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Daredevil (1998) (Collected Editions) #3-5
Daredevil by Bendis & Maleev: Ultimate Collection, Book 1
During a character-defining run, Brian Michael Bendis crafted a pulp-fiction narrative that exploited the Man Without Fear's rich tapestry of characters and psychodrama, and resolved them in an incredibly nuanced, modern approach. Now, this Eisner Award-winning run is collected across three titanic trade paperbacks In this volume, witness the Kingpin's downfall at the hands of Sammy Silke and see how a down-on-his-luck FBI agent can change Matt's life forever.
Collects DAREDEVIL (Vol. 2) #16-19 & #26-40.
Collects DAREDEVIL (Vol. 2) #16-19 & #26-40.
480 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2010
185 people are currently reading
1204 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,413 books2,579 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
January 13, 2023
David Mack was already turning things up with the more adult Marvel Knights sub-brand version of Daredevil when he got Brian Michael Bendis to write Daredevil, Vol. 3: Wake Up; a book beautifully painted by Mack, but also the start of some seriously well written and multi-faceted Marvel 'street hero' stories. This first part of this volume is taken from Bugle reporter Ben Ulrich's point of view as he tries to determine what happened to a missing villain. (Trigger warning, the story involves violence against children). It's a sublime piece of work taking us the reader into Daredevil's world, but from the view of a civilian and it works really well!
Five issues later, Bendis returned with artist Alex Maleev to start what is generally agreed to be one of the greatest runs in the Marvel mainstream universe! Daredevil, Vol. 4: Underboss sees a non-linear look at the fall of Kingpin and a contract kill out on Murdock! Daredevil, Vol. 5: Out is a work of genius! Daredevil's true identity is made public and Bendis and Maleev drop a masterclass in tapping into the multiple eventualities such a story would bring, which left me on tenterhooks throughout!
At least the third time of me reading this, and it just feels like it gets better and better. The cameos of the likes of Black Widow, Spidey, Elektra are pitch perfect as is the Ben Ulrich depiction (I will never forgive the TV show for killing him off!). The best thing about this run is how Bendis and co. attack, tear up and then fix the inconsistency of the series, and that they kick off with the biggie, that so many people know DD's real ID! Absa-lutley-glorious 8.5 out of 12 overall Four Star read :)
2012 read
Five issues later, Bendis returned with artist Alex Maleev to start what is generally agreed to be one of the greatest runs in the Marvel mainstream universe! Daredevil, Vol. 4: Underboss sees a non-linear look at the fall of Kingpin and a contract kill out on Murdock! Daredevil, Vol. 5: Out is a work of genius! Daredevil's true identity is made public and Bendis and Maleev drop a masterclass in tapping into the multiple eventualities such a story would bring, which left me on tenterhooks throughout!
At least the third time of me reading this, and it just feels like it gets better and better. The cameos of the likes of Black Widow, Spidey, Elektra are pitch perfect as is the Ben Ulrich depiction (I will never forgive the TV show for killing him off!). The best thing about this run is how Bendis and co. attack, tear up and then fix the inconsistency of the series, and that they kick off with the biggie, that so many people know DD's real ID! Absa-lutley-glorious 8.5 out of 12 overall Four Star read :)
2012 read
May 5, 2016
This book made me a Daredevil fan.
A friend of mine recommended this book to me since my only experience with Daredevil is the terrible movie with Ben Affleck:
And I want to be ready for how (hopefully) awesome this is gonna be:
To be honest, before this book Daredevil just never seemed all that interesting to me. A blind dude with superpowers fighting crime? I mean, good for him but why should I give a shit?
Bendis makes you give a shit about Daredevil.
He’s not just some blind superhero, he’s a guy who has learned to control the fact that his hearing tells him what people blocks away are saying or the heartbeat in a person’s chest or the smell of food cooking across the street. Bendis makes it clear that this isn’t easy. It takes control and focus and Daredevil has poured both of those things into giving back to the rough neighborhood he grew up in by protecting its citizens.
And not just that. As Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer, Daredevil has to equate his vigilante side with his defender of the law side. It seems almost hypocritical so he has a damned fine line to walk. Bendis finally makes Daredevil human and interesting to me.
And the artwork. Some of it was so damn gorgeous that I wanted to frame it and put it on my wall. Definitely one of the better artists I've seen on a superhero story in a long time.
So here are the three main stories in this book:
In Wake Up, Daredevil has to face the very real consequences of his actions. A little boy has been put into a catatonic state by the interaction between a criminal named Leapfrog who is the boy’s father and Daredevil. It’s not often that you see people caught in the middle between villains and heroes as the focus of a story and I really liked how nuanced this was.
In Underboss, the Kingpin’s recent blindness has made him vulnerable to the other elements in his criminal “family” and things gets very dangerous for all involved. The best part of this story is the relationship between Kingpin and Daredevil. I’ve always seen Kingpin as a straightforward criminal boss: murderous, callous and completely evil. Underboss paints a more nuanced picture, particularly when it comes to the uneasy truce between Daredevil and Kingpin.
And holy shit is Vanessa Fisk badass. That lady does not pull any punches and I was a little surprised at how much I was rooting for the wife of a crime boss.
And in my favorite story, Out, Daredevil’s identity is finally revealed to the world. The total media circus and how Daredevil and his partner Foggy handle it was just amazing. It was refreshing to see it handled in a way that seemed believable and not just some stupid stunt like having a shapeshifter show up as Daredevil next to Matt Murdock. Here you really get to see the conflict between Daredevil’s vigilante side and his lawyer side. And the case that they took on at the end…damn, that was crazy and way more emotional than I was expecting. Just an incredibly well done superhero story.
Because of my “minorly” obsessive love for Batman, I’ve always been more of a DC girl than Marvel. Bendis shows you all the dirty sides of Daredevil and makes you love him for it. This is by far one of the best Marvel stories I’ve ever read and I can’t wait to see more of my new favorite Marvel hero!
Full series review here
A friend of mine recommended this book to me since my only experience with Daredevil is the terrible movie with Ben Affleck:
And I want to be ready for how (hopefully) awesome this is gonna be:
To be honest, before this book Daredevil just never seemed all that interesting to me. A blind dude with superpowers fighting crime? I mean, good for him but why should I give a shit?
Bendis makes you give a shit about Daredevil.
He’s not just some blind superhero, he’s a guy who has learned to control the fact that his hearing tells him what people blocks away are saying or the heartbeat in a person’s chest or the smell of food cooking across the street. Bendis makes it clear that this isn’t easy. It takes control and focus and Daredevil has poured both of those things into giving back to the rough neighborhood he grew up in by protecting its citizens.
And not just that. As Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer, Daredevil has to equate his vigilante side with his defender of the law side. It seems almost hypocritical so he has a damned fine line to walk. Bendis finally makes Daredevil human and interesting to me.
And the artwork. Some of it was so damn gorgeous that I wanted to frame it and put it on my wall. Definitely one of the better artists I've seen on a superhero story in a long time.
So here are the three main stories in this book:
In Wake Up, Daredevil has to face the very real consequences of his actions. A little boy has been put into a catatonic state by the interaction between a criminal named Leapfrog who is the boy’s father and Daredevil. It’s not often that you see people caught in the middle between villains and heroes as the focus of a story and I really liked how nuanced this was.
In Underboss, the Kingpin’s recent blindness has made him vulnerable to the other elements in his criminal “family” and things gets very dangerous for all involved. The best part of this story is the relationship between Kingpin and Daredevil. I’ve always seen Kingpin as a straightforward criminal boss: murderous, callous and completely evil. Underboss paints a more nuanced picture, particularly when it comes to the uneasy truce between Daredevil and Kingpin.
And holy shit is Vanessa Fisk badass. That lady does not pull any punches and I was a little surprised at how much I was rooting for the wife of a crime boss.
And in my favorite story, Out, Daredevil’s identity is finally revealed to the world. The total media circus and how Daredevil and his partner Foggy handle it was just amazing. It was refreshing to see it handled in a way that seemed believable and not just some stupid stunt like having a shapeshifter show up as Daredevil next to Matt Murdock. Here you really get to see the conflict between Daredevil’s vigilante side and his lawyer side. And the case that they took on at the end…damn, that was crazy and way more emotional than I was expecting. Just an incredibly well done superhero story.
Because of my “minorly” obsessive love for Batman, I’ve always been more of a DC girl than Marvel. Bendis shows you all the dirty sides of Daredevil and makes you love him for it. This is by far one of the best Marvel stories I’ve ever read and I can’t wait to see more of my new favorite Marvel hero!
Full series review here
January 29, 2016
This may be my second Daredevil book of this month but it's exactly the tone of narrative and kinds of storyline that strongly appeal to me. Writer Brian Michael Bendis and I have an enjoyable relationship so far in comics. I often do get invested in his X-Men titles particularly the first twenty-nine issues of All-New X-Men and his entire The Uncanny X-Men run, as well as that groundbreaking piece House of M. I only read Frank Miller's work before this one so I don't have anything else to compare it to, but I can say that this first book of Bendis' run for Daredevil has astonishing potentials, rife with insightful characterization, believable dialogue and very atmospheric plots which are only enhanced by the four artists who gave life to each scene, all with their distinct visual styles.
Hailed to be "one of the greatest creative tenures in Marvel history" by IGN, Bendis' Daredevil: The Man Without Fear truly lived to that praise with its first volume comprised of issues #16-19 and #20-40. The first story arc was illustrated by David Mack whose artwork was really aesthetically elegant that I took a while looking through the pages as I read the narrative. It wasn't even a Daredevil story per se, but rather a Ben Urich-centric piece. As a dutiful and noble journalist, Urich begins to investigate a case which centers an abused and traumatized child whose father was a costumed crook known as Leap Frog. The exploration of Urich's psyche and heartfelt insights were highlighted by artist Mack's expressive illustrations which also depict the many layers of the grimy and tortured world of Hell's Kitchen and its maltreated youth through the ironic use of beautiful watercolors.
This four-issued arc is exquisite in its stylish execution, and particularly stirring for its intimate portrayal of how crime and death affects an innocent soul. Thankfully, the boy in question, Timmy, wasn't corrupted even after that stunning revelation that unraveled the mystery of his father's death. Daredevil did appear right in the end to comfort the poor boy which was a great character moment for him, lending his vigilante persona the humanity it is often deprived of.
Here are the pages that really spoke to me. Look at how gorgeous they are!
[CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGES]
The next story arc is a major one that happened to have a twofold development; one is a gritty crime drama concerning mobsters and the law while the other is the repercussions dealing with the exposure of Daredevil's real identity as the visually-impaired yet brilliant lawyer Matt Murdock. I expressed before in my previous Daredevil review that I was a fan of Netflix's characterization of Wilson Fisk, otherwise known as Kingpin, and although he made an appearance for this volume, he was sadly cast aside (murdered Caesar-style, even) by a gangster named Sammy Silke who fancied himself as Brutus or some ego-trip shit like that. Anyway, he's irrelevant as a character I can sympathize with, and aside from his role in Kingpin's demise, he also became privy with a secret concerning Daredevil's alter ego. When Fisk's widow Vanessa took it upon herself to avenge Kingpin, Silke got desperate enough to reach for the help of the FBI by offering them the information about Matt Murdock.
What follows is a torturous process that made Matt question his life as a superhero and his calling for social justice. He gets into an exhausting argument with his long-time partner and best friend Foggy Nelson who tries to convince him to retire from being the Daredevil and just commit to their work as lawyers, as well as surprise visits from his ex-girlfriends Natasha Romanov (Black Widow) and Elektra which didn't really help him and their appearances only served as a painful reminder of his past failures. Now as much as Foggy disapproves of Matt's other life, he remains steadfast and dedicate to him as a fellow lawyer, citing that Matt is already a hero in his daily life as a litigator and so there really is no need for him to be the Daredevil in order to make a difference. He makes accurate observations that most of the losses and suffering Matt had undergone are also connected to his secret life and if he truly wants to move forward and be happy, he needs to give up that part of him that keeps him tethered to darkness and death.
Now hounded by the media, Matt almost loses his shit over the scandal and lies that are beginning to pollute his personal life. Even though he has supporters from other costumed heroes and civilians (Ben Urich for one, and Peter Parker/Spider-man), Matt feels lost and misunderstood, especially with all his critics forming very harsh opinions about the cause he is fighting for and what he's supposed to represent for the city he lives, fights and would die for. One of the most memorable sequential art featured in this arc was that sequence drawn by artist Alex Maleev where Matt as Daredevil runs on top of the rooftops, angst-ing away, while key moments of conversations in his past pops up on the sides, serving as memory bubbles. One that struck me particularly was those that feature his late girlfriend Karen whose death he still blames himself for. Matt has clear unresolved issues and later on, he gets so upset that he almost exposes himself as Matt without his mask to a crowd of journalists. Luckily, Spider-man gets him out of there and snaps him out of his momentary lapse of stupidity.
It was revealed eventually that a disgruntled employee of the FBI was the one who leaked the truth about Daredevil to several media outlet for some easy cash. I thought this was a great plot point because there was no grand conspiracy trying to bring Matt Murdock down from the shadows--rather, it was a desperate action committed by a man who opted to sell him out because of reasons of self-preservation as oppose to malice. Still, the damage is done and Matt had no choice but to put his reputation on the line by suing a media newsprint for libel. The lawsuit would have been quiet handled with an understanding between Matt and the head of the company but said head was so annoyed by how smug Matt was to think he is above the law, and for calling him and his newspaper liars. Basically, his journalistic integrity was wounded and he wanted to punish Matt for it. So the newspaper in question, The Daily Globe, maintains that what they reported was the truth, and Matt is just going to have to adjust to the reality that his private life has now been made public.
The last arc for this volume was a pretty disheartening one, actually. It had something to do with the costumed hero White Tiger being put into trial for murder and theft because of a misunderstanding, a situation which was all kinds of stupid and leaning on the side of racial profiling, mind you. I was angered by how the story was resolved too, not because it was terribly written, oh no, but because of the powerful message it settled for. Bendis decided to give us an ending that provoked some righteous indignation from the readers because what happened to White Tiger was depressing and unfair and even Matt himself was powerless to stop it. Some good did come out of the dreary circumstances because the real culprit did step forward in the end, though, so that's enough consolation, I guess.
n any case, this volume just made me so excited for the next installment! A rather brilliant, gritty and exciting exploration of the politics and repercussions of a life dedicated to crime and justice, Brian Michael Bendis' Daredevil: The Man Without Fear has proven itself to be an already a refreshing take on Matt Murdock as its titular figure with this tantalizing freshman volume.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT
Hailed to be "one of the greatest creative tenures in Marvel history" by IGN, Bendis' Daredevil: The Man Without Fear truly lived to that praise with its first volume comprised of issues #16-19 and #20-40. The first story arc was illustrated by David Mack whose artwork was really aesthetically elegant that I took a while looking through the pages as I read the narrative. It wasn't even a Daredevil story per se, but rather a Ben Urich-centric piece. As a dutiful and noble journalist, Urich begins to investigate a case which centers an abused and traumatized child whose father was a costumed crook known as Leap Frog. The exploration of Urich's psyche and heartfelt insights were highlighted by artist Mack's expressive illustrations which also depict the many layers of the grimy and tortured world of Hell's Kitchen and its maltreated youth through the ironic use of beautiful watercolors.
This four-issued arc is exquisite in its stylish execution, and particularly stirring for its intimate portrayal of how crime and death affects an innocent soul. Thankfully, the boy in question, Timmy, wasn't corrupted even after that stunning revelation that unraveled the mystery of his father's death. Daredevil did appear right in the end to comfort the poor boy which was a great character moment for him, lending his vigilante persona the humanity it is often deprived of.
Here are the pages that really spoke to me. Look at how gorgeous they are!
[CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGES]
The next story arc is a major one that happened to have a twofold development; one is a gritty crime drama concerning mobsters and the law while the other is the repercussions dealing with the exposure of Daredevil's real identity as the visually-impaired yet brilliant lawyer Matt Murdock. I expressed before in my previous Daredevil review that I was a fan of Netflix's characterization of Wilson Fisk, otherwise known as Kingpin, and although he made an appearance for this volume, he was sadly cast aside (murdered Caesar-style, even) by a gangster named Sammy Silke who fancied himself as Brutus or some ego-trip shit like that. Anyway, he's irrelevant as a character I can sympathize with, and aside from his role in Kingpin's demise, he also became privy with a secret concerning Daredevil's alter ego. When Fisk's widow Vanessa took it upon herself to avenge Kingpin, Silke got desperate enough to reach for the help of the FBI by offering them the information about Matt Murdock.
What follows is a torturous process that made Matt question his life as a superhero and his calling for social justice. He gets into an exhausting argument with his long-time partner and best friend Foggy Nelson who tries to convince him to retire from being the Daredevil and just commit to their work as lawyers, as well as surprise visits from his ex-girlfriends Natasha Romanov (Black Widow) and Elektra which didn't really help him and their appearances only served as a painful reminder of his past failures. Now as much as Foggy disapproves of Matt's other life, he remains steadfast and dedicate to him as a fellow lawyer, citing that Matt is already a hero in his daily life as a litigator and so there really is no need for him to be the Daredevil in order to make a difference. He makes accurate observations that most of the losses and suffering Matt had undergone are also connected to his secret life and if he truly wants to move forward and be happy, he needs to give up that part of him that keeps him tethered to darkness and death.
Now hounded by the media, Matt almost loses his shit over the scandal and lies that are beginning to pollute his personal life. Even though he has supporters from other costumed heroes and civilians (Ben Urich for one, and Peter Parker/Spider-man), Matt feels lost and misunderstood, especially with all his critics forming very harsh opinions about the cause he is fighting for and what he's supposed to represent for the city he lives, fights and would die for. One of the most memorable sequential art featured in this arc was that sequence drawn by artist Alex Maleev where Matt as Daredevil runs on top of the rooftops, angst-ing away, while key moments of conversations in his past pops up on the sides, serving as memory bubbles. One that struck me particularly was those that feature his late girlfriend Karen whose death he still blames himself for. Matt has clear unresolved issues and later on, he gets so upset that he almost exposes himself as Matt without his mask to a crowd of journalists. Luckily, Spider-man gets him out of there and snaps him out of his momentary lapse of stupidity.
It was revealed eventually that a disgruntled employee of the FBI was the one who leaked the truth about Daredevil to several media outlet for some easy cash. I thought this was a great plot point because there was no grand conspiracy trying to bring Matt Murdock down from the shadows--rather, it was a desperate action committed by a man who opted to sell him out because of reasons of self-preservation as oppose to malice. Still, the damage is done and Matt had no choice but to put his reputation on the line by suing a media newsprint for libel. The lawsuit would have been quiet handled with an understanding between Matt and the head of the company but said head was so annoyed by how smug Matt was to think he is above the law, and for calling him and his newspaper liars. Basically, his journalistic integrity was wounded and he wanted to punish Matt for it. So the newspaper in question, The Daily Globe, maintains that what they reported was the truth, and Matt is just going to have to adjust to the reality that his private life has now been made public.
The last arc for this volume was a pretty disheartening one, actually. It had something to do with the costumed hero White Tiger being put into trial for murder and theft because of a misunderstanding, a situation which was all kinds of stupid and leaning on the side of racial profiling, mind you. I was angered by how the story was resolved too, not because it was terribly written, oh no, but because of the powerful message it settled for. Bendis decided to give us an ending that provoked some righteous indignation from the readers because what happened to White Tiger was depressing and unfair and even Matt himself was powerless to stop it. Some good did come out of the dreary circumstances because the real culprit did step forward in the end, though, so that's enough consolation, I guess.
n any case, this volume just made me so excited for the next installment! A rather brilliant, gritty and exciting exploration of the politics and repercussions of a life dedicated to crime and justice, Brian Michael Bendis' Daredevil: The Man Without Fear has proven itself to be an already a refreshing take on Matt Murdock as its titular figure with this tantalizing freshman volume.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT
December 4, 2013
The son of a prominent mob boss in Chicago muscles his way into Hell’s Kitchen with a plan to unseat The Kingpin. Shortly after taking the reins, the new guy in town outs Matt Murdock to the world as Daredevil. On the heels of dealing with this PR disaster, Matt takes a case defending The White Panther, recently accused of murder.
In the last few years, I’ve become a big fan of the Man without Fear. I’ve made my way through Miller’s groundbreaking run in the 80s, Kevin Smith’s controversial Guardian Devil arc and have been up to date on Mark Waid’s current run. However, as of today, nothing has impressed me as much as the team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev.
The incredible artwork really puts this one on a level above the others. The first quarter in particular where Alex experiments with a free flowing layout coupled with varying styles blew my mind. Eventually the artwork settles down and falls into a consistent style that works well with the darker material presented. Alex paints some beautiful full page shots of Daredevil exploring Hell’s Kitchen at night, soaked to the bone from torrential rain.
The great thing about this collection is that we’re presented with Matt Murdock just as much if not more than scenes with Daredevil taking down baddies. As much as I love getting great action sequences where Daredevil just obliterates his adversaries, the courtroom battles and the drama of Matt’s personal life can often be just as, if not more, interesting. The entire last story takes us into a New York City courtroom where forgotten crime fighter The White Panther is on trial for robbing an electronics store and subsequently murdering an on-scene police officer. Bendis turns the intensity up to eleven to the point where you’re never quite sure where the story is headed. He presents adequate arguments from both Matt and the DA where if you weren’t already aware of Panther’s innocence, you wouldn’t know which party to believe.
There’s so much happening in these pages that even at a staggering 400+ pages, I wasn’t ready for it to end. Luckily for me, I’ve got Volume two ready to go.
In the last few years, I’ve become a big fan of the Man without Fear. I’ve made my way through Miller’s groundbreaking run in the 80s, Kevin Smith’s controversial Guardian Devil arc and have been up to date on Mark Waid’s current run. However, as of today, nothing has impressed me as much as the team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev.
The incredible artwork really puts this one on a level above the others. The first quarter in particular where Alex experiments with a free flowing layout coupled with varying styles blew my mind. Eventually the artwork settles down and falls into a consistent style that works well with the darker material presented. Alex paints some beautiful full page shots of Daredevil exploring Hell’s Kitchen at night, soaked to the bone from torrential rain.
The great thing about this collection is that we’re presented with Matt Murdock just as much if not more than scenes with Daredevil taking down baddies. As much as I love getting great action sequences where Daredevil just obliterates his adversaries, the courtroom battles and the drama of Matt’s personal life can often be just as, if not more, interesting. The entire last story takes us into a New York City courtroom where forgotten crime fighter The White Panther is on trial for robbing an electronics store and subsequently murdering an on-scene police officer. Bendis turns the intensity up to eleven to the point where you’re never quite sure where the story is headed. He presents adequate arguments from both Matt and the DA where if you weren’t already aware of Panther’s innocence, you wouldn’t know which party to believe.
There’s so much happening in these pages that even at a staggering 400+ pages, I wasn’t ready for it to end. Luckily for me, I’ve got Volume two ready to go.
July 24, 2013
While attending Comic Con I saw a panel where Jim Lee made a joke about all the people who primarily focus on the artwork, only occasionally glancing at the bubbles to make sure they get the general premise of where it's going. This is probably why the same five or so people seem to win all the Eisner awards for writing every year. I try so many comics from the major studios, and at times the perfunctory, bland dialogue almost harkens back to the stories of Marvel artists leaving bubbles blank so Stan Lee could walk by and fill in some dialogue. For some reason the name on half these dull books is J. Michael Straczynski, whose name is now paired in my brain with flavorless comic writing.
I think a lot of it springs out of the editorial decisions by these companies, where they just decide that Iron Man and Captain America are fighting now, so some reason needs to be reversed engineered. It has all the organic charm of a child slamming two action figures together.
What's exciting about Brian Michael Bendis' run on Daredevil is that many of the stories have as much to do with his profession as a Lawyer as they do with his life in the tights. The last arc in this collection is almost entirely focused on Matt Murdock's defense of super hero accused of cop killing. These stories feel innate to Daredevil as a character, rather than being a set up for a marketable massive crossover event.
It has the feel of a superheroes life being thought through thoroughly, not on a technical level (like the high-functioning autistic approach of many Green Lantern stories), but on a lifestyle level. Since I was a child, I've always been interested in what superheroes do with all their extra time. What's it actually like working for the Daily Bugle? What writing style does Clark Kent actually have? Do you get to choose any of your classes at Xavier academy? Any time a story addresses this even remotely, I'm interested. In this case, it's how super powers would help you be a lawyer. Murdock can hear the heartbeats of jurors and judges, and hear them as they're discussing a verdict.
As a counter example, let's look at DC's popular Batman villain Two-Face. A charismatic DA gets half his body turned to nastiness and develops a split personality, using a coin to determine his actions. A smart writer would create a Two-Face whose equally charismatic as arguing both good and evil, depending on the coin. His internal life would basically become a courtroom. He'd be unpredictable because you'd be uncertain which way his persuasion would guide the situation. But no, it's mostly just, "I'm going to flip a coin to see if I shoot you!" Even Christopher Nolan fell into this trap with the Dark Knight. It's a mistake common in the last thirty years. Just because you've made something gritty doesn't mean you've given these characters their humanity.
But I guess grittiness tends to win out over depth. This run of Daredevil wouldn't work as a movie or TV show, because it's adult in the unsexiest manner possible. It's what I always hoped adulthood would be and what it seldom is: mature and thoughtful.
The massive Ultimate collections of this run are an ideal way to read this content. It truly gives it the sense of being a graphic novel with an emphasis on the novel part. Even read on my tablet it gave the sense that I had just waded into a massive pool. It's well worth the time of anyone who prefers comics without the campy excess and artificial conflicts.
I think a lot of it springs out of the editorial decisions by these companies, where they just decide that Iron Man and Captain America are fighting now, so some reason needs to be reversed engineered. It has all the organic charm of a child slamming two action figures together.
What's exciting about Brian Michael Bendis' run on Daredevil is that many of the stories have as much to do with his profession as a Lawyer as they do with his life in the tights. The last arc in this collection is almost entirely focused on Matt Murdock's defense of super hero accused of cop killing. These stories feel innate to Daredevil as a character, rather than being a set up for a marketable massive crossover event.
It has the feel of a superheroes life being thought through thoroughly, not on a technical level (like the high-functioning autistic approach of many Green Lantern stories), but on a lifestyle level. Since I was a child, I've always been interested in what superheroes do with all their extra time. What's it actually like working for the Daily Bugle? What writing style does Clark Kent actually have? Do you get to choose any of your classes at Xavier academy? Any time a story addresses this even remotely, I'm interested. In this case, it's how super powers would help you be a lawyer. Murdock can hear the heartbeats of jurors and judges, and hear them as they're discussing a verdict.
As a counter example, let's look at DC's popular Batman villain Two-Face. A charismatic DA gets half his body turned to nastiness and develops a split personality, using a coin to determine his actions. A smart writer would create a Two-Face whose equally charismatic as arguing both good and evil, depending on the coin. His internal life would basically become a courtroom. He'd be unpredictable because you'd be uncertain which way his persuasion would guide the situation. But no, it's mostly just, "I'm going to flip a coin to see if I shoot you!" Even Christopher Nolan fell into this trap with the Dark Knight. It's a mistake common in the last thirty years. Just because you've made something gritty doesn't mean you've given these characters their humanity.
But I guess grittiness tends to win out over depth. This run of Daredevil wouldn't work as a movie or TV show, because it's adult in the unsexiest manner possible. It's what I always hoped adulthood would be and what it seldom is: mature and thoughtful.
The massive Ultimate collections of this run are an ideal way to read this content. It truly gives it the sense of being a graphic novel with an emphasis on the novel part. Even read on my tablet it gave the sense that I had just waded into a massive pool. It's well worth the time of anyone who prefers comics without the campy excess and artificial conflicts.
March 24, 2018
So far this has been my favourite read in the graphic novel world. It may also be up there as one of favourite reads of all time. Loved this alot. Daredevil has his issues, someone wants him dead, someone wants to expose him. Theres also issues with Fisk. Others pop up and trt to control the situation. Perfect story telling, amazing artwork. The combination of these artists have created an amazing novel. Cannot wait to continue the second volume or book 2.
September 26, 2021
This volume was SO GOOD just wow!
It starts with the storyline of this kid whose father is a villain and well the PTSD effects it has on him and how Ben just wants to help him and the art there is questionable but its really well done and its a heartful story!
And then we have Matt going about his life as heroics and lawyers but then we focus on the story with Fisk and how it goes and the drama with a new player and the death of a major figure and the drama that surrounds it, son-i-cide and Vanessa and daredevil and the drama that brings which leads to the reveal of Daredevils identity and how Matt copes with that and then the coming of Spider-man, Black widow and Elektra!
Plus the trial of Hector Ayala and how it ends up, plus it changes the fate of vigilantes and I LOVE the way Bendis writes it, the whole court scene was perfect in my opinion and it just shows his expert writing there and the subplots building.
This is a great volume and like just shows Bendis mastery over these characters and increases the drama ten fold and he has so many things going on here which is insane and the art of Maleev gets better with every issues, its a must read! One of my fav Daredevil volumes!
It starts with the storyline of this kid whose father is a villain and well the PTSD effects it has on him and how Ben just wants to help him and the art there is questionable but its really well done and its a heartful story!
And then we have Matt going about his life as heroics and lawyers but then we focus on the story with Fisk and how it goes and the drama with a new player and the death of a major figure and the drama that surrounds it, son-i-cide and Vanessa and daredevil and the drama that brings which leads to the reveal of Daredevils identity and how Matt copes with that and then the coming of Spider-man, Black widow and Elektra!
Plus the trial of Hector Ayala and how it ends up, plus it changes the fate of vigilantes and I LOVE the way Bendis writes it, the whole court scene was perfect in my opinion and it just shows his expert writing there and the subplots building.
This is a great volume and like just shows Bendis mastery over these characters and increases the drama ten fold and he has so many things going on here which is insane and the art of Maleev gets better with every issues, its a must read! One of my fav Daredevil volumes!
February 4, 2017
As the Netflix television series is closely approaching, I have started on reading the Brian Michael Bendis run on Daredevil of which many would consider it as a fine rival to Frank Miller’s groundbreaking run during the eighties. During the first ultimate collection book, there are three distinct stories by Bendis, each of which are drawn by artists with their own distinct style.
The first story arc “Wake Up!” revolves around Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich’s search of the truth behind a young autistic boy who is so traumatized by a fight between his abusive father Leap-Frog and Daredevil. As the story centres around a boy (whose life is surrounded by heroes and villains within or not the pages of comics) in a catatonic state, along with a newspaper journalist as our guide through the story, this intimate tale about domestic abuse and the importance of telling a story about that particular subject is told stunningly by not only Bendis but the unique painted and collage-like art by David Mack.
The second story arc and certainly the highlight of the book “Underboss/Out” was really the start for Bendis truly reinventing the legacy of Daredevil for the 21st century. With the arrival of Sammy Silke from Jersey who has plans to take down the Kingpin, which will result in the outing of Daredevil’s secret identity, which of course is blind lawyer Matt Murdock. Over the course of twelve issues, Bendis tells the story of a modern-day superhero and how one can maintain a secret identity in this current day and age of celebrity headlines and tabloids.
While the story is one of super heroics – particularly in the brilliant silent issue in which Matt Murdock has a bounty on his head and only Daredevil can take out the assassins Shotgun and Boomerang – it is also a crime story with a small group of gangsters led by Silke to take down the Kingpin. I was initially taken aback by Alex Maleev’s rough and gritty artwork but having reread the book, I’ve now grown fond of it as Maleev presents the Marvel universe with all its fantastical moments like characters such as Spider-Man and minor villain Mr Hyde in a very down-to-earth presentation as New York is a city covered in shadows and rain.
During the third story arc “The Trial of the Century”, Matt Murdock defends the retired White Tiger in court over an unfair murder rap, with the help of Luke Cage and Iron Fist. It is the weakest of the three stories as it’s more on drama within the courtroom as oppose to action on the streets. No doubt that Bendis is a man of dialogue as it shines throughout the book and certainly the scenes between Murdock and his law partner Foggy shows a friendship that is brotherly love and not without its dysfunctional moments.
While the artwork by Manuel Gutierrez looks conventional following the grittiness of Maleev, it keeps the courtroom drama and cleverly shows the transition of time passing by as the panels present the movement of sunlight coming outside the windows. However, during the final issue, there is a change of artist from Gutierrez to Terry Dodson whose cartoony art doesn’t quite fit the intensity of the previous issues, especially when the story reaches its heartbreaking climax.
What’s great about Bendis’ writing throughout is that the drama doesn’t always centre around Matt Murdock or his alter ego Daredevil despite how great a flawed character he is, as he is surrounded by characters who have their own arcs of which we can all be interested. Looking forward for Book 2.
The first story arc “Wake Up!” revolves around Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich’s search of the truth behind a young autistic boy who is so traumatized by a fight between his abusive father Leap-Frog and Daredevil. As the story centres around a boy (whose life is surrounded by heroes and villains within or not the pages of comics) in a catatonic state, along with a newspaper journalist as our guide through the story, this intimate tale about domestic abuse and the importance of telling a story about that particular subject is told stunningly by not only Bendis but the unique painted and collage-like art by David Mack.
The second story arc and certainly the highlight of the book “Underboss/Out” was really the start for Bendis truly reinventing the legacy of Daredevil for the 21st century. With the arrival of Sammy Silke from Jersey who has plans to take down the Kingpin, which will result in the outing of Daredevil’s secret identity, which of course is blind lawyer Matt Murdock. Over the course of twelve issues, Bendis tells the story of a modern-day superhero and how one can maintain a secret identity in this current day and age of celebrity headlines and tabloids.
While the story is one of super heroics – particularly in the brilliant silent issue in which Matt Murdock has a bounty on his head and only Daredevil can take out the assassins Shotgun and Boomerang – it is also a crime story with a small group of gangsters led by Silke to take down the Kingpin. I was initially taken aback by Alex Maleev’s rough and gritty artwork but having reread the book, I’ve now grown fond of it as Maleev presents the Marvel universe with all its fantastical moments like characters such as Spider-Man and minor villain Mr Hyde in a very down-to-earth presentation as New York is a city covered in shadows and rain.
During the third story arc “The Trial of the Century”, Matt Murdock defends the retired White Tiger in court over an unfair murder rap, with the help of Luke Cage and Iron Fist. It is the weakest of the three stories as it’s more on drama within the courtroom as oppose to action on the streets. No doubt that Bendis is a man of dialogue as it shines throughout the book and certainly the scenes between Murdock and his law partner Foggy shows a friendship that is brotherly love and not without its dysfunctional moments.
While the artwork by Manuel Gutierrez looks conventional following the grittiness of Maleev, it keeps the courtroom drama and cleverly shows the transition of time passing by as the panels present the movement of sunlight coming outside the windows. However, during the final issue, there is a change of artist from Gutierrez to Terry Dodson whose cartoony art doesn’t quite fit the intensity of the previous issues, especially when the story reaches its heartbreaking climax.
What’s great about Bendis’ writing throughout is that the drama doesn’t always centre around Matt Murdock or his alter ego Daredevil despite how great a flawed character he is, as he is surrounded by characters who have their own arcs of which we can all be interested. Looking forward for Book 2.
December 9, 2021
It was here where Brian Michael Bendis began to kick off Marvel's revival as one of the powerhouses of mainstream sequential storytelling. He also revamped the character of Daredevil after a slump in the 90s by pulling a Bob Stoops and completely turning the Daredevil series around into a richly compelling narrative once again.
I've made it no secret of my love for the Man Without Fear, to the point where I modeled my profile picture after the poster from the first season of the phenomenal Daredevil TV show. Like many, I was drawn in from the old stories from Frank Miller, alongside the later work of great writers like Brubaker and the aforementioned television show. Bendis showcases his knowledge of the character's history and gives respect to the people who came before him, while not being afraid to pave his own direction for the story of Daredevil.
Bendis rather brilliantly takes the concept of Frank Miller's Born Again and runs with it to its logical conclusion. Particularly with "Out," which is one that I would consider to be one of the best Daredevil stories that I've ever read, Matt Murdock's identity as Daredevil is exposed to the entire world and he is forced to deal with the consequences of this action, as well as the push back that he gives in order to cover his tracks. Bendis explores the nooks and crannies of having his identity being out in the public and all of the troubles that would come from such a situation.
Bendis showcases a keen understanding of the crime/noir genre, with the hard boiled dialogue and inner monologues to crime bosses scheming to take power and squash anyone who gets in their way be intact throughout the entirety of this first Ultimate collection. While sometimes his Bendis speak can be awkward at times, Bendis keeps tight control over the narrative and brilliantly uses non-linear storytelling in order to slowly build a crescendo to Matt Murdock's biggest struggle in his life thus far. It is this, alongside Alex Maleev's gorgeous artwork that really makes this story shine.
Bendis also takes the right notes from writers like Moore and Miller in the way that he makes the world of superheroics and theatrics feel real and lifelike. Yet he never copies them, he takes the notes from what makes their comics work and adds his own spin to it. Bendis manages to find a neat balance between realism and the comic book superhero action style that we're accustomed to when we read superhero comics. But Bendis isn't afraid to push buttons or to take characters to new levels of intensity when needs be, and it makes me all the more excited to read the rest of this run.
Also not to be forgotten is the artwork, and I think I'd be remiss to mention that Alex Maleev is one of the best artists that I've seen take on Daredevil asides from Bermejo, Mazzucchelli, Samnee, and Lark. His style is rich and oozes the gritty noir with the gruff chiaroscuro that he evokes with his artwork. Maleev's art alongside Bendis' writing makes for a pair in comic book heaven. David Mack's art also proves to be unique, in a style that I would say looks like Alex Ross' art if he took acid. It's a unique style and is certainly polished, if not for me personally. The only art that I didn't really like was from Gutierrez and The Dodsons, who had that bland, early 2000s Quesada-esque artwork which doesn't compare to the more evocative illustrations of Maleev and Mack.
People still debate on if Bendis ever again captured lightning in a bottle in the way that he did with his run with the Man With No Fear. But one thing is for certain: it is one of the best Daredevil runs that I've read in a long while.
I've made it no secret of my love for the Man Without Fear, to the point where I modeled my profile picture after the poster from the first season of the phenomenal Daredevil TV show. Like many, I was drawn in from the old stories from Frank Miller, alongside the later work of great writers like Brubaker and the aforementioned television show. Bendis showcases his knowledge of the character's history and gives respect to the people who came before him, while not being afraid to pave his own direction for the story of Daredevil.
Bendis rather brilliantly takes the concept of Frank Miller's Born Again and runs with it to its logical conclusion. Particularly with "Out," which is one that I would consider to be one of the best Daredevil stories that I've ever read, Matt Murdock's identity as Daredevil is exposed to the entire world and he is forced to deal with the consequences of this action, as well as the push back that he gives in order to cover his tracks. Bendis explores the nooks and crannies of having his identity being out in the public and all of the troubles that would come from such a situation.
Bendis showcases a keen understanding of the crime/noir genre, with the hard boiled dialogue and inner monologues to crime bosses scheming to take power and squash anyone who gets in their way be intact throughout the entirety of this first Ultimate collection. While sometimes his Bendis speak can be awkward at times, Bendis keeps tight control over the narrative and brilliantly uses non-linear storytelling in order to slowly build a crescendo to Matt Murdock's biggest struggle in his life thus far. It is this, alongside Alex Maleev's gorgeous artwork that really makes this story shine.
Bendis also takes the right notes from writers like Moore and Miller in the way that he makes the world of superheroics and theatrics feel real and lifelike. Yet he never copies them, he takes the notes from what makes their comics work and adds his own spin to it. Bendis manages to find a neat balance between realism and the comic book superhero action style that we're accustomed to when we read superhero comics. But Bendis isn't afraid to push buttons or to take characters to new levels of intensity when needs be, and it makes me all the more excited to read the rest of this run.
Also not to be forgotten is the artwork, and I think I'd be remiss to mention that Alex Maleev is one of the best artists that I've seen take on Daredevil asides from Bermejo, Mazzucchelli, Samnee, and Lark. His style is rich and oozes the gritty noir with the gruff chiaroscuro that he evokes with his artwork. Maleev's art alongside Bendis' writing makes for a pair in comic book heaven. David Mack's art also proves to be unique, in a style that I would say looks like Alex Ross' art if he took acid. It's a unique style and is certainly polished, if not for me personally. The only art that I didn't really like was from Gutierrez and The Dodsons, who had that bland, early 2000s Quesada-esque artwork which doesn't compare to the more evocative illustrations of Maleev and Mack.
People still debate on if Bendis ever again captured lightning in a bottle in the way that he did with his run with the Man With No Fear. But one thing is for certain: it is one of the best Daredevil runs that I've read in a long while.
December 9, 2015
Oh my goodness, this is such an awesome read. The writing, the artwork (that first arc! It is gorgeous!), the overall style and the feel are just incredible. I loved this so so much.
March 21, 2020
Meto mano en este encierro a comics que me había traído de afuera y tenía en la pila de lecturas. En este caso me compré la etapa de DD de Bendis de 3 tomos y comento el primero.
Siempre dije que el mejor Bendis es el del noir: sus característicos diálogos y situaciones cotidianas se ven mejor en este tipo de historias que en las superheroicas, donde se requiere otro estilo de escritura. Este tomo lo refleja tal cual. Vemos cómo Bendis cambia el status quo del personaje y la manera en que debe afrontarlo tanto con sus conocidos como con el público en general. Esa huida para adelante es aprovechada para darnos jugosas situaciones y poner en tela de juicio la capacidad de Matt para afrontar todo.
Otro acierto es conectar toda la etapa en una historia río, lo que permite presentar muchos personajes e ir dándoles un buen trasfondo para luego tomar una mayor relevancia argumental; así podemos ver cómo se van moviendo las piezas en un enorme tablero sin la necesidad de apurar nada, sino ir dando relevancia de a poco, lo que ayuda dar aire a las historias y una mayor verosimilitud.
Por otro lado, el dibujo de Maleev es ideal para esto: oscuro, sucio, realista. Da el marco ideal para lo que cuenta Bendis.
Veremos cómo siguen los otros tomos.
Siempre dije que el mejor Bendis es el del noir: sus característicos diálogos y situaciones cotidianas se ven mejor en este tipo de historias que en las superheroicas, donde se requiere otro estilo de escritura. Este tomo lo refleja tal cual. Vemos cómo Bendis cambia el status quo del personaje y la manera en que debe afrontarlo tanto con sus conocidos como con el público en general. Esa huida para adelante es aprovechada para darnos jugosas situaciones y poner en tela de juicio la capacidad de Matt para afrontar todo.
Otro acierto es conectar toda la etapa en una historia río, lo que permite presentar muchos personajes e ir dándoles un buen trasfondo para luego tomar una mayor relevancia argumental; así podemos ver cómo se van moviendo las piezas en un enorme tablero sin la necesidad de apurar nada, sino ir dando relevancia de a poco, lo que ayuda dar aire a las historias y una mayor verosimilitud.
Por otro lado, el dibujo de Maleev es ideal para esto: oscuro, sucio, realista. Da el marco ideal para lo que cuenta Bendis.
Veremos cómo siguen los otros tomos.
November 17, 2021
Brian Michael Bendis byl na přelomu tisíciletí hvězda, o to víc mrzí člověka vidět ho co tvoří dnes.
Každopádně jeho Daredevil byl a stále je fantastickej hlavně díky tomu, že to není úplně tradičně Superhero věc. Bendis se po vzoru Millera vydává vyprávět velmi slušnou Noir kriminálkou se zajímavým Kingpinem ale zároveň se dost silně zaměřuje na Matta Murdocka. Což je věc co se mi líbí, je to ohromné množství částí kdy Matt řeší případy u soudu, což je souvisí i s ním samotným a s veřejným zjištěním, že on je Daredevil.
Nemá cenu vypisovat co vše je skvělé protože je to právě všechno. Miluju jak se BMB snaží jít vlastním směrem a přitom respektuje předchozí dění v sérii.
Každopádně jeho Daredevil byl a stále je fantastickej hlavně díky tomu, že to není úplně tradičně Superhero věc. Bendis se po vzoru Millera vydává vyprávět velmi slušnou Noir kriminálkou se zajímavým Kingpinem ale zároveň se dost silně zaměřuje na Matta Murdocka. Což je věc co se mi líbí, je to ohromné množství částí kdy Matt řeší případy u soudu, což je souvisí i s ním samotným a s veřejným zjištěním, že on je Daredevil.
Nemá cenu vypisovat co vše je skvělé protože je to právě všechno. Miluju jak se BMB snaží jít vlastním směrem a přitom respektuje předchozí dění v sérii.
September 6, 2018
Aaaahhhh Daredevil, you are so cool.
I'm not going to go into detail about this book, because words escape me when trying to describe how awesome it is.
So instead of reviewing it for a potential buying, I will instead give a few words of advice:
Buy it.
I'm not going to go into detail about this book, because words escape me when trying to describe how awesome it is.
So instead of reviewing it for a potential buying, I will instead give a few words of advice:
Buy it.
November 4, 2015
I've read these before, I actually own most of the single issues and I was thinking of rereading them, but just getting this book seemed much easier.
This run was my first introduction to Daredevil, so in my mind this is what Daredevil is. I'll bet I've read this whole run through at least twice, some of the issues a few more times, and some of my favorite scenes dozens of times. This was my first introduction to Bendis as a writer and to this day he remains one of my favorites. I just love his dialogue. Some people say its hard to get through because its so dense, but I love how he pours in on. I feel like he is just so good at capturing the way people talk. If someone has a point to make they will make it over and over again. That's how real people talk, and that's how people talk in a Bendis book.
The art by Maleev is also amazing. I know when people think of Daredevil they think of Frank Miller, but I think of Maleev. He's just so damn down and dirty. You really feel Daredevils anger and the fear he inspires in criminals. You really get a sense of how Hells Kitchen looks. I'll bet she they were working on the DD tv show they were showing this art to the production people. He also handles the everyday stuff extremely well. Theres a part where some FBI agents are talking about if Matt could really be Daredevil, and even though its just some guys in an office it doesn't feel stale. He makes it visually appealing.
The stories themselves are great to. The most well known one is of course DD being outed in a newspaper and the total shit Strom that follows. Honestly though my favorite story is the last one where Matt defends the White Tiger, who's accused of killing a police officer. There's some great stuff with Luke Cage and Iron Fist in that story. I'm still waiting for Bendis to do that series!
The boom does have some draw backs though. I cant say I realm cared for the David Mack art in the beginning. It's kind of funny to say that because I remember going through a period where I tried to copy his work but I just don't like it now. I just find it takes you too much out of the story. I also didn't like how much Matt and DD are not in this book. The first part is about Ben Urich, then there's alot about Mr. Silke, and quite a bit that follows the FBI and some other minor characters. I get that its world building and all, but Matt is only Hal the book!
Overall a totally great beginning to what is one of my favorite runs in comics and maybe one of the greatest runs of all time
This run was my first introduction to Daredevil, so in my mind this is what Daredevil is. I'll bet I've read this whole run through at least twice, some of the issues a few more times, and some of my favorite scenes dozens of times. This was my first introduction to Bendis as a writer and to this day he remains one of my favorites. I just love his dialogue. Some people say its hard to get through because its so dense, but I love how he pours in on. I feel like he is just so good at capturing the way people talk. If someone has a point to make they will make it over and over again. That's how real people talk, and that's how people talk in a Bendis book.
The art by Maleev is also amazing. I know when people think of Daredevil they think of Frank Miller, but I think of Maleev. He's just so damn down and dirty. You really feel Daredevils anger and the fear he inspires in criminals. You really get a sense of how Hells Kitchen looks. I'll bet she they were working on the DD tv show they were showing this art to the production people. He also handles the everyday stuff extremely well. Theres a part where some FBI agents are talking about if Matt could really be Daredevil, and even though its just some guys in an office it doesn't feel stale. He makes it visually appealing.
The stories themselves are great to. The most well known one is of course DD being outed in a newspaper and the total shit Strom that follows. Honestly though my favorite story is the last one where Matt defends the White Tiger, who's accused of killing a police officer. There's some great stuff with Luke Cage and Iron Fist in that story. I'm still waiting for Bendis to do that series!
The boom does have some draw backs though. I cant say I realm cared for the David Mack art in the beginning. It's kind of funny to say that because I remember going through a period where I tried to copy his work but I just don't like it now. I just find it takes you too much out of the story. I also didn't like how much Matt and DD are not in this book. The first part is about Ben Urich, then there's alot about Mr. Silke, and quite a bit that follows the FBI and some other minor characters. I get that its world building and all, but Matt is only Hal the book!
Overall a totally great beginning to what is one of my favorite runs in comics and maybe one of the greatest runs of all time
December 18, 2022
(Zero spoiler review of the omnibus collecting this arc) 4.5/5
I know that Bendis can be somewhat polarising, and he has absolutely gone off the deep end in recent years, although back in the day, the man could write some. This is the second thing I've read of his, his Alias omnibus being the first, and the man is kicking goals when it comes to impressing old Omni Ben. And don't get me started on the Alex Maleev, art... Ok, seeing as how it's a review, you can get me started on it. It's simply scrumptious. This is how you draw a dark and gritty noirish tale. I imagine he's done something on Batman here or there, although how he hasn't had a multiple year run (I'm assuming he hasn't) is beyond me. Oh no, wait. DC leadership... I understand completely.
The three issues here during the run proper not drawn by Maleev are awful. Not so much as the artist isn't talented, but going from a grainy, ink laden oppressive style to cartoonish and bright... seriously, what the hell? You didn't have an artist who could better imitate Maleev's style? Just delay the damn book if that's the case. I assure you, disappointment on the delay aside, no one wants such a jarring and drastic change of art. It would be like me walking into a fruit shop after years of buying a banana every day for lunch, and them saying, "sorry, we're all out of bananas, but we have an onion for you instead".
But back to Bendis, as a noirish crime thriller, this is solid. As a superhero comic, it's outstanding. Mostly because it's not very superhero-y, and is in fact, a solid noirish thriller. And not very superhero-y is a great way to get me invested in your superhero story. There's barely a super villain in sight here, and the odd one that does make an appearance (Kingpin is always the exception to this rule, because he is awesome) has received said dark and gritty, noirish update.
No, it's not perfect, and it makes more than a few missteps here and there, but the overall style and tone of the book, perfectly accentuated by Maleev's excellent art, makes this an absolutely must- read Daredevil run. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
I know that Bendis can be somewhat polarising, and he has absolutely gone off the deep end in recent years, although back in the day, the man could write some. This is the second thing I've read of his, his Alias omnibus being the first, and the man is kicking goals when it comes to impressing old Omni Ben. And don't get me started on the Alex Maleev, art... Ok, seeing as how it's a review, you can get me started on it. It's simply scrumptious. This is how you draw a dark and gritty noirish tale. I imagine he's done something on Batman here or there, although how he hasn't had a multiple year run (I'm assuming he hasn't) is beyond me. Oh no, wait. DC leadership... I understand completely.
The three issues here during the run proper not drawn by Maleev are awful. Not so much as the artist isn't talented, but going from a grainy, ink laden oppressive style to cartoonish and bright... seriously, what the hell? You didn't have an artist who could better imitate Maleev's style? Just delay the damn book if that's the case. I assure you, disappointment on the delay aside, no one wants such a jarring and drastic change of art. It would be like me walking into a fruit shop after years of buying a banana every day for lunch, and them saying, "sorry, we're all out of bananas, but we have an onion for you instead".
But back to Bendis, as a noirish crime thriller, this is solid. As a superhero comic, it's outstanding. Mostly because it's not very superhero-y, and is in fact, a solid noirish thriller. And not very superhero-y is a great way to get me invested in your superhero story. There's barely a super villain in sight here, and the odd one that does make an appearance (Kingpin is always the exception to this rule, because he is awesome) has received said dark and gritty, noirish update.
No, it's not perfect, and it makes more than a few missteps here and there, but the overall style and tone of the book, perfectly accentuated by Maleev's excellent art, makes this an absolutely must- read Daredevil run. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
February 2, 2021
Daredevil by Bendis and Maleev is one of those comics you always hear about. And I’ve heard a lot about it. Daredevil at times is frankly under appreciated, he’s got so many good runs and his title has been consistently good since 98. He went from Smith to Mack to Bendis to Brubaker to Waid to Soule and is currently being written by Zdarsky. Guy is stacked with good talent.
Anyway, The Kingpin is blind, Matt’s girlfriend was murdered recently, and someone in Kingpins crew is looking to take him out. Also there’s a story with Ben Urich which takes up the first 3-4 issues, and it’s just dynamite. Dealing with a kid groping with trauma. Barely even has Daredevil in it but it was the highlight for me.
Actually all these stories work incredibly well. The art by Alex Maleev is highly stylized with a noir crime look and very thick lines but I think it works for the title and I like it. The paintings in the Ben Urich story though are beauty, the way the art is used there as if part of a child’s psyche is amazing.
My only issue that does hurt my opinion on this collection is how the pace goes. It’s very stop and start quality to it. I feel like most of the time in a story arc at least one or two, maybe even three issues could have been condensed down. Now this is comics and long form is part of the fun, but I also say this loving that long form.
It’s a well rounded collection and a great beginning to what looks to be a very promising run on the Horned Devil.
4 stars. Not the best place to start reading Daredevil because of continuity but if you’ve any interest in the character it’s a must at some point.
Anyway, The Kingpin is blind, Matt’s girlfriend was murdered recently, and someone in Kingpins crew is looking to take him out. Also there’s a story with Ben Urich which takes up the first 3-4 issues, and it’s just dynamite. Dealing with a kid groping with trauma. Barely even has Daredevil in it but it was the highlight for me.
Actually all these stories work incredibly well. The art by Alex Maleev is highly stylized with a noir crime look and very thick lines but I think it works for the title and I like it. The paintings in the Ben Urich story though are beauty, the way the art is used there as if part of a child’s psyche is amazing.
My only issue that does hurt my opinion on this collection is how the pace goes. It’s very stop and start quality to it. I feel like most of the time in a story arc at least one or two, maybe even three issues could have been condensed down. Now this is comics and long form is part of the fun, but I also say this loving that long form.
It’s a well rounded collection and a great beginning to what looks to be a very promising run on the Horned Devil.
4 stars. Not the best place to start reading Daredevil because of continuity but if you’ve any interest in the character it’s a must at some point.
September 25, 2024
After "Guardian Devil" this was the first major Daredevil collection I had read. As good as Frank Miller's Daredevil stories can be, Bendis is my personal pick for the best author of the dark and gritty Daredevil stories/plots that fans associated with the character so much. This particular volume is pretty great, my favorite part being the opening arc where Ben Ulrich has to help a kid that is the son of a costumed villain and witnessed something shocking involving his father and Daredevil. The start of the arc where Matt's identity is leaked is great too. Maleev's art and Bendis' writing drew me in and makes this run essential Daredevil reading IMO.
July 10, 2015
damn what a collection of amazing stories. from start to finish, this made DD top five comics for marvel. next volume coming up.
March 25, 2018
Okay, so I have since finished Frank Miller's incredible run on this Daredevil and I don't think I have heard ONE negative review or opinion on this book. Not one. So I ordered the first volume and breezed through it in a day. Becuase this book is IMPOSSIBLE to put down. Meaning it's amazing. I truly loved the experience of reading about Matt Murdock once again getting put through the wringer. But this story is much darker and grizzly than Born Again. I LOVE when superhero comics are mature and complex like V for Vendetta, Born Again, or Batman the Long Halloween. I also love when superhero comics are thought-provoking and layered in their storytelling and character work. This book definitely gave me that.
This book is woven together by 3 amazing crime stories and I loved all of them. Mr. Silke is frickin awesome. He provided some of the best dialogue in the entire book. Because this book can hold you with dialogue alone because action is very very scarce. The story of the Kingpin's crime organization and legacy is such an interesting one. It is definitely tied with the crime family storylines of Gotham city in the Batman mythos. The whole investigation of Matt Murdock is so well done and put together that I could not stop reading this book. Seriously. Every time I'd put it down I'd be reading it 5 minutes later. Bendis's dialogue is so frickin good cause it is spot on for how people really talk. (I'm looking at you Roger McKenzie!) Ben Urich is a huge key player in this story and his arc is just as good as his arc in Born Again. In fact this book does ask that you know a lot about what happened in Frank Miller's Daredevil run as well as Kevin Smith's. There are a lot of nods and references. The entire section of the book with White Tiger's trial in court was the definition of complex and Amaze-balls. The section also delves into the mindset and psychology of being a superhero and how unfulfilling it can be. Plus we get to see what a kick-ass lawyer Matt Murdock is.
Okay, here we go. My dreaded negatives. There is not enough Daredevil or Matt Murdock in the book. I felt an absence from his character and it did bother and disappoint me a little bit. Something that Silke does in this book just seems to be forgotten about. It is mentioned again, but is definitely taken over by different plots along the way. My second flaw, is.......is........is.......is.......that I think Alex Maleev's artwork is mediocre at best. DONT SHOOT DONT SHOOT!!!!! No one shares my opinion. Everyone else LOVES his art so damn much and I feel like a dick saying that it's not great. Maleev's art is excellent at setting a dark mood. And I know that's the point, but I cannot get past the book looking overly shaded and scratchy. There are at least 10 panels where Maleev did a fantastic job to the point where I don't think I can imagine anyone else doing those panels. But again, as it stands the art in the last quarter is better and has more pop and character to it. I do not think that Maleev's art is good at depicting violence as well. Just from the opening scene, I did not see the force of the punches thrown, say if I was reading a book with Mazzucchelli's artwork in it. And one more thing. The beginning section of this book, is frickin strange man. It's slow, uneventful, and STRANGE. I can't say I appreciated what felt like a drug-induced psychosis for over 100 pages. David Mack's art is very impressive but very abstract.
In the end this is one of the most addicting and immersive books I have EVER read. I love the crime aspect, the court aspect, and the way characters were portrayed and written. This is a very layered and dark ass book with the maturity level all the way up to V for Vendetta level and I loved that. The art is still questionable for the most part but not enough to sway me away from ordering the second volume. Letter Grade: (A)
This book is woven together by 3 amazing crime stories and I loved all of them. Mr. Silke is frickin awesome. He provided some of the best dialogue in the entire book. Because this book can hold you with dialogue alone because action is very very scarce. The story of the Kingpin's crime organization and legacy is such an interesting one. It is definitely tied with the crime family storylines of Gotham city in the Batman mythos. The whole investigation of Matt Murdock is so well done and put together that I could not stop reading this book. Seriously. Every time I'd put it down I'd be reading it 5 minutes later. Bendis's dialogue is so frickin good cause it is spot on for how people really talk. (I'm looking at you Roger McKenzie!) Ben Urich is a huge key player in this story and his arc is just as good as his arc in Born Again. In fact this book does ask that you know a lot about what happened in Frank Miller's Daredevil run as well as Kevin Smith's. There are a lot of nods and references. The entire section of the book with White Tiger's trial in court was the definition of complex and Amaze-balls. The section also delves into the mindset and psychology of being a superhero and how unfulfilling it can be. Plus we get to see what a kick-ass lawyer Matt Murdock is.
Okay, here we go. My dreaded negatives. There is not enough Daredevil or Matt Murdock in the book. I felt an absence from his character and it did bother and disappoint me a little bit. Something that Silke does in this book just seems to be forgotten about. It is mentioned again, but is definitely taken over by different plots along the way. My second flaw, is.......is........is.......is.......that I think Alex Maleev's artwork is mediocre at best. DONT SHOOT DONT SHOOT!!!!! No one shares my opinion. Everyone else LOVES his art so damn much and I feel like a dick saying that it's not great. Maleev's art is excellent at setting a dark mood. And I know that's the point, but I cannot get past the book looking overly shaded and scratchy. There are at least 10 panels where Maleev did a fantastic job to the point where I don't think I can imagine anyone else doing those panels. But again, as it stands the art in the last quarter is better and has more pop and character to it. I do not think that Maleev's art is good at depicting violence as well. Just from the opening scene, I did not see the force of the punches thrown, say if I was reading a book with Mazzucchelli's artwork in it. And one more thing. The beginning section of this book, is frickin strange man. It's slow, uneventful, and STRANGE. I can't say I appreciated what felt like a drug-induced psychosis for over 100 pages. David Mack's art is very impressive but very abstract.
In the end this is one of the most addicting and immersive books I have EVER read. I love the crime aspect, the court aspect, and the way characters were portrayed and written. This is a very layered and dark ass book with the maturity level all the way up to V for Vendetta level and I loved that. The art is still questionable for the most part but not enough to sway me away from ordering the second volume. Letter Grade: (A)
November 16, 2021
I didn’t realize just how comprehensive this volume was, must have looked up the wrong page count originally, but this was 411 pages and that’s a lot of Daredevil. More than I was interested in, to be honest, not being much of a conventional superhero comic fan, but then again if something is done well…and this was done very, very well.
Most of my knowledge of the character comes from cinematic and tv adaptations and (this goes to show the amount of interest that sort of thing generated) I never actually finished the Netflix series. It was decent enough but didn’t wow. This comic to its credit does wow at times.
I’ve read the author before to very middle of the road impressions, he did a Jessica Jones thing a while back, another Marvel Netflix superhero, which featured very average writing. This was a measure above. But what really elevate the proceedings was the art.
Because this is such a large volume and it covers such a long span, it features four artists, in a strictly and noticeably declining level of quality. A very weird, almost perversely precise sort of lineup. The first story is a four comic arc featuring absolutely stunning art by David Mack. Watercolor-like, gorgeous, frame and hang it up sort of art. From there on it takes on a more superhero comic appropriate style and yet remains very good. The cover for some reason features by name only one of the artists out of four. As the book progresses, the art streamlines into a more basic version of itself; all still decent though, until the very last comic.
This is really weird, it’s the last one in a long arc done by another-superior-artist and the difference is striking. A very odd choice. I don’t know enough about the industry to know how it all works, but it seems odd to maintain the same author and change up artists, especially dramatic changes like that.
Anyway, for someone who doesn’t care for traditional superhero fare or mafia stories, this ended up being strangely compelling. Fun was had. Enjoy these adventures of the Man Without Fear fearlessly.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Most of my knowledge of the character comes from cinematic and tv adaptations and (this goes to show the amount of interest that sort of thing generated) I never actually finished the Netflix series. It was decent enough but didn’t wow. This comic to its credit does wow at times.
I’ve read the author before to very middle of the road impressions, he did a Jessica Jones thing a while back, another Marvel Netflix superhero, which featured very average writing. This was a measure above. But what really elevate the proceedings was the art.
Because this is such a large volume and it covers such a long span, it features four artists, in a strictly and noticeably declining level of quality. A very weird, almost perversely precise sort of lineup. The first story is a four comic arc featuring absolutely stunning art by David Mack. Watercolor-like, gorgeous, frame and hang it up sort of art. From there on it takes on a more superhero comic appropriate style and yet remains very good. The cover for some reason features by name only one of the artists out of four. As the book progresses, the art streamlines into a more basic version of itself; all still decent though, until the very last comic.
This is really weird, it’s the last one in a long arc done by another-superior-artist and the difference is striking. A very odd choice. I don’t know enough about the industry to know how it all works, but it seems odd to maintain the same author and change up artists, especially dramatic changes like that.
Anyway, for someone who doesn’t care for traditional superhero fare or mafia stories, this ended up being strangely compelling. Fun was had. Enjoy these adventures of the Man Without Fear fearlessly.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
March 15, 2018
Et bien si l'on m'avait dit que j'adorerai Daredevil... j'avoue, je ne l'aurais pas cru. Daredevil, c'est un personnage qui ne m'a jamais attiré jusqu'à présent. Le film était nul, le côté catho-maso décrit par beaucoup... ça n'était pas pour m'intéresser. Au final je ne sais même pas exactement comment j'ai pris la décision d'acheter et de lire un comics de Daredevil. Ok, j'avais l'intention de lire le run plus léger de Waid, mais du Daredevil "habituel" ? Nope. Pas ma came. Sauf que je suis méga fan de Jessica Jones, j'ai vu qu'Alias et ce run étaient un peu liés, et je ne sais pas, j'ai pris. J'ai lu. Et j'ai adoré.
La première histoire est à la fois très bizarre et assez géniale. Le dessin est VRAIMENT très particulier. Mais il s'accorde parfaitement à l'intrigue.
Et puis après on entre dans le vif du sujet avec des changements majeurs dans l'univers de Daredevil. Et c'est juste trop bien. Chapeau Mr Bendis, chapeau. Et chapeau aussi à Mr Maleev parce que le dessin est top et met complètement dans l'ambiance. Une très grande réussite. Si la suite du run est de la même qualité, Daredevil va se retrouver parmi mes favoris. Qui l'eut cru ?
La première histoire est à la fois très bizarre et assez géniale. Le dessin est VRAIMENT très particulier. Mais il s'accorde parfaitement à l'intrigue.
Et puis après on entre dans le vif du sujet avec des changements majeurs dans l'univers de Daredevil. Et c'est juste trop bien. Chapeau Mr Bendis, chapeau. Et chapeau aussi à Mr Maleev parce que le dessin est top et met complètement dans l'ambiance. Une très grande réussite. Si la suite du run est de la même qualité, Daredevil va se retrouver parmi mes favoris. Qui l'eut cru ?
April 1, 2025
Brian Michael Bendis would craft one of the best Daredevil ones ever after Kevin Smith's genre-changing GUARDIAN DEVIL storyline. A lot of what would be defined here would help set the stage for the later creation of Jessica Jones as well as many other changes in the New Avengers. Daredevil, here, finally deals with the outing of his secret identity and the consequences that this has on his personal life as well as professional (both sides).
The artwork is gritty and grainy but this suits Daredevil perfectly. We also get the introduction of Milla Donovan, who is a character that I feel was sadly underused but works well here. A blind woman who falls in love with Daredevil the man rather than Matt Murdoch but knows them both early on. We also get the tragic fall from sanity that Vanessa Fisk suffers as she decides between her son and father. I didn't like the handling of Richard Fisk here as I love the Rose as a character and that gets mocked but, otherwise, it is quite well done.
This is also just the beginning of a pretty epic journey for Daredevil that will last for years.
The artwork is gritty and grainy but this suits Daredevil perfectly. We also get the introduction of Milla Donovan, who is a character that I feel was sadly underused but works well here. A blind woman who falls in love with Daredevil the man rather than Matt Murdoch but knows them both early on. We also get the tragic fall from sanity that Vanessa Fisk suffers as she decides between her son and father. I didn't like the handling of Richard Fisk here as I love the Rose as a character and that gets mocked but, otherwise, it is quite well done.
This is also just the beginning of a pretty epic journey for Daredevil that will last for years.
April 28, 2025
This is powerful stuff. The opening Kingpin story arc was typical Daredevil noir, and that's not a bad thing. The middle arc was okay, but the whole "Matt Murdock is Daredevil" secret identity reveal thing has been done to death, as it was done both before and after this storyline. But the final story arc featuring the White Tiger was both sad and powerful and probably the strongest part of the volume. Bendis and Maleev are off to a great start.
September 23, 2020
Męczyłam się trochę, kiedy to czytałam. W tym komiksie wyszczególnione zostało głównie prawnicze życie Matta, co niestety znudziło mnie zamiast zainteresować. Bardzo lubię Murdocka, ale te zeszyty jakoś nie pokazały go w korzystnym świetle.
August 15, 2021
wake up: stunning watercolour visuals
underboss: thrilling daredevil identity stuff
out: sad and dissatisfying in the good way but i love the court stories
underboss: thrilling daredevil identity stuff
out: sad and dissatisfying in the good way but i love the court stories
March 8, 2022
Rr. My favourite series of all time. Lets see if it still holds up. And yeah, fuck glaucoma.
Edit: It does…
Edit: It does…
April 15, 2022
I say this with all love and respect to Frank Miller, Ann Nocenti, Ed Brubaker, and Mark Waid, but this *might* be the best DAREDEVIL run of all time.
April 14, 2025
amazing start to Bendis’ run, Daredevil’s little section of the Marvel universe is so unique and interesting to read about and Bendis puts the character in a lot of new situations that push him to the brink and force him to grow past the established status quo.
December 27, 2017
Oh, I like it.
I like the various stories this collects (even though, there have been some scenes where I felt I'm missing/not understanding something) and the art is incredible. I had to laugh out loud so often while reading this. :)
But, this also makes me a bit grumpy that they killed Ben Urich off in the show and that Marvel TV and Marvel movies don't get it on and do something together. *hrmpf*
My favourite storyline - even though it's very hard on Matt and Foggy - is the one in which Matt gets outed. I don't like that he's been outed but I like that they went there and go along this "What if" route. :) Also, it leads to having heaps of other superheroes (Luke, Danny, Spiderman, Jessica, Natasha and so on) showing up and supporting Matt. :)
I need to get my hands on the other two collections!
I like the various stories this collects (even though, there have been some scenes where I felt I'm missing/not understanding something) and the art is incredible. I had to laugh out loud so often while reading this. :)
But, this also makes me a bit grumpy that they killed Ben Urich off in the show and that Marvel TV and Marvel movies don't get it on and do something together. *hrmpf*
My favourite storyline - even though it's very hard on Matt and Foggy - is the one in which Matt gets outed. I don't like that he's been outed but I like that they went there and go along this "What if" route. :) Also, it leads to having heaps of other superheroes (Luke, Danny, Spiderman, Jessica, Natasha and so on) showing up and supporting Matt. :)
I need to get my hands on the other two collections!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 19, 2018
I like Daredevil.
In many ways, he’s Marvels Batman. But where Batman is a rich dude ultimate wish fulfillment character, daredevil is a more grounded street level character who has to struggle for everything he does.
This isn’t to disparage Batman; he has some of the best and most iconic stories and characters in the medium. But Daredevil hits a lot of beats in ways Batman cannot.
This run, by Bendis and Maleev, is everything I’ve wanted from a Daredevil comic. I read Millers stuff, which redefined the character and was truly great, but felt a little dated.
This however is written with an adult audience in mind and has a very dark, violent, and mature feel to it. The maturity mixed with great storytelling and occasional commentary on comic book troupes only help elevate the whole experience.
And while artwork is important, there’s only been a handful of comics I’ve felt the artist is essential to the run, and that’s definitely the case here. Maleev does a very dark, scratchy, noir style of artwork. It really brings the tone of the story into focus.
And speaking of the story—the focus on Kingpin, gangs, and Matt’s identity is really compelling. And that three issue story at the end of this volume—I expected it to be a little tacked on story, but it’s pretty crushing and engaging. That last short story sold me in this entirely, and I hadn’t expected that.
This is great storytelling. I’m excited that I still have two more books with Bendis/Maleev.
In many ways, he’s Marvels Batman. But where Batman is a rich dude ultimate wish fulfillment character, daredevil is a more grounded street level character who has to struggle for everything he does.
This isn’t to disparage Batman; he has some of the best and most iconic stories and characters in the medium. But Daredevil hits a lot of beats in ways Batman cannot.
This run, by Bendis and Maleev, is everything I’ve wanted from a Daredevil comic. I read Millers stuff, which redefined the character and was truly great, but felt a little dated.
This however is written with an adult audience in mind and has a very dark, violent, and mature feel to it. The maturity mixed with great storytelling and occasional commentary on comic book troupes only help elevate the whole experience.
And while artwork is important, there’s only been a handful of comics I’ve felt the artist is essential to the run, and that’s definitely the case here. Maleev does a very dark, scratchy, noir style of artwork. It really brings the tone of the story into focus.
And speaking of the story—the focus on Kingpin, gangs, and Matt’s identity is really compelling. And that three issue story at the end of this volume—I expected it to be a little tacked on story, but it’s pretty crushing and engaging. That last short story sold me in this entirely, and I hadn’t expected that.
This is great storytelling. I’m excited that I still have two more books with Bendis/Maleev.
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