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DD Book Club - Daughter of a Dark Wind

 
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 20, 2023 8:59 pm    Post subject: DD Book Club - Daughter of a Dark Wind Reply with quote

I'd have to double check, but I think this might be the only Dennis O'Neil story we haven't covered. It's a five issue story leading to the anniversary issue of #200.

Daredevil Vol. 1 #196 - Enemies

Quote:
Bullseye is a hopeless cripple... isn't he? But that may not continue to be the case in this tale guest-starring Wolverine!


Due 3/25
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Dimetre
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Guest appearances didn't get much bigger than this in the 80s. Wolverine was one of Marvel's hottest characters due to Chris Claremont and John Byrne's legendary run on Uncanny X-Men. He's never been a favourite of mine though. I kind of resented his enormous popularity, when there were so many X-Men I found cooler, like Storm and Nightcrawler. I'm sure that a lot of Wolverine fans snapped this issue up when it hit the stands.

It was a good idea to tease the return of Bullseye, and to allude to the Weapon X program as a way to make that happen. That explains Wolverine's guest appearance, and you get to showcase the differences between him and our title hero. However, it does retread the ground Frank Miller covered in "Child's Play" when Matt ran into the Punisher, and this just isn't as high-stakes or memorable.

The art is the weakest element in this book. Klaus Janson's work just looks rushed. It looks as if he left it until the last minute, and that editor Linda Grant had no choice but to accept it with not time for improvements. Klaus Janson is one of the most important artists in Daredevil history, but by this time of his career he had stopped caring. It hurts to type that, but the lack of effort is undeniable. We're going to need a change of artist soon.

I haven't read this issue and the next few in years. I can't remember how the return of Bullseye was handled, but it should be interesting to have Daredevil visit Japan. However, I can't give this issue high marks, because the whole affair seems rushed. I give this a three out of five.
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Mike Murdock
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 6:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

These days, a Wolverine cameo would feel gratuitous, but this was fairly early. Obviously, a crossover with a character from Claremont's X-Men is sure to boost sales, but it seems the other connection is that this story has to do with Japan and Wolverine has got connections there. All of the relevant information is given very early. The bad guys are some kind of Japanese crime syndicate who capture Bullseye so they can fix his spine.

The real charm of the issue is in the team up. Daredevil uses his regular methods with Turk. Wolverine just has to be more violent about it. They eventually make it to the pier where they are confronted by twenty people. The fight is good, but it's a little bit confusingly designed. I almost missed that Tarkington Brown (the guy from last issue) tried to kill DD and Wolverine cut him up. Honestly, that moment seemed to come out of nowhere. DD makes the choice to save Brown's life rather than go after Bullseye, even though Brown will die soon anyway. It's a good moment that sums up his character and feels a little bit like issue #169 when he saved Bullseye.

Overall, I think this issue is a solid start. It moves very quickly. Some of the dialogue feels a little stilted and exposition heavy. Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that I know it's a Denny O'Neil issue, I could see confusing this for a Nocenti issue - especially with the X-Men crossover. Four Stars.
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Mike Murdock
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Daredevil Vol. 1 #197 - Journey

Quote:
Will Bullseye recover, enabling him to threaten once again those that Daredevil holds dear? Will Daredevil stop him? And... should he?


Due 4/1
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Dimetre
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This issue is notable for two reasons.

First, it marked the Daredevil debut of artist William Johnson, and I think it was a good one. By this point, and following the departure of Frank Miller, it seems to me that Klaus Janson's work ethic had taken a downturn. As I wrote earlier in this thread, the previous issue seemed like a rush job, especially by Janson. It was time for Janson to go, and Johnson was a notable improvement. Throughout this Book Club, I have commented on the enormous length of characters' legs under Johnson's pencils, but they look normal and healthy in this issue.

For comics fans, this issue marks the first appearance of Yuriko Oyama, later to be known as Lady Deathstrike, one of the X-Men's most enduring villains. I'm not well-read when it comes to the X-Men, so I don't know how she goes from the damsel in distress she is in this issue to a supervillain, but it's clear that she knows more than she's telling Daredevil, and that her tie to Dark Wind is more than she's letting on.

Denny O'Neil had a reputation for taking his heroes out of their typical setting and transporting them to strange lands. Long before this issue he took Batman out of Gotham City and put him in a globetrotting adventure against Ra'as Al Ghuul. Here, Matt goes to Japan to prevent Dark Wind from healing Bullseye from his paralysis. As much as I love Daredevil fighting for the safety of Hell's Kitchen, it's good to take the character to a fresh setting if only to give the series a different flavour from time to time. O'Neil does it well, just as Ed Brubaker did decades later when Matt went to Europe.

The fights are well-handled, and Bullseye's character is true to the Miller era. It's a good issue that promises better in the next. It's making me want to read the next one, so it's doing it's job, but I can't say that there's very much of note in this issue. I give this one a 3.5 out of 5.
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Mike Murdock
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After last issue, this one feels like it has a weird beginning. The vigilante cop story has far more continuing repercussions than I previously remembered, but the decision to throw dynamite into the mix feels weird. I'm sure it's to add an extra disadvantage to the mix, but it feels contrived.

Daredevil arrives in Japan faster than the ship he's pursuing. He sneaks onboard and rescues a prisoner. This prisoner is Yuriko. Unless I'm badly misremembering, she's noteworthy because she'll eventually be Wolverine villain Lady Deathstrike. Currently, she's nothing like that future character. Instead, she's just someone Daredevil rescues who is providing useful information.

It's a solid enough story as it's developing. It's clearly Denny O'Neil is enjoying developing the Japanese aspects of the story. There's also some fun fight scenes that are mixing in some martial arts moments. Otherwise, it's a fairly slow story overall. Four Stars.
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Daredevil Vol. 1 #198 - Touch of a Stranger

Quote:
Daredevil's pursuit of the missing Bullseye takes him out of the country and into... what?


Due 4/8
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I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
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Dimetre
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think this issue picks up the pace nicely from the previous one. O'Neil draws nicely from the Miller era while doing his own thing.

A phone to Ben Urich informs us of Dark Wind's backstory, all while Matt is being attacked. Matt takes care of his attacker, picks up the phone and says, "Sorry for the interruption Ben." His radar detects another attack in the very next panel. It's a great mix of comedy and action.

I'm enjoying the psychic link between Daredevil and Bullseye. Dark Wind says, "When men hate greatly, a link is forged between them." No writer has followed up on that since O'Neil, and perhaps it's for the best, but the hate between these two is among the greatest in comics, so I wouldn't mind if that link returned.

The issue is pretty much attack after attack on Matt, and him getting out of it. Artist William Johnson does a great job with each fight, the action flowing beautifully from panel to panel. The page showing Matt leaping on the back of a gunman, then gettling flipped in the next panel, landing on his feet in the next and kicking the gunman in the face is fantastic.

Matt and Yuriko travel over land and sea to get to Bullseye and Dark Wind, and Matt is relentless. O'Neil has such a strong handle on Matt's character in this issue. He shows how Daredevil won't back out of a fight. He shows Matt's frustration when he can't question his attacker because of the language barrier. When Yuriko calls Matt merciful, he answers, "Not necessarily. Not always. Just not a killer."

The comic's final panel suggests that Matt and Yuriko engage in adult relations, even though she's in love with another man. I guess I can understand, since Kira is under Dark Wind's thumb. I think it's just something to bring them momentary comfort, and it doesn't have to be anything more than that.

This issue shows some very strong work from O'Neil and Johnson, and it's a great adventure. A reader couldn't help but be stoked for the next issue. I give this 4.5 out of 5.
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Mike Murdock
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

First off, the cover to this issue is absolutely beautiful. It has a different vibe than what we're used to. The early part of the issue has Matt and Yukio heading towards Lord Darkwind. Matt calls Ben Urich for some info. It's a nice dynamic that works for a reason. It probably shouldn't be overused, but it's comforting. He's attacked along the way. You can tell O'Neil's admiration for Japan during this time when he plays up the modernity of the country. Probably the weirdest part is there's an empathic connection between Daredevil and Bullseye that seems a bit forced.

The journey continues. It's revealed (not surprisingly) that Yukio is Lord Darkwind's daughter. Each moment works well, but I think it works best for its atmosphere, which is really hard to describe. Still, I really liked this one. Four and a Half Stars.
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I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
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Mike Murdock
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 7:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So sorry I forgot to post one last week because I got distracted by Easter. No worries, here it is:

Daredevil Vol. 1 #199 - Daughter of a Dark Wind

Quote:
As the Kingpin hatches plots in New York, Daredevil comes face to face in Japan with the mysterious Dark Wind, the group behind the attempted resurrection of Bullseye.


4/22
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Dimetre
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is some fantastic action in this issue. Daredevil and Yuriko have to work their way through waves of Dark Wind's henchmen, and Bullseye is true to form. He has no honour and his word is worth nothing. All that matters is his own gain.

Daredevil is fantastic in this issue, just as he was in the previous.

My only problem is that writer Denny O'Neil seems to be borrowing heavily from his Ra'as Al Ghul story from Batman. Daredevil seems to doubt Yuriko's willingness to defy her father (similar to Talia) and Dark Wind has this this grand goal that will involve him having to mercilessly inflict a death sentence across society (similar to Ra'as). There are some differences.

Artist William Johnson did another fantastic job. I particularly liked the crumbling dust from the opening splash page. Again, his flow from panel-to-panel with the fight scenes is thrilling.

If you can handle the similarities to Ra'as Al Ghul, this was a very good three-parter, all leading to Bullseye's thrilling return for the 200th issue! I give this a four out of five.
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Mike Murdock
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2023 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is a fun issue. The highlight are the action scenes with Matt in his Japanese outfit. Him with the bows is a good example. Lord Darkwind identifies himself as a traditionalist and he wants Bullseye to assassinate a Japanese government official so it makes sense he uses traditional weapons even if it puts him at a disadvantage (Denny O'Neil will do this more explicitly a little while later with Crossbow).

Daredevil and Yuriko move closer to their target while Bullseye escapes. It's funny that after everything, Bullseye just straigh up refuses since he isn't getting paid. DD fights well, but the earthquakes are causing him trouble. In a moment of helplessness facing Darkwind, Yuriko stabs her father. It's a good moment, but everything does happen very quickly.

Four Stars. Good action but very quickly paced, which leads to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion.
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I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last issue of this story!

Daredevil Vol. 1 #200 - Redemption

Quote:
Daredevil finally catches up with Bullseye in New York City, and it ain't pretty!


4/29
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I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
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Dimetre
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Joined: 16 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fights between Daredevil and Bullseye are always momentous, and this 200th episode is a good one. My problem with this issue is that it has Matt struggling internally in a way I just don't buy, and I'm not sure writer Denny O'Neil buys into it either.

This is O'Neil's sixth issue of Daredevil, and at no time before did he ever have Matt show a willingness to kill. But this issue hearkens back to the then-recent Frank Miller run, including the amazing #181, when Matt allowed Bullseye to fall from a great height. As Matt nears Bullseye's hideout, he has an internal monologue.
Quote:
...Nobody around. Nobody to interfere --
-- when I'm killing Bullseye.
I failed the first time I tried. I won't fail now. I'll make sure he's dead.
Ever since that day I let him drop to what I thought was his death, I've been in torment.
I've been crushed under some terrible, nameless burden.
Tonight will be my deliverance.

As I've typed before, I never felt that Matt allowing Bullseye to drop was his attempt to kill him. I simply think that Bullseye gave him no other choice than to drop him. Either Bullseye drops or they both drop. So, all of Matt's musing about murdering Bullseye was nonsensical to me.

There is also a reference to #191, when Bullseye says this...
Quote:
But then... then you snuck into my hospital room with a gun and I figgered, okay... he's gonna finish what he started.
But you didn't. You blabbed at me for an hour about your old man and a lotta other stuff --
-- and you walked away without shooting. Treated me like dirt... like I wasn't worth killing.

While I like the look into Bullseye's twisted thought process, I never thought that Daredevil's words in #191 were spoken out loud. It wouldn't make sense to me if they were. He wouldn't reveal his secret identity to Bullseye, especially after fooling him in #181. And Miller never drew Daredevil with his mouth open in his scenes with Bullseye in #191.

Otherwise, it's a good fight issue, helped by Bullseye's admission that he wants Daredevil to live so he'll be tormented by each one of his future murders. Artist William Johnson again does a great job with the fight scenes, but here we have the debut of his enormously long legs. Check out the opening splash page. Bullseye's gams have to have him clocking in at 6 foot 5 inches at least.

Still, this issue is burdened by the lesson that I don't think Matt needed to be taught. All the flashbacks with his father, telling him to not be what he isn't, and then Matt snaps out of it, realizing that he isn't a killer. It lands hollow, and that's a big problem.

I give this a three and a half out of five.
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Mike Murdock
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2023 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Issue #200 is a big anniversary issue and it's been building to the return of Bullseye. The opening splash sums it up better than I could. He's back! But it does feel like he has even greater motive to hate Daredevil since Kingpin currently holds him in lower esteem. With Kingpin and Bullseye, it feels very nostalgic for Frank Miller. Turk and Grotto returning is another reason for it. It's a funny scene - the perfect amount of humor for a classic DD comic.

There's a very brief moment of Matt's childhood with his dad. For an anniversary issue, it makes sense, but it really isn't referenced again (although the idea of taking inspiration from his dad does pop in in The Man Without Fear, iirc). It also references Matt's mother as if she recently left (or recently died, more likely).

But we're not here for that. We're here for a fight with Bullseye. The fight is very good with some good moments. Bullseye gets talky towards the end, which leads to a weird moment. The narrative in Daredevil #191 makes the most sense if it's actually in Matt's head. If he's telling Bullseye, he would be revealing all the information that could let him figure out his secret identity. But, in this issue, we find out he was in fact telling him everything; But I can forgive it because the surrounding context where Bullseye beats Matt and threatens to walk away but tell him every time he kills someone. This is enough for Matt to jump in to fight him back. Then it's revealed that Matt did try to kill him in their epic fight. He thinks about doing it here, but decides against it because he remembers his dad's words to be true to himself and he's no killer. So he subdues Bullseye and walks away.

I've felt that Dennis O'Neil does a really good job of doing quintessential Daredevil stories. They aren't necessarily perfect, but they are a perfect distillation of what a stereotypical story is. The art was also beautiful. My biggest complaint about this issue is that it ruins some of the ambiguity of other stories, which I didn't think was necessary. But it tells a very good story in its own right and it's a good conclusion of this whole story arc. Four and a Half Stars.
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I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
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