Review: "Daredevil" #12

The cover of Daredevil #12 proclaims, quite luridly, that our blind hero is up "against the Inhumans" this time. There's undeniably some ironic boldness in that, even though we get a pretty decent (and entertaining) fight between Daredevil and an Inhuman. 

However, what writer Charles Soule tries to convey more than anything else is that this is not a struggle against something, but for something. In an unusually diplomatic approach, the Man Without Fear tries to build bridges rather than unnecessarily burn them in what is ultimately one of the more clever treatments of the relationship between Humans and Inhumans in a while. The hunt for the wonderfully haunting serial killer/artist named Muse serves here as the perfect platform to show where both sides may find common ground, but also where they ultimately still differ.  

And yes, I've mentioned it before, but I'll happily to it again. Ron Garney's art and Matt Milla's colors combine to what is probably the best looking comic of 2016.


9/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Daredevil" #11 / "Supergirl" #1 / "Blue Beetle: Rebirth" #1

"Daredevil" #11: Soule, Garney and Milla do such an outstanding job with Daredevil right now, it's hard not to almost expect excellence from this series month after month by now. If you haven't started reading it, do it now!

9/10

"Supergirl" #1: It's everything you'd expect from it, which is not necessarily a good thing. Kara misses home, clashes with the D.E.O. and has a hard time integrating into her new environment. Solid, but too predicable.

6/10

"Blue Beetle: Rebirth" #1: What's going on? Why do Jaime and Ted have no chemistry whatsoever? Who are these villains? What do they want? Why could no one write a better comic? Who could possibly be interested in #1?

4/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Green Arrow" #5 / "Poe Dameron" #5 / "Daredevil/The Punisher" #4

"Green Arrow" #5: This terrific storyline ends with the blast it deserved, as Benjamin Percy skillfully concludes the conquest of The Inferno and Juan Ferreyra again displays his great artistic talent.

8/10

"Daredevil / The Punisher" #4: Charles Soule is one of the most prolific comic book writers around at this time, but this is easily his most outstanding piece of work right now. From the great chemistry of the two protagonists to an absolutely intriguing story and memorable art by Szymon Kudranski, this has it all.

9/10

"Poe Dameron" #5:  This has sneakily become the best Star Wars series on sale right now. Its mostly careless fun, with a tone that effortlessly fits into that established by The Force Awakens and a protagonist that feels less and less just like a Han Solo copy. 

8/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Aquaman" #4 / "Batman" #4 / "Daredevil" Annual #1

"Aquaman" #4: It's all pretty much what you'd expect, as the relationship between Atlantis and the USA deteriorates rapidly. It's good, but never really tries to do anything differently.

6/10

Batman #4: An unexpected and bloody twist for the "Gotham" heroes, and Batman teams up with an unlikely ally. Great coloring again, as King seems to find his voice already early as the series' main writer. 

8/10

"Daredevil" Annual #1: It's everything you'd expect from an "Annual". Unusual art, storytelling, the exploration of exciting support characters. An absolute blast.

9/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Daredevil" #10 / "Black Panther" #5 / "All Star Batman" #1

"Daredevil" #10: It takes a while for this new story arc to get out of the gates, but once in full swing, it is a thoroughly strong statement, artistically and narratively, from Soule and Garney.

8/10

"Black Panther" #5: Not quite the action yet promised after #4, but the interconnectedness and complexity of the comic's themes and motifs still makes this a must-read of 2016.

8/10

All Star Batman #1: Its theme of the potential evil which lurks in every common citizen and just needs to be triggered is nothing new in Snyder's Batman lore (just think of the "Mr. Bloom" story line). However, everything else here isn't, as Snyder, Romita and Shalvey go crazy with what Batman can be in 2016. 

10/10

Review: "Daredevil/The Punisher" #3

Did I mention how awesome this comic looks? Probably, but I'll just do it again. Szymon Kudranski and Jim Charalampidis do a thoroughly impressive job in creating a beautifully dark and washed out New York City at night, adding massively to the comic's atmosphere of constant threat. 

But not just the art is AAA here, as writer Charles Soule knows how to build up chemistry, not just between Daredevil and Blindspot, but also between Daredevil and the comics villains, which exceeds mere cheeky combat bon mots. A complete success throughout.  

9/10

Further Links:

Daredevil/The Punisher #1
Daredevil/The Punisher #2

Review: "Daredevil" #9

Probably nothing sums up this brilliant comic better than when Spider-Man tells Daredevil

"You've gotta do stuff like that every once in a while. Find the joy in what we are and what we can do."

It's pure, unadulterated fun as a hilariously out-of-character Daredevil and an in-form Spider-Man chase a mysterious briefcase over the rooftops of Macau and Hong Kong. It's all wonderfully rendered by artist Goran Sudzuka and colorist Matt Milla, as they create a night scenery of darkness and light which serves as the perfect backdrop for Daredevil's and Spider-Man's joyride. A catharsis of sorts not just for the comic's heroes, but also for writer Charles Soule, before Daredevil returns to the dark alleys of NYC again in the next issue. 

9/10

Further Links:

Daredevil #8

Daredevil/The Punisher #1

Daredevil/The Punisher #2

Keepin' It 360: "Daredevil/The Punisher" #2

It doesn't have quite the pace the first issue, and character dynamics are a bit off, but the comic still shines with its astonishing art scheme. Its black and gray color palette and the realization of Daredevil's radar sense stand out here particularly. While funny at times, it's Daredevil's gloomy inner conflict about right and wrong that impresses most.

8/10

Further Links:

Daredevil/The Punisher #1

Keepin' It 360: "Daredevil" #8

Matt Murdock goes James Bond, as he goes to Macau to win big in a poker tournament. Sounds stupid, but is actually brilliant stuff, as writer Soule and artist Sudzuka meticulously dramatize the action on the poker table with tense inner dialogues and stunning art. We even get a bit of Daredevil, as he unexpectedly meets an old friend. Casino Royale, indeed.

9/10

Further Links:

Daredevil #7

Daredevil/The Punisher #1

Daredevil #6

Keepin' It 360: "Daredevil" #7

This is easily the best comic of Soule's, Buffagni's and Milla's run at Daredevil so far. Elektra is a compelling focal point and (part-time) narrator of a story that offers an engaging mystery, intense character relations, clever twists and an overall tension that is impressively matched by an art style that is as breathtaking as it is imaginative.

9/10

Further Links:

Daredevil #6

Daredevil/The Punisher #1

Comic of the Day 12/5: "Daredevil/The Punisher" #1

Charles Soule and Daredevil is one of the great comic symbioses at the moment, and so it was only logical to see him also taking on this crossover with "The Punisher". And the stakes are even a bit higher this time, as the Daredevil/Punisher dynamic was one of the sole highlight of a more than mediocre second season of Netflix' Daredevil.

But what we get here is an almost flawless experience. Soule shines again with his ability to write dialogues that are both witty and nuanced, and his depiction of the Daredevil/Punisher relationship finds the perfect balance between adverseness and mutual respect. It's only the Punisher's reliance on a vast array of gadgets that feels slightly out of place in the overall context.

Artist Szymon Kudranski really knows how to stage a super hero, as it's particularly the transformation from Murdock to Daredevil that strikes with its sheer visual power and dynamic. His execution of the car chase sequence is simply breathtaking, while Jim Charalampidis' impressive grey color schemes lend the comic a sombre and threatening atmosphere. 

Daredevil/The Punisher #1 is an amazing achievement throughout, made possible by great contributions by the whole team behind it. 

9/10

Further links:

The Punisher #1
Daredevil #6

Comic of the Day 30/4: "Daredevil" #6

Charles Soule's, Matteo Buffagni's and Matt Milla's run at Daredevil did not leave a lot to ask for up until now, and with the start of a new story line ("Electric Connection"), they are proving that they can handle Elektra as well as anything else. 

The comic comes straight out of the gate with the fight between Daredevil, Elektra and Blindspot, and is only interrupted by flashbacks dealing with Elektra's reappearance in Matt Murdock's life (remember, she doesn't know any more it's one and the same person). Although Soule isn't able to keep the tension between the two on a constantly high level (telling a romantic story is not one of his fortes), he manages to pull off some truly thrilling scenes, exploring the Elektra/Matt dynamic in its full potential. And the final twist here is surprisingly unpretentious and unpredictable.

But it's the action scenes that shine brightest here. Fast, relentless, superbly choreographed and with a highly aesthetic interplay between light and shadow and a great interpretation of Blindspot, Buffagni and Milla deliver a true high point of the series so far. 

8/10

Comic of the Day 11/4: "Daredevil" #5

The Chinatown story line draws to a close here, and shows once more the high quality standard set by the most recent Daredevil volume. And it's not even "The Man Without Fear" that is front and center here. 

Even more than in previous issues, Blindspot and "his" Chinatown act as the story's focal point, as it becomes apparent that it has to be him to save his home and people from The Hand and Tenfingers (who is only a bit too much of your cliche cult leader). A good possible sidekick for future Daredevil, I still feel he needs a bit of polish and development, especially in action scenes.

Is it still necessary to mention how good this comic is looking? Ron Garney does an excellent job of giving every single panel a very distinct Daredevil feeling, as everything is soaked in gritty red and black. The pacing of the action is simply astonishing, giving the comic a smooth and effortless flow. Hopefully Soule, Garney and Milla continue their run at Daredevil, as I cannot wait of more like this to come.

Comic of the Day 27/3: "Daredevil" #4

The art impressively mirrors the grit of the story and its characters, the skirmish between Tenfingers and Murdock is brilliant dialogue writing and Steve Rogers fits perfectly as Daredevil's aid. Not having read issues 1-3, it also features just about enough exposition to get straight into it. Absolutely recommendable.