Daredevil Message Board

[Forrest]

I've often heard DD fans suggest that O'Neil's DD work was an emulation of Miller's DD work, which to DD fans makes sense. However, I'm starting to think it's the other way around, even though Miller wrote DD before O'Neil. (Of course, there may be interviews out there that contradict my argument, but I've never really been a big enough fan of Miller or his DD vision to read Miller interviews.) I've been reading a lot of old school Batman and O'Neil's Batman writing that was published well before Miller's DD has a very similiar tone and atmosphere to Miller's Elektra Saga.

Of course, all this leads me into a rant against those who say that Miller really defined Batman with his Year One work. I say O'Neil is more of the true definer of Batman's modern image.

Back to DD and Miller's DD. Do you think his writing was heavily influenced by O'Neil's Batman (esecially considering this relatively new comic creator's editor at the time was O'Neil himself)? And a more interesting question, if O'Neil had written DD before Miller, do you think it would have been much different his existing DD work?
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"Flash is back. Worlds will die again!"

[Solid Snake PAC]

I can see where you go with this. I can assume that O'neil influenced Miller. He brought alot into Batman in his time. He made him a much more technical individual...he brought backstory and mythology on the Dark Knight. Around his time everyone accepted that Batman became Batman cuz of his Parents' murder but O'neil showed that Batman studied in becoming a Symbol. He trained, worked, studied, fought to become The Batman. Miller as well brought backstory into DD, in a very open manner. Stick training him, Elektra, and so much more resembles how O'neil brought a whole unknown mythos on a character. I believe Miller made DD the man he is now but the inspiration is easily O'neil from work on Batman. My fav O'neil tale "The Man who Falls" it was very good issue...I like it when people bring a whole mythology on a character without blemishing too much on the previous mythos. Though that's happened to DD a bit here and there as well...

[Pete]

When Miller got the gig he brought with him a huge knowledge of film storytelling technique and a love of sleezy underworld/hardboiled detective fiction. He had no particular love for american mainstream superhero comic books but loved Japanese comics, influencing the 'ninja' element he soon introduced.

He gives O'Neil a great deal of credit in helping him gain the techniques needed in producing a monthly (bi -monthly, before sales went through the roof) superhero comic book. He undoubtedly rated O'Neil highly, but I've never seen him cite O'Neils Batman run as any kind of influence.

[Kuljit Mithra]

[Forrest]

Yeah, I think that's definitely part of it, Kuljit.
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"Flash is back. Worlds will die again!"