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Daredevil (1998) (Collected Editions) #11-13
Dare Devil Ultimate Collection BOOK 3
Dare Devil Ultimate Collection BOOK 3Matt Murdock, a lawyer who runs a law firm during the day and turns into a superhero daredevil that can not see at night. His father, Jack Murdoch, was a boxer from New York hoping his son would grow up to be a true elite New Yorker, not a boxer-like fighter. According to his fathers wishes, his friends, who lived in books since he was a child, laughed at his friends around him. Then, one day, an accident caused the radioactive waste to come into sight and become blind. However, instead of losing sight, all other senses experience superhuman developmental side effects. Over the years, Matt has decided to become a hero to defeat the villains with his father Jack s death as a servant of a violent organization. He lives with his nickname Daelabel in the name of another self.
Paperback
First published December 8, 2010
27 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,417 books2,571 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
August 17, 2022
Well it took me half a month, but I have concluded by Bendis-Maleev Daredevil run re-read. This final 'Ultimate Collection' kicks off with Daredevil, Vol. 11: Golden Age, a story about the crime leader who came before the Kingpin told in a non-linear fashion with different art styles for each era, lavishing executed by Alex Maleev, and a very fine story to boot tied into Daredevil's usurpation of Kingpin.
The penultimate (no pun intended) volume - Daredevil, Vol. 12: Decalogue is peak Daredevil, getting deep into Hell's Kitchen and why Daredevil does what he does... via a support group meeting! This is peak Daredevil, and you can read it as a standalone and still love it!
Last, and possibly least, Daredevil, Vol. 13: The Murdock Papers, looked set to kick the ball out of the park drawing in everyone from Kingpin through to Night Nurse to give us the final fate of the Matt Murdock identity reveal.. or not? Such a superb and strong first two thirds does not deserve the good ending it has, it deserved more, because of raised expectations. Too much 'sexy' Black Widow and Elektra, dream sequences and other things marred this finale for me. I always wonder why I don't look back mega-fondly at this run, and I suppose each time I come to the last 2 comic books (#80 an d#81) in the run, I remember why, before forgetting with the passage of time and rereading yet again... As Nauseum. Still the second best ever Daredevil run. 8 out of 12
2021 read
The penultimate (no pun intended) volume - Daredevil, Vol. 12: Decalogue is peak Daredevil, getting deep into Hell's Kitchen and why Daredevil does what he does... via a support group meeting! This is peak Daredevil, and you can read it as a standalone and still love it!
Last, and possibly least, Daredevil, Vol. 13: The Murdock Papers, looked set to kick the ball out of the park drawing in everyone from Kingpin through to Night Nurse to give us the final fate of the Matt Murdock identity reveal.. or not? Such a superb and strong first two thirds does not deserve the good ending it has, it deserved more, because of raised expectations. Too much 'sexy' Black Widow and Elektra, dream sequences and other things marred this finale for me. I always wonder why I don't look back mega-fondly at this run, and I suppose each time I come to the last 2 comic books (#80 an d#81) in the run, I remember why, before forgetting with the passage of time and rereading yet again... As Nauseum. Still the second best ever Daredevil run. 8 out of 12
2021 read
October 20, 2017
Back when I was a kid, Daredevil ran neck and neck with Spider-Man as my favorite superhero. The hand-me-down issues I read had Daredevil going up against rogues like this:
Anthropomorphic villains and a dude named, The Organizer – no doubt, because of his evil, anal-retentive organizing abilities. Dude, HYDRA could really use a man with your skill set.
Flash forward to early fatherhood when I would purchase action figures on the premise that I was buying them for my six month old son to play with. Daredevil figure – I must have you! He was quadruple jointed so you could put him in all sorts of acrobatic poses and he could do things the normal jointed person couldn’t do. (Your mind isn’t really going there, is it, fellow Goodreader?)
Plus he had a gun. And some snazzy tank shoes, because these cool 500 pound shoes would really come in handy while he would be swinging around town.
Daredevil has been lucky to have a decent collection of writers penning stories for him: Stan Lee, Ed Brubaker, Frank Miller, Mark Waid and Bendis. Bendis, in his goodbye to his time on the title, gave a wave and a thank you to Frank Miller for paving the way to the gritty let’s-repeatedly-kick-the-crap-out-of-this-character-and-ruin-his-life stories about Daredevil, but not a word of thanks to Kevin Smith. Ha!
Anytime Bendis and Maleev collaborate, you know it’s not going to be pony rides, ice cream sundaes at the corner malt shoppe or kittens playing with a ball of yarn – it’s going to be gritty, ugly and painful.
Except for, maybe, the She-Thing, Daredevil has slept with pretty much every female super hero in the Marvel universe, so things can get pretty complicated.
And there’s always some sort of psycho-criminal types gunning for him.
And/or
First world problems my friend!
And there’s even a 12-step meeting for residents of Hell’s Kitchen to vent their feelings about Daredevil.
What, no donuts?
The volume consists of three stories: Old mobster bent on revenge, evil baby sprit that gets puked up like a bad burrito and the Kingpin’s revenge.
Gif of Evil baby spirit that gets puked up like a bad burrito
A What if Karen Page Didn’t Die one-shot and three issues of a Team-Up from the Ultimates universe are also included.
Bottom line: This is one of those character defining runs and it’s Volume 3, the final volume!! It’s a true collaboration between artist and writer. In the first story, Maleev effectively juggles three different time lines and captures the cloak of despair that hangs over these stories. If you’re new to Daredevil, I would probably recommend Waid’s run. It has a lighter sensibility, and Waid also goes a long way in defining Daredevil’s abilities for a new reader.
That’s no way to treat a lady! PUNKed again (see sound effect)
This was a buddy read with one of Matt Murdock’s ex-girlfriends: The Mominator.
Anthropomorphic villains and a dude named, The Organizer – no doubt, because of his evil, anal-retentive organizing abilities. Dude, HYDRA could really use a man with your skill set.
Flash forward to early fatherhood when I would purchase action figures on the premise that I was buying them for my six month old son to play with. Daredevil figure – I must have you! He was quadruple jointed so you could put him in all sorts of acrobatic poses and he could do things the normal jointed person couldn’t do. (Your mind isn’t really going there, is it, fellow Goodreader?)
Plus he had a gun. And some snazzy tank shoes, because these cool 500 pound shoes would really come in handy while he would be swinging around town.
Daredevil has been lucky to have a decent collection of writers penning stories for him: Stan Lee, Ed Brubaker, Frank Miller, Mark Waid and Bendis. Bendis, in his goodbye to his time on the title, gave a wave and a thank you to Frank Miller for paving the way to the gritty let’s-repeatedly-kick-the-crap-out-of-this-character-and-ruin-his-life stories about Daredevil, but not a word of thanks to Kevin Smith. Ha!
Anytime Bendis and Maleev collaborate, you know it’s not going to be pony rides, ice cream sundaes at the corner malt shoppe or kittens playing with a ball of yarn – it’s going to be gritty, ugly and painful.
Except for, maybe, the She-Thing, Daredevil has slept with pretty much every female super hero in the Marvel universe, so things can get pretty complicated.
And there’s always some sort of psycho-criminal types gunning for him.
And/or
First world problems my friend!
And there’s even a 12-step meeting for residents of Hell’s Kitchen to vent their feelings about Daredevil.
What, no donuts?
The volume consists of three stories: Old mobster bent on revenge, evil baby sprit that gets puked up like a bad burrito and the Kingpin’s revenge.
Gif of Evil baby spirit that gets puked up like a bad burrito
A What if Karen Page Didn’t Die one-shot and three issues of a Team-Up from the Ultimates universe are also included.
Bottom line: This is one of those character defining runs and it’s Volume 3, the final volume!! It’s a true collaboration between artist and writer. In the first story, Maleev effectively juggles three different time lines and captures the cloak of despair that hangs over these stories. If you’re new to Daredevil, I would probably recommend Waid’s run. It has a lighter sensibility, and Waid also goes a long way in defining Daredevil’s abilities for a new reader.
That’s no way to treat a lady! PUNKed again (see sound effect)
This was a buddy read with one of Matt Murdock’s ex-girlfriends: The Mominator.
November 11, 2015
Whoa! What the hell did I just read?! That was fantastic!
So, why didn't you guys tell me to read this before?
Oh. You did...? I just ignored you? Huh. Yeah, that sounds like me.
Well, in all honesty, I always thought of Daredevil as a dark and mostly mopey character. And I'm not saying that isn't kinda true, but these stories really had some meat on them!
Since this is the Ultimate Collection, there's quite a bit here to review, so I'll just hit the highlights.
Fist up is a story about the pre-Kingpin Kingpin. He was a small-time crook that made a grab for power, and managed to take over Hell's Kitchen. Ultimately, it was Daredevil that put him away, and now that he's finally out of jail, he wants revenge.
I loved the way the flashback to his old life were told in black and white. It just kinda added that special sumpin' sumpin' to the whole thing.
It sounds like it might be kind of cheesy...some old gangster wants revenge on the guy who put him in the big house, but it was a damn good nail-biter!
I guess the whole thing was more layered and poignant than I expected, because this just sucked me in and wouldn't let go.
Also, makes a very good case for staying off of that MGH (mutant growth hormone). Tsk. Stuff'll kill you.
Then there's the spooky bit about a real devil. *shudder*
Again, I wasn't expecting it to get to me.
It starts with this group meeting in a church basement to discuss how Daredevil has made a difference in their lives. Good or bad. Like some kind of Hell's Kitchen self-help group, or something.
Not all of their stories interconnected, but they were all really good, and they all helped show a bigger picture of what Matt had done for the community.
Eventually, a pattern sort of emerges in a few of the stories, and it slowly builds towards something a bit more diabolical.
Ugh. Fucking ninja magic is creepy!
But are you seeing the expressions on these faces? I'm not a fan of dark/shadowy art, but I'll make an exception for this stuff any day. Beautiful!
The last real story was Wilson Fisk using Ben Ulrich & the FBI to out Matt as Daredevil.
Man! That was good stuff!
Especially when all of his ex-girlfriends show up to save him.
Which is only made worse because --> ex-wife!
Yeah, so this was just a twisty-turny thrill ride of a story, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this shit gets resolved!
Then there's a 3 part team-up story. Well, I'm using the word team-up loosely, and only because it's Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #6-8. It's mostly a story about Punisher, with a smidgen of Daredevil, and a teeny daub of Spider-man.
Again, this was soooo much better than I was expecting!
Last up is the What If Karen Page Had Lived? story. And (again!) shit did not happen the way I was expecting it to happen.
*shakes head*
This was such a surprise! Loved it! Loved everything about it!
And to my friends who were trying to get me to read the previous volumes, you can rest assured that I am definitely going to take your advice.
Excellent stuff! Highly recommended!
Buddy read with This Guy.
So, why didn't you guys tell me to read this before?
Oh. You did...? I just ignored you? Huh. Yeah, that sounds like me.
Well, in all honesty, I always thought of Daredevil as a dark and mostly mopey character. And I'm not saying that isn't kinda true, but these stories really had some meat on them!
Since this is the Ultimate Collection, there's quite a bit here to review, so I'll just hit the highlights.
Fist up is a story about the pre-Kingpin Kingpin. He was a small-time crook that made a grab for power, and managed to take over Hell's Kitchen. Ultimately, it was Daredevil that put him away, and now that he's finally out of jail, he wants revenge.
I loved the way the flashback to his old life were told in black and white. It just kinda added that special sumpin' sumpin' to the whole thing.
It sounds like it might be kind of cheesy...some old gangster wants revenge on the guy who put him in the big house, but it was a damn good nail-biter!
I guess the whole thing was more layered and poignant than I expected, because this just sucked me in and wouldn't let go.
Also, makes a very good case for staying off of that MGH (mutant growth hormone). Tsk. Stuff'll kill you.
Then there's the spooky bit about a real devil. *shudder*
Again, I wasn't expecting it to get to me.
It starts with this group meeting in a church basement to discuss how Daredevil has made a difference in their lives. Good or bad. Like some kind of Hell's Kitchen self-help group, or something.
Not all of their stories interconnected, but they were all really good, and they all helped show a bigger picture of what Matt had done for the community.
Eventually, a pattern sort of emerges in a few of the stories, and it slowly builds towards something a bit more diabolical.
Ugh. Fucking ninja magic is creepy!
But are you seeing the expressions on these faces? I'm not a fan of dark/shadowy art, but I'll make an exception for this stuff any day. Beautiful!
The last real story was Wilson Fisk using Ben Ulrich & the FBI to out Matt as Daredevil.
Man! That was good stuff!
Especially when all of his ex-girlfriends show up to save him.
Which is only made worse because --> ex-wife!
Yeah, so this was just a twisty-turny thrill ride of a story, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this shit gets resolved!
Then there's a 3 part team-up story. Well, I'm using the word team-up loosely, and only because it's Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #6-8. It's mostly a story about Punisher, with a smidgen of Daredevil, and a teeny daub of Spider-man.
Again, this was soooo much better than I was expecting!
Last up is the What If Karen Page Had Lived? story. And (again!) shit did not happen the way I was expecting it to happen.
*shakes head*
This was such a surprise! Loved it! Loved everything about it!
And to my friends who were trying to get me to read the previous volumes, you can rest assured that I am definitely going to take your advice.
Excellent stuff! Highly recommended!
Buddy read with This Guy.
March 31, 2018
I loved this run. Ends on an unfinished note in a way. So cool. This is what graphic novels are about.
May 5, 2016
Really more 3.5 stars but a good conclusion to the amazing Bendis/Maleev run on Daredevil
This is a tough one for me to rate because I loved two of the arcs and didn't particularly care for the other two. Book 3 consists of three main new plotlines (Golden Age, Decalogues and The Murdock Papers) and ends with a Karen Page What If story and a team-up(ish) between Daredevil, Punisher and Spider-man.
Golden Age
This is one of the stronger stories in this collection. Golden Age brings back in an old mobster, Art Bont, that Daredevil sent to prison early on in his career. Bont has absolutely no intention of starting over when he gets out and has a helluva score to settle with DD. I liked the way it integrated some of the other earlier DD chapters in a way that felt grim and yet ultimately very satisfying.
Decalogues
This felt like a story that belonged in Constantine and was just fucking crazy to have in the middle of an otherwise serious, grounded Daredevil volume. Basically, Daredevil has to deal with the consequences of a second or third rate criminal who gets in over his head. The Jester, a man who literally dresses up as a medieval jester and throws homemade Jester-themed weapons, ends up involved in dark magic beyond his control and DD has to step in. The majority of the story is told by a group of people who have interacted with either Daredevil or The Jester or both and are in a some kind of a support group meeting in a church. It could have been an interesting way to tell the story but it just felt way too out there for a Daredevil story. Again, it would be right up Constantine's alley but not so much Daredevil's.
The Murdock Papers
This is the conclusion to the Bendis/Maleev run on Daredevil and while not quite my favorite, it's still great just for how crazy it feels. Kingpin decides that he's sick playing the waiting game as the FBI holds him in jail until they inevitably are forced to release him due to lack of evidence. So he reveals to the FBI that he's got definitive proof that Matt Murdock is Daredevil, some papers in his collection that he'll reveal the location to if they make a deal that exonerates him. It turns into a race to the papers and doesn't slow down until it hits a crazy ending. Needless to say, I have to know where Brubaker is gonna take this.
Karen Page What If and Marvel Team-Up
Not gonna lie, I didn't find either of these stories particularly interesting.
The Karen Page What If story explores what might have happened if Karen Page had lived.
The team-up has Daredevil running into Punisher after the latter escapes from prison to wrap up his plan of vengeance for the death of his family. Spiderman basically blunders into the way and is mildly funny but seen as more of a nuisance than I'm used to. It's not a strong story and I honestly think you could skip it. It's not as bad as that bullshit at the end of Book 2 but still not anything I found interesting.
Overall, this is a strong finish to an incredible run on Daredevil. The art remains gorgeous and the writing is (mostly) very good. Well worth picking up to see how Bendis/Maleev end their run!
Full series review here
This is a tough one for me to rate because I loved two of the arcs and didn't particularly care for the other two. Book 3 consists of three main new plotlines (Golden Age, Decalogues and The Murdock Papers) and ends with a Karen Page What If story and a team-up(ish) between Daredevil, Punisher and Spider-man.
Golden Age
This is one of the stronger stories in this collection. Golden Age brings back in an old mobster, Art Bont, that Daredevil sent to prison early on in his career. Bont has absolutely no intention of starting over when he gets out and has a helluva score to settle with DD. I liked the way it integrated some of the other earlier DD chapters in a way that felt grim and yet ultimately very satisfying.
Decalogues
This felt like a story that belonged in Constantine and was just fucking crazy to have in the middle of an otherwise serious, grounded Daredevil volume. Basically, Daredevil has to deal with the consequences of a second or third rate criminal who gets in over his head. The Jester, a man who literally dresses up as a medieval jester and throws homemade Jester-themed weapons, ends up involved in dark magic beyond his control and DD has to step in. The majority of the story is told by a group of people who have interacted with either Daredevil or The Jester or both and are in a some kind of a support group meeting in a church. It could have been an interesting way to tell the story but it just felt way too out there for a Daredevil story. Again, it would be right up Constantine's alley but not so much Daredevil's.
The Murdock Papers
This is the conclusion to the Bendis/Maleev run on Daredevil and while not quite my favorite, it's still great just for how crazy it feels. Kingpin decides that he's sick playing the waiting game as the FBI holds him in jail until they inevitably are forced to release him due to lack of evidence. So he reveals to the FBI that he's got definitive proof that Matt Murdock is Daredevil, some papers in his collection that he'll reveal the location to if they make a deal that exonerates him. It turns into a race to the papers and doesn't slow down until it hits a crazy ending. Needless to say, I have to know where Brubaker is gonna take this.
Karen Page What If and Marvel Team-Up
Not gonna lie, I didn't find either of these stories particularly interesting.
The Karen Page What If story explores what might have happened if Karen Page had lived.
The team-up has Daredevil running into Punisher after the latter escapes from prison to wrap up his plan of vengeance for the death of his family. Spiderman basically blunders into the way and is mildly funny but seen as more of a nuisance than I'm used to. It's not a strong story and I honestly think you could skip it. It's not as bad as that bullshit at the end of Book 2 but still not anything I found interesting.
Overall, this is a strong finish to an incredible run on Daredevil. The art remains gorgeous and the writing is (mostly) very good. Well worth picking up to see how Bendis/Maleev end their run!
Full series review here
September 27, 2021
This one was so good!
It has multiple stories like the return of a 90s mob boss named Alexander Bont and his enemy-ship with Daredevil and the return of Gladiator and like Daredevil has to fight through them and then he has to go into a confessional and like help the people be free of the things haunting them and its a supernatural story and the final story with Fisk outing his secret identity and the drama that follows, escape and everything and omg its so good and the status quo wow! Plus team ups with Spidey and a weird what if.
Its such a good volume and like each story hits hard and the art is amazing and Matt is tested like never before and it brings so many plot points together and omg the status quo amazing! One of the must reads volumes ever for daredevil!
It has multiple stories like the return of a 90s mob boss named Alexander Bont and his enemy-ship with Daredevil and the return of Gladiator and like Daredevil has to fight through them and then he has to go into a confessional and like help the people be free of the things haunting them and its a supernatural story and the final story with Fisk outing his secret identity and the drama that follows, escape and everything and omg its so good and the status quo wow! Plus team ups with Spidey and a weird what if.
Its such a good volume and like each story hits hard and the art is amazing and Matt is tested like never before and it brings so many plot points together and omg the status quo amazing! One of the must reads volumes ever for daredevil!
July 4, 2020
Tomo final de la etapa de Bendis. Casi que se lee solo; esa estructura de estire hace que las revistas se lean rápido. De todas formas es tremenda toda la construcción del conflicto final y cómo se resuelve. Un cierre al nivel de lo que venía siendo la etapa.
En algún momento leeré la etapa de Brubaker.
En algún momento leeré la etapa de Brubaker.
January 6, 2022
And that my friends is how you end a run. This might be one of the strongest endings to a run on a major character since Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's If This Be My Destiny, Alan Moore's book end to his Swamp Thing run, or Ed Brubaker's eternally underrated ending arc on Daredevil "Return of The King." Bendis and Maleev seemed to be waiting for the right moment to pull out their grand conclusion, and by God, was it a conclusion that's worth waiting for.
I was starting to fear that Bendis' writing was starting to stalemate as I went along in this arc. Not that the stories before the end were bad, but felt like some side stories that Bendis felt like telling because he didn't know where to take the run next after the events of the excellent arc Hardcase. Much like Moore's Swamp Thing, I was starting to think that this run was going to peter out before its finish, but also like with Moore's Swamp Thing, Bendis and Maleev saves the best for last with The Murdock Papers.
The Murdock Papers feels like a natural successor to the just as excellent arc Out from the first Ultimate Collection book. Matthew Murdock has been exposed as Daredevil, and he's been slowly and painfully dealing with the consequences with his identity being outed to the world. But The Murdock Papers goes even further in showing Matt being completely broken down. It's the apotheosis of everything that's happened to Matt and the supporting cast in this run as of this point. Bendis once more takes the idea of Frank Miller's Born Again arc, and takes it to the only logical conclusion that could happen in a case like this. It's an ending that I'll dare not spoil.
Another core strength of the third book is the continuing excellent characterization of The Kingpin. While he's not as pissed off and as hungry as he was in the previous arcs, he once again showcases why he's such a dangerous villain in the Marvel universe and none have showcased his talent for manipulation more than this book has. Yeah, I don't know why he looks like a more buff version of Bendis, but he still steals the show in this arc. This arc also illustrates one of Matt's big weaknesses: his constant underestimation of how far The Kingpin's going to go in order to destroy him. It also brings the theme of Matt being his own worst enemy back around for a stunning conclusion to this great series.
Even with the large shadow of The Murdock Papers looming over this book, the arcs that came before it are good, despite their issues. Bendis stumbles here and there, but consistently manages to keep the reader invested in what's going to happen next, such as one arc where a horror element is revealed. Also the stories after The Murdock Papers lack the same punch that the former arc does, though Bendis' What If on Karen Page was fascinating, a nice blend of metafiction and tragedy that continues to befall Matt Murdock. It even felt like a Brubaker and Phillips collaboration with how melancholic it got at points, particularly with the end.
Maleev's art still kills it in this volume, but I might even dare to say that it's even better than it's been in the last few books. This is most likely due to the assistance of Dave Stewart, who I hold to be one of the best colorists in comics. He helps Maleev take his gritty, hard edged style and make it even better than it's been. His lines are sharper, his colors are cleaner, and the artwork looks more polished, while retaining that gritty feel. There are some moments where I felt the art cribbed from Jock, but it didn't have his odd anatomy. Michael Lark's art is also quite good, which feels like a nice set up for his future run with Ed Brubaker that's underrated as fuck and follows right after this one. Bill Sienkiewicz's art is another beast entirely, his style is like Dave McKean's where I'm unsure if I love it or absolutely despise it. It's unique...and that's all I'll say about his art style.
So not only have Bendis and Maleev made one of the best Daredevil stories ever put to print, but the crazy bastards did it again and now have two of the greatest Daredevil stories ever put to print. It's a rare run that's consistently exceptional, well written and drawn, with enough verve and fun to keep people invested. It's simply one of the best superhero stories that I've read.
I was starting to fear that Bendis' writing was starting to stalemate as I went along in this arc. Not that the stories before the end were bad, but felt like some side stories that Bendis felt like telling because he didn't know where to take the run next after the events of the excellent arc Hardcase. Much like Moore's Swamp Thing, I was starting to think that this run was going to peter out before its finish, but also like with Moore's Swamp Thing, Bendis and Maleev saves the best for last with The Murdock Papers.
The Murdock Papers feels like a natural successor to the just as excellent arc Out from the first Ultimate Collection book. Matthew Murdock has been exposed as Daredevil, and he's been slowly and painfully dealing with the consequences with his identity being outed to the world. But The Murdock Papers goes even further in showing Matt being completely broken down. It's the apotheosis of everything that's happened to Matt and the supporting cast in this run as of this point. Bendis once more takes the idea of Frank Miller's Born Again arc, and takes it to the only logical conclusion that could happen in a case like this. It's an ending that I'll dare not spoil.
Another core strength of the third book is the continuing excellent characterization of The Kingpin. While he's not as pissed off and as hungry as he was in the previous arcs, he once again showcases why he's such a dangerous villain in the Marvel universe and none have showcased his talent for manipulation more than this book has. Yeah, I don't know why he looks like a more buff version of Bendis, but he still steals the show in this arc. This arc also illustrates one of Matt's big weaknesses: his constant underestimation of how far The Kingpin's going to go in order to destroy him. It also brings the theme of Matt being his own worst enemy back around for a stunning conclusion to this great series.
Even with the large shadow of The Murdock Papers looming over this book, the arcs that came before it are good, despite their issues. Bendis stumbles here and there, but consistently manages to keep the reader invested in what's going to happen next, such as one arc where a horror element is revealed. Also the stories after The Murdock Papers lack the same punch that the former arc does, though Bendis' What If on Karen Page was fascinating, a nice blend of metafiction and tragedy that continues to befall Matt Murdock. It even felt like a Brubaker and Phillips collaboration with how melancholic it got at points, particularly with the end.
Maleev's art still kills it in this volume, but I might even dare to say that it's even better than it's been in the last few books. This is most likely due to the assistance of Dave Stewart, who I hold to be one of the best colorists in comics. He helps Maleev take his gritty, hard edged style and make it even better than it's been. His lines are sharper, his colors are cleaner, and the artwork looks more polished, while retaining that gritty feel. There are some moments where I felt the art cribbed from Jock, but it didn't have his odd anatomy. Michael Lark's art is also quite good, which feels like a nice set up for his future run with Ed Brubaker that's underrated as fuck and follows right after this one. Bill Sienkiewicz's art is another beast entirely, his style is like Dave McKean's where I'm unsure if I love it or absolutely despise it. It's unique...and that's all I'll say about his art style.
So not only have Bendis and Maleev made one of the best Daredevil stories ever put to print, but the crazy bastards did it again and now have two of the greatest Daredevil stories ever put to print. It's a rare run that's consistently exceptional, well written and drawn, with enough verve and fun to keep people invested. It's simply one of the best superhero stories that I've read.
June 8, 2019
This collection as the end to Bendis and Maleev on Daredvil is frankly incredible. It’s made up of three stories all strong in their own right.
The first tells of the first Kingpin Alex Boyd. He’s gotten out of prison and is a weary old man out for the blood of Daredvil. He believes his whole life ruined at the hands of Daredevil. But being the Kingpin has its consequences and the fall is one of them. This is my least favorite of the three buts it’s strong in its own right. The weak link is the ending which ends as it should but has an anticlimactic feel, even if it feels like that was on purpose. Fantastic art that changes styles depending on the period. 4 stars to the story 5 stars to the art, inking, and coloring.
The next is a story about people in a support group. And they’ve been dealing with Daredevil over the course of the last year with his “Kingpin” reign. What he’s done and what they’ve got to say. It plays out like a one room play at first and transitions into flashbacks and the view of the inner mind of those speaking. The ending is particularly strong here I think and I enjoyed this story the most. I think the collection is worth it just for this story. It’s not a story for everyone because of how it’s told but I think it’s a good one though on paper it may seem less interesting but this is all about how it’s told. 5 stars to the story and 5 stars to the art.
The third story ties more into the point of Bendis and Maleev’s run then the other two. And it’s big and expansive and crazy. All the major Daredevil players save Spider-man have a role. The pacing winds up and winds down but I think it’s a strong finish for this chapter of Matt Murdock. And I’m certainly interesting in what comes next. I’ll save any plot details because it’s a roller coaster. And it all starts because the Kingpin is ready to give Murdock up.
Overall it’s a worthy read if you’ve read the previous issues. But also has a strong story to it. The art fits the crime title perfectly. The stories vary and the first story feels different from the other two. Also the stop and start pacing occurs a few times, where it gets going but the issue ends and then it summarizes itself again. Not specific to this collection but comics overall.
4 stars. I really liked it but only absolutely loved one of the stories. But I respect how it ends this chapter of Daredevil.
The first tells of the first Kingpin Alex Boyd. He’s gotten out of prison and is a weary old man out for the blood of Daredvil. He believes his whole life ruined at the hands of Daredevil. But being the Kingpin has its consequences and the fall is one of them. This is my least favorite of the three buts it’s strong in its own right. The weak link is the ending which ends as it should but has an anticlimactic feel, even if it feels like that was on purpose. Fantastic art that changes styles depending on the period. 4 stars to the story 5 stars to the art, inking, and coloring.
The next is a story about people in a support group. And they’ve been dealing with Daredevil over the course of the last year with his “Kingpin” reign. What he’s done and what they’ve got to say. It plays out like a one room play at first and transitions into flashbacks and the view of the inner mind of those speaking. The ending is particularly strong here I think and I enjoyed this story the most. I think the collection is worth it just for this story. It’s not a story for everyone because of how it’s told but I think it’s a good one though on paper it may seem less interesting but this is all about how it’s told. 5 stars to the story and 5 stars to the art.
The third story ties more into the point of Bendis and Maleev’s run then the other two. And it’s big and expansive and crazy. All the major Daredevil players save Spider-man have a role. The pacing winds up and winds down but I think it’s a strong finish for this chapter of Matt Murdock. And I’m certainly interesting in what comes next. I’ll save any plot details because it’s a roller coaster. And it all starts because the Kingpin is ready to give Murdock up.
Overall it’s a worthy read if you’ve read the previous issues. But also has a strong story to it. The art fits the crime title perfectly. The stories vary and the first story feels different from the other two. Also the stop and start pacing occurs a few times, where it gets going but the issue ends and then it summarizes itself again. Not specific to this collection but comics overall.
4 stars. I really liked it but only absolutely loved one of the stories. But I respect how it ends this chapter of Daredevil.
October 22, 2014
Bendis' stint on Daredevil is remarkable. I've read the entire run and I couldn't find a single weak issue. Every arc is interesting in its own way, and he actually leaves the best for last (Golden Age, Decalogue, The Murdock Papers). The early half has major things happening in the life of Matt Murdock, and in the second half we see him dealing with it. Even though some of the arcs in this volume aren't that important to the bigger picture, they are great stories in their own right (Golden Age, Decalogue, again).
If you liked Frank Miller on Daredevil, you should definitely read the entire Bendis run. If not, it's self-contained and can be enjoyed without knowing much about the DD-verse.
Beware though that these books are not that action-oriented and deal more with Matt Murdock's psychology than Daredevil. Which makes the run all the better since Murdock's one of the more interesting characters in the Marvel universe.
If you liked Frank Miller on Daredevil, you should definitely read the entire Bendis run. If not, it's self-contained and can be enjoyed without knowing much about the DD-verse.
Beware though that these books are not that action-oriented and deal more with Matt Murdock's psychology than Daredevil. Which makes the run all the better since Murdock's one of the more interesting characters in the Marvel universe.
December 12, 2021
A to je konec Daredevila od BMB. Je to dobrá série? Ano. Je to dobré uzavření po 10 knihách? Ne tak docela. Poslední knihy už pomalu přestává mít Bendis co vyprávět takže tu máme moře výplně a superhrdinování. Proč necítím satisfakci po tom konci je poměrně jednoduché, hlavní zápletka s odhalením identity Matta Murdocka vlastně tak moc nekončí a spíš mi přijde, že si moc Bendis nevěděl rady jak to dotáhnout takže zůstal někde na půl cesty. Pár částí co tady předvedl mě vyloženě naštvalo (Daredevil zmlátí Agentku Del Toro aby ji chránil?! WTF) a působilo to proti všemu co v té sérii bylo antiklimaticky.
Jakoby furt si to z určitého hlediska drží určitou úroveň, ale tahle trojička je jednoznačně to nejslabší co Bendis naservíroval.
Vedlejší postavy to asi táhnou nejvíc.
Jinak jakožto celek je to úžasná série, po Zdarskym a Millerovi ta nejlepší DD řada co jsem četl.
Jakoby furt si to z určitého hlediska drží určitou úroveň, ale tahle trojička je jednoznačně to nejslabší co Bendis naservíroval.
Vedlejší postavy to asi táhnou nejvíc.
Jinak jakožto celek je to úžasná série, po Zdarskym a Millerovi ta nejlepší DD řada co jsem četl.
September 30, 2012
Incredible stuff. Great writing and some of the best, most deft and well-executed artwork of the past 15 years. This is adult in all the best ways: not blood and boons but consequences, shifting allegiances, sacrifices and obligations. No wonder that Daredevil flick disappointed everyone: it was like watching grade-schoolers adapt Hamlet, no understanding of what makes the characters (or the whole piece) tick. Bendis is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers and Maleev (who I'd never heard of before now) may be up there with Alex Ross or Klaus Jansen in my book.
July 26, 2014
Wow. Talk about a cliffhanger ending. Danny wasn't kidding! A great end to Bendis and Maleev's excellent run. Didn't cheat their way out of the situation they put Matt into.
Now I'll just have to see where Brubaker goes from here...
Now I'll just have to see where Brubaker goes from here...
July 13, 2014
Wow! A great end to the Bendis run, made even stronger by the idea that he worked closely with the hand-off to Brubaker. This makes it official, I'm a Daredevil fan! Can't wait to go further back and read the Miller run - I may even check out the original Stan Lee stuff!
December 27, 2016
So obviously I haven't read ALL of the Daredevil comics, but I've read quite a few, and I think Brian Michael Bendis's run might be my favorite so far.
August 27, 2021
This is (sort of) the end of the Bendis/Maleev Daredevil run. I would have to say that it ended strongly. The last story was engaging and even though it felt like this was going to be the outcome, it still ended up being fun to read.
Apart from the last story with the return of Kingpin (again,) I wasn’t a big fan of the other stories in this trade. The first one with the old ‘kingpin’ of crime was kind of interesting in a shallow way but the group therapy story in this trade was awful. And a terrible way to set up the final act. Even though I don’t mind where this ended, the narrative seemed haphazardly slapped together at times. Maybe this will all be cleared up with the ‘true’ ending of Bendis’ DD run coming up in his End of Days story but I doubt it.
Overall, I enjoyed these stories and agree they are the best daredevil stories marvel has to offer outside of the anything Frank Miller wrote for the character. But I’m not all that impressed. There’s big chunks of this story where it’s 6 issues of filler content. Another issue is that Bendis hasn’t really added anything new that wasn’t already in the blueprint Miller set for this character. We get a new girl in Milla but we don’t get any new stories or directions for her. This daredevil run is more ‘fun’ and less ‘good’ when it comes to describing it.
Apart from the last story with the return of Kingpin (again,) I wasn’t a big fan of the other stories in this trade. The first one with the old ‘kingpin’ of crime was kind of interesting in a shallow way but the group therapy story in this trade was awful. And a terrible way to set up the final act. Even though I don’t mind where this ended, the narrative seemed haphazardly slapped together at times. Maybe this will all be cleared up with the ‘true’ ending of Bendis’ DD run coming up in his End of Days story but I doubt it.
Overall, I enjoyed these stories and agree they are the best daredevil stories marvel has to offer outside of the anything Frank Miller wrote for the character. But I’m not all that impressed. There’s big chunks of this story where it’s 6 issues of filler content. Another issue is that Bendis hasn’t really added anything new that wasn’t already in the blueprint Miller set for this character. We get a new girl in Milla but we don’t get any new stories or directions for her. This daredevil run is more ‘fun’ and less ‘good’ when it comes to describing it.
January 14, 2022
This is it. The best Daredevil ever. (I know, I know, Born Again - but Born Again, as important as it is, is of its time.) This draws on all the best of Daredevil's history. But in a satisfying, unforced way, and in such a fashion that you needn't know the classic Daredevil of yesteryear to appreciate this story.
Bendis, Maleev, and the whole team just at the absolute peak of their powers.
In places this ongoing mainstream superhero comic book, seems more like The Sopranos, or a Scorcese movie. It's incredible to behold.
The storytelling tools used in this collection are just spectacular. One arc is told across three time periods, with each being inked and coloured differently to enormous success.
This might be Bendis' very best work for Marvel, and that's saying quite a lot. I honestly can't praise this collection enough.
Bendis, Maleev, and the whole team just at the absolute peak of their powers.
In places this ongoing mainstream superhero comic book, seems more like The Sopranos, or a Scorcese movie. It's incredible to behold.
The storytelling tools used in this collection are just spectacular. One arc is told across three time periods, with each being inked and coloured differently to enormous success.
This might be Bendis' very best work for Marvel, and that's saying quite a lot. I honestly can't praise this collection enough.
May 7, 2025
4.5 Stars
This was a great run. The art and story were both fantastic. I especially enjoyed the "Ultimate" issues at the end that featured the Punisher. This run wasn't quite Frank Miller, but it was close. And thatis very high praise. Now it's time to see what follows next.
This was a great run. The art and story were both fantastic. I especially enjoyed the "Ultimate" issues at the end that featured the Punisher. This run wasn't quite Frank Miller, but it was close. And thatis very high praise. Now it's time to see what follows next.
June 14, 2025
kingpin is just built different
May 27, 2018
#66-81
Well.......here it is. The end. The end to Bendis's and Maleev's legendary run. And it was frickin great. I'd say this is the most emotional of the 3 books and ya it hit me, man. I think I still like Book 1 the best but I like this one a little more than book 2. One thing I will say first is that I do really like Alex Maleev's art now. I know I was harsh on the guy at first but as I continued the series it all just kinda started to fit, and his art is just incredible.
This book is broken up into 3 sections. A section about this golden age mobster named Alexander Bont, The Daredevil Decalogue, and the section where the shit starts to go down. The first section was my favourite because we got to see yet another one of New York City's famous mobsters. I love how we now have Bont and Fisk as the more successful mobsters and the Owl and Silke as the y'know not so successful ones. This section does jump around A LOT between the golden age, world war 2 era and more or less present day, but nothing you can't keep up with. I loved Matt Murdock's relationship with office Del Toro and what he teaches her, and I really did like Melvin Potter's inclusion and what they do with him. It's maddening, sad, and tragic. If you read my review for the first volume of Frank Miller's Daredevil run you'll see that I called the Gladiator a garbage villain. It's amazing how much I admire this character now because he is one of my favourites. Oh plus Bont is a DIIIIICK! Overall a fantastic section.
The Decalogue section of the book was also amazing.....until the end. The section actaully freaked me out a bit. I was reading during the night and I was turning pages like a frickin madman. That hasn't happened to me since Identity Crisis. I loved loved loved the setting and how a bunch of people are just there to tell some really deep and powerful stories. The first 2 stories were awesome and one of them, in particular, made me go OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! Ya, it was a pretty cool reveal. The way Bendis weaved characters we know into these stories was definitely a plus as well. But unfortunately not all of the stories interconnected and the way the 3rd one culminated was just a little sloppy because of that reason. Plus I don't think what happens was the smartest writing decision at all. The message Matt Murdock gives in this section makes sense but after I pieced it together.
The last section is very powerful, fast-moving, and filled with sequences that made me barely believe what was happening. And that's not a bad thing because one part of the book tricks your mind and throws it through a LOOOP! Ben Urich's role in this section was VERY VERY clever, and in fact, everyone's role was pretty perfect for what they needed to be because there are A LOT of characters. It is a sad ending especially after reading this entire series. And again that trippy scene I just talked about is frickin phenomenal. I have 3 negatives that stick out at me from this book. The panel layout is CONFUSING bruuh. I never know when I have to read side to side or just regularly down the page. There is never an indicator, so I often got confused about how the scene went. 2 is the villains. I love the Daredevil villains, but they just keep coming back again and again and again and again. Each time they do it just gets less effective for me. And my last problem I have with pretty much the whole series is just like the villains, I think the constant outing and theories about Matt Murdock also got pretty repetitive. To the point where when the last one happened I rolled my eyes at first. If Bendis had trimmed some of that stuff down a bit I think it would have done the series well.
In the end, this was a great conclusion to a fantastic series. The fact that these books, this one, in particular, get this much emotion from me, make me care about the main cast as much as I did is once again, frickin amazing. This wasn't a flawless series by any means but really what is man. In terms of a crime/realistic hero story, this whole thing was just beyond what I could have ever asked for when I first started reading Daredevil. In terms of Miller vs Bendis.......I dunno quite yet. That's a tough one. Letter Grade: (A-)
Well.......here it is. The end. The end to Bendis's and Maleev's legendary run. And it was frickin great. I'd say this is the most emotional of the 3 books and ya it hit me, man. I think I still like Book 1 the best but I like this one a little more than book 2. One thing I will say first is that I do really like Alex Maleev's art now. I know I was harsh on the guy at first but as I continued the series it all just kinda started to fit, and his art is just incredible.
This book is broken up into 3 sections. A section about this golden age mobster named Alexander Bont, The Daredevil Decalogue, and the section where the shit starts to go down. The first section was my favourite because we got to see yet another one of New York City's famous mobsters. I love how we now have Bont and Fisk as the more successful mobsters and the Owl and Silke as the y'know not so successful ones. This section does jump around A LOT between the golden age, world war 2 era and more or less present day, but nothing you can't keep up with. I loved Matt Murdock's relationship with office Del Toro and what he teaches her, and I really did like Melvin Potter's inclusion and what they do with him. It's maddening, sad, and tragic. If you read my review for the first volume of Frank Miller's Daredevil run you'll see that I called the Gladiator a garbage villain. It's amazing how much I admire this character now because he is one of my favourites. Oh plus Bont is a DIIIIICK! Overall a fantastic section.
The Decalogue section of the book was also amazing.....until the end. The section actaully freaked me out a bit. I was reading during the night and I was turning pages like a frickin madman. That hasn't happened to me since Identity Crisis. I loved loved loved the setting and how a bunch of people are just there to tell some really deep and powerful stories. The first 2 stories were awesome and one of them, in particular, made me go OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! Ya, it was a pretty cool reveal. The way Bendis weaved characters we know into these stories was definitely a plus as well. But unfortunately not all of the stories interconnected and the way the 3rd one culminated was just a little sloppy because of that reason. Plus I don't think what happens was the smartest writing decision at all. The message Matt Murdock gives in this section makes sense but after I pieced it together.
The last section is very powerful, fast-moving, and filled with sequences that made me barely believe what was happening. And that's not a bad thing because one part of the book tricks your mind and throws it through a LOOOP! Ben Urich's role in this section was VERY VERY clever, and in fact, everyone's role was pretty perfect for what they needed to be because there are A LOT of characters. It is a sad ending especially after reading this entire series. And again that trippy scene I just talked about is frickin phenomenal. I have 3 negatives that stick out at me from this book. The panel layout is CONFUSING bruuh. I never know when I have to read side to side or just regularly down the page. There is never an indicator, so I often got confused about how the scene went. 2 is the villains. I love the Daredevil villains, but they just keep coming back again and again and again and again. Each time they do it just gets less effective for me. And my last problem I have with pretty much the whole series is just like the villains, I think the constant outing and theories about Matt Murdock also got pretty repetitive. To the point where when the last one happened I rolled my eyes at first. If Bendis had trimmed some of that stuff down a bit I think it would have done the series well.
In the end, this was a great conclusion to a fantastic series. The fact that these books, this one, in particular, get this much emotion from me, make me care about the main cast as much as I did is once again, frickin amazing. This wasn't a flawless series by any means but really what is man. In terms of a crime/realistic hero story, this whole thing was just beyond what I could have ever asked for when I first started reading Daredevil. In terms of Miller vs Bendis.......I dunno quite yet. That's a tough one. Letter Grade: (A-)
December 28, 2022
(Zero spoiler review of the omnibus collecting this volume) 4.75/5
Goodness me, it's been quite some time since the second (and final) omnibus has floored me like this one did. Had it taken its foot of the pedal, relinquishing so much of what I enjoyed about the first one, stumbling from 'great to simply good', I wouldn't have been surprised. Maybe it's the continual decline in quality of entertainment of late, but the idea of a creator putting fifty or so excellent issues together back to back, almost seems too much to ask. It's not, but exacting standards and modern times make for very strange bedfellows indeed. But praise be to the comic gods, this run actually got better and better. And whilst I could easily attribute that to the inclusion of a number of rather fetching Daredevil adjacent characters (I'm sure you know who I mean) this volume actually ironed out or entirely eradicated the few missteps of volume one. What we are left with is something that barely resembles a superhero comic at all. With Bendis going (nearly) full noir, with the ensuing results being a thing of beauty. That and Alex Maleev illustrates the entire thing, the collaborative 40th anniversary issue withstanding. Again, despite Bendis bringing his A game, Maleev has to be the rock star here. I'm pretty sure he has ruined me for any Daredevil runs, past or present. His dark and disheveled interpretation of Hell's Kitchen and its cast is little short of brilliant. And just like that, became one of my favourite artists.
All good things must come to an end though, and Bendis and Maleev's run certainly went down swinging, even if the final issue could have done with a few extra pages to really sell a certain part of it, which I obviously won't spoil.
You wouldn't envy anyone coming in to replace these two, although who should bare that weighty load? None other than Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark? How on earth did they manage to find a writer and an artist capable of not only matching, but somehow improving this book, which will of course, remain to be seen. It just goes to show that people used to know what they were doing in comics. God damn, this medium used to really be something. A must read. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
Goodness me, it's been quite some time since the second (and final) omnibus has floored me like this one did. Had it taken its foot of the pedal, relinquishing so much of what I enjoyed about the first one, stumbling from 'great to simply good', I wouldn't have been surprised. Maybe it's the continual decline in quality of entertainment of late, but the idea of a creator putting fifty or so excellent issues together back to back, almost seems too much to ask. It's not, but exacting standards and modern times make for very strange bedfellows indeed. But praise be to the comic gods, this run actually got better and better. And whilst I could easily attribute that to the inclusion of a number of rather fetching Daredevil adjacent characters (I'm sure you know who I mean) this volume actually ironed out or entirely eradicated the few missteps of volume one. What we are left with is something that barely resembles a superhero comic at all. With Bendis going (nearly) full noir, with the ensuing results being a thing of beauty. That and Alex Maleev illustrates the entire thing, the collaborative 40th anniversary issue withstanding. Again, despite Bendis bringing his A game, Maleev has to be the rock star here. I'm pretty sure he has ruined me for any Daredevil runs, past or present. His dark and disheveled interpretation of Hell's Kitchen and its cast is little short of brilliant. And just like that, became one of my favourite artists.
All good things must come to an end though, and Bendis and Maleev's run certainly went down swinging, even if the final issue could have done with a few extra pages to really sell a certain part of it, which I obviously won't spoil.
You wouldn't envy anyone coming in to replace these two, although who should bare that weighty load? None other than Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark? How on earth did they manage to find a writer and an artist capable of not only matching, but somehow improving this book, which will of course, remain to be seen. It just goes to show that people used to know what they were doing in comics. God damn, this medium used to really be something. A must read. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
September 20, 2016
This whole run on Daredevil by Bendis and Maleev is some of the best I have ever read in superhero comics.
Characters are real. Consequences are weighty.
The art is gorgeous.
Of the three volumes, this one was my favourite, especially the first five-issue arc, which was not only the best of this series, but solidified Daredevil as my favourite superhero.
This Eisner-winning team writes a story in three time periods, using three different writing and illustration styles, each appropriate to their era. It's one of the best uses of the medium of comics, and one of the best respectful homages to the history of comics, I have ever seen.
I could have done without the three-issue story tacked on the end, a crossover series by Bendis between Daredevil, Punisher, and Spider-Man in the Ultimate Universe. I understand why a completist may want it included, but it was wholly unnecessary. It's a completely different story than the one told in the three volumes before it, and technically even a completely different character. For this, and other relatively minor negatives I might be tempted to give the book four stars. However, this entire run, and especially this last book, is so good when it's good that I think these missteps ought to be forgiven.
I would recommend this entire run of comics to anyone (adult) at all who enjoys the medium. It's a must read, up there with any of the classics by Frank Miller or Alan Moore.
Characters are real. Consequences are weighty.
The art is gorgeous.
Of the three volumes, this one was my favourite, especially the first five-issue arc, which was not only the best of this series, but solidified Daredevil as my favourite superhero.
This Eisner-winning team writes a story in three time periods, using three different writing and illustration styles, each appropriate to their era. It's one of the best uses of the medium of comics, and one of the best respectful homages to the history of comics, I have ever seen.
I could have done without the three-issue story tacked on the end, a crossover series by Bendis between Daredevil, Punisher, and Spider-Man in the Ultimate Universe. I understand why a completist may want it included, but it was wholly unnecessary. It's a completely different story than the one told in the three volumes before it, and technically even a completely different character. For this, and other relatively minor negatives I might be tempted to give the book four stars. However, this entire run, and especially this last book, is so good when it's good that I think these missteps ought to be forgiven.
I would recommend this entire run of comics to anyone (adult) at all who enjoys the medium. It's a must read, up there with any of the classics by Frank Miller or Alan Moore.
October 23, 2018
Bendis and Maleev's run on Daredevil was nothing short of spectacular. The amount of consistency and detail that went into this venture, both in visual and character design, is impressive for an ongoing comic serial. Yet, I couldn't help but feel that this "third act" was cut short. Matt Murdock answers for his actions in the most practical way possible. I should have felt more poetry in this than I did, but the abrupt conclusion left me wanting more. So...off to the Brubaker series I went. Taken alone, this volume makes little sense. But in the grand character arc of our modern Man Without Fear, it stands as a triumph for the medium (small complaints aside).
April 4, 2016
Wow! Bendis's Daredevil has to be one of the greatest comics I've ever read. I don't generally read comics, so that doesn't mean much, but still. The art work was gorgeous, and the story was a masterpiece. It's exciting because I finished it shortly before season 2 of Daredevil came out. Now, I know things. Like a nerd. It's cool. Also, the comic book is amazing. I think I wanna read Frank Miller's Daredevil now too.
June 13, 2014
Can I give it 6 stars please?!?! In two words...freaking amazing. The What if? and the team up stories were equally fantastic.
April 9, 2016
I have. So many. EMOTIONS. I cannot review this book right now. God.
October 27, 2019
4.5*
First of all, the use of foreign languages in this is terrible. The French is okay (though nobody would speak like this) but the German (my mother tongue) is downright wrong. "Just push it" has been translated to "Gerecht schieben sie ihn" which actually means "righteously, they push him". It's funny but it took me like two minutes to figure out what the characters were saying.
But well... on to the review.
While I enjoyed the important parts of this as much as the previous two collections, there's one storyline in here (Decalogue) which takes too much time, adds too little to the overall story arc and has a supernatural element at its core that doesn't fit the otherwise realistic setting. Therefore, I have the feeling that the pacing didn't work as well towards the ending as it could have because the focus was shifted. The actual wrap-up comes very fast and leaves out important characters like Ben Urich or (Agent) Del Toro. I hope these storylines will be continued in Brubaker's run.
First of all, the use of foreign languages in this is terrible. The French is okay (though nobody would speak like this) but the German (my mother tongue) is downright wrong. "Just push it" has been translated to "Gerecht schieben sie ihn" which actually means "righteously, they push him". It's funny but it took me like two minutes to figure out what the characters were saying.
But well... on to the review.
While I enjoyed the important parts of this as much as the previous two collections, there's one storyline in here (Decalogue) which takes too much time, adds too little to the overall story arc and has a supernatural element at its core that doesn't fit the otherwise realistic setting. Therefore, I have the feeling that the pacing didn't work as well towards the ending as it could have because the focus was shifted. The actual wrap-up comes very fast and leaves out important characters like Ben Urich or (Agent) Del Toro. I hope these storylines will be continued in Brubaker's run.
January 3, 2021
Це був мій перший ран Шибайголови, котрий високо оцінюють. Перший том мені дуже сподобався, але от в прочитанні наступних у мене був великий проміжок часу, тому сюжетно я губився.
Щодо цього тому починаючи із 77 випуску - історія мені почала заходити, але попри це все я почав почав привертати увагу стиль Бендіса, у котрому багато тексту і фраз, котрі можуть два-три рази повторитись в діалогах.
Можливо, колись дам другий шанс на прочитання всього рану від і до ще раз, але вже з меншою затримкою часу.
Щодо цього тому починаючи із 77 випуску - історія мені почала заходити, але попри це все я почав почав привертати увагу стиль Бендіса, у котрому багато тексту і фраз, котрі можуть два-три рази повторитись в діалогах.
Можливо, колись дам другий шанс на прочитання всього рану від і до ще раз, але вже з меншою затримкою часу.
July 7, 2023
i mean, tqm daredevil
March 16, 2025
A stellar finale to Bendis’s massive Daredevil run, he really set Ed Brubaker up for success with how this story ends. I am looking forward to seeing how he handles this status quo and where he takes the story from here. I am particularly interested in Matt and Mila’s relationship, is it still salvageable?
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