Scan barcode
billyjepma's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another really good development in Zdarsky's Daredevil saga. There's a lot of set-up in these issues, as various pieces are introduced and rearranged, but Zdarsky's scripts provide real momentum to the proceedings. Daredevil going to prison is an inspired idea, too. I continue to admire Zdarsky's willingness to interrogate real-world tensions (corrupt government forces, the broken prison system, etc.) in a popular superhero comic. Does it still feel like Zdarsky is talking around some of the issues? Yes, an unfortunate side-effect of being a popular superhero comic, but I'd argue he gets further than most, and that's worth something. Some of Daredevil's motivations are a bit tiresome, though. Zdarsky is asking all the right questions regarding Daredevil's incarceration, so I hope to see the story end up somewhere with real consequences and lessons for Daredevil.
The more traditional superhero elements are also really strong, and seeing Elektra take up the mantle of Daredevil is an inspired treat I can't believe we haven't seen sooner. Checcetto's design for her costume is incredible—there needs to be an Eisner Award for "Best Hair" so we can give it to Checcetto—and his propulsive artwork is once again a stunning highlight of an already great book. The pages he doesn't steer the ship on lag behind the ones he leads, but even those are above-average, I think, albeit unremarkably so. Even the King in Black crossover is relatively harmless, and it's good fun seeing Checcetto get to play around with Venom.
I still haven't reached the level of enthusiasm for this series that it seems a lot of readers have—I think I may have had my expectations a little too high to begin with, admittedly, but I'm still 100% onboard for the long-haul. The broader storytelling Zdarsky is doing with Fisk, Hell's Kitchen, and the various criminal gangs operating within the city is super compelling on its own, so when you pair that with a thoughtful superhero story about guilt and consequence, you've got a guaranteed banger.
The more traditional superhero elements are also really strong, and seeing Elektra take up the mantle of Daredevil is an inspired treat I can't believe we haven't seen sooner. Checcetto's design for her costume is incredible—there needs to be an Eisner Award for "Best Hair" so we can give it to Checcetto—and his propulsive artwork is once again a stunning highlight of an already great book. The pages he doesn't steer the ship on lag behind the ones he leads, but even those are above-average, I think, albeit unremarkably so. Even the King in Black crossover is relatively harmless, and it's good fun seeing Checcetto get to play around with Venom.
I still haven't reached the level of enthusiasm for this series that it seems a lot of readers have—I think I may have had my expectations a little too high to begin with, admittedly, but I'm still 100% onboard for the long-haul. The broader storytelling Zdarsky is doing with Fisk, Hell's Kitchen, and the various criminal gangs operating within the city is super compelling on its own, so when you pair that with a thoughtful superhero story about guilt and consequence, you've got a guaranteed banger.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
Minor: Classism and Suicide
More...