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dantastic's review
4.0
Parts of a Hole collects Marvel Knights Daredevil #9-15
Okay, this was some gooooood shit. David Mack of Kabuki fame writes a tale of the eternal conflict between Daredevil and the Kingpin. In this installment, the Kingpin unleashes Echo in the Man without Fear's direction. Echo is a deaf woman with photographic reflexes and a bonafide bad ass. Echo and Daredevil's alter egos getting mutually infatuated certainly complicates things.
David Mack's writing brings something new to the table. It still feels like a Daredevil story but also seems like a kung fu story, albeit one with some very human touches. The pace is fast and furious and some serious thought went into the fights between Daredevil and Echo.
Joe Quesada draws some of the issues and David Ross draws others. I'm wondering if deadlines or Joe Q's bloody rise to power in the Marvel hierarchy behind the scenes had something to do with it. Anyway, a lot of it happens during the day, which is a nice change of pace for a Daredevil book.
The events at the end made me glad this was part of my Daredevil haul from shopgoodwill a few weeks ago. Four out of five stars.
Okay, this was some gooooood shit. David Mack of Kabuki fame writes a tale of the eternal conflict between Daredevil and the Kingpin. In this installment, the Kingpin unleashes Echo in the Man without Fear's direction. Echo is a deaf woman with photographic reflexes and a bonafide bad ass. Echo and Daredevil's alter egos getting mutually infatuated certainly complicates things.
David Mack's writing brings something new to the table. It still feels like a Daredevil story but also seems like a kung fu story, albeit one with some very human touches. The pace is fast and furious and some serious thought went into the fights between Daredevil and Echo.
Joe Quesada draws some of the issues and David Ross draws others. I'm wondering if deadlines or Joe Q's bloody rise to power in the Marvel hierarchy behind the scenes had something to do with it. Anyway, a lot of it happens during the day, which is a nice change of pace for a Daredevil book.
The events at the end made me glad this was part of my Daredevil haul from shopgoodwill a few weeks ago. Four out of five stars.
clarks_dad's review
4.0
As many others have noted, this is a dramatic improvement over Kevin Smith's work in volume one. Mack opts for the pathos approach over an unnecessarily convoluted plot that relies on trickery and revelatory climaxes (that disappoint in the depths to which they are cliche) to produce an emotionally appealing and satisfying Daredevil story.
"Parts of a Hole" is aptly titled as the volume spends most of its pages sounding the depths of Murdoch's sense of loss. In the wake of the death of another love interest, Murdoch is once again set adrift. Mack does a great job treading a fine line discussing depression and the psychologically devastating effects of abandonment without straying into melodrama either in plotting or dialogue. There are no "Woe is me" moments, and the emotional appeal is subtle, almost refined. The entire arc is satisfyingly symmetric. Filling the void in Daredevil's life is Echo, a deaf woman who is both his physical opposite and equal - a point Mack maybe drives too hard with his Newton analogies.
In short, the arc was thoughtfully constructed, compelling told and brilliantly (except for a single issue in the collection) illustrated. The side-focus on the Kingpin's backstory was especially helpful for a Marvel newbie like me and really helped in providing context for the world of Hell's Kitchen moving forward.
"Parts of a Hole" is aptly titled as the volume spends most of its pages sounding the depths of Murdoch's sense of loss. In the wake of the death of another love interest, Murdoch is once again set adrift. Mack does a great job treading a fine line discussing depression and the psychologically devastating effects of abandonment without straying into melodrama either in plotting or dialogue. There are no "Woe is me" moments, and the emotional appeal is subtle, almost refined. The entire arc is satisfyingly symmetric. Filling the void in Daredevil's life is Echo, a deaf woman who is both his physical opposite and equal - a point Mack maybe drives too hard with his Newton analogies.
In short, the arc was thoughtfully constructed, compelling told and brilliantly (except for a single issue in the collection) illustrated. The side-focus on the Kingpin's backstory was especially helpful for a Marvel newbie like me and really helped in providing context for the world of Hell's Kitchen moving forward.
thebooksanctum's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A great intro to Daredevil, Echo and Kingpin, but let down by several uses of the 'r' slur and stereotypes surrounding Native Americans - though please note that this was written in 1999, so this was seen as 'acceptable' language.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Ableism, Blood, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence
crookedtreehouse's review
5.0
A step up from the Kevin Smith run, this story about Echo, a Deaf savant who grew up under the guidance of Wilson Fisk, not knowing he is The Kingpin, is both an enthralling story, and a work of art. David Mack influenced Joe Quesada's page layouts so that each page flows into each other, occasionally with text woven around the frames. It's gorgeous.
There are also quite a few Kevin Smith homages and references that keep the story from getting too intense.
Reading this makes me want to go back and read [b:Kabuki, Vol. 1: Circle of Blood|89816|Kabuki, Vol. 1 Circle of Blood (Kabuki, #1)|David W. Mack|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386924796l/89816._SY75_.jpg|1027], which I don't think I've read in over a decade.
If you like superhero noir, this is the beginning of a Golden Era in Daredevil (Kevin Smih's volume is also very good, but it's not as noirish as the Mack/Bendis/Brubaker runs.)
There are also quite a few Kevin Smith homages and references that keep the story from getting too intense.
Reading this makes me want to go back and read [b:Kabuki, Vol. 1: Circle of Blood|89816|Kabuki, Vol. 1 Circle of Blood (Kabuki, #1)|David W. Mack|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386924796l/89816._SY75_.jpg|1027], which I don't think I've read in over a decade.
If you like superhero noir, this is the beginning of a Golden Era in Daredevil (Kevin Smih's volume is also very good, but it's not as noirish as the Mack/Bendis/Brubaker runs.)
jlye's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I was really impressed by the art in certain chapters. Echo is such an awesome character so I would have liked to see an epilogue with her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide attempt
angrybooklady's review
4.0
Matt and Foggy meet a client with a severe speech impediment that only Matt can seem to translate, introducing the theme for this volume: miscommunication. The client only has the speech impediment in high stress situations, much like Matt and Maya can only communicate with each other when she isn't trying to rip Matt's face off.
Maya Lopez is a deaf assassin who goes up by the name Echo and was brought up by Wilson Fisk after the death of her father. Fisk tells Maya that Daredevil killed her father (which is impossible, since Matt was in grade school at the time) and sets her loose on him. By happenstance, she meets charming and blind lawyer Matt Murdoch first and the pair hit it off. Maya is completely unaware that Matt is Daredevil but--when they fight--he recognizes her scent and voice immediately. Because of her rage, it's impossible for Matt to get her to slow down long enough to read his lips to explain.
Matt and Maya's courtship was honestly pretty cute. I especially liked the bit where they go to the movies and Maya describes the scene to Matt while Matt tells her what the characters say when their mouths aren't on screen. (Of course, they're making too much noise and are promptly thrown out. The art was pretty cool and I loved how the book explored Matt and Maya's individual relationships to music and how their disabilities affect those relationships.
The ending fell a bit flat for me.All in all, though, it was pretty good.
Maya Lopez is a deaf assassin who goes up by the name Echo and was brought up by Wilson Fisk after the death of her father. Fisk tells Maya that Daredevil killed her father (which is impossible, since Matt was in grade school at the time) and sets her loose on him. By happenstance, she meets charming and blind lawyer Matt Murdoch first and the pair hit it off. Maya is completely unaware that Matt is Daredevil but--when they fight--he recognizes her scent and voice immediately. Because of her rage, it's impossible for Matt to get her to slow down long enough to read his lips to explain.
Matt and Maya's courtship was honestly pretty cute. I especially liked the bit where they go to the movies and Maya describes the scene to Matt while Matt tells her what the characters say when their mouths aren't on screen. (Of course, they're making too much noise and are promptly thrown out. The art was pretty cool and I loved how the book explored Matt and Maya's individual relationships to music and how their disabilities affect those relationships.
The ending fell a bit flat for me.