Daredevil Message Board

[zabrmc]

I read it as well, and then re-read and I loved it. I feel that the purpose of the event book is moreso for the spectacle and big events. I'm definitely hoping that the issue of DD next week takes a step back and deals with how Matt got to this point though.

[baker]

So, that was lame. I spent $4 on a comic that is more or less one huge extended fight scene (which by the way, had less action than any one issue of DD 505-507).

And wow, I was really surprised when the last "shocking" page was one of the previews released to promote Shadowland. I told myself I would stop buying Daredevil if the Diggle-&-company creative team didn't live up to its predecessors, and for some reason I'm still buying it.

And while I'm still ranting (sorry anyone), if Daredevil is going to be "evil" for now on, WHY DIDN'T HE JUST KILL MASTER IZO!!?? When I read issue #501, I was ecstatic that DD had the balls to murder someone as awesome as Izo for the sake of the greater good. For Daredevil to take that sharp of a turn into some place darker wasn't much of a stretch, with what's happened to him and all. But then in issue #502, we find that DD is playing his continuous role of liar once again. If they wanted DD to become the next big threat in the Marvel universe, they should have just let him kill Izo, and let him take that path. Shadowland would at least be that much more believable.

Oh well. Here's hoping for a better second issue.

[AP]

I agree with zabrmc. The event book isn't going to delve into Matt's psyche very much. That's what the DD book is for. I think we're going to get more explanation from the DD book next week about Matt's change.

So far a lot of the comments I have seen about Shadowland remind me how different an experience it is reading a book monthly as opposed to reading trades. I've just started reading DD monthly myself with #501. Before that, I was caching up with the trades. When reading a trade, all you have to do is flip the page to continue the arc, but you miss out on a lot of the suspense. It's instant gratification. When reading an arc monthly, you don't get all of your questions answered right away. Reading monthly is supposed to leave you with questions, leave you with something to think about for the next month. That's part of the fun for us and part of the game for the creative team.

I will say I'm not crazy about Billy Tan's art or the costume change. In fact, I really dislike new the costume. It's basically "evil twin" DD. The blades, the D's, the cliche "good guys wear white, bad guys wear black" routine. It would have been a lot more interesting if they would have left the suit red. He didn't burst out of his own skin in the dream sequence from #502 in the black suit did he? No, they used the red suit to personify his capacity for evil that's always been a part of him. New suit makes a bigger splash for the big event I guess. But as long as the story is still good and the costume doesn't become a main part of the story, I can deal with it.

"If they wanted DD to become the next big threat in the Marvel universe, they should have just let him kill Izo, and let him take that path. Shadowland would at least be that much more believable."

Perhaps Izo has a bigger role to play in what's going on. Maybe a role we aren't expecting, who knows. Also, if they would have had him kill Izo in #501 and moved right on to evil DD, it would not have been as rich an experience. Without #502-507 to give perspective, his fall would felt rushed and ill-conceived.

I think Diggle and company have done well moving all the pieces into place. Shadowland #1 wasn't going to answer all our questions or put all the puzzle pieces together. It's only the beginning. One can tell there has been a lot of planning and thought put into this story. It's going to require a lot of patience and perseverance on our part. I'm hoping that if we're willing to stick with it, we will be rewarded in the end.

[The Mast]

[AP]

I agree with The Mast. Well said. I would definitely make the argument that all this with Bullseye has been brewing since the Miller years. I remember in DD #169 when DD saved Bullseye’s life by pulling him off the train tracks, despite his first impulse to leave him. Once he was in custody, Lt. Manolis questioned DD on why he saved Bullseye and Manolis said something to the effect of “he’ll get out and kill again and every time he does it’s on you.� Manolis had no idea how right he was. And with all that has happened to DD since Karen died, it’s not difficult to see it coming to this.

Regarding the fight, one reason I think it was so brief is that DD is, and always has been, a better fighter than Bullseye. But all these years he’s been “pulling his punches� since he’s always refused to kill Bullseye. Now that the kid gloves are off, DD used everything he had and took Bullseye out in short order. It would have been cooler for it to last a little longer, but the brevity of the fight shows just how dangerous DD can be if he lets himself off the leash.

[baker]

[AP]

[The Mast]

You do have to consider that we're comparing Billy Tan's work to what we're used to seeing on a regular basis.

That being De la Torre or Hollingsworth.

[Ryu Murdock]

I agree with some of the posts...Shadowland #1 is like a song that go straight to the chorus and has no verse. DD is all of a sudden Evil. Or maybe they forgot to say it's a a couple of months comics-timeline from DD#507, or maybe it's Snakeroot magic, or maybe it's Eloganto with a better mindbending whatever...it's comicbooks! There is a million reason for DD to go bad, and go bad fast! Let's just see how it unfolds. But ultimately I hope to God this won't turn into another GREAT IDEA POOR EXECUTION crap.

Hate me all you want, I don't want it on Matt forever, but I find the black costume okay. It's not an original idea, (remember Spider-Man's black costume?) but I find it kewl! (Ouch! Quit throwing rotten tomatoes at me!)
_________________
"I'm only a DEVIL to those who are demonic."

[Francesco]

I don't see why everyone, both in the story and in the real world, is so surprised at what happened. DD would've killed bullseye for what he had done anyway. Hand or no hand.

As far as I'm concerned, the snakeroot guys are being delusional if they think that what he has done is because of their influence.

[Darkdevil]

This was a good first issue. No, I didn't expect all questions to be answered immediately, but I did think it interesting that right off the bat, Matt deals with the issue that started him down this dark road, Bullseye.

Judging by the action and art, yeah, I'd say it appears that DD has been holding back, but not any longer. Quite amazing how fast he took down Bullseye down. The end splash was quite dramatic.

As for his corruption, I do agree with the opening statement made by the Snakeroot. They are not going to damn Matt, he's going to do it himself; they just appear to be giving him the means to do so. Matt's comments to Bullseye seem to confirm this, that he is now willing to do whatever it takes to keep Hell's Kitchen safe. The Snakeroot just helped Matt pave the road....

Which brings me to Shadowland itself. Nice castle, but judging by everyone's reactions, it seems to have popped up overnight. So how did they build it without anyone really noticing? (Some comments on it by His Honorable Mayor JJJ Jameson would be interesting to see, especially if Spidey is getting involved with this)

The costume is okay, but what's the deal with the knives on his gloves? Heck, never used them in this as far as I could tell.

The art was good. My only problem being Danny sans mask. He looked too young...almost like Bobby Drake in a way.

So overall, good start.

[Dre]

Here's IGN's review of the issue: http://comics.ign.com/articles/110/1104635p1.html

For what's it's worth, I agree with every word.

[Darkdevil]

I don't buy that logic. Yes, Bullseye deserves what is coming to him. But does that give Matt the right to deliver it? In one swift stroke, Matt has not only 'killed' Bullseye but also totally usurped the very legal system he's sworn to uphold and believed in.

Add the weight of their history, of their conflict plus Bullseye's recent actions that lead Matt to establish Shadowland to begin with and Matt's reactions seem almost a relief to him. As if he thinks he should done this long ago. That adds to the shock value.

But that's if you see that as a 'shock' moment. I don't see it as that. I see it as a progressive moment, a final piece of the puzzle. Yes, it might be somewhat rushed between White Tiger's ruse in #507 to this, but it shows that it worked. Matt 'killed' Bullseye of his own free will, not the Snakeroot. How damning is that?

[Francesco]

I'll now make a provocative question:

If DD kills a psychopath who has just stated his intention to kill him, and then his wife, and then all of his friends he is "usurping the very legal system he's sworn to uphold and believe in".

...but if he severs the tendons of upper and lower limbs of a criminal (the Owl, DD #500, when no evil influence could've been involved in any way), paralyzing him forever, it's all okay?
I mean, the legal system he has sworn to uphold and believe in allows him to do that?

[baker]