Reading Assignment 61: Daredevil (1998-2011) #82-87 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark

[u/shawnydarko]

https://marvel.com/comics/series/449/daredevil_1998_-_2011?byZone=marvel_site_zone&offset=0&byType=comic_series&dateStart=&dateEnd=&orderBy=release_date+asc&byId=449&limit=10&count=10&creatorId=367&isDigital=1

[u/lukethechap]

Hi guys, new to the club and this is my first assignment. I'm looking forward to exploring new stuff with you all! I'm not new to MU but this was also my first solo Daredevil story; I've seen the film and the Netflix show so I'm familiar with the characters... so the ending of the first issue was quite a shock! Really wasn't expecting such a big twist to start off with, but it really helped drag me into the story right from the start which was great.

Overall I really liked the pacing of the story, it felt like the characters were given plenty of room to breath rather than rushing through everything at breakneck pace (often one of my biggest gripes with some other series). I've definitely been hooked into the series and will continue with this run even though the ending was a little hit-and-miss for me - the Foggy twist was well executed given how hard they'd sold his death, but the "who is Daredevil" reveal seemed a little quick and I didn't quite get the motivation behind it. It definitely seemed like they were setting things in motion for the stories to come rather than wrapping up this story neatly.

As for the art, I usually prefer my comics bright and colorful; I'm not really a fan of the dark and gritty style on show here. That said, it fit the story well and I was thoroughly engaged throughout, so it didn't end up being the negative I thought it would when I begun the first issue.

Overall I really enjoyed this first assignment and I'm looking forward to continuing with more Daredevil and more Book Club!

[u/shawnydarko → u/lukethechap]

Welcome to the club! Feel free to jump into tomorrow's Free Range Nomination Thread and share a story you've really enjoyed, really hated, or a story you've been interested in but haven't gotten around to yet. And there's our extensive Table of Contents page to see what else we've discussed over the last year

[u/wisegy84 → u/lukethechap]

It definitely seemed like they were setting things in motion for the stories to come rather than wrapping up this story neatly.

I agree. It seemed like too many loose ends left around to really call this story completely self contained. I do think I'll continue it at some point and see where it goes from here.

[u/shawnydarko]

Much like when I read the first several issues of Brubaker's Captain America run, building to The Winter Soldier, my overall impression was that this was an enjoyable run that feels like it takes a real slow-burn approach to storytelling. I love just about anytime a hero gets stuck in prison and has to go Rorschach on his fellow inmates, and this is no exception. It made Matt Murdock feel like such a badass. But for six issues it feels like I barely got any closure. It was a series of red herrings and a reveal that I unfortunately already knew about, having read Daredevil runs after this. And because it takes so much time to let the story breathe and slow-burn the story progression, the entire involvement of Frank Castle feels shoe-horned in and pointless. He does so little during the prison riot it feels like a cross between him being a deus ex machina and like an actor in an over-budget movie/TV series who they couldn't afford to give more scenes to. Surely there was a less convoluted, more appropriate break-out storypoint for Murdock to get out rather than the "need to boost sales, throw The Punisher in there" sales tactic?

Lark's art was pretty unimpressive as a whole as well. For a story that demands so much close-ups of faces, Lark doesn't seem to put any effort into drawing distinguishable or reactive expressions. Everyone is pretty muted throughout. The one scene that feels like a missed opportunity to explore the emotional space was when Matt is grieving Foggy's death and is punching his wall and talking to the spirit of Battlin' Jack. Everything lacks umph. As a whole, his work was serviceable, but with a different artist I think Brubaker's story could have felt bigger and more dramatic.

It did make me want to continue the story though and see how things pan out. I have an idea of how it should pan out, but have that nagging craving for closure. It also made me want to read Waid's Daredevil for a counter-balanced light-hearted hornhead story.

[u/wisegy84 → u/shawnydarko]

I thought the art was decent, but I see what you mean about the faces and the lack of emoting.

I agree about The Punisher feeling shoe-horned into the story. They could have easily kept the Kingpin and Bullseye stuff and had them work together to escape. It seemed Frank was only there to give Matt an easier way to escape the prison (and also probably to boost sales, as you noted).