Review: Daredevil #95

Daredevil #95
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano
Colors by: Matt Hollingsworth
Cover by: Marko Djurdjevic

Story: To the Devil, His Due Part 1

*SPOILERS*

Daredevil’s been on quite the journey in the past couple of years. He’s fallen in love, gotten married, declared himself the new Kingpin, been outted as Matt Murdock, blind lawyer, had his wife leave him, been thrown in jail, listened helplessly as his longtime friend and partner, Foggy Nelson, got murdered, escaped from prison with the help of the Punisher, traveled the world to discover that the person who turned his world topsy turvy was his greatest enemy’s wife, gotten his wife back, gotten his life back and everything seems back to normal. I may have left something out.

So finally having time to focus on the well-being of the inhabitants of Hell’s Kitchen, Daredevil finds that, as can be suspected, Hell’s Kitchen has gotten a little crazy. Everybody’s scared. There’s someone trying to take the Kingpin’s place and he’s using some of the Kingpin’s old tactics; coordinated crimes to distract from the main crime. But with a new twist…When Daredevil figures this out and he waits for the second crime, he finds that the thugs, when faced with Daredevil, would rather kill themselves than face him or get time in jail.

That’s not the only odd occurrence that Daredevil encounters upon his return. Melvin Potter, former enemy Gladiator, is being framed for murder according to him. Not wanting to draw attention to former allegations of Matt Murdock and Daredevil are the same people, Matt turns the case down, until new partner Becky Blake protests.

As a first issue in a five-issue story arc, Brubaker is just setting up all the elements of his story. We’ve got plenty of mystery, as well, to wonder about: Who’s taking Kingpin’s place and using his tactics? Is Melvin guilty of murder? We see him assault an inmate taunting him and injuring a guard in the process, so is his Gladiator persona reasserting itself? Is Melvin being manipulated maybe by the same person taking the Kingpin’s place?

I like seeing Melvin Potter used again. I’ve liked him since the old days, and by the old days I mean when I’d buy a back issue and I’d find Daredevil fighting the Gladiator. I respect what’s been done with Melvin, a reformed peacenik, but how about someone taking up the mantle? But having Melvin as an occasional supporting member is nice. Anyone not very familiar with the Gladiator who first appeared in 1966 in Daredevil #18 may not realize the buzz saws used to kill the two inmates that Melvin is alleged to have killed are reminiscent of the buzz saws which were a part of his Gladiator costume.





Lark’s and Guadiano’s art is pretty good. I prefer it to Maleev’s art with its dark lines and deep shadows, so I appreciate the cleaner lines and slightly brighter look. Djurdjevic’s cover looks great, although it’s the standard problem I have with covers these days…That cover could be used on any Daredevil comic, so as nice as the art is, I’m still longing for covers which represent something from the stories.

4 Worms...Simply because there was minimal Daredevil action.