Daredevil Message Board

[james castle]

[Pete]

[Clayton Blind Love]

With respect to Guardian Devil, Karen never did have aids. It was all an illusion by Mysterio.

Issue #7

"It's amazing isn't it? A lifetime full of questionable moral behavior did more to convince her that she was riddled with disease than me in my rented doctor suit. Maybe she was HIV-positive, maybe she wasn't. You'd think she'd at least get a second opinion." - Mysterio

I thought that part was well written by Smith and made a lot of sense for Mysterio to prey on both Karen's and Matt's emotions like that. Master of illusion. Even has readers fooled to this day.

Anyhow, I just wanted to express this. I come across this a lot when discussing GD with friends. People seem to believe that Karen did, in fact, have aids in this story.



C.
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Love is blindness, I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night around me

[rgj]

Pete is absolutely right.

I feel that Nocenti was brilliant and original. Everyone here is in awe (justifiably so) of Bendis's long "outing" arc. Well, Ann's arcs also had one theme: Matt coming to terms as both man of the law and vigilante. It was about Matt trying to understand his own use of violence to stop violence. Was he just a hypocrite or was there, truly, something more noble in his actions. His journey took him away from Hell's Kitchen to Hell itself. And, then threre is the Blind Boxer Saga. As james castle said, in Born Again Miller showed us that Matt was a hero when he wasn't Daredevil. In Blind Boxer Nocenti showed us that Matt was a hero when Matt wasn't . . . Matt. See, any writer who doesn't understand Matt would have thought, *cool, this memory loss gives me a chance to write DD as a criminal, since he doesn't remember who he is*, but Nocenti knows the essence of Matt. Matt, with amnesia and all, couldn't do what Nyla wanted him to do because inside Matt there is a moral barometer that even memory loss can not eclipse. Great stuff by Nocenti. Miller showed us that at Matt's core he is a fighter. Nocenti showed us that at Matt's core he is a "good man." Those two things are at his core. And, nothing he loses can ever take those things away. He fights the good fight.

rgj

[Forrest]

[1ringwdforce]

All i have to say is...

Good luck to Ed Brubaker and all the writers after Brubaker who will try to match or even out rank the stories weaved by Brian Michael Bendis.
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One Ring with the Force!

[Forrest]

In this fan's opinion, Bru and Lark are already leaving Bendis and Maleev in the dust!

Actually, I don't think Brubaker and Lark are even going to need luck. They have the skills to pay the bills!!!

[straygoat]

Hello, first time poster here!

I'd give the run 5 stars, but then I've only read it in trade format so maybe there are pacing problems that didn't get highlighted. (I hate buying individual issues!).

For me, the whole run was interesting because it was about real issues that might affect a vigilante, not just a series of fights with costumed villains. The arcs were intelligent and showed the dangers of what Matt chooses to do. I've read a lot of criticisms of the work saying that there wasn't enough action but I praise that - I don't want to see fight after meaningless fight. That's kids stuff and Daredevil has always been a more mature character.

But the best thing about Bendis' run was that it changed the status quo. Daredevil and Matt are different at the end of the story and that can only be a good thing. It is about time Marvel learned that the best way to deal with their characters is to have them go through changes, have them make mistakes and learn from them and come out the other side a little altered. That's what makes us care about the characters. It seems to me that there's been an aggressive 'we must preserve the status quo' attitude for at least 15 years. Change is good!

There were a few minor quibbles I had with Bendis' run, but on the whole it was the best Daredevil work I have seen. Yes, I preferred it to Miller's work.

[Forrest]

[straygoat]

Of all the characters out there, DD has had the best writing and most character development over the years - that's probably why I am still hooked. But prior to Bendis' run, I felt things were getting a bit stale - and that includes Smith's run. I don't understand fans' appreciation of Smith to be honest...I've hated everything he has done, including his films.

I just hope that after the new run, we're not left with Matt back in Hell's Kitchen, working as a lawyer and stalking the nights as DD - that would just be a full circle and makes the whole 'out' setup pointless. And if Foggy is dead, keep him dead.

One interesting thing that I thought came up from the end of Bendis' run was what would happen to Matt psychologically if he did lose it and take Bullseye out for good? I'd like to see him struggle with guilt over commiting murder and getting away with it.

[Stephan]

Bendis SULLIED our hero. That self-important, conceited, narcissistic status seeker blackened and tarnished Matthew Michael Murdock, reducing a champion of justice to a tormented prison inmate. And for what purpose? To achieve what, exactly? Are readers yearning for more? Has DD's imprisonment bolstered sales significantly? Are we moved by Matt's plight? No. Readers are either indifferent or utterly dismayed. Bendis saddled Brubaker with a senseless, meaningless plotline that (truth be told) most DD enthusiasts can barely stomach. We have been subjected to seemingly interminable years of trials and tribulations - and we are collectively weary of it. Bendis exploits Marvel characters to attain his own narrow ends - and is oblivious to the long-term damage he inflicts upon them.

[train]

nice to see you back 'round these parts again, stephan. what's your take on the first 2 issues of brubaker and lark?

[Darediva]

[MercifulAvatar]

He kept me coming back for the next issue.
I can't remember him insulting my intelligence.
But I was ready for someone else.

I do hate him for bailing on The Pulse, the disloyal bastard.
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Poser

[Lundonj]

I gave what I read of the Bendis run two stars.

It turns out, it is the only substantive break in my run of DD books. Going in, I thought it was a match made in heaven for the devil, because I'm a big fan of Bendis' non-Marvel works (Powers, Torso, Jinx, etc.).

Looks like I made it to about #58, but was really going through the motions at that point and comics are too expensive anymore just to buy 'em for compete runs.

Every premise was solid, but the pacing and talking heads killed it for me. It was way too slow and not enough payoff in the decompressed storytelling style to keep me awake. And, I think the story ideas were decent, Matt's...erm...voice just didn't quite ring true to me. By most accounts, there was plenty of interesting adversity and a heckuva hole was dug for Matt to climb out of, it just didn't click.

Bendis writes a fun Spider-Man, at times, and I'm still checking out his New Avengers. I'm also glad his run kept the buzz going on a great character.


-Don