Daredevil Message Board
The Board Without Fear!
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

The Message Board is currently in read-only mode, as the software is now out of date. Several features and pages have been removed. If/When I get time I intend to re-launch the board with updated software.


DD Book Club - The Caviar Killer

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Daredevil Message Board Forum Index -> The comics
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Posts: 1750

PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 11:08 am    Post subject: DD Book Club - The Caviar Killer Reply with quote

Sorry for skipping last week. Ended up traveling for New Years and got a bit sidetracked.

Daredevil Vol. 1 #242 - The Caviar Killer

Quote:
A down and out worker accidentally kills his rich boss in a fit of rage and the media turns him into the workingman's Robin Hood; DD tries to fight the power of "image" in taking the killer down.


Due 1/14
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dimetre
Underboss


Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 1366
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In this issue writer Ann Nocenti turns her gaze to news media. How much responsibility does the news media hold for perpetuating negative societal trends? Does their act of simply reporting bad news perpetuate bad news?

As someone with a journalism degree, I have a tremendous respect for those in news media. I believe journalists play a vital role in holding those in power in check. However, I also believe that a platform, like a newspaper or broadcast airwaves, is a form of power, and that with great power comes great responsibility. Not everything that can be reported is newsworthy, and the public good should be considered when reporting news.

I believe Simon Le Grange ignored the public good and should have brought the story to the police. He clearly was considering his career first. None of what he said into that television microphone in this issue's climax resembles anything I consider journalism. That's just flowery opining, and what gives him the privilege to platform his opinion on the airwaves? What gives Tucker Carlson that privilege? What gives Don Lemon that privilege? Sure, we all have Freedom of Speech (or Freedom of Expression in Canada), but that doesn't make it journalism. Journalism used to be the reporting of events without the skewing of the reporter or the publication's agenda.

Nocenti's story can be seen as a heavy handed critique of news media. Daredevil, at the end, snarls his desire to smash every camera in the place. While I can understand that desire, based on what he just went through, I think Nocenti could have reined the character in a little bit. For everyone who trashes the news media, I always maintain that the importance of responsible news media as a positive force.

I don't understand why Le Grange got cuffed in the end. Perhaps one of this site's lawyers can theorize.

Nocenti does some good character work here. She makes us sympathize with Joe leading up to his murderous act. He clearly didn't intend for what happened, but now that it has, he feels like he has nothing to lose and might as well attempt to make a long-lasting statement. He's a compelling character.

I liked Ben Urich's argument with Le Grange, especially how angry Urich was. I feel like Nocenti had some useful points to raise through Karen, but her scenes came off too melodramatic for my tastes.

Artist Keith Pollard is this month's penciller, and often he does a very good job. There are other panels, however, where Daredevil's limbs and muscles stretch in impossible and painful-looking ways. Sometimes Matt's angry face looks strange. Still, Pollard does a good job filling in.

Nocenti's critique of news media contains a bunch of valid points, but probably goes too far in the anti-media direction. Had Urich played a larger role in this story, showing how responsible news media can be a force for good, I think that would have been a good thing. In any case, it's an interesting story. I give this issue a three and a half out of five.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Mike Murdock
Golden Age


Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Posts: 1750

PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dimetre wrote:

I don't understand why Le Grange got cuffed in the end. Perhaps one of this site's lawyers can theorize.


He's arguably an accessory to the second murder and to covering up the first murder, but I tend to agree he shouldn't be prosecuted and likely wouldn't be convicted.

The issue starts with a guy confronting a rich boss. The boss is heartless and spouting slogans. The guy reacts with anger and kills his boss. He tries calling the police, but the police are busy and put him on hold, so he calls the Daily Bugle. The reporter from the Bugle decided to play him up as a Robin Hood to turn it into a story. There's definitely elements of a Kafka story (which is probably why the dog's name is Kafka).

Daredevil stops some robbers. There's clear themes of distrust of the media and not being sure what to believe related to Daredevil, but also related to the Caviar Killer (although, in his case, it seems like the media created the monster, not that he was misrepresented. Ben Urich confronts the reporter, but it falls on deaf ears even when the man kills again.

It all culminates in Daredevil confronting the killer, but inadvertently inciting a crowd. He stops the crowd, but the media portrays him as violent. The issue ends with the killer turning himself in while Karen cries watching the footage (which sets up the Don't Touch Me/Touch Me story we covered previously).

Overall, it's an interesting story. I think it's a bit slowly paced, but still fascinating and fun. Four Stars.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Daredevil Message Board Forum Index -> The comics All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group