Daredevil Message Board

[Darkdevil]

[Mike Murdock]

[Dimetre]

This issue consists of three scenes, and one of those scenes consists of two phone calls. I always thought that phone calls were the most visual way to tell a story. (That was sarcasm.)

Melvin tells Ben to tell the story, and that Ben was born to tell this story. I no longer no what the story is. Is the story how Daredevil died? There are no questions about that. Everyone saw it happen. Ben's an experienced reporter. I understand that he has experienced trauma in the past due to Elektra and Lois the nurse, but he isn't some shrinking violet. I understand he's grieving the death of Matt, but I'm assuming he's lost people close to him in the past, and Matt's death should be spurring him forward, and keep him fixated on his goal -- which seems to be finding the meaning of the stupid word.

We found out who the new Daredevil is, and someone on this board called it correctly. Very underwhelming, and it makes you wonder how Ben never knew. Why would Matt have picked him as a disciple? Why would this disciple have such a cavalier attitude about killing that flies in the face of his mentor's views? What did Ben think this guy was up to all these years when he was really being trained by Matt? It doesn't really make much sense.

The scene with Mr. Tanaka had potential, but it ends with Ben simply getting up and walking out of the room, and Tanaka doing nothing to stop him from exiting. He doesn't even walk out from behind his desk. It's a stunningly anti-climactic way to end a scene, because Tanaka seemed to possess some power, and he wanted answers from Ben. Oh, Ben's walking out of the room? Drat.

One more issue to go. One short week until I'm disappointed by the reveal of what Mapone really is.

I give this issue a 1 out of 5. It's not any worse than any of the other issues, but being the seventh out of an eight issue mini-series that has yet to demonstrate its right to exist has its consequences. The single point is for the adequate art of Bill Sienkiewicz and Klaus Janson.

[Francesco]

Can we add to the mysteries: "how the heck did the Punisher escape from prison"?

[james castle]

End of Days Part 7: Ninja Rooming Houses and an ANSWER!

Plot!
1. Daredevil named himself the new Kingpin of Hell’s Kitchen and then slept with Elektra, Echo, Milla and Typhoid Mary and fathered five red headed sons. He also put the Punisher in jail.

2. Fisk came back to New York and Daredevil beat him to death in public. Daredevil and Matt Murdock disappear and no one knows where he went!

3. Black Widow died but before she did she probably had a child. Probably with Matt.

4. Years later Daredevil and Bullseye fight. Bullseye gains the upperhand and right before he kills Daredevil, Daredevil says “Mapone�. The word drives Bullseye crazy. So crazy that he kills himself.

5. That kid from Wake Up is 16 now and lives with Ben. He’s also the New Daredevil! He’s Timmydevil!

6. Nick Fury, Milla, Elektra, Typhoid Mary and Echo don’t know what “Mapone� means.

7. Punisher knows what “Mapone� means. Without being specific he confirms that it was a trigger word that caused Bullseye to kill himself.

8. Punisher escapes prison.

9. The Punisher and Gladiator hint that Matt trained a replacement.

10. While interviewing Bushwacker Ben is pushed out the window by Bullet but Timmydevil swoops and saves Ben.

11. Timmydevil goes back and kills Bullet.

12. Ben goes to see the Owl. Punisher then kills the Owl.

13. Ben goes to see Killgrave but when he gets there Killgrave is dead because the Punisher killed him too.

14. Ben goes and sits in a church and wonders why his story gotten so off track. He even wonders what he’s trying to write. He should have kept a list of Mysteries like I did! Heck he even listed those exact questions. Too bad he didn’t write them down.

15. Gladiator calls Ben and tells him that he found the address Bullseye was presumably living at before he died. Guess what? It’s the Church of the Hand. They’re like Scientology now! Bullseye was living in a Ninja Rooming house. Ben, echoing the reader, having stumbled upon the first lead he’s had in seven issues says “just like that?�. Gladiator says “no, not just like that� leaving all of us to wonder how terrible his book keeping is.

16. Gladiator tells Ben that he should stop investigating because “enough people have died�. Of course this makes no sense because exactly zero people have died because of Ben’s investigation.

17. Ben goes to the Church of the Hand and talks to the head Hand guy who tries to fry his brain and find out who the new Stick is. Ben has no idea what the head Hand guy is talking about and the head Hand guy doesn’t know what Mapone means. Ben escapes by...answering his phone..and...leaving?

18. Luckily the head Hand guy doesn’t follow Ben into the hall. Which is actually super lucky for Ben because Bullseye’s old room is in that same hall and looks basically the same as the hotel room. Wait. So why did Bullseye event rent a hotel room? He could have just stayed in his apartment. Ben wanders in and looks at some computer files and he’s shocked by what’s in them!

19. The Hand shows up and tries to kill Ben. Timmydevil shows up and saves Ben. The Hand keeps trying to kill both of them so The Punisher shows up and saves them both. Well, only Timmydevil because Ben gets an arrow to the chest and Timmydevil reveals himself to be the New Daredevil!

Ben(dis)’s Mysteries!
Why did Matt kill the Kingpin? Nothing.

Why did Matt leave New York? Because he killed the Kingpin (?).

Where did he go? Nothing.

How did Bullseye find him? Nothing but maybe the contents of the computer will tell us?

And what did Matt say with his dying breath? Mapone.

What did it mean? Nick Fury, Milla, Elektra, Mary, Echo, The Gladiator and The Hand don’t know and neither do we. The Punisher knows. But he’s not telling. It made Bullseye kill himself though so it’s somehow connected to him.

Who’s the guy in the Daredevil suit? Timmy! It’s Timmy. Which isn’t that interesting because Timmy was the only named character in the series that it could have been. Honestly, who else could it have been? No one. So it had to be Timmy. And it is Timmy. So. There you go.

Fun Facts!
Illegitimate Kids Shown This Issue: 0.
Running Illegitimate Kid Count: 5 for sure. Maybe 6?
Did What Happens on the Cover Happen: No.
Cliff Hanger: Ben’s dead?

Whose Time is it Anyways?

Wait. So Timmy’s 16 now? When did Matt start to train him? When he was 15? 14? 13?

Now THAT is Decompression!

The panels of Ben looking at the computer. We learn nothing. It’s useless.
_________________
JC

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

[james castle]

[Mike Murdock]

The dialogue in the opening was rough (particularly where his thoughts were interrupted by his screaming in pain in his thoughts). Melvin giving him a random address was a little convenient, but I appreciate his concern that the people Urich talk to die (although, technically, only the Owl died, Urich never got to the Purple Man). While it's probably just an attempt at stalling (make Melvin afraid), it feels like the first time something happened due to the actions of the characters.

The idea that there is a Church of the Hand seems interesting. To me, those are the things I'd have liked this story to be about. I wish Bendis had thought out a history of Daredevil's life for the next ten years and then told the parts that would have made for an interesting story. Instead, we seem to meander through nothingness with the occasional attempt at insight into who Matt was (that either feels wrong or well-trodden) and we'll get an occasional Easter Egg of the future that ends up having no relevance.

Then it breaks down into a big chaotic fight with the hand trying to kill Urich. Punisher showing up was stupid. I hope Urich's not dead, not because I particularly care what happens to him in this story where everyone dies, but because it wouldn't make narrative sense to change characters at this point. But, hey, I predicted who the new Daredevil was. Points for me?

Two and a Half Stars. There's more action, but I couldn't honestly even tell you the point of the story anymore.
_________________
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

[Dimetre]

[Dayle88]

Pump a bit of money in and the government will do anything for you.

[james castle]

[Mike Murdock]

I felt my review was a little long so I deleted a paragraph, but I was going to say the whole thing fell apart when eyes started glowing red (even that ended up as anti-climatic too, fwiw).
_________________
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

[james castle]

In anticipation of the final issue let's set the stage/anticipation with a look at what the critics had to say:

IGN

“Like the issues that came before it, this one was fantastic. Superb storytelling, art, and characterization. Daredevil: End of Days is an incredible series that showed us something we rarely get to see in the world of superhero comic books: the end.� 8.8/10

Comic Book Resources

“Despite that challenge, there is no doubting that this is perhaps one of the consummate Daredevil stories, as the presence of all those crucial to ol' Hornhead spills throughout the pages of "Daredevil: End of Days" #8. There are a lot of talking heads, but there's also plenty of plot advancement, critical reveals and even a few fights as Punisher, Peter Parker and Nick Fury make appearances. The writing duo brings everything home nicely, adding a wrinkle and bit more mystery before buttoning it all up for readers. I even find myself wanting more -- the mark of good storytelling.� 5/5

Exciting!
_________________
JC

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

[Mike Murdock]

Daredevil End of Days #8



Due 5/29
_________________
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

[Dimetre]

Holy crap.

That made no sense.

Okay. Okay. Calm down Dimetre. Calm blue oceans. Calm blue oceans.

So, I just found out what Mapone was. Why would that have driven Bullseye nuts? It wouldn't have.

Punisher told Urich that he knew what Mapone was. But all he told Timmy was that every guy's last word is something for which they feel guilty. So Frank was just being arrogant, and only had an idea of what Mapone represented, not what it specifically was. Frank is such a jerk.

I can accept that Nick knew what Mapone was, but denied such knowledge when Ben asked him earlier. It's kind of infuriating that he offered the file to Timmy, who threw it away even though he was asking both Frank and Peter about Mapone earlier.

I still don't know why Matt chose to train Timmy. And when he did, why didn't he introduce him to Mapone earlier? Did he know that Mapone was what this book says Mapone is?

And why the name MAPONE?! It's so stupid!

And, for the third time on this thread, long before this series came out, it was revealed that the Red Room sterilizes the girls in their Black Widow program. (Read Richard K. Morgan's Black Widow: Homecoming. It's a much better read than this.) But, clearly, Bendis doesn't read anything other than his own work, as is the case with all of this world's greatest writers.

And, you know, before this issue we weren't led to think that Mapone might be Timmy's future sensei. That all came out this issue. Kind of made the Mapone mystery of the previous seven issues kind of a wild goose chase.

I don't see how this series could have ended any more stupidly. It all makes absolutely NO SENSE!

I have read a whole lot of crap written by Bendis, but I think this is him at his most incompetent. I give this half a mark out of 5, and that half a mark is for Bill Sienkiewicz. This is garbage.

(You know what really sucks about this? Batman v Superman just opened at a second-run movie theatre in my neighbourhood, so I just saw it last night. So that was crappy already. And then I read this today. My brain deserves better than this.)

[james castle]

End of Days Part 8: You Gotta Be Kiddin’ Me.

"Plot"

1. Daredevil named himself the new Kingpin of Hell’s Kitchen.

2. He had a relationship with Black Widow and had a daughter named Mapone. Presumably he sort of abandoned both Black Widow and his daughter at some point.

3. He then went on to sleep with Elektra, Echo, Milla and Typhoid Mary and father five red headed sons - all of which he also abandoned. He also put the Punisher in jail.

4. Fisk came back to New York and Daredevil beat him to death in public. Daredevil and Matt Murdock disappeared and no one knew where he went.

5. Black Widow died.

6. Matt trained Timmy to be the new Daredevil. Which is a bit of an odd choice because Timmy was in his early to mid teens.

7. Matt somehow learned that Bullseye was “back� and told Timmy that he’s off to fight him. Matt also told Timmy that he’s now taught him everything he knows. Well, everything except that heroes don’t kill. You’d think you’d start with that? Or at least that it would make it into the curriculum somewhere.

8. Matt also told Timmy about the importance of fathers. Which is a bit rich given that Matt has had and abandoned 6 children in the last 8ish years at this point.

9. Daredevil and Bullseye fought. Bullseye gained the upperhand and right before he killed Daredevil, Daredevil said “Mapone� - the name of his first born. The word drove Bullseye crazy for literally no plausible reason. Bullseye somehow guessed the correct spelling of a word that he nor anyone else was that familiar with and then killed himself.

10. Timmy became Timmydevil.

11. Nick Fury, Milla, Elektra, Typhoid Mary and Echo don’t know what “Mapone� means. Oh wait. Nick Fury does but he just lies about it to Ben because, as he tells Timmy later on “it’s not like that, kid� (Bendis is terrible. He’s literally the worst).

12. Punisher pretended he knew what “Mapone� means. He said that it was a trigger word that caused Bullseye to kill himself but he’s 100% wrong about this. Why did he sound so authoritative then? Just to be a dick?

13. Punisher escaped prison.

14. While interviewing Bushwacker Ben was pushed out the window by Bullet but Timmydevil swooped and saved him.

15. Timmydevil then went back and killed Bullet.

16. Ben went to see the Owl and then the Punisher then killed the Owl. Ben went to see Killgrave but when he got there Killgrave was dead because the Punisher shot him.

17. Ben went to the Church of the Hand and talked to the head Hand guy who tried to fry his brain to find out who Stick is now. Ben escaped and found Bullseye’s old room. Ben wandered in and looked at some computer files and was shocked by what’s in them! Not that we’ll ever find out what he saw. Honestly. We never find out.

18. The Hand showed up and tried to kill Ben. Timmydevil showed up and saved Ben. The Hand kept trying to kill both of them so The Punisher showed up and saves them both except Ben died.

19. J. Jonah Jameson lost his mind and read an article about Matt’s life that Ben wrote at Ben’s funeral. Peter Parker finally revealed himself as an idiot by noting that “Jonah reading [Ben’s] last work� was a “nice touch�. No it wasn’t. It was wildly inappropriate.

20. Timmy went to Fogwell’s gym where there is a really confusing shrine to Matt. Why would someone leave a picture of Maggie there? Did Maggie leave it? Why? Who else knows that Maggie is Matt’s mom? What on earth are Elektra’s sai doing there?

21. Punisher showed up and again pretended to know what “Mapone� means even though he doesn’t. What a dickhead.

22. Timmy went to have a drink with Peter when Fury shows up and tries to tell Timmy that Mapone is Matt’s daughter. Timmy, inexplicably didn’t care and walked away. Luckily Mapone was there and tells him that she’s Matt’s daughter, kinda, and that her name is also Stick.

Ben(dis)’s Mysteries!

Why did Matt kill the Kingpin? Nothing.
Why did Matt leave New York? Nothing.
Where did he go? Nothing.
How did Bullseye find him? He didn’t.
And what did Matt say with his dying breath? Mapone.
What did it mean? The name of his daughter.
Who’s the guy in the Daredevil suit? Timmy.

Fun Facts!

Illegitimate Kids Shown This Issue: 1.
Running Illegitimate Kid Count: 6.
Did What Happens on the Cover Happen: No.
Cliff Hanger: Why does Bendis still have a job?

Whose Time is it Anyways?

So, Timmy was 6 in Wake Up and he’s 16 now. Assuming that Matt didn’t have a daughter with Black Widow during Wake Up (which he didn’t) Mapone is AT THE OLDEST 10 years old.

Now THAT is Decompression!

The Entire Series. Honestly, this thing is pure, pure, pure trash. Sets up a bunch of mysteries that never get solved and then just completely craps the bed on the two mysteries it does deliver on (Timmy being Daredevil and Mapone being Matt’s daughter). Such. Such. Such trash.
_________________
JC

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