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Daredevil #95
To the Devil, His Due, Part One of Five
Book Released: 04 April 2007
Posted 03 Apr 2007
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Michael Lark
Artist: Stefano Gaudiano
Marko Djurdjevic, cover
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Publisher: Marvel Publishing, Inc.
4.10 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by J. W. DeBolt Jr.
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Warning: this is an advance review and may contain spoilers
or other information you may not want to know before reading the actual comic!
Consider yourself warned!
Daredevil, finally cleared of criminal charges, patrols Hell’s Kitchen and laments how downhill the place has gone without him. And though absent a while, he is not too far out of practice, as he discerns a pattern in current criminal activity — a pattern successfully used by the Kingpin in the past — where teams commit simultaneous crimes. While the first crime diverts attention and the perpetrators allow themselves to be caught, the second group of criminals, hopefully unnoticed, makes the big score. But when a team of robbers kill themselves on the verge of being caught, Daredevil is perplexed. He connects his absence with the seriousness of the situation in Hell’s Kitchen and his feeling of guilt and sense of responsibility drive him grimly forward.
Fortunately, Murdock and Milla are happy together, but, knowing Harvey-Award-winning writer Ed Brubaker (Captain America (grrr….)), this stability will soon be disrupted, especially as people haven’t forgotten the public accusations that Matt Murdock was really Daredevil.
And while Daredevil is now a free man, Brubaker continues with his theme of unjust accusation. Police find Melvin
Daredevil’s cynical monologue favorably evokes Philip Marlowe.
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Potter, a.k.a. the Gladiator, in the same room as two men killed with table saw blades uncomfortably embedded in their backs — reminiscent of the Gladiator’s modus operandi.
Murdock and Foggy Nelson’s new partner Becky Blake takes Melvin Potter’s case, over Murdock’s objection. This will set up an interesting dynamic as the former Gladiator is represented by his former arch-enemy’s firm. Since his lawyer gets him into a psychiatric hospital, we can look forward to an in-depth examination of the mind of Melvin.
Daredevil’s cynical monologue favorably evokes Philip Marlowe. Brubaker’s consistently gritty writing perfectly matches the art of Eisner Award-nominated Michael Lark (Gotham Central) and Stefano Gaudiano (Kafka), while the colors by Matt Hollingsworth (Death: The High Cost of Living) match the dark tone of the story. Fun city this isn’t. The team brings the same gravity of storytelling that they exhibited in Captain America.
The title maintains its insularity from the rest of the Marvel Universe, another Brubaker hallmark, along with highlighting the microcosm of human emotion, motivation and sense of principle. This is the first story in this arc, so pick up issue #95 to jump in and join the comic noir.
—CCdC—
Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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