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DD Book Club - Without Fear
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Posts: 1750

PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Daredevil Vol. 2 #103 - Without Fear Part 4

Quote:
Daredevil tears Hell's Kitchen apart searching for Mr. Fear, the only man who can stop his wife from going insane, while the Hood's minions fight Fear's people for control of the neighborhood.


Due 8/8
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Dimetre
Underboss


Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 1366
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark do I nice job building a sense of dread throughout this issue. Between Lily's unorthodox behaviour and Matt's increasing desperation, the reader gets a sense that wherever this story is headed, it's nowhere good.

We open on what is probably my least favourite scene from Brubaker's run -- the Wrecking Crew wreaking havoc on the streets of New York, and Daredevil just watching from above. I get that he's focused on finding out where the Enforcers and Fear have gone, but it's a bad look. It makes him look too passive, and it also speaks to a sense of selfishness on Matt's part. It's as though the rest of the world can go to hell as long as his wife's problem is addressed. At least Brubaker wrote that Matt was ready to fly in if an innocent got hurt, but he didn't later on when Matt didn't bother helping the riot police go up against Ox's crew.

Otherwise, this issue is very strong. There is a lot for the reader to ponder. What is Lily up to visiting Milla? Is the nurse on the up and up? Just how far will Daredevil's character harden?

This issue is a great example of one of Brubaker's greatest strengths -- writing from the point of view of a cunning master-planner. We get right into Matt's head as he leaves his house, questions Chico and Merv, crosses town to find Fancy Dan and the Doctor, and then chases down Ox. Throughout this process Lark did some great work. His details are unreal. Check out all the links in the chains surrounding ox, or all the flowers surrounding Lily as she stands at Milla's door. However, I love how horrifically the panels were arranged as Milla reached for her knife block, and then held the knife over her wrist. There's that sense of dread again, pervading this entire issue.

I have to dock points for how willing Daredevil was to overlook a lot of violence in this issue, but the rest of this issue is a masterclass on how to maintain a mood. I give this issue a 3.5 out of 5.
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Posts: 1750

PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 8:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The opening is tough. I think I mentioned Matt's tunnel vision before. This time, it's a little different. He's not reckless. He's cold and calculating. But he's willingly allowing supervillains to wreck the city and doing nothing. Of course, there's an out that no innocents are being harmed. That being said, Brubaker does a good job showing how Milla is at home, which shows the urgency of what Matt is doing.

The scene with Lilly and the DA is just icky. It's very obvious how her powers are working, but it's also very subtle.

I didn't love how this one ends. Lilly continues to piss me off and Matt continues to seemingly cross lines. The ending just left a bad taste. That being said, I liked a lot of the earlier stuff. Four Stars.
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I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
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fubarthepanda
Flying Blind


Joined: 01 Jul 2020
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 6:43 pm    Post subject: Daredevil #103 Reply with quote

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't take DD this many issues to track down a stooge like Mr. Fear, but Brubaker isn't done twisting the knife in Matt's side, so we get see him shirking his duties, making rookie mistakes, and -- say it isn't so! -- torturing his enemies Jack Bauer-style...

Brubaker also repeats the trick of raising our hopes for Milla as Foggy and Lilly work their magic in the court system, only to pull the football away later in the issue as Milla's descent into madness reaches new depths.

The art's also not as sharp this time around as Paul Azaceta is brought aboard to help the Lark & Guadiano team meet the deadline crunch. I like Azaceta's work, in general, but the pages don't move as fluidly as the past couple of issues given the number of scenes and quick cuts to accommodate the multiple artists.

That said, it's a decent enough "middle chapter" that advances the pieces on the board in anticipation of the story climax.
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Posts: 1750

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The idea that Mr. Fear is a "stooge" who should easily be bested doesn't really hold water to me. The whole premise is that fear is a powerful motivator. Daredevil can't find him because everyone is too afraid to talk. I'm not sure what you think he could have done that would have resulted in this being solved sooner. I would also argue that past evidence agrees that Cranston is a threat as Mr. Fear. I recall Matt having similar issues during Joe Kelly's run as well.
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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!
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fubarthepanda
Flying Blind


Joined: 01 Jul 2020
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We've seen DD use his enhanced senses or keen wits to find someone a million times and neither of Cranston's prior two appearances in 1972 or 1998 suggest that this guy is a heavy weight (Joe Kelly definitely used him more as a mustache-twirling straw man). Mister Fear's basically a poor man's Scarecrow, but I guess how much you can buy into the villain greatly influences how much you might enjoy a particular storyline... I do like Brubaker's stories before and after this arc, but this one is a bit of a mess on a number of levels, imo.
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scarecrow's powers work a bit differently. Scarecrow, in my limited DC experience, tends to create hallucinations. Mr. Fear just spreads a sense of terror and dread. I think there's overlap (even issue 100 had hallucinations), but the general sense is he can manipulate people to do his will because they're afraid of him.
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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
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Posts: 1750

PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Daredevil Vol. 2 #104 - Without Fear Part 5

Quote:
Can Matt Murdock balance the scales of justice and save his wife? Can Daredevil bring peace to the streets of Hell's Kitchen, which are caught in a super-powered gang war? And what is the terrible secret Mr. Fear is hiding? By Brubaker and Lark.


Due 8/15
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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!
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Dimetre
Underboss


Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 1366
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In this issue we get an explanation for Lily Lucca's behaviour around Milla, and I was satisfied with it.

I share a lot of people's concern about Daredevil's use of torture in this issue. While I was a huge fan of 24, I don't want Matt to become Jack Bauer. I can see how it's part of the hardening of Matt's character since his time in Rykers, and I appreciate Ed Brubaker's lines about Matt's attitude as he tortures Ox, especially, "I should feel sick. I should, but I don't. I just feel more angry... ready for a new target. And I don't even wonder what that says about me." Of course, the fact that Matt even has that thought shows he's lying to himself. He is wondering what's going on with himself. He is surprised at his actions.

Still, it's been 22 issues since Matt was incarcerated in Rykers, and that's been 22 issues of Matt's character hardening. This has been dragging on for a while, and we have yet to arrive at the place to where Brubaker has been leading us. It's kind of like when Charles Soule put Matt in a black costume and restored Matt's secret identity with no explanation for a couple dozen issues. It's a lot of patience to demand from your readership. Because I don't remember that much of the next issue, maybe the resolution is coming sooner than I think, but still this is a problem I have with a lot of modern comics -- some stories, or some aspects of stories, get dragged out way too long.

I really don't think the Hood adds anything of value to this story, and I don't know why he's here. Is this a directive from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada or Editor Warren Simons? It doesn't seem like something Brubaker would do. The Hood's role in this story is way too extraneous. I don't think Mr. Fear needs another villain threatening him to make this story interesting.

Otherwise, the issue worked well. Milla's situation is harrowing, and I understand the whirlwind of emotions Matt is feeling. I thought the scenes with Lily were very strong, and did a good job of letting us in on Fear's machinations. I especially liked her line of how Mr. Fear would come back to her to give her her "reward."

This issue would be a lot stronger for me if the Hood weren't in it. He serves no purpose to the story and just serves to confuse me and remove my investment in it. Brubaker is a great enough writer for me to keep invested in this story and to trust that he's going somewhere with the darkening of Matt's character, but I'm hoping he gets there soon.

I give this issue a 3.5 out of 5.
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fubarthepanda
Flying Blind


Joined: 01 Jul 2020
Posts: 74

PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:40 am    Post subject: Daredevil #104 Reply with quote

With last month's cliffhanger, one was hoping that we wouldn't actually have to see Matt torture poor ol' Ox, but Brubaker gives the scene in full gory detail. We also get to witness Matt assault a defenseless Lily in her bed after finding out about her duplicity, which certainly wouldn't fly editorially in today's political climate. (Less said about Milla, the better.)

Artwise, our team expands to four as Tom Palmer joins Azaceta in relief and they do a serviceable job trying to stay in the Lark/Gaurdiano style. And the Hood finally makes his move, although there's no background on his story so the team is just assuming you've read his appearances in other titles (I believe Brubaker included him as a nod to Bendis's concurrent run in New Avengers).

Isn't much of a cliffhanger for the finale, but, fortunately, this storyline comes to an end with the next issue.
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The opening serves a very useful purpose. Lilly's actions have been confusion because they've been somewhat arbitrary and inconsistent. I like that her complicity is ambiguous. Cranston uses his gas on her, but she's also motivated by his offer. Cranston, of course, is just motivated by petty jealousy.

I don't love that Matt tortures the Ox. The story doesn't make it easy for Matt and his guilt, but that doesn't absolve his actions. Nor does the fact that he doesn't use the blowtorch (that just means he isn't leaving permanent marks). I understand that the whole point of Brubaker's run is that Matt has been pushed towards a line, but I think he keeps pushing him without a good sense of what's too far. It isn't until Andy Diggle's run that Matt takes a life, but the seeds seem to be planted here.

Matt rushing in on Milla is well done. I think the art sells it in a subtle way - especially the panel that's all black with just Matt in it. The background literally fades away as he describes all the action of the scene as background noise.

This issue is good enough. I think the gang war plot has felt like a bit of a distraction and I didn't like the torture stuff. But the scene where Matt discovered Milla was great and the issue overall was well-paced. Four Stars.
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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!
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Posts: 1750

PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Daredevil Vol. 2 #105 - Without Fear Part 6

Quote:
Daredevil faces Mr. Fear in the shocking conclusion to “Without Fear" by award-winning creators Brubaker and Lark!

How far will Matt Murdock go to save his wife? What is Milla's fate? And what is Mr. Fear's final secret? All the answers are here!


Due 8/22
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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!
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Dimetre
Underboss


Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 1366
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think this issue's main strength lies in how formidable a villain Larry Cranston has suddenly become. He is incapable of feeling fear, is a physical match for Matt, and is a master manipulator. It makes me hope Chip Zdarsky has plans to bring him back.

I loved Michael Lark's depiction of Matt's furious fighting style. The crimson sky, courtesy of Matt Hollingsworth, lends the whole proceeding a macabre tone. Everything about the confrontation between Daredevil and Mr. Fear is masterfully executed.

Unfortunately, there are a few pages of showdown between the Hood and Fear, and for the life of me I don't know what we're supposed to get from it. What is the Hood doing here? What does he contribute to this story? It just seems to me that he's taking up space, and the narrative would play out exactly the same if he weren't here. He shows up on the last page with Ox, and it's a big nothing again. I don't care about the Hood.

The first page of the issue shows Daredevil doing his classic concentrated listening with radar trick. Lark lays five panels horizontally across the page, with the first showing a cityscape, the middle three pushing in closer and closer on Daredevil, and the bottom one showing him leaping into action. It's well done, but I don't know if it lives up to my favourite previous depictions of this, from Daredevil #169 and Spectacular Spider-Man #219. In those we were given small images of what Matt was sensing from Frank Miller and Sal Buscema respectively. Lark's refusal to give us those small images makes this quite a bit less memorable.

This is truly a sad ending for Matt. It seems like there's no hope for Milla's recovery. Has Melvin Potter made an appearance in the comics since this story? I can't remember.

I think this was a pretty strong ending to the story, but the junk with the Hood really hurt everything overall. I will never understand why he was jammed in here. I give this issue a four out of five, and probably a 3.5 for the whole "Without Fear" arc.
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Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the big thing about this story is its arguably low stakes. Larry Cranston is unbelievably petty and that's all he cares about. The previous stuff where Matt has to sit back and watch the violence furthered Cranston's goals. But the personal stakes couldn't be higher. At the core of it is Milla's well-being and Matt's soul. And the worst part is he wins. The issue felt like it was setting up something, but it really sets up something else. It's a character story, not an action story. Violence doesn't win this story. Cranston goes to prison but that's what he wants, Hell's Kitchen isn't much safer, and Matt has to live with the guilt of it all.

I'm giving this story Five Stars. I know that might seem odd, but I think it's such a powerful gut-punch that works very well. This story is an anticlimax in some ways, but it works as a character story.
_________________
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
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fubarthepanda
Flying Blind


Joined: 01 Jul 2020
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 4:44 pm    Post subject: Daredevil #105 Reply with quote

We open with DD *finally* using his special abilities to find Mister Fear ("I listen harder than I have in a long time... It isn't easy... It never has been... but I can do it.") and we also finally get some closure on The Hood sub-plot (which, honestly, just seemed to be a device to pad this storyline to six issues instead of three -- I believe Bendis & Brubaker were trying to tie their particular corner of the Marvel Universe together).

And then it's time for the main event... DD vs. Mister Fear! And Brubaker and company don't disappoint with an 11-page (!) slugfest culminating in DD restraining himself from crossing the line into murder.

Unfortunately, no happy ending for Milla, but at least she avoided the freezer as most of DD's girlfriend have gone the way of since Elektra (i.e. Heather Glenn, Glorianna O'Breen, Karen Page). Again, not my favorite storyline, but it clears the deck for some of Brubaker's better stories to come.

C'est la vie
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