Daredevil Message Board

[Kuljit Mithra]

DAREDEVIL #3 ships January 27th, and here is a preview:



http://www.manwithoutfear.com/gallery/Daredevil-V5-003

Please use this thread for all discussion on the issue by Soule, Garney, Milla and Cowles. There are 2 variants, one a design variant by Garney and another by Paolo Rivera.

Of note, the cover to the design variant says "001" on it, but the contents are "003".
_________________
Kuljit Mithra
www.manwithoutfear.com

[Dimetre]

Roughly a full half of this issue is taken up by the scene continuing from the final scene of issue #2. The predominant colour throughout this scene reminds me of a red wine stain. For the previous two issues, I found Matt Milla's muted colours gave the book an appropriately sombre tone, but if we're going to spend a full half issue with one washed out colour, then it becomes tiresome. When we had a change of colour with the rooftop scene, it came as a big relief.

The fight with The Hand was fine. I could have used more dissolving of fallen Hand ninja, but this was okay. Tenfingers was basically off to the side the whole time, so I don't know if he's a physical threat at all.

I realize it wasn't Charles Soule's choice to have this mystery around Matt's return to New York, his reinstatement to the bar, and his change of costume. I realize it's a Marvel-wide thing. That realization doesn't make it less annoying. Three issues in, and all we know is that this change in status quo was Matt's choice. He says he "gave up everything for a new beginning..."

I gave this a three, which is what I gave the first two issues. However, I think each issue has been a little less good so far. There doesn't seem to be much that happened this issue, and that's probably because the fight scene consumed way too many pages. We probably didn't need that double splash page. There's nothing in this issue that bothers me, but there's nothing that thrilled me either. (Although I did enjoy, "A life's a life. And in my presence, if there's anything I can do about it... no one dies. Not in my city.")

[Mike Murdock]

This is the first issue I'm reading just when it came out. That's pretty cool!

This issue picks up where the last one left off with a fight about to break out. I like Daredevil's moment of hesitation but clear decision. He's gotta stop a fight, even this one. It takes up about the first issue, but it was good for what it was. I like that the Hand are shown as absolutely ruthless. Matt's gone from wanting to stop this guy to concerned for everyone in that cult.

Matt returns to the DA's office to get reemed out by his boss. As a defense attorney, I've never had the experience dealing with that, but, dealing with prosecutors, I get the impression that their bosses supervision is constant. So this rings true to me, even if it's a bit extreme (he wasn't the guy defending his witness, there were people who should have taken care of that). More importantly, though, it allows Matt to be the low man on the totem pole, which I hope will lead to some interesting stories going forward. Plus, if he's essentially in the New York City DA's office equivalent of the night shift, it'll be much harder to be Daredevil (which can lead to the classic Matt shirking his day job stories).

I know I'm harping on the costume, but I really would like to see Matt Milla color the red costume. In some scenes, this costume comes across as red. If they colored it like that all the time, it could easily be something that was unchanged. Maybe if it's too much to hope they revert tomorrow, maybe a flashback to his redsuit days. I enjoy the art team and think it would be cool. Speaking of art, I like the full page (with mini-panel) action scene. Quite a vicious fight. I think Matt looks better drawn this week (one panel in particular, right after the digital copy sticker in the bottom left looks like classic Matt, as opposed to the previous couple weeks, which could be pretty rough).

Good continuation. Maybe a bit light on the development side of things. Half the issue is an action sequence and the rest just built the plot a bit more. I'd like to see characters shine too. Four Stars, although I agree with Dimetre that each issue has been less good. I disagree with wanting the mystery with his identity resolved. To me, that can wait. The important thing is to explore and utilize the new status quo and use it effectively.

ETA: I edited my avatar to be the drawing I mentioned of Matt Murdock
_________________
Matt Murdock's cooler twin brother

Not sure what to read next? Check out the Book Club for some ideas!

I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
Thomas More - A Man for All Seasons

[Thayrone Ibsen]

I'm getting the idea that Soule can't quite write Daredevil. What is he doing, really? How can someone start a new volume (trying to make some other revolution on the character) with an arc that's five parts but gets nowhere in the first three? Just WHAT is the menace of Tenfingers? Just what is the appeal on Blindspot (looks like we already know everything about him and it's not so intriguing). Damn, Soule doesn't even do DD's power justice! This is the weakest beginning of a run since volume IV, and that's cause for worry, because writers always come with their A-games right in the beginning, to prove what they're here for. Can we really expect it to get better, since the first steps are already so disappointing? The impression I get is that this run is good only in not being what volume IV was, including the visual art aspect.

[Dayle88]

It's all personal taste but I wouldn't outright say it might not improve for you because these are Soule's first issues. Just as many writers pick up steam after they've settled in as the ones who start hot and fade.

[Ash-n-Bone]

Okay maybe I've just missed it over the years of reading DD, but is that small dragon-looking icon on the Hand ninja's mask their "logo"?

Because to me it looks like The Steel Serpent.

Anyway. I'm still enjoying this run but ill admit this issue is the weakest so far.

However I also agree that it's the best Matt's looked since it started. It actually looks like the Matt we're used to.

Story wise, it was decent. Things got much more interesting after the fight and the ending was unexpected.

In terms of art, I also felt that the same red used for the entire sequence brought it down. Garney's work is great as always and he continues to deliver.

Overall, I'd say 6.5/10.

[Mike Murdock]

[Daredevil24]

This was my favorite issue of the series.I love seeing DD fight the Hand and look threatening again.It's amazing how some people were so supportive of Waid's very different take from issue 1 and are so quick to call out Soule for being slow. It will take time to move the story forward since he was pretty much forced to start fresh.This is the most I've in enjoyed DD in years! I'm pumped! Can't wait to see Sould write Elektra! It's bound to be better than the way Waid handled her.

[Mike Murdock]

Speed isn't my biggest complaint. To me, I'm more bothered by the lack of characters and character development in the non-costumed side. Normally I wouldn't even necessarily require it for Matt, but we're talking a brand new Matt, so I'd like to see something. But, even leaving that aside, there's nobody with personality in Matt's office. I don't need the DA to get personality - he's basically Robert Morgenthau, but are there anyone else in that office? How about on the other end? He went to the trouble of introducing a sidekick. Let's give that guy some more development.

If the A-plot develops this slowly, that's fine. But spend some time with development during that time. Otherwise, yeah, the plot should have done more with the time it spent. I don't think half an issue should be taken up with a single fight unless it's one hell of a fight.
_________________
Matt Murdock's cooler twin brother

Not sure what to read next? Check out the Book Club for some ideas!

I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
Thomas More - A Man for All Seasons

[DesignDevil]

Another amazing issue from Soule and Garney.
I enjoyed every panel of the fight. Soule is definitely going for a slow burn as far as the story goes, but I'm fine with it. Matt's boss continues to be an ass, but Soule has done decent job showing that he doesn't like Matt and the unorthodox way he came to be part of the DA's office so it works that he's taking the opportunity to knock him down. Though you'd think he'd be chewing out the security people and not a blind guy. I am hoping more clues to the mystery of Matt's new life start coming soon.

Mainly I just love that Matt Murdock continues to speak and act like an adult under Charles Soule's pen instead of a student at Riverdale High. I can tolerate some mistakes in Matt's powers.

[Daredevil24]

[Darkdevil]

This was another solid issue, Soule is moving the pace along nicely. I like Matt's lingering doubts and concerns over Tenfingers' true motivations and goals. If you're going to be bold enough to steal power away from the Hand, then you'd have to expect them to retaliate in the most deadliest of ways. Yet Tenfingers seems unfazed by this prospect. So what is his end game? The mystery deepens.

The fight scenes were very well done. I'm still loving this new costume design, the red highlights play off very well against the muted colors of the backgrounds. (The double-page spread was great). Interestingly, Sam's mother notices his effects and hits during the fight. Will any suspicions arise within her about who Blindspot may be? Again, I hope Soule takes the time to really develop Sam's relationship with his mother and how this affects his loyalties.

I loved the little conversation between DD and Blindspot afterwards. DD tries to explain the seriousness of the situation while Sam expresses his disbelief.
"You know that sounds crazy, right?"
"Not in my world."

As for the mystery surrounding how Matt restored his secret identity, I'm okay with the slow reveal. I don't want all the answers given to me within the dialogue of the first panel of page one of the first issue. Remember, for most of these characters, this is a past event that occurred during the 8 month gap. We're seeing the repercussions of it. I'm perfectly fine with how the characters refer to it amongst themselves.

(Over in Extraordinary X-Men, Jeff Lemire is handling a similar situation with a terror attack that Cyclops executed during the gap, an event that worsened human/mutant relations terribly and apparently left Cyclops dead. We don't know the exact details of the attack, we're seeing the consequences)

So, the clues given so far are intriguing. The DA mentioned pressure from the Mayor's office to readmit Matt to the Bar. Pressure from whom? Matt indicates that he had a choice in the matter and perhaps the execution of how this was done. Who gave him that choice? It's a good mystery that I think Soule is handling correctly so far.

Lastly, refresh my memory. If Tenfingers was once part of the Hand, then what are the chances that he knows Murdock is DD from that association? And thus the last page here is more than just coincidence?

Another 4 star issue for me.

[Acerbus]

The star of this issue, for me, was the interplay between Daredevil and Blindspot. I'm going to be honest: I was skeptical when I heard about Daredevil having a 'sidekick', but Soule has handled the character's introduction very sensitively, maintaining Daredevil's independence while cultivating more of a sensei / apprentice dynamic than any cliché 'Dynamic Duo' goofiness.

If I have one glaring critique, it would be of the not-so-subtle illegal immigration preaching during the rooftop sequence. Not the first instance in this run so far, either. As an Arizonan - and someone who's done extensive volunteer work with Mexican families on both sides of the border - when I think of individuals I would consider an authority on illegal immigration, 'Brooklyn lawyer-turned-comic-writer' is scraping near the bottom of said list. If Soule wants to engender legitimate realism on the subject, instead of a sob story about 'not being able to get insurance' (*chuckle*) he'll need a subplot where Blindspot steals someone's social security number for said insurance, walks out on his bill, and ruins their credit in the process. It's a bit of a slanted, naive, East Coast portrayal of a more complex issue. One of many in modern comics, sadly (glaring in your general direction, Bendis). A small issue, but one that's fast becoming a recurrent one, so I felt it needed to be addressed.

Still a solid story overall, however. The Hand politics, and their connection with the church, is a deft method of tying a seemingly new narrative element into the established Daredevil mythos, and I'm really digging it.

Another well-done (and particularly well illustrated) issue, but a few problems bog it down, in my opinion. 3/5

[JoeWithoutFear]