Daredevil Message Board

[nott4141]

Looking over some of the past strings on various topics, I see some of you guys are huge Nocenti fans. I understand that she gave the title a more liberal, progressive outlook--which is one of the many reasons I prefer Daredevil to any other comic out there. I have to admit, however, that I don't fully understand the enthusiasm it seems many of you have for her work. I was hoping some of you more "hardcore" Nocenti fans could explain what you enjoy about her work. Perhaps I'm looking at her issues in the wrong light.

[Pete]

Intelligent, well written storylines. Whether Matt was at home enjoying domestic bliss with Karen, or lost and lonely wandering upstate New York, or regaining his identity back in Hells Kitchen after being to Hell and back, Nocenti's portrayal of Matt was always spot on.

Great bad guys. Great supporting cast. Some people complain that Matt/DD was 'secondary' behind some of these characters but her sprawling narrative gave people such as Tyrone, Bullet, Lance, Number Nine and Typhoid time to grow and develop alongside Matt's journey, not inspite of... Nothing wrong in giving the supporting cast some depth. Her portrayal of The Inhumans was one of the best.

She left a few loose ends, DD is beaten to a pulp, looses Karen etc. But so what? Life doesn't always have neat beginnings, middle, and end. Made the whole thing more 'real' for me. Like Bendis, her whole run can be seen as a 'whole'.

She handled the lame Marvel epic annual crossover thing (something I'm never keen on seeing Matt involved in) such as Inferno, Fall Of The Mutants and Acts Of Vengence as well as any Marvel writer at the time and never made it seem detrimental to her characters and her 'plan'. In fact she rose to this imposed challenge superbly, and made it look rather easy. She was on top of her game when she was on DD.

Above all, she was an original. She followed the Second Coming Of Miller and made the book her own. No mean feat. One of the best DD writers ever. Bring her back for a mini at least.

[rgj]

I agree with everything Pete said. Its a shame Brubaker admited he's not familiar with her work. I guess Bru will only drink from the Lee, Miller and Bendis well. Too bad, cause there is so much more to flavor in DD's history.

And, D.G. Chichester, who lost me in Fall From Grace and Tree of Knolwedge, is still the KING of writing DD's senses. No one wrote Matt's "veiw" of the world better than Chichester.

As for Ann, yes, to echo Pete's words, give the lady a mini!!!!



rgj

[james castle]

Yeah, Pete nearly covers it all. It was Nocenti's near manic originality that made her so special. Just imagine the pitch for the upstate New York arc. "So, Matt leaves New York and fights Satan's son and then wanders around and fights Pyro and the Blob and meets a test tube lady. Oh, and the Inhumans show up. And Silver Surfer. And Ultron". What? Pure insanity but also pure genius.

Same thing with the extended cast. For my money, Nocenti presented one of the best Karens of all time. Strong and independant and really genuine. The Matt/Karen relationship through out the run rang really, really true.

If you're pining for a mini go track down the Batman/Poisen Ivy one shot she did ("Casting Shadows"). Good times.
_________________
JC

So why can't you see the funny side?
Why aren't you laughing?

[Forrest]

My fellow posters already covered it. Just to summarize my thoughts, Nocenti rocked because she wrote levels and philosophy into her superhero-in-tights-comic. Sure, sometimes her "philosophy" came across as tired "liberal" propaganda that distracted from the story (e.g. super barbie, Bullet's kid, etc.). Still, she wrote the thinking man's superhero comic and she touched on the superhero's relationship with the everyday people on the street better than almost any other writer.

On the downside, DD often took a back seat to Nocenti's cause to the week. Despite these speed bumps, it was a great ride and a good contrast between Miller and Chichester.
_________________
"Flash is back. Worlds will die again!"

[james castle]

[EightiesCartoon]

As above, but also now having not read a Nocenti issue for years, her Karen and Number Nine still stick in my head as vivid characters.
Now thats great writing.
_________________
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Ghandi

[rgj]

You want to know about a vivid thing (theme, not character) I remember about Nocienti's stories? Remember the issue where Brandi wants to free the animals from the farm so they won't get slaughtered? And, after she frees them there is nothing but chaos as the animals do nothing but run around in circles, confused. And, she has no idea why they don't "run away." Matt explains to her that while Brandi thinks it's the right thing to free them, the fact is that captivity is the only thing these creatures have known. She frees them, but they don't know what to do. Now, I am in no way comparing farm animals to humans, I am talking about themes/ideas here, but if you think about what we're doing in Iraq, trying to impose our ideology onto others and bringing "freedom" to this part of the world when they have never know it, it leads to nothing but chaos. When I see what's happening over there in Iraq, I actually think of Nocienti's story. Can you believe that? Amazing. That's how powerful a writer she is. I can hardly remember what happened in the first 5 issues of DD:Father. But, Nocienti's stuff, I remember. Nocienti wrote allegoreis. Fables. A true writer.

And, then there is james castle's observation about "The Blind Boxer" Saga. In Born Again, Miller showed us that Matt is a hero when he's not Daredevil. In Blind Boxer (the amnesia tale), Ann shows us that Matt is a hero when he's not . . . Matt.

Ann rules.

rgj

[Francesco]

Unfortunately, I could only find the "Typhoid Mary saga", of the whole Nocenti's run. And the issue where DD defeats Bullet with a punch so strong that it tears the big guy's mask.
A great writer indeed.

O.T. Didn't the coalition go there to stop the menace of the WMDs?