Daredevil #89 - Writer - Ed Brubaker, Artist - Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano, Colorist - Matt Hollingsworth
Premise - Matt Murdock is under cover and hiding out from the law as he searches for the man who order Foggy Nelson killed. Matt does not know that Foggy is alive and in a witness protection program.
What I liked:
1) The art. Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano apparently share duties on this book and their styles mesh so well that without really studying the art I can't tell where one begins and the other ends. The art is detailed where needed and sparse when needed. Strong layouts and solid story telling skills make this book a nice book to look at every month. The colorist Matt Hollingsworth nails this book every month. It just sets the mood for the book perfectly.
2) The return and update of a really lame ass villain of Daredevil's from the silver age, the Matador.
3) The overall story arc seems compelling at this point. I like the mystery, but the ending will show if it is worth it or not.
What I Didn't Like:
1) The incoherent continuity and stupid premises we are supposed to accept. Matt does not know Foggy is alive? How can Electra being all knowing and know where Foggy is to protect him with 400 ninjas and she can not got a message to Matt? Plus the mysterious character behind the scenes needs to be revealed really soon or it just gets old.
2) The poker game. I thought I hated it because I'm a poker player and know you don't win every hand even when you are on fire, but others hated that scene also. Matt's powers allow him to make people fold or know other people's cards without even touching them. It was so outrageously dumb, it took me out of the book.
3) The damsel in distress smells like his old love Karen Paige and the villains know this? People have certain smells, but replicating this seems a little silly.
Grade - C+
This is my last issue of DD. The quality has been slipping since the first issue of Bru's run. Maybe he's spread too thin. Whatever the case, I'm off the book. Hope Criminal is superb.
ReplyDeleteJeff - Criminal should be good. I'm hoping it is as good as Sleeper. I should get those trades, but I'm waiting on the hard cover.
ReplyDeleteI recently reread the Sleeper trades. They didn't live up to memory. Many books suffer from a "once you know what happens, it's not as good" syndrome. Some parts of Sleeper actually seemed sophomoric and amateurish. I sent the trades onto my nephew when I finished them. Not really a keeper. Brubaker's best work is still Scene of the Crime and Catwoman in my book.
ReplyDeleteWell that is sad to here, but I know what you mean. Stuff that my memory made great did not hold up on a reading years later.
ReplyDeleteSo no hard cover for me if they ever do that stuff.