Daredevil Message Board

[Dave Wallace]

Hi guys,

My review of the new issue is up:

http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/12064645781744.htm

Great stuff as always.

Dave

[jumonji]

Read it! Psyched to read the actual issue, which now sounds even more interesting than I would have thought. Thanks as always for your enticing yet spoiler-free reviews!
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The Other Murdock Papers

[Dave Wallace]

No worries! Thanks for your responses.

[jumonji]

Taking my own advice, I figured I'd add my proverbial two cents before going on my trip. I'll say this: I liked this issue quite a bit. I didn't love it. One of the things that really brought it down for me was the art. Michael Lark on this issue would have made it twice as good in my opinion. Having said that, I like Bru's storytelling here and how he uses Ben, Foggy and Dakota to tell the story. I also agree, to an extent, with those saying that we've been here before (I've read every review I was able to find on the "Internets" and that was a point that was brought up again and again), but the handling of this meltdown feels a little different. Compared to what we've seen before, it's uglier in a way. I can't quite put my finger on it, but to the extent that this story rehashes old themes, it at least does it well. Like a really good cover to a song everyone already knows.

When I first saw the previews, I was a little disappointed that there was a one month jump between what happened in #105 and what happens here. I was thinking that I would have liked to see more of what happened in that month, but when reading the whole issue the one-month jump really works for me. It tells us just how bad Matt's situation is and how long he's gone without reaching out to anyone. It also tells us that nothing much has actually happened in that month aside from Matt skipping work and beating up thugs.

I also like Dakota as the one doing the driving chores for Matt when he goes to see Milla (something one would otherwise imagine Foggy doing). This shows Dakota really being brought more and more into Matt's inner circle and I really like the character, so that's all good. The twist that he's not allowed to see his wife anymore is really heartbreaking, but I think that was the one scene where I missed Lark the most.

The brawl in the bar also brings up the very fragile nature of Matt's "secret" identity, and Bru keeps confirming over and over again that the outing itself was never undone. The public perception is still that he is in fact Daredevil, and even the situation Ben finds himself in, arguing with one of his reporters, shows us just how delicate Matt's situation is.

So where do we go from here? While Daredevil's world clearly belongs in the grim and gritty category it's about time for Bru to start putting this guy's life back together. This is really depressing stuff, even more so because of the overt mention of all the other people he's lost in his life (though kudos to Bru for mentioning Heather and Glorianna!). We need to see that spark in there that keeps him going, and good things need to start happening to Matt. I wouldn't want the only thing standing between him and suicide to be that he's not a coward (or that he's a Catholic). At the end of the day, though, I really like what Bru is doing. More importantly, I trust him. I trust that he knows what he's doing and that he knows where he's going.

One last question... On the last page, it says that "Cruel and Unusual" starts next month. Aren't they skipping one month and only doing the special? If it had said next issue, that would have been less confusing.
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The Other Murdock Papers

[Kuljit Mithra]

[jumonji]

[Dave Wallace]

[Dimetre]

I wasn't crazy about the artwork either. Azaceta's artwork looks more like illustrations from a children's book. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but his work actually would look good in that forum. At times I was thinking that some of his drawings of Foggy had a Bob Cratchit feel to them, so he should do a children's adaption of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. But not Daredevil.

Anyway, things are mighty crappy for Matt Murdock right now. There has to be an upturn coming pretty soon.

[Gloria]

[SouthernHero]

I actually really enjoyed Azaceta's artwork. It had a cool feel to it. It wouldn't have worked in a sci-fi type of setting, but it worked on street level.

Otherwise this issue was a bore.
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Middle Class Fabulous

[prowess]

I can't even see why Azaceta is even on Daredevil, I mean Michael Lark was doing fine without him. Does anyone know if he's ever leaving?

[train]

it's my understanding that Lark needed a break. this was only a fill in issue to give Lark some time

[Gloria]

yes, I understand that one of the reasons for the fill-in artists is to give Lark a small break. I don't mind fill-ins of this type (Aja, Weeks, Azaceta...) as the quality IMHO, has been quite good.

I didn't love the preview art, but once I read the actual issue I quite liked Azaceta's work. True, I love Lark and will be delighted to have him back in 107, but I believe that Azaceta's done a good job: his style in #106 is adequate to the story, as his work in BPRD 1946 is adequate for the Mignola-verse.
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Gloria
Devuélveme el rosario de mi madre y quédate con todo lo demás

"Para la cuesta arriba quiero mi burro, que la cuesta abajo yo me la subo"

[Ian]

Yeah, I'm not very impressed with the art either. I think that Paul Azaceta's art would have been fine for almost any other filler-issue, but this one had such a gravity to the writing that it just deserved someone like Maleev or Lark to really carry the weight. I wish that Lark had picked a different issue to take a rest on, you know? I just don't feel that Azaceta was up for the job.
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"Show me a superhero without a first aid kit, an I'll show you a NUT!" (Daredevil #9)