| Title | : | Daredevil, Volume 1 |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0785152377 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780785152378 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 152 |
| Publication | : | First published February 8, 2012 |
| Awards | : | Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Best Continuing Series, Best Writer (for Mark Waid) (2012) |
Collecting: Daredevil 1-6
Daredevil, Volume 1 Reviews
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Daredevil hasn't always been my favorite. Or even one of my favorites.
I didn't necessarily dislike him, but the was just something meh about the character...
In a nutshell, he's always seemed broody, moody, and deeply depressed.
And Catholic. Don't forget the Catholic Guilt.
He's the guy that makes Spider-man look like he's got all the luck.
It's not like he was a whole lotta fun to read about, you know?
And then there was that movie.
Oh. My. God.
Don't worry Daredevil. Batman's up next.
So.
Read Waid's run on him, everyone said!
You'll love it, everyone said!
Well, Waid had his work cut out for him, in my opinion.
I'm sure a lot of longtime readers enjoyed the fact that Murdock was Marvel's whipping boy. And I'll be the first to say that I like a little dark & gritty in my comics. But I also don't want to put a book down, and feel hopeless.
You gotta give me something.
You don't have to ride a unicorn over a rainbow, but would it kill you to crack a smile?
And, to me, that's what Mark Waid's version of Daredevil does.
Sure, there's still a shit-ton of bad headed his way, but he's got a sense of humor about it.
Now, I've read these out of order, so maybe that has something to do with my opinion of this first volume. But I honestly think it's about the weakest I've read so far.
Not that it was awful!
I just think it gets better as time goes on.
Still, it's a pretty darn good start for a character that I wasn't all that fond of in the beginning.
And I'm going to tell you the same thing everyone told me:
Read Waid's run on Daredevil!
Oh, and Batman?
Don't get too upset, pal. It could always be worse.
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Four and a half stars!
Growing up, Spider-Man was always my favorite super hero and somehow, Daredevil was a close second. Was it the cool red suit with no eye holes? Was it the fact that Daredevil was blind, but had super senses because a radioactive canister fell on his noggin when he rescued Stan Lee from getting hit by a truck? Was it because he has a way with the ladies? (Hey, I was seven years old) Was it because he was a lawyer? (No!) Was it because I could use my sister’s jump rope as a poor imitation of his billy club/ninja/grapnel, flinging it around at bushes, trees, lampposts, other kids, pidgins my cat…? (Yeah, that was probably it.)
Daredevil has had some decent writers at the helm: Brian Michael Bendis, Stan Lee, Ed Brubaker and Frank Miller (before he took the express choo choo to crazy Misanthropeville). He’s also had some bad writers penning some turds as well: Ann Noscenti and Kevin Smith come to mind.
And how does Mark Waid stack up? He brings back a glimmer of brightness and fun to the comic. Gone is the brooding, guilt ridden superhero that suffers a crap storm of abuse from just about all corners of his life. He and artist, Paolo Rivera creatively explore the limits and finer points of his extrasensory powers. Waid also makes the lawyerly exploits of Daredevil interesting.
Waid’s run would be a nice gateway for anyone looking for an introduction to Daredevil.
What’s to like
The Spot has moved from a class D villain to a class C villain in this issue. Well done, Mr. Spot, there’s a little something extra in your pay check.
The battle between Captain America and Daredevil where each are using the other’s weapons was well rendered.
Foggy, would it kill you to eat a carrot once in a while?
“Klaw is our master. He chooses who will go and who will stay and who will be a sound construct.”
What’s not to like
The reject Bane tough guy -
This is the kind of stuff that makes comic fans a bunch of disgruntled malcontents who can never be happy.
I’ve ranted before about how
Marvel has made a hash out of it's volumes and numbering systems making it increasingly difficult for someone working through the trade collections to read stuff in order. I knew that Mark Waid had done a new phase of Daredevil, and it’s something I was curious about so when I ran across this collection labeled Volume 1 at the library, I grabbed it and gave it a read. Then I planned to write up yet another one of my witty and insightful reviews telling the fine folks of Goodreads my opinion about it.
Of course, it couldn’t be that easy because while I got what’s listed as Volume 1 with the same cover matching what Goodreads lists as #1, it actually seems to be some kind of omnibus edition that actually includes all the issues through #10 along with an issue of Spider-Man. But the edition here lists it only as covering #1 -6 with Vol. 2 having the # 7 – 10 and the Spider-Man issue. I cannot find any edition on Goodreads that actually covers what was in the book I read.
Goddamnit, I just want to read about a blind lawyer who spends his nights acting as a vigilante in red tights beating up criminals. Why does it have to be so complicated?
So I’m posting the same review for both Vol. 1 & 2 and calling it a day. I’ll also get credit for 2 books on the challenge. That’s what you get for not having the correct editions, Goodreads! Rampant cheating of the system!
Onto the review:
Frank Miller deserves a lot of credit for making comics more mature and darker in content. Frank Miller also deserves a lot of blame for making comics more mature and darker in content. While it was his work on Batman’s The Dark Knight Returns that most people point out at as a watershed moment, Miller dished out far more abuse to poor Matt Murdock who he treated like a noir hero who was destined to suffer. Just as countless creators spent years trying to make Batman as grim as possible after DKR and Year One, almost every writer after the Daredevil Born Again storyline seemed to follow the Miller template of destroying Murdock every few years. Even popular runs by Bendis and Brubaker followed the Miller Maxim that Daredevil must be forever picking up the pieces of a shattered life.
And that made for some interesting stories but at this point, what else could you do to the poor bastard? Now that there seems to be some interest in rolling back the dark black curtains and letting a little sunshine into comic stories again, it’s nice to see Matt Murdock smile. He’s decided that he’s tired of all the brooding grimness, and he wants to get back to being the swashbuckling hero he started out as. It almost seems like a testament to the power of positive thinking because in the old days if Daredevil tried to break up a hit at a Mafia wedding, he’d probably have ended up covered in the brains of the lucky couple. Now he saves the day and gives the bride a big kiss that ends up on the front page of The Daily Bugle.
The only fly in the ointment is that the secret is still out that Matt Murdock is Daredevil and although his legal maneuvering has kept that from being officially acknowledged as fact, it also makes it impossible for him to argue a case in court since any opposing lawyer can simply point out his reputed history as a masked vigilante. But Matt’s can-do attitude carries over to a new business plan in which he and his partner Foggy start a new kind of legal business in which they coach people to represent themselves.
As a long time Daredevil fan, it made me stupidly happy to see Matt have some fun again. It also tones down the grungy street criminal factor and makes DD seem like a part of the routine Marvel universe again by having him mix it up with super-villains like Mole Man and team-up with Spider-Man as they try to clear Black Cat from a robbery accusation.
However, unlike a retcon, Matt’s old history lurks out there and sometimes makes his new attitude seem delusional, maybe even dangerous. There are also hints that DD’s methods remain shady for a superhero such as when he comes into evidence on the megacrime groups like Hydra and AIM, and instead of turning it over to the Avengers, he hangs onto and plays the factions off each other.
This was an interesting way to bring Daredevil out of the shadows but still keep some of the scar tissue he’s collected over the years. I’ll be reading more of this as long as I can figure out which damn book to get… -
1 - Daredevil prevents a hit at a mafia wedding and goes up against The Spot. Also, his identity being exposed is threatening his legal profession as Matt Murdock.
I haven't read a modern age Daredevil tale since Kevin Smith was writing it. So far, I'm digging Mark Waid's not-as-grim take on Daredevil since old Hornhead has been through the wringer pretty consistently since the Frank Miller run.
I like how Waid and company portray Matt's blindness and heightened senses.
2 - Daredevil has a brawl with Captain America and tries to get to the bottom of the Jobrani business.
Looks like Klaw is going to show up pretty soon unless there's a new sound-based villain with the same color scheme. Shouldn't super heroes take each other at their word when it comes to mind control by now?
3 - Turns out Klaw is behind Matt's most recent woes. How can a blind super-hero who relies on his hearing combat the man of solidified sound?
Waid's plot does a great job at showing how reliant Daredevil is on his remaining senses. The Klaw battle was excruciating to read. I'm also pleased to see the direction Matt and Foggy's law firm is going in.
4 - Matt takes on a wrongful termination case for a blind young man.
The final panel of this issue was pretty chilling. I like how Waid and company are going out of their way to show how hard it is to get around without sight, even with super powers.
5 - Turns out that blind kid overheard some Latverians talking about Hydra. Matt hides him and goes looking for his old boss.
Who the hell is Bruiser? This one started off strong and never let up. Daredevil's in way over his head.
6 - Daredevil has to go toe to toe with Bruiser and figure out what's got Mr. Zachary so scared.
Daredevil takes a shit-kicking and jumps from the frying pan into the fire when he winds up with the Omega Drive, gigs and gigs of data about Hydra, AIM, and all the other superterrorist groups in the Marvel Universe.
Closing Thoughts: Mark Waid and the gang have taken Daredevil from rock bottom to being super again. I love the new life they've injected into his character. I'm in for the long haul for Mark Waid on Daredevil. Four out of five stars. -
Such a fun superhero comic, such high-quality writing from veteran author Mark Waid. Daredevil is a great character, but has often been presented as too grim since the Frank Miller era. Waid does something different and showcases the joy of superhero adventurism.
It's also a decent legal drama, utilizing the continuity of Matt Murdock's secret identity having been compromised from the previous arc. There are clever ideas for villains and organized crime in this world--from the blind Daredevil fighting the sound-powered Klaw to evil Latverian shell corporations (where Dr. Doom is from). It shows how much can still be done with this comic.
Mark Waid, after all these years, has still got it. Matt Murdock also gets some if you know what I mean. Anyway, Waid with his star power in the industry has had free reign to write the biggest Marvel and DC blockbuster teams with end of the world stakes, but I'm glad he still chooses to tell stories like this about street-level crimefighters. Very recommended. -
Matt Murdock is still dealing with the fallout of the world learning that he's Daredevil. Despite his denials and information claiming otherwise, most people believe he is Daredevil. Which makes things complicated for his professional life.
I've never read a Daredevil comic before despite knowing the basics of Daredevil. The whole he's blind, but his super senses make him a super hero truly never appealed to me. After reading this I'd have to say my opinion hasn't changed.
I don't see how having super senses turns Daredevil into an outstanding athlete along the lines of Captain America. Cap needed super soldier serum to make him so formidable and Daredevil just needed chemicals to blind him.
I realize Daredevil being a super hero and a lawyer are essential parks of the character, but having a good half the issues with him as a lawyer, giving Foggy Nelson a hard time is something I could do without. The lawyer half of Matt Murdock is nearly as unbelievable as the Daredevil half.
Daredevil Volume 1 was rather bland, but perhaps I'll revisit another Daredevil comic at some point.
2.5 out of 5 stars -
Introduction:
Now, I will admit that the first “Daredevil” comic I had actually picked up was Frank Miller’s “Daredevil: The Man without Fear” comic, which I enjoyed immensely! Now, I am diving into Mark Waid’s portrayal of the legendary superhero Daredevil and I will admit that I found this version of “Daredevil” pretty interesting so far!
What is this story about?
After the events of “Shadowland,” Matt Murdock has finally returned to New York City at his old law firm. But due to outing himself as Daredevil, Matt is finding it more difficult to hide his secret identity as everyone at his law firm are starting to take advantage of this secret and making Matt give up various cases due to the court not supporting his secret identity as “Daredevil.” Later on however, Matt soon discovers that there are some mysterious crimes at work in New York City. First, the Klaw, Master of Sound, ends up returning to the city and then, Matt ends up trying to help out a blind kid who is accidentally thrown into danger when the kid overhears the plans of an international criminal organization, that involves the world’s most fearsome supervillain groups like H.Y.D.R.A, and the organization is looking to kill the blind kid in order to keep their plans a secret.
What I loved about this story:
Mark Waid’s writing: I must admit that Mark Waid’s portrayal of “Daredevil” was pretty interesting and hilarious to read since I was so used to reading about “brooding and dark” Matt Murdock! I loved the way that Mark Waid made Matt Murdock into a more fun-loving and witty character as it had been years since we had seen a more laid back Matt Murdock and it really made reading about him more interesting and fun! I also liked the fact that Mark Waid made some references to Matt’s past events in “Shadowland” as it does indeed affect Matt’s current life, especially with the whole city knowing that he is Daredevil and Matt repenting for his actions in “Shadowland.” But probably the best thing about this volume is the fact that even if you have not read “Shadowland” (and I definitely have not read “Shadowland” yet), this volume makes it easier to jump into the story without having to learn so much about “Shadowland” to completely understand the story.
Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin’s artwork: Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin’s artwork are truly creative and colorful to look at and greatly complements the mood of the story! I loved the way that both Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin detailed the sound waves and effects that Matt Murdock sees in order to sense when people are nearby due to his blindness as it was truly creative! I often wonder how the artists would be able to portray Daredevil’s senses through the art and it was done so beautifully in this volume as you can actually see the sound waves coming from the person that Matt senses which makes the reader actually feel the senses that Matt is sensing. I also loved the way that the fighting scenes are drawn as they made the fighting sequences extremely interesting to look at!
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
The reason why I gave this volume a four star rating was because I felt that the story tend to jump all over the place, mainly during the first half of the volume. I actually felt that the second half of the volume was much more superior as we had a straight forward story than we did in the first half of the volume. Also, I will admit that because I did not read “Shadowland” before I dived into this volume, I was a bit confused about how everyone found out about Matt’s secret or how Matt went out of control during “Shadowland.”
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Daredevil Volume One” is a great volume to read if you are a huge fan of “Daredevil” and if you want to read a comic book that is full of fun and action!
I would like to thank my Goodreads friend
Travis, for recommending me this book!
Review is also on:
Rabbit Ears Book Blog
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In this revamp Mark Waid rejects the popular version of Daredevil as this overly dark and gritty character and returns him to his 1960s roots with a carefree attitude, smiling as he takes down bad guys, and basically being an upbeat and cheerful sort of chap who enjoys being both Matt Murdock and Daredevil. This is a refreshing take on the character especially as dark and gritty is really something that’s run its course in superhero comics and is generally something I’m sick of reading about.
Daredevil’s usual nemesis Kingpin is entirely absent from this book, instead the baddies he fights are long-forgotten villains only someone with an encyclopaedic mind of classic comics like Waid could remember and resurrect for his run. Villains like The Spot, a guy who uses spots to teleport about the place, or The Klaw, a guy who manipulates sound and would prove a challenge to someone like Daredevil who relies heavily upon sound to operate. There’s also a villain who likes to hit people called Bruiser. These villains are so-so. It’s not that I’m against Silver and Bronze Age creations, I like the silliness of them, their garish costumes and strange motives, but they’re very forgettable and insubstantial. Colourful obstacles but nothing more. It’d be good to see, not Kingpin, but at least a villain that can be built up over the series for Daredevil to fight, rather than these goofy guys.
As this is a first volume, Waid does his best to familiarise any new readers jumping onboard with Daredevil/Matt Murdock and his abilities. So there are a number of scenes where Matt is telling Foggy about his powers but the amount of times he talked about echolocation and how it enables him to be Daredevil became too many. It did lead to a good scene where he demonstrates how his superior hearing allows him to master a complex instrument like a violin almost instantly but, come on Waid, stop repeating yourself!
How the echolocation is represented through the art of Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin is the best aspect of the book. Through innovative panels showing figures made up of a particular sound to illustrate how Matt “sees” them or through a kind of pop-art version of a street scene where words representing a sound or smell replace objects, they provide the reader with a unique and clever perspective on Daredevil. All this despite drawing Matt to look like Val Kilmer.
Waid does make a couple of questionable decisions that I felt were missteps. He takes Matt and Foggy from the courtroom and puts them in their office, coaching people who can’t afford their counsel to represent themselves in court. So while the defendants are in court, Matt and Foggy are sat in an office waiting for the phone to ring with the verdict. While morally admirable, I felt it detracted from a key image of the character, of Matt standing in court looking like the real life version of the statue of justice. Removing him from that setting feels wrong.
Waid also decides to keep to Brian Michael Bendis’ storyline of Matt Murdock revealing that he’s Daredevil and then tries to retcon it. So there’s a lot of “No I’m not Daredevil” dialogue from Matt throughout the book that I felt could’ve just been ignored. It was an idea that was explored but Marvel have clearly moved on so they should just pretend the storyline never happened and that, for this new run, everyone doesn’t know.
Despite these criticisms, this is a pretty decent take on Daredevil, it’s just not the game-changer I thought it’d be given the overwhelmingly positive response it’s received. Maybe it’s just because I’m not all that crazy about Daredevil as a character, but I thought this was a pretty average outing for the superhero. I might check out the next book in the series but the first book hasn’t impressed me as completely as it has so many others. -
When you think of Marvel's answer to Batman, you probably automatically think Iron Man. And why wouldn't you? Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne are both incredibly intelligent individuals who use their mental ability to compensate for a lack of "super power".
For whatever reason, in my eyes, I always saw Daredevil as Marvel's answer to Batman. They've both lost parents due to the actions of the criminal element, they both operate in seedy surroundings (Hell’s Kitchen & Gotham City) and both series have implored a dark and gritty atmosphere. Oh, and Frank Miller can largely be credited with reinventing the characters for a new generation. Since Miller’s run in the 1980s, writers like Kevin Smith and Ed Brubaker have hammered poor Matt Murdock with as much adversity and personal tragedy as possible. It’s been years since Daredevil has even had a modicum of rest.
Recently, the folks over at Marvel must have thought that the series needed to lighten up a bit. They had to be careful, they didn't want to lose those tendencies that made the character compelling in the first place. Enter Mark Waid, Paola Rivera and Marcos Martin. While Waid is shouldering the writing duties as well as infusing a new attitude into Daredevil, Rivera and Martin apply golden age visuals as well as their own style to create something altogether unique.
With Daredevil Volume 1, everything old is new again. Returning in this reboot of sorts, Matt and his alter-ego are given a more care-free attitude inside of a much lighter environment. Some forgotten villains return in the form of The Spot and Klaw while also introducing a behemoth known simply as "Bruiser". While Matt is dealing with these adversaries; his business model is changing. Rather than representing clients in the courtroom, Matt and Foggy begin to counsel those who are unable to pay for a lawyer, instead choosing to represent themselves.
While I did read both Miller and Smith’s run on Daredevil, I missed out on both Brubaker (one of my favorites) and Bendis. Keeping that in mind, I also have next to no experience with the pre-Miller era; therefore, it's easy to write off my opinion in saying that my exposure to the character is pretty limited. But above all else, I still know what I like and when you compare this to my only other Daredevil experiences, it doesn't quite measure up.
I'm not saying that there's anything drastically wrong with this book, it just has some stiff competition. The general story line isn't anything memorable and the characters are not really all that interesting. That being said, there is a cool scene involving The Spot (something which I thought I'd ever admit) in which he breaks the neck of a bystander in a pretty unique way.
I think I'm going to start reading this monthly along with Batman. What can I say, I'm a fan of the character. I'm also interested to see how Waid introduces key adversaries such as Kingpin and Bullseye. I'd say read some earlier Daredevil material before you give this a try. -
Mark Waid and his artistic collaborators in Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin bring us a refreshing take on the Man Without Fear. Waid returns Daredevil to its swashbuckling roots which is light-years away from the Frank Miller inspired stories that came after Miller's seminal run.
I like this new direction very much. Superheroes need to move away from the dark and gritty era that has influenced mainstream books for more than a quarter century.
So how did Waid deal with the fallout from the misguided Shadowland miniseries and the looming presence of recent Bendis and Brubaker runs?
The Shadowland fallout was dealt with in two issues with an awesome battle with Captain America. The revealing of Matt Murdock and Daredevil being one and the same, which was the most popular consequence of the Bendis and Brubaker runs was given an interesting treatment by Waid. It formed an integral backbone of his run. This impaired Murdock's ability to practice law so he comes with an interesting solution that is integrating into the writer's ongoing narrative.
The art tandem of Rivera and Martin is top-notch and matches the superb writing of Waid well. The two handle half of this collection and their styles actually mesh well. Both of them push the boundaries of their storytelling skills. It's like every issue has an innovative technique that would make Will Eisner proud. It's easy to easy why the two of them deserves their Eisner awards.
This is pretty much a seminal book that would influence other books of the same vein like Fraction and Aja's Hawkeye and Charles Soule's She-Hulk. -
Daredevil in the usual Mark Waid style. A number of stories that get back to the basics of Daredevil. Good artwork. Solid set of tales but nothing high end.
OVERALL GRADE: B -
60% | C+ | Good
"Take it from me: there is nothing to be afraid of"Matt Murdock, lawyer by day, Daredevil by night. He not only helps his clients in the courtroom, but also keeps them safe from threats that range from Soundshadows to Hydra
This is my first ever Daredevil comicbook, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Waid does a good introducing Daredevil to new readers, whilst also giving long-time fans a kick with the inclusion of wacky and neglected villains such as The Spot. Since this is very much an introduction book for the character, there is quite a bit of exposition that those familiar with the character might find tedious at times, but I find that it only serves to make this iconic character more accessible. Matt Murdock is a lot more light-hearted and fun than I was expecting, as I've seen him interpreted as a Batman-esque character who spends more time being serious than cracking a smile. Daredevil might not make my top 10 superheroes, however, it was nice learning more about The Man Without Fear and I look forward to delving into his world again soon. -
Waid's run on Daredevil came highly recommended from people who know something about Daredevil. Cool, I'll give it a shot. And I'm glad that I did.
I went into this with only the most basic of background knowledge into the character. Luckily, I didn't need it. This kind of seems like a new start for Daredevil, so it's a good place for a noob to jump in. Apparently, Matt Murdock was, at some point, outed as Dardevil. Which he still denies whenever asked, something that becomes a sort of running gag as the book goes along. I can only assume he's doing it reflexively much of the time, because nobody really believes him. At the same time, he's trying to jumpstart his law career, which isn't going very well. Being Daredevil makes him a target in the courtroom.
Which leads, eventually, to Matt changing his focus from trial law to coaching people who will represent themselves in court. It's actually a really good idea, and something that I imagine could be quite successful. It would be a lot cheaper to hire a law coach than a lawyer, I'd imagine. How much this would work in the real world, I have no idea. But it makes sense on the page, and that's all that matters.
The Daredevil action is cool, and I liked the glimpses we get of the world as perceived by Matt. There are a lot of cool touches in this book, enough that I think I'll be continuing with the series. -
Waid is hit-and-miss for me. This time around he's more hit than miss but doesn't inspire the giddy, gleeful reaction when I'm thoroughly enjoying a comic. It probably doesn't help that Rivera/Martin's art doesn't do much for me.
A cleaned-up, newly-"sane" (as Murdock can ever be, at least) and positive-thinking lawyer is certainly one way to relaunch a character like DD. Give the guy a mostly clean slate, a new attitude and a way to challenge his character without fists flying every frame.
The most fun I have are with the way Rivera provides new visual examination of how DD's powers work, and with the everyday moments of conversation between Matt and Foggy, or Foggy and his girlfriend's roommate, or the roommate and Matt. The former are great little "where's Waldo" moments of tracing all the little cues that accompany tangential dialogue. The latter make me actually care about these characters as more than just ciphers - as people with normal lives on top of the superheroic craziness.
Waid is not only an historian of weird factoids about comic superheroes, but he's actually working hard to help us understand what life without sight must be like. The scene where Matt helps a fellow blind man reconstruct a wispy memory that's key to defeating a villain was genius - thoroughly entertaining *and* instructive.
I'm fascinated by the MacGuffin that Waid introduces at the end of this book, an having seen it show up in Punisher vol. 2 I know it'll linger for a while yet - making it a great plot device to carry this run to an elevated mystique beyond the day-to-day DD fun we're getting.
I love the way Martin illustrates the world's movements - very kinetic style. I hate the way he draws faces and postures - I don't know if he *can't* draw realistic or he refuses, but the faces especially look warped through a funhouse mirror - to the point where they go beyond emphasising expressions to obscuring them. -
Mark Waids' run on Daredevil is an interesting divergence for the character but one which was probably necessary in the long run. Daredevil is infamous as one of the grittier characters in the Marvel universe and probably the only one who can really lay a claim to that title aside from the Punisher. He's foot firmly in the MCU unlike Frank Castle, though, as he's someone you can depict fighting ninjas or supervillains which always feels weird when the Punisher is involved.
Basically, as Waid says in the letter column, he wanted to return Daredevil to his swashbuckling roots and have a more happy-go-lucky Matt Murdock. I'm not sure this is something anyone was clamoring for because the thing which distinguishes Daredevil from Spiderman is the fact he is the hero who tastes the asphalt of a darker New York City. Despite this, I'm going to say I really enjoyed this volume.
The premise is Matt Murdock's secret identity has been exposed, again, and he's publicly known as Daredevil. This destroys his ability to practice law because, well, every opposing attorney can call him out on the innumerable Bar violations. Matt hasn't been proven to be Daredevil, so they can't remove his license to practice but any case inevitably becomes about him. A shame he isn't public about these things like She-Hulk.
There's some good moments throughout this book with new character Kirsten McDuffie. A jovial new partner-in-fighting crime for the group, the Assistant D.A. has a warm and easy going presence that compliments Matt and Foggy well. I hope she stays past Waid's run, though I'm not holding my breath.
The villains in this story tend to be more overtly superheroic than Matt Murdock is used to being. Well, more overtly superheroic and not ninjas. The balance between his cases as a lawyer and his role as Daredevil works well, though, which is something that should always be the case. I also like his "clever" solution to his legal woes even though it would never fly in real life. I also give kudos to whoever made the frigging Spot a terrifying figure.
The artwork by Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin is perfectly serviceable to the story and neither too realistic nor too "cartoony." I think it fits the more "happy to be alive" Matt Murdock which the comic is going for while still able to do darkness well. As mentioned, it somehow makes the Spot look terrifying. It also does a good job with looking like superhero costumes have some substance to them like when we meet a soccer hooligan-esque supervillain who beats the crap out of Matt.
I'm interested in the plot at the end where, apparently, the five largest Nebulous Evil OrganizationTM groups in the Marvel Universe (AIM, Hydra, Zodiac, The Secret Empire, and Black Specter) have teamed up for a plan to secretly move all their cash around the world. I would question this kind of alliance except for the fact three of them were once part of Hydra.
8/10 -
I wanted to like this more than I did. However, I started liking it more towards the end of the volume...I think it's when I got adjusted to this Daredevil not being flying fists and fury. The art also seems a little odd, like it's going for 1970s retro yet with day-glo colours. I haven't read enough DD to have a good handle on things, I only read a few of the Brubaker volumes, and I'm always wanting to get more into Daredevil.
That being said, I think this is a great start. Matt Murdock is one of the 'superheroes' who usually has a foot in reality, but some of the stuff was a little silly...I did however, enjoy the stuff about his legal practice and helping people help themselves. I also liked the interaction with Captain America, though it was laid out very oddly, with an interlude between his arrival and his reappearance, that made little to no sense at the time.
This felt like a more retro approach, but given what I have read, I will definitely be following up with Volume 2, as I like the potential, and this was enjoyable on the whole. -
***Buddy read with the Shallow Readers! This week's criteria: Daredevil is all red, even in his ginger hair***
Matt Murdock is not the superhero for me. And I'm kind of sad about this.
Daredevil definitely had some badass moments in this volume. His skill is obvious and his senses are so trained that it's insane. I also appreciate him as a lawyer (which is not something that is said about lawyers very often, if at all).
But.... Maybe I just don't know enough about Matt. Maybe I need more background. Maybe I'm just upset that the unattractive Foggy is getting laid by a super hot lady and I'm over here on the same attractive scale and I'm not landing any hotties. Regardless, this just didn't work for me.
The villains were subpar. Especially Boulder or whatever his forgettable name was. I just needed more. I feel like I was given barely anything. Matt is likable as a person, and Foggy is comedic relief. But beyond liking them as two people you pass on the street, I can't find a lot else to enjoy here. -
Despite being a longtime superhero fan, I have never seen the Ben Affleck Daredevil flick; from what I heard and read about it, it sounded like it would be a shock to my Disney Channel sensibilities.
Still, I usually enjoy the original comics better than the flicks anyway, and this was a fun one. Daredevil's abilities despite his apparent disability is very inspiring, and the comics were action-packed and well-drawn.
Unfortunately, as is usually the case with modern comic omnibuses, the makers felt the need to add some unnecessary content. Profanity was a bit excessive, and there was a bit of blood and occasional sexual references. So, as I almost always say about books like these: This was a mixed bag. -
Daredevil is saving a bride of a crime family then since his identity is known to the world he has to dodge that and also help this muslim taxi driver in a case and fight Klaw and that was an awesome one! And then there is the part where he is coaching people in their own cases as he can't practise law because identity exposure and then you have him come across a guy named Austin and that one is connected to Midas corporation and the five criminal enterprise and how Matt saves him and uncovers a big conspiracy, this volume was so much fun and gets everything right! Matt is cheerful and there is a lot at stake here and the villains are fun too plus the art is so static and makes it all the more pleasant to read and then there is the mystery of the overdrive and a good cameo by Cap!
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i absolutely devoured this first daredevil volume. the art is incredible. i've read quite a bit of daredevil media and this one is definitely up there, it's great.
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I don’t really know much about Daredevil, beyond the fact that his real name is Matt Murdock, and that he’s blind. This comic makes a reasonable introduction, though it’s a bit obvious that it is an introduction — there’s a lot of ‘as you know, Bob’ type exposition about how Matt can see, his limitations and his background. Apparently this takes a turn out of a gritty trend for Matt, which it sort of flags up in the story by Matt going on about how he has to do this to cope. It feels a bit clumsy, in that sense.
Some of the art is really great, though: the way they represent Daredevil’s senses, the way they bring across the insouciance of the character, etc. The plot itself seemed similar to She-Hulk’s, in a way: they’re both lawyers, both now trying to integrate their superhero identities with that and having problems. It wasn’t a bad plot, but it didn’t feel particularly new and fresh and startling; it definitely felt like just a primer on Daredevil and what he can do. State of the Daredevil.
Okay, and I did read it in one go, but not enough to make me love the character (unlike, for example, Kelly Sue’s Captain Marvel or the new elements introduced to the team in Gillon’s Young Avengers, which were also Marvel Now titles).
Originally posted
here. -
A little different to the previous runs. Its not as noir and dark. Has a more fun vibe in a way. Will continue and see how volume 2 goes.
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After suffering through over 100 issues of depressing storylines that dragged him to the deepest bowels of hell and back (sometimes literally), Daredevil steps back into the light with a new creative team, a new lease on life, and some good fun stories to go with it.
Mark Waid breathes new life into the crimson clad crimefighter as he tries to put his past behind him and get back to his roots. It's a fantastic change after so many dark and dingy storylines and rings true to character as well; it's nice to see Matt having fun again, instead of worrying about the world ending. Sure, that might be happening too, but he's taking it with a smile on his face rather than a grimace for a change.
Joining him are two superb artists, Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin, whose superb styles mesh together beautifully to create pages that wouldn't look out of place in Silver Age comics, but work wonderfully as modern day spreads as well. Their interpretations of Matt's powers are especially enjoyable - check out the double page spread in the issue #1 back-up for what I mean.
Daredevil has been gaining critical acclaim since the first issue hit the stands, and after reading this collection of the first six, I can see why, and so should you. -
Such a breath of fresh air after the garbage that was Andy Diggle's run. Waid takes Daredevil back into the light (albeit a little abruptly) for 6 very fun, stylish issues.
The art is very specific, which may be a weird way to describe it. But I like that Rivera is actually going for something unique. It's got some Tim Sale mixed in with some more classic John Byrne style stuff, and comes across a little more classy than previous rough, noirish Daredevil art.
Reading this made me miss the harsh atmosphere of Bendis's run, since that's mostly been removed, but I'm glad to have a writer who seems to have vision. This was thoroughly enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to more. I just wish it dealt a little more with repercussions of previous storylines. Still, a good read.
As a bonus, I rank the cover of issue #1 as one of my favorites of all time. -
What I liked about this story was
1) The art of Rivera/Martin
2) Matt taking on the young blind boy as a client
3) Klaw and the confrontation with him when DD
I picked this book up out of continuity and need to go back and read about when Matt was as this story continues after that. I would like to read the story arc of when leading into him dealing with the aftermath in this and the next Waid story. -
yes yes yes. this is actually the best with puns and humor and the art. I need more.
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Daredevil by Mark Waid collects Marvel Comics issues Daredevil 1-10, Dardevil 10.1, and Amazing Spider-Man #677 written by Mark Waid with art by Paolo Rivera, Marcos Martin, Emma Rios, Kano, and Khoi Pham.
Daredevil has returned to New York City and tries, with mixed results, to convince the world that Matt Murdoch is not Daredevil. Along the way Daredevil will battle Klaw, save school children from an unexpected blizzard, have a fling with the Black Cat, and take on the case of a blind worker who was fired from his job.
It took me a while to get into the book, but once I did I really enjoyed it. The art is great and I really liked how the artist tackles Daredevil's radar sense. The book is setting up what seems to be a long running story arc that sounds very interesting. -
This is a fresh start for DD and one he sorely needed. The change in tone is huge, the script is light hearted, the art more cartoony, the colors pop off the page, it’s all super good. That’s not to say that there aren’t serious stakes at play here but Waid and co inject a lot of fun into DD’s kicking of asses.
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Frank Miller might just become a forgotten thing of the past if Mark Waid keeps up this kind of work on DD. I'd counted Waid out years ago, when he was doing all that work for Crossgen, but it looks like I couldn't have been more wrong. This is just too good a book to be true.
Not that I'm comparing them to one another, they aren't comparable in any way other than their brilliance. Frank Miller turned DD into a seedy, gritty, dark, avenging anti-hero only a few steps away from the ledge that Frank Castle went over. Mark waid's take is extremely different but just as fantastic. Just when we all thought that the DD character was lost, bogged down by too many stories from too many writers with grandiose ideas that they can all be the next BM Bendis. Instead, it all came out as convoluted trash that bogged down the book and had editorial decisions that turned over the reigns to... wait... Black Panther? Jesus. If it isn't The Avengers or the X-Men Marvel has no idea how to handle it anymore except throw more fire on it until the damn thing burns to the ground in a heap no one can recognize.
Thankfully Mark Waid came to restore DD to its former glory, as a hero with a complex, but not convoluted, personal history. This DD-stripped-bare redesign is exactly what the character needed, along with a little brightening and a lot of spring cleaning. DD is fighting Klaw- which is amazing because his power is based on sound and Klaw is 'living soundwaves'- as well as championing the little guy in the courtroom as Matt Murdock. Its back to basics with some serious thought and effort behind the stories and its good to see some Silver Age style all-ages writing that can please both long-time fans and newcomers. -
I almost can't believe how much I liked this! Fortunately the cover art thrilled me more than my dread at seeing Waid's name on the cover.
This was the guy who wrote the aptly named "IRREDEEMABLE" after all.
But after Andy Diggle successfully killed the momentum and mystique that had been built up by Bendis & Maleev and also Brubaker & Lark. Diggle made the first UNREADABLE DAREDEVIL comics in years! Culminating in that awful unfunny joke "SHADOWLAND" (I could not even finish the Daredevil and Moon Knight SHADOWLAND reiterations.)
This is a fresh start. All the realism and dark Noir-ish melodrama surrounding Matt Murdock's ruin of a life has been thrown out.
It has reverted back to a comic book with a comic bookish look (with hints of Ditko and Miller.) But both Martin and Rivera's art is brilliant in it's own right and deserves special mention. However since Waid is handling DD as a comic book a thousand times better than Diggle handled him as Noir, this is surprisingly awesome!
This is a fresh new start for DD and Waid shows us that behind all that drama, DD is a fascinating character.
Good Job, Mr. Waid, now I must reevaluate you!
