
Sound interesting enough...
But like I said, POORLY executed.
The story was so messed up. There were so many parts that didn't make any sense. Like, that donate money to the children part? Who da heck wouldn't see through that?
And those scenes with Daredevil's lawyer in her room, wearing nothing but underwear or a long t shirt... What the heck?
Disappointing, unworthy edition to excellent Daredevil run. No wonder it's #3.5 and not 4.
1.5 stars. Lowest I've EVER given a book.
This was bad. I don't usually use crude language, but this was crap. Sorry, Bob Gale. You just don't know Daredevil.
Interesting plot, RIDICULOUS execution.
So some guy comes to Matt Murdock saying he wants to sue Daredevil for breaking his greenhouse, a claim with no witnesses...
So Matt Murdock takes the case and has to battle Daredevil in court...
Sound interesting enough...
But like I said, POORLY executed.
The story was so messed up. There were so many parts that didn't make any sense. Like, that donate money to the children part? Who da heck wouldn't see through that?
And those scenes with Daredevil's lawyer in her room, wearing nothing but underwear or a long t shirt... What the heck?
Disappointing, unworthy edition to excellent Daredevil run. No wonder it's #3.5 and not 4.
1.5 stars. Lowest I've EVER given a book.
August 9, 2017
This is one of the only story arcs of the past 15 years in Daredevil not to be collected as a book. That is all you need to know.
A lot of silly things happened that were instantly retconned in the following arc. Worth a read only if you're going through all the Daredevil comics in order.
A lot of silly things happened that were instantly retconned in the following arc. Worth a read only if you're going through all the Daredevil comics in order.
August 15, 2023
Ocena całości serii Playing to the camera, żeby nie oznaczać każdego zeszytu (zeszyty 20-25). Parę artów ładnych, fabularnie nuda, oby jak najmniej takich Daredevilów
April 9, 2018
Just bad from top to bottom. Artwork seems to change from panel to panel, foggy seems to go through some sort of metamorphosis every issue. The story is just downright awful. It seems up to issue 25 so far of the series absolutely nothing that Kevin Smith set up has been followed through so far. Hopefully the Bendis run up will be better
December 4, 2014
Daredevil is accused of property damage by a businessman and is sued. The problem is, Matt actually didn't do what he was accused of. He shows up in court as both Matt Murdock and Daredevil at different times to fight the lawsuit, meanwhile attempting to determine who is masquerading as Daredevil.
This was a weird volume. In some ways it feels like a throwback to the first DD volumes of the '60's, with the Jester showing up and Matt sitting in court while dressed as Daredevil. The story almost immediately became silly when Matt was allowed by the judge to remain in his Daredevil persona and there was no further determination of his identity. It's nice that he had such a high regard for Matt's identity, but that doesn't really work in a court of evidence and facts. Another issue I had was with the ending, which was the definition of anti-climactic. On the other hand, there are some extremely interesting legal and moral points about vigilantism and hidden identity which Gale clearly did some research on. A nice change of pace but ultimately the story didn't fit in with the darker and more serious tone of the previous three volumes.
This was a weird volume. In some ways it feels like a throwback to the first DD volumes of the '60's, with the Jester showing up and Matt sitting in court while dressed as Daredevil. The story almost immediately became silly when Matt was allowed by the judge to remain in his Daredevil persona and there was no further determination of his identity. It's nice that he had such a high regard for Matt's identity, but that doesn't really work in a court of evidence and facts. Another issue I had was with the ending, which was the definition of anti-climactic. On the other hand, there are some extremely interesting legal and moral points about vigilantism and hidden identity which Gale clearly did some research on. A nice change of pace but ultimately the story didn't fit in with the darker and more serious tone of the previous three volumes.
May 21, 2015
Let me put this into perspective for anyone that is curious: Daredevil is rebooted under the Marvel Knights line, which basically saved the character. It's kicked off by an incredible arc written by Kevin Smith and takes Daredevil to as dark a place as he's ever been. That's followed by another stellar arc that introduces Echo and gives us the gritty backstory of the Kingpin. In between that arc and Brian Michael Bendis's epic run that rivals Frank Miller's from the 80s is this crapfest of a storyline about Daredevil being sued for breaking someone's property while stopping a crime. There is no action, there's nothing revealed here, nothing that makes any sense. It's just a terrible filler story, the kind that plagued the first run of Daredevil and drove it into the ground. Don't read this, it's stupid and pointless.
July 5, 2020
After the fantastic Bendis arc, Issue #20 starts off on an interesting and promising note, with Matt Murdock being approached by a client to sue..Daredevil. Also includes a playful bonus story by Stan Lee.
June 19, 2015
My appreciation for this arc of the so far unstoppable second series of Daredevil can be summed up in my appreciation for the work of its writer Bob Gale, famous scribe of the Back To The Future films. I appreciate what they were trying in those movies, but they've never really done much for me.
Similarly Playing To The Camera has a lot of valuable ideas. The idea of superheroes being held accountable for their actions, and sued as a result, is a neat precursor to Civil War, where it would be explored on a much larger scale. As far as the case of Griggs versus Daredevil went, I liked what is was trying to do. Sadly by the sixth issue the story had developed so many tangents that the conclusion couldn't be anything else than overly complex and disappointing.
Which it was. Minor and weakly motivated villains, one too many men in a Daredevil-costume, questionable legal grounds; they all make for a finale that one of the characters actually calls "ridiculous" herself. Which, contrary to what mister Gale may have hoped, doesn't exactly undercut the ridiculousness of it all, but rather underlines it. Daredevil spouting catchphrases even Spider-Man would deem too cheesy didn't help these proceedings either, and whatever soul-searching Matt Murdock does during this arc is so scant that I couldn't help but think that the entire character was being wasted here.
Being sandwiched in between runs of Bendis is a thankless position for any writer, but Playing To The Camera isn't just mediocre to often plain bad because of juxtaposition. It had a good idea, but failed in its execution. Two stars for trying, but nothing more. Even Back To The Future was better than this.
Similarly Playing To The Camera has a lot of valuable ideas. The idea of superheroes being held accountable for their actions, and sued as a result, is a neat precursor to Civil War, where it would be explored on a much larger scale. As far as the case of Griggs versus Daredevil went, I liked what is was trying to do. Sadly by the sixth issue the story had developed so many tangents that the conclusion couldn't be anything else than overly complex and disappointing.
Which it was. Minor and weakly motivated villains, one too many men in a Daredevil-costume, questionable legal grounds; they all make for a finale that one of the characters actually calls "ridiculous" herself. Which, contrary to what mister Gale may have hoped, doesn't exactly undercut the ridiculousness of it all, but rather underlines it. Daredevil spouting catchphrases even Spider-Man would deem too cheesy didn't help these proceedings either, and whatever soul-searching Matt Murdock does during this arc is so scant that I couldn't help but think that the entire character was being wasted here.
Being sandwiched in between runs of Bendis is a thankless position for any writer, but Playing To The Camera isn't just mediocre to often plain bad because of juxtaposition. It had a good idea, but failed in its execution. Two stars for trying, but nothing more. Even Back To The Future was better than this.
August 24, 2013
Kinda hokey and about two issues too long, but overall not bad. I liked the smart, intuitive, and principled Kate Vinokur as Daredevil's lawyer, and I love stories where Matt has to work around his double life, especially when it involves cute flirting. It's unfortunate that she doesn't show up again but given the way writers treat the women in Matt's life, that's probably for the best.
December 20, 2014
Really, really bad story (reminiscent of the bad parts of pre-Miller DD), right in the middle of a great Bendis run.
2 stars instead of one because the ending is so hilarious in its ridiculousness. But all in all it's just bad.
2 stars instead of one because the ending is so hilarious in its ridiculousness. But all in all it's just bad.
April 7, 2013
Oppressively bad.
July 13, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this, and am baffled as to why it gets such a bad review by so many fans.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews