Daredevil #511 – Review

by Andy Diggle (writer), Roberto De La Torre (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Foggy seeks out Daredevil and Dakota attempts to rescue Becky.

What’s Good: Last month’s Daredevil seemed to finally find itself, deciding to dedicate itself to the tribulations of Daredevil’s buddies Foggy and Dakota, characters who had been utterly neglected and whose perspectives should be invaluable.  Given Daredevil’s uneven quality of late, I wasn’t sure if Diggle would stick with this commitment, but he does.  Daredevil #511 focuses once again on Daredevil’s unique cast of friends and that’s good news in itself.

The end result is a book that feels really moody, desperate, and atmospheric.  It, unlike the main Shadowland series, captures just how dark and insane Hell’s Kitchen has become.  You really get the sense of New York’s devolving into an anarchic hell of indiscriminate and irrational violence and rage.  In so doing, this issue really makes it clear how this is something that Shadowland, the main series, should’ve doing much earlier.  The mood established this month and the depiction of Hell’s Kitchen’s madness and the price of Shadowland’s establishment and the events within are made clear this month, and it’s solid and it makes Shadowland appear all the more lacking by comparison.

De La Torre also continues to crank out great Daredevil art.  It’s dark and gritty as usual, but in capturing the riotous, insane Hell’s Kitchen core, there’s a constant sense of derangement to De La Torre’s art, owing to his rough lines and shading.  Better still, thanks in part to Matt Hollingsworth’s colours, the interiors of Shadowland remove some of the darkness in exchange for an undertone of disease and sickness.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Warlord of Mars #1 – The first issue of an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic series (and first book) launched with an impressive start, capturing the tone and visuals of a hero for all times. DC offered some strong books this week, but Warlord of Mars stuck in my head and has me waiting for the next issue impatiently.

Most Anticipated: Batman: Batman and Robin #15 – The end of the Batman Must Die arc! Dr. Hurt and Pyg! And we’re steps away from Bruce Wayne’s return! And, you’ve got Morrison on writing and Frazer on art! You can’t lose!

Other Top Picks: Brightest Day #12, Power Girl #17 (guest starring Batman), Green Lantern Corps #53

Least Anticipated: Chaos War #2 – I called issue #1 a conceptual train wreck, but it looks like ridiculing regular Marvel icons for cheap (and futile) laughs wasn’t enough. It looks like they’re set to drag Galactus and Hellstorm, two of the most carefully nuanced bad-ass characters in the Marvel Universe, into the live audience laugh track that we saw in issue one. I feel the frustrating impotence of Sideshow Bob in jail, watching Vanessa Redgrave on Fox. I need one of those Charlie Brown storm cloud icons to finish off this paragraph right. No way Marvel is getting my money for this one.

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Irredeemable #18 – In a week that had many very solid offerings, this was the only book that flirted with “great”.  This comic is almost a throwback to the old days when stuff actually happened in a comic over a 2-3 issue span instead of this “decompressed storytelling” we get now days.  In this issue, Mark Waid again jiggles things around to keep this comic a LOT more than just “superman gone bad”.

Most Anticipated: The Walking Dead #78 – Kirkman has begun to build this series towards some very big events around issue #80 (if online teasers from Image are to be believed).  Still, I hardly expect him to play it safe, so we’re going to again get some splendid storytelling and characterization along with building tension.  I can’t wait….

Other Top Picks: Haunt #10, Morning Glories #3, Hulk #26, Kick Ass 2 #1, Soldier Zero #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Invincible Iron Man #33 -This week really was all about Matt Fraction.  Between this and Thor, it’s a tough call, but I’ll go with Iron Man based on its great storytelling, strong character dynamic, and sudden introduction of an unknown team traitor.  This was polished, refined work and a clear showing of why this is one of the best superhero books on the stands.

Most Anticipated: Morning Glories #3 -After two issues, I love Morning Glories.  Every time I see it’s on my stack for the week, I get excited.  The characters are great and the story always leaves me wanting more.  This one’s a sure thing.

Other Picks: The Walking Dead #78, Batman & Robin #15, Fables #99, DMZ #58, Brightest Day #12, Daredevil #511