Superior Spider-Man #14 – Review

Dan Slott (Writer), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

The Review: Spider-Ock takes care of Shadowland and Wilson Fisk, not with an eviction notice, but rather with an army and some surprises.

The Story: How does Otto actually differ in the way he does things when compared to Peter Parker? This question, it seemed, was the main point for a long time, as the role of Spider-Man had been taken from our heroic villain (or perhaps villainous hero?), to the ire of many. Dealing with many of the plot points and with some of the characters from the previous Amazing Spider-Man run, the series was entertaining as it showed the position about the super-heroic life both men had taken, yet it seemed always to be a bit restrained by such a vision. In a way, Slott had to take it very slowly, since Peter Parker, a character that is absolutely beloved by many, had been killed in a rather quick and unceremonious way. Ever since that big issue, the series took its time in presenting us with how things would be done from now on as we got to know a bit more about Otto, his methods and his goals.

In this issue, we see just how big the character was thinking, as he does something that perhaps a lot of readers of the Marvel universe were waiting for: the destruction of Shadowland, the big pagoda in the middle of New York that served as the headquarter of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. While this was something that seemed terrific on paper, it did not particularly made a lot of sense that none ever dealt with it in a permanent manner, considering the Marvel universe has people like the Avengers to deal with such problems. Not only that, as there are more superheroes in the Big Apple than one can count, which went a bit far in my suspension of disbelief.

Daredevil #19 – Review

by Mark Waid (writer), Chris Samnee (artist), Javier Rodriguez (colorist), and Joe Caramagna (letterer)

The Story:  As Matt’s mind falls apart, he finally figures out who’s behind all the insanity.

The Review:  While it’s not always had the same amount of success, one thing I’ve loved and respected Waid for doing in this series is truly experimenting and expanding on the type of stories that can be told with Daredevil.  With guys like Miller, Bendis, and Brubaker defining the “Daredevil comic,” we got to a point where the “Daredevil comic” was by definition a gritty noir affair.  Throughout his run, Waid has tried to break free of that mold, throwing the Man Without Fear into different genres.

This month, he tosses Daredevil a bit more into the horror genre (right in time for Hallowe’en!).  It’s a subtle, toes in the water move at this point, but it’s definitely palpable, and it definitely works.  Having a main character who is just as unsure as the reader is about what is and what isn’t real makes for a turbulent read that keeps the reader engaged and just a little unsettled.  Matt’s lack of vision and his radar sense also become vulnerabilities in themselves and as things pop in and out of reality and the Spot’s power mess around with Matt’s surroundings, there is also something distinctly creepy about the way Samnee illustrations Matt’s radar-vision of the world.

Where the horror element really kicks in though his with returning villain, the Spot, now new and improved with a distinctly horror-movie appearance.  Waid and Samnee do a great job of emphasizing the creepier aspects of the villain’s powers, leading to some really great panels.  There’s just something naturally disturbing about scores of disembodied hands reaching out to grasp Matt from black portals.  I don’t know what it is, but it just gives me the heebie-jeebies.  The ending of the issue is also great – it’s completely ridiculous, visually, but is a classic sort of “muhuhaha” horror moment.

All this being said, I’ll admit: I have an axe to grind with this issue.  I thought Waid’s use of Foggy this month was nothing less than deplorable.  What Waid has Foggy do this month is complete and utter betrayal of Matt.  That, in itself, runs completely contrary to who Foggy Nelson is.  I don’t care that Foggy thought he was doing it for Matt’s own good or that he was drunk – it’s a massive betrayal and, as such, it cuts to the core of Foggy’s character and it, well, it just isn’t Foggy.  Frankly, we’ve seen Matt in direr straits than this during Bendis and Brubaker’s runs and never once did Foggy even think of betraying Matt in this manner.  Foggy’s actions this month are really out of the blue and make the character difficult to like and genuinely irritating, which is a very bad look for Foggy and one which he was never meant to have.  Given what he and Matt have been through and who Foggy is, it also makes little sense.

Daredevil #17 – Review

By: Mark Waid (writer), Mike Allred (art), Laura Allred (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story:  Matt remembers a very special gift from Foggy.  Also:  the dreaded STILT-MAN!

The Review:  Mike Allred!

That’s really the major selling point for this issue.  It becomes clear within the first two pages that Mark Waid’s Daredevil is a series that plays to the Allreds’ strengths.  Waid’s book is naturally upbeat and energetic with a slightly retro, pop-art feel.  Of course, all of what I just said also describes Mike and Laura Allred’s work, so seeing them take on Daredevil is something that just makes sense.  Waid also gives Allred the sort of stuff that also plays particularly to Allred’s strengths.  For instance, in selecting Stilt-Man for this issue, he gives Allred a zany character with wacky physical characteristics, which is just the sort of thing Allred excels at.  Put simply, this issue just pops and it’s the best looking comic book I picked up this week.  Despite the heart-wringing content of the story, the Allreds’ artwork just makes you feel happy.

Daredevil #1 – Review

by Mark Waid (writer), Paolo Rivera (pencils), Marcos Martin (art), Joe Rivera (inks), Javier Rodriguez and Muntsa Vicente (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story:  Daredevil crashes a wedding to stop a kidnapping but finds that returning to his job as a lawyer isn’t quite as easy as he’d hoped.

What’s Good:  After Shadowland, Andy Diggle’s run, and Daredevil: Reborn, it’s hard to imagine a Daredevil ongoing that feels fresh.  Yet, that’s exactly what Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Marcos Martin give us here; this is a Daredevil book that is completely revitalized and new, one the manages to both acknowledge previous continuity while offering a ground floor entrance for even the newest reader.

But despite the major tonal shift and the accessibility of the series, make no mistake: this is a book for Daredevil fans, if not an outright love song.  Waid manages to touch the core of everything component that makes Daredevil a compelling comic and Matt  Murdock an equally compelling character.  Most interestingly, he emphasizes the depth and diversity of the character and property through dividing this extra-sized issue into three features, each one focused on a particular aspect of what makes for a good Daredevil comic.  In the first, we have a story that sees Daredevil in dynamic action, fighting a very creepy villain, and it’s all swashbuckling fun and adventure.  There’s a constant sense of old-school daring-do.  It’s uplifting, high-paced action of a sort that’s uniquely Daredevil.

Meanwhile, the second feature sees Matt entirely out of costume, and delivers something of a legal drama.  It’s a major shift from the first feature, and yet inextricably related in tone, despite the difference in subject matter.  Quite frankly, it felt like watching a superhero-related primetime legal show, and it was just as much fun as the first feature, albeit in a completely different way.

Daredevil #512 – Review

by Andy Diggle and Antony Johnston (writers), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Daredevil’s friends deal with the fallout of Shadowland as Matt is nowhere to be found in the city.

What’s Good: I really do enjoy Checchetto and Hollingsworth’s art.  The art has often been the best part of Diggle’s run, and even a more laid-back, conversation based issue like this one, the work really shines.  It’s moody and perfectly Daredevil and as such, it has its own look.  Wherever the Daredevil franchise goes after this, I hope Checchetto, Hollingsworth, and De La Torre have a major role.

Other than that, this is an issue that focuses on examining the emotional toll Shadowland has on series mainstays Dakota, Foggy, Becky, and Kurtz.  I thought that the place Kurtz ends up in is an intriguing one that could be quite fun in the future.  It’s something you could see coming, so I guess it’s not the most imaginative turn of events, but that doesn’t change it from being a good one.  Foggy meanwhile gets some solid characterization as well.  His unflappable dedication to Matt is exactly the sort of thing that makes the character fun to read.

Shadowland #5 – Review

by Andy Diggle (writer), Billy Tan (pencils), Victor Olazaba (inks), Guru eFx (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: The battle for New York City comes to its conclusion.

What’s Good: What, besides the fact that this is the final issue and that this mess of an event is finally over?

In all seriousness, though, my thought while reading this issue was that it could’ve been hell of a lot worse.  The event comes to a nice enough end and the point it leaves Matt at is a nice one and a natural fit for the character that holds hope for future creative teams.  While Shadowland has been many things, few of them good, Daredevil fans can breathe a sigh of relief that no irreparable damage is done to the character and nothing truly catastrophic is inflicted upon the series.

Basically, Shadowland was only ever meant to take Matt from point A to point B.  The story was cobbled together as a means to get him there.  Perhaps that ends up being the reason why this issue ended up being better than I expected.  While not particularly good, it finally shows us what that point B is, which was always probably the most well thought out portion of Shadowland even before we knew what it was.

As a result, the last couple of pages are quite good and very Daredevily, as is his disappearance from Shadowland.

Billy Tan also has some bright spots this month, particularly when it comes to the action scenes.  I loved the battle between Lord Daredevil and Iron Fist.

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.

Shadowland #4 – Review

by Andy Diggle (writer), Billy Tan (pencils & inks), Victor Olazaba (inks), Guru eFx (colors), Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Izo’s band of heroes race to stop Daredevil as Elektra makes her move.

What’s Good: One of the big problems that the main Shadowland series has had has been finding its identity.  It seems divided on whether to approach this as a standard Marvel event or as a Daredevil comic.   The result has been that as an event, it feels strange and off-kilter while, as a Daredevil comic, it’s a failure.

The good news is that with this issue, I feel like I finally have a clear picture of what Shadowland wants to be, as the book finally settles into being just another Marvel event.  It seems the comic has given up on any loftier aspirations and has more or less given up pretending to be a Daredevil comic.  While this does make for a mediocre comic, at least it means that the book is far less confused and messy than it has been, even if it is a little straightforward.  Certainly, I feel that reader expectations can properly adjust as well.  Shadowland, with this issue, gives up on even attempting to be like the Daredevil comics of old; it’s a Marvel event comic that’s dedicated to getting the character, and the universe, to a particular point.  At least, now, we can know what we’re getting.

If you like action, there’s a lot of action this month and all of it is done fairly well.  Action scenes are fluid, dynamic, and exciting.  A lot of this is due to Billy Tan, who continues to do surprisingly solid work on this comic.

Daredevil #510 – Review

by Andy Diggle & Antony Johnston (writers), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Foggy and Dakota find themselves hunted by the Hand while Iron Fist and Luke Cage find themselves swayed by the Kingpin.

What’s Good: One of the things that’s made the last couple of issues of Shadowland, or the last couple of issues of Daredevil for that matter, somewhat underwhelming has been that they’ve tried to focus on too many things at once, winding up feeling insubstantial and mediocre throughout.  Daredevil #510 goes against this trend and is a significant improvement throughout.

Instead of even attempting any half-assed gestures towards focusing on Matt and his shift in character and internal struggles, Daredevil becomes a book focusing on Daredevil’s friends, particularly Dakota and Foggy, a wise choice given that these two are integral to the Daredevil franchise who we don’t get to see in any other book.  This makes this issue feel more meaningful and more necessary.  While I would, of course, rather that Daredevil be devoted to shedding light on Matt’s character, Diggle and Johnston’s decision to focus on Dakota and Foggy at least gives the book a strong direction and a unique one.

It’s ultimately a good choice if only because Dakota and Foggy are naturally sympathetic characters.  Not possessing any superpowers or martial arts prowess, it’s easy to root for them amidst the madness of Shadowland.  When they’re assaulted by a horde of ninjas, the threat feels a lot more real and the danger much more substantial; this isn’t a case of Luke Cage busting the faces of a horde of faceless goons, but rather, this is two people fighting for their lives in a dingy apartment hideout.  Honestly, Dakota and Foggy felt more heroic this month than any other characters have in the entirety of Shadowland.

Daredevil #509 – Review

by Andy Diggle & Antony Johnston (writers), Roberto De La Torre (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Dakota and Foggy come under attack and Matt Murdock finds an unlikely ally.

What’s Good: Much like last month, Daredevil spends time with Dakota and Foggy, which does a fine job of distinguishing it from Shadowland while also dodging some of the major problems that miniseries has had thus far in diffusing its attention among an overly varied cast.  I’m always happy to spend time with Dakota and Foggy and they definitely have a grounding effect on the book that is much appreciated.  Even when the “tight-pants brigade,” as Dakota calls them, shows up for the inevitable assist, it’s only the Luke Cage/Iron Fist duo.  Things feel much more contained, controlled, and a bit less impersonal as a result.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the sudden appearance of Daredevil’s new volunteer.  It’s another marker of the dire straights that Matt’s fallen into and I can’t wait to see the dynamic that the character creates in Shadowland, and how she’ll end up operating alongside the other personalities present there; if Diggle plays his cards right, I can see her really complicating things for everyone.  Either way, the character is a welcome presence and this was easily the highlight of the month.

Shadowland #2 – Review

by Andy Diggle (writer), Billy Tan (pencils), Victor Olazaba (inks), Christina Strain (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Luke Cage and Iron Fist try to talk to Daredevil and the Kingpin gets a little demonic help.

What’s Good: This issue tries to expand on the characters involved in Shadowland in an attempt to expand the book into a true event, rather than just a bi-weekly Daredevil.  Certainly, it’s great to see the Kingpin back again and looking to play a big role.  Diggle writes the character’s voice very well and fully capture that suave, Wilson Fisk tone.  I like the idea of Fisk teaming up with heroes for his own benefit; I’ve always enjoyed it when villains find themselves teamed with heroes, as it leads to a lot of dysfunction and distrust.  In this case, it also highlights the dark position that Daredevil currently occupies.  I look forward to seeing where this goes and Kingpin’s presence is definitely a strong point.

Another additional character that works very well, in at least the little time we get with him this month, is Ghost Rider.  The build-up to his entrance is fantastic, and totally misleads you until you see that leather boot.  Diggle cleverly makes Ghost Rider sound like some magical Japanese warrior for good, so when Ghost Rider shows up with his gruff dialogue, it’s a surprising touch of comedy.   His dynamic with Fisk is also really fun for this reason; the Kingpin attempts to speak in the stilted tone he expects a demon to converse in, while Ghost Rider talks like an average guy.  It’s great stuff and Billy Tan draws the character really, really well.

Daredevil #508 – Review

by Andy Diggle & Antony Johnston (writers), Roberto De La Torre (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Foggy and Dakota try to get to Shadowland to talk some sense into Matt while Hell’s Kitchen finds itself in a state of martial law.

What’s Good: This issue of Daredevil does an absolutely fantastic job of establishing the mood and atmosphere of Shadowland, immersing us in the grim NYC of Matt Murdock’s construction.  If Shadowland #1 set the narrative groundwork for this event, this book sets the tonal groundwork.

In this sense, Daredevil #508 feels like it puts meat on Shadowland’s bones.  Hell’s Kitchen feels nightmarishly sinister and Diggle and Johnston do solid work in putting forth a really oppressed environment.  Daredevil’s Hand ninjas create a sense of foreboding, particularly given how they seem to be everywhere.  It’s a paranoid atmosphere where Daredevil and his ninja are constantly watching.  More than anything, we really get the sense that Matt has reshaped and isolated Hell’s Kitchen; the roadblocks are ugly and cops are not welcome.  I loved how in this new Hell’s Kitchen, wearing a badge is dangerous to oneself, not protective.

Things only get darker when we see Matt’s new brand of justice in action.  His dealing with a group of thieves is unsettling and darkly iconic.  It puts an evil, nasty twist on a traditional, superhero action and it’s sure to give chills, especially thanks to De La Torre’s efforts.

Speaking of De La Torre, it’s great to have him back on Daredevil and he’s really well suited to this arc.  Everything is bleak, pitch dark, grimy, and generally unpleasant in the best way possible.  It’s the very darkest sort of noir artwork you can ask for, really, and that suits Shadowland perfectly.  De La Torre’s gritty style only makes Hell’s Kitchen all the more sinister.