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Daredevil (1998) (Collected Editions)
Daredevil, Vol. 17: Hell to Pay, Vol. 2
Things couldn't be going worse for Matt Murdock. Everything he thought he'd gotten back teeters on the edge of a precipice, ready to shatter all around him, as he fights a battle on both fronts of his life - in the courtroom and on the rooftops of Hell's Kitchen.
Collecting: Daredevil 100-105, Annual
Collecting: Daredevil 100-105, Annual
208 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2008
50 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,798 books3,011 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 11, 2018
Daredevil: the Man Without Fear will feel… fear. From… Mr Fear! Hmm. Sounds like a load of old bollocks, I fear - and it is!
Ed Brubaker’s an awesome writer but he’s perfectly capable of churning out instantly forgettable crap like any hack – case in point: this garbage book!
It’s the same old Daredevil story recycled for the umpteenth time: push Matt Murdock until he snaps. So some D-list villains brainwash Matt’s wife Milla into doing terrible things, Matt gets worked up, kicks some butt, and that’s it. I’m not sure what was accomplished but I know it sure wasn’t the least bit entertaining to read!
Pitifully unimaginative with the most pointless, unengaging storyline, Daredevil, Volume 17: Hell to Pay, Part 2 is buh-buh-buh-boring!
Ed Brubaker’s an awesome writer but he’s perfectly capable of churning out instantly forgettable crap like any hack – case in point: this garbage book!
It’s the same old Daredevil story recycled for the umpteenth time: push Matt Murdock until he snaps. So some D-list villains brainwash Matt’s wife Milla into doing terrible things, Matt gets worked up, kicks some butt, and that’s it. I’m not sure what was accomplished but I know it sure wasn’t the least bit entertaining to read!
Pitifully unimaginative with the most pointless, unengaging storyline, Daredevil, Volume 17: Hell to Pay, Part 2 is buh-buh-buh-boring!
May 30, 2016
Wow, this second volume of Hell to Pay is brutal, even for Brubaker. So Larry Cranston, AKA Mister Fear, was behind the strange behavior of both the previously gentle criminal Melvin Potter (Gladiator) and Matt's wife Milla Donovan. DD and Milla are tortured throughout this volume, driven insane. There's an early issue done by various artists to reflect the fear/hallucinations of Milla that sort of pulls out all the stops to get at this craziness. Yes, we find out how it happens by Dr Fear, the sociopath, who it seems wants to start a Hell's Kitchen turf war.
This is pretty dark stuff for Daredevil, I'll admit that. In the effort to deepen the character, did they go too far in taking the fun out of the comic? Do the depths of his psyche require the edge of madness? I dunno, but this is tough stuff. Maybe a 3.5 for me, maybe better. I'll need to take another look at it in terms of the volume to follow.
This is pretty dark stuff for Daredevil, I'll admit that. In the effort to deepen the character, did they go too far in taking the fun out of the comic? Do the depths of his psyche require the edge of madness? I dunno, but this is tough stuff. Maybe a 3.5 for me, maybe better. I'll need to take another look at it in terms of the volume to follow.
December 9, 2019
Daredevil "Hell to Pay" is sort of a retelling. I know this because the volume I purchase had the orignal story as an addendum.
The gist? Taking place post-Matt Murdock's "reveal"as DD, Mr. Fear has poisoned his wife Milla and now she is in deep trouble with the law. So is DD, as he too is affected by the gas, as he struggles to unravel the mystery of Mr. Fear and save his wife. The premise is ok, though I have a huge difficulty grasping how Murdock can stay alive since his exposure. You'd think every dime store robber would be gunning for him, Foggy, Milla, etc. But sense never enters into Comic stories, does it?
So the story is ok, the artwork is ok and the overall story was really on the border between a two and three star story. Perhaps I was in a generous mood. At best this is a three star story and at worst it is a 2 star. I leave it up to you. For my part? I'm a DD fan and tend to like most his titles, but this one was at best average.
The gist? Taking place post-Matt Murdock's "reveal"as DD, Mr. Fear has poisoned his wife Milla and now she is in deep trouble with the law. So is DD, as he too is affected by the gas, as he struggles to unravel the mystery of Mr. Fear and save his wife. The premise is ok, though I have a huge difficulty grasping how Murdock can stay alive since his exposure. You'd think every dime store robber would be gunning for him, Foggy, Milla, etc. But sense never enters into Comic stories, does it?
So the story is ok, the artwork is ok and the overall story was really on the border between a two and three star story. Perhaps I was in a generous mood. At best this is a three star story and at worst it is a 2 star. I leave it up to you. For my part? I'm a DD fan and tend to like most his titles, but this one was at best average.
July 17, 2018
This one was solid but nothing amazing. The issue of Fear seems to a big theme throughout this volume. Solid crime story just not Brubakers best work.
May 15, 2025
Not a big fan of how this story wrapped up. I realize this has been a dark storyline, but the end was downright depressing. The title is starting to get a little old since it seems like the entire series has been nothing but putting Daredevil through Hell. Er, no pun intended. The reader just starts to feel sorry for him as nothing goes his way and he just runs into hardship after hardship. I know heroes are supposed to face adversity, but damn.
Hopefully the tone will lighten up just a bit with the next volume, but that's doubtful.
Hopefully the tone will lighten up just a bit with the next volume, but that's doubtful.
May 27, 2015
Brubaker, I hate and also love you, you heartless bastard.
SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T READ VOLUME 1!!!
This is one of those dark, fucked up stories that I was still thinking about hours after I'd finished it. This second volume covers issues 100-105 and holy shit is it brutal. I mean, even with as little knowledge as I have of Daredevil's past, I probably should have expected it to not end well. But damn. At the end of the first volume, it was revealed that an old foe of Daredevil's, Larry Cranston, AKA Mister Fear, was behind the strange behavior of both the previously gentle criminal Melvin Potter and Matt's wife Milla Donovan. This Mister Fear is not some laughable asshat in a mask though. He's reborn as a sociopath totally without fear. Turns out that Mister Fear has been less than pleased with the fact that Matt was getting his life back together again.
So he sets out to make sure that Matt learns the true meaning of fear by breaking Milla Donovan.
Watching Matt struggle with what's been done to Milla and how to fix it was painful. And the ending...damn. It's Brubaker so you can't expect a happy ending but that was just seriously fucked up.
The following spoiler is a MAJOR one so please don't click unless you've read it and/or would like the ending spoiled for you.
The artwork was all over the place in this one and not in a bad way. The first issue has a fear hallucination sequence that has different styles every few pages which made for an interesting break and was really well done. The rest is in Lark's standard dark, gritty style which pairs so well with Brubaker's writing.
It should go without saying that Brubaker writes dark stories extremely well and this has to be one of Daredevil's darkest yet. Just an incredibly well written disaster for the Man Without Fear and yet another reason to love Brubaker.
SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T READ VOLUME 1!!!
This is one of those dark, fucked up stories that I was still thinking about hours after I'd finished it. This second volume covers issues 100-105 and holy shit is it brutal. I mean, even with as little knowledge as I have of Daredevil's past, I probably should have expected it to not end well. But damn. At the end of the first volume, it was revealed that an old foe of Daredevil's, Larry Cranston, AKA Mister Fear, was behind the strange behavior of both the previously gentle criminal Melvin Potter and Matt's wife Milla Donovan. This Mister Fear is not some laughable asshat in a mask though. He's reborn as a sociopath totally without fear. Turns out that Mister Fear has been less than pleased with the fact that Matt was getting his life back together again.
So he sets out to make sure that Matt learns the true meaning of fear by breaking Milla Donovan.
Watching Matt struggle with what's been done to Milla and how to fix it was painful. And the ending...damn. It's Brubaker so you can't expect a happy ending but that was just seriously fucked up.
The following spoiler is a MAJOR one so please don't click unless you've read it and/or would like the ending spoiled for you.
The artwork was all over the place in this one and not in a bad way. The first issue has a fear hallucination sequence that has different styles every few pages which made for an interesting break and was really well done. The rest is in Lark's standard dark, gritty style which pairs so well with Brubaker's writing.
It should go without saying that Brubaker writes dark stories extremely well and this has to be one of Daredevil's darkest yet. Just an incredibly well written disaster for the Man Without Fear and yet another reason to love Brubaker.
October 16, 2023
Mr. Fear comes in to full display here, crushing Matt completely.
While some people dislike this arc, considering it "fridging" a character, I completely disagree. fridging is when you introduce a character simply to have them die for the sake of another character. Milla is a character who's been in play for a few years at this point, over 50 issues, and does not feel like she's being used simply to hurt Matt. She gets the shit end of the stick thanks to Matt, but so does most people in Matt's life.
Overall this arc is tense and fucked up. Matt still recovering to what happened to him only a year or so ago with Karen is now trying to deal with a attack on his wife. And Mr. Fear makes sure to strike Matt with a winning blow before Daredevil can do anything to save the ones he loves. A screwed up, almost cynical view on what happens when you live inside the world of a superhero and you aren't one.
A 5 out of 5.
While some people dislike this arc, considering it "fridging" a character, I completely disagree. fridging is when you introduce a character simply to have them die for the sake of another character. Milla is a character who's been in play for a few years at this point, over 50 issues, and does not feel like she's being used simply to hurt Matt. She gets the shit end of the stick thanks to Matt, but so does most people in Matt's life.
Overall this arc is tense and fucked up. Matt still recovering to what happened to him only a year or so ago with Karen is now trying to deal with a attack on his wife. And Mr. Fear makes sure to strike Matt with a winning blow before Daredevil can do anything to save the ones he loves. A screwed up, almost cynical view on what happens when you live inside the world of a superhero and you aren't one.
A 5 out of 5.
July 8, 2014
A relatively new and critically acclaimed Daredevil series by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Michael Lark which won the 2007 Harvey Award for Best Writer. In "Hell to Pay" volume 2 Daredevil gets out of his jam but deals with a bigger problem related to his wife. Once again his rage helps him but it also works against him. Dr. Fear makes an appearance and sets up a master plan to do Daredevil in but not in the manner you expect. During Daredevil's “visions” we get to go back in time to some of the main character's personal conflicts and it's a nice touch that they use artwork from the old comics to show it off. As usual the artwork is dark and gritty to reflect the setting.
ARTWORK: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; STORY/PLOTTING: B to B plus; ACTION SCENES: B plus; WHEN READ: late February; OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
ARTWORK: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; STORY/PLOTTING: B to B plus; ACTION SCENES: B plus; WHEN READ: late February; OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
July 18, 2017
Hell to Pay (100-105). Here's a great idea for Daredevil #100: hit Matt with a hallucinatory fear drug, and then have him spend the issue fighting old foes and meeting old lovers and friends, as he trips his way across Hell's Kitchen. It lets you touch back on the continuity of the entire comic's run, and so honor the anniversary. Except, it turns out that this idea has never been interesting and isn't interesting here either. Instead, you get a dull and pointless issue. Worse, this particular usage makes you question why Matt's poisoning worked different from Melvin's poisoning. (Different drugs, I guess, but it's never clarified.)
Fortunately, the rest of the volume is great. Brubaker reinvents Mr. Fear as a Killgrave-level manipulator and creates a compelling drama, particularly for the heart-breaking ways that it impacts Matt's life. I said of Brubaker's initial arc that I didn't want to see another repeat of the killing of Matt's friends, but what Brubaker does here is so much better (and worse!). It's also pretty great that Brubaker interweaves his plot with the Dark Reign plotline, but through the use of the Hood he makes it totally organic: a real part of the overall storyline.
In the end, Brubaker offers up another excellent volume. Though he's still never matched the excellence of his prison arc, as a whole his second year's story is more consistently great than the first year's story was [8/10].
Devil May Care (Annual 1). Using Matt's prison stay as a way to give him a link to another villain is great, and Black Tarantula comes off as a very interesting character. This storyline definitely feels somewhat removed from Brubaker's other work, but it's nonetheless an intriguing character study, and a reflection of what even Matt won't do. [7+/10].
Fortunately, the rest of the volume is great. Brubaker reinvents Mr. Fear as a Killgrave-level manipulator and creates a compelling drama, particularly for the heart-breaking ways that it impacts Matt's life. I said of Brubaker's initial arc that I didn't want to see another repeat of the killing of Matt's friends, but what Brubaker does here is so much better (and worse!). It's also pretty great that Brubaker interweaves his plot with the Dark Reign plotline, but through the use of the Hood he makes it totally organic: a real part of the overall storyline.
In the end, Brubaker offers up another excellent volume. Though he's still never matched the excellence of his prison arc, as a whole his second year's story is more consistently great than the first year's story was [8/10].
Devil May Care (Annual 1). Using Matt's prison stay as a way to give him a link to another villain is great, and Black Tarantula comes off as a very interesting character. This storyline definitely feels somewhat removed from Brubaker's other work, but it's nonetheless an intriguing character study, and a reflection of what even Matt won't do. [7+/10].
May 24, 2019
Quite a bit better than Volume 1.I don't think I realized how brutal Daredevil can be. I though there were perhaps too many characters, though. I couldn't always keep them straight, but some were no doubt introduced earlier in the series and I'm coming in during the middle.
June 26, 2022
How the hell did Brubaker get away with completely fucking Milla and Sharon’s lives in the same time period, was that really all he had for ideas? “Let’s have Daredevil and Captain America’s wives get hypnotized so they can do some incredibly insiduous shit to justify our hero’s existence”. It’s so fucking lame, lazy and uninspired! And just a few short years after Kevin Smith fridged DD’s last love. Brubaker is like Alan Moore, incredibly gifted but can’t write women at all, they only write them to hurt them.
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March 22, 2022i know it’s been said many times many ways….but the way male comic book writers handle female characters (especially the supporting ones!!) is just so….distasteful and insulting
January 21, 2018
First thing's first: The art in this book is fantastic. Lark was a great choice for Daredevil, the tone of his work following Maleev's really well. Love the Djurdjevic colors and the artist choices for #100.
As for the story, oh boy! Brubaker does great stuff with Matt's character, but god, can he be less weird about women? This arc is entirely about the ruination of Milla Donovan. Ruin a woman to make a man sad? Real original, Brubaker. Not surprised that that was one of his first moves upon inheriting this series. We continue to see pheremone-powered Lily Lucca be manipulated to this end, and the arc ends with Mr. Fear raping a nameless woman. Great!
I don't think he means to be misogynistic; he just happens to be, consistently, at least in everything he writes in the mid- to late-00s. It's not the 80's anymore, Ed! After a phenomenal run from Bendis/Maleev, I no longer have any patience for male writers destroying women to make male characters sad!
Good Matt though.
As for the story, oh boy! Brubaker does great stuff with Matt's character, but god, can he be less weird about women? This arc is entirely about the ruination of Milla Donovan. Ruin a woman to make a man sad? Real original, Brubaker. Not surprised that that was one of his first moves upon inheriting this series. We continue to see pheremone-powered Lily Lucca be manipulated to this end, and the arc ends with Mr. Fear raping a nameless woman. Great!
I don't think he means to be misogynistic; he just happens to be, consistently, at least in everything he writes in the mid- to late-00s. It's not the 80's anymore, Ed! After a phenomenal run from Bendis/Maleev, I no longer have any patience for male writers destroying women to make male characters sad!
Good Matt though.
April 11, 2013
So Milla Donovan sinks further into her role as utterly dependent on Matt's acceptance and approval until Brubaker metaphorically stuffs her in a refrigerator, finding room in there for Melvin Potter as well. Mr. Fear, the villain behind it all is attempting to use the distribution of a new drug to take over the Kingpin's territory in his absentia. (Please not that Bendis had The Owl do the exact same thing) but he's challenged by rival, The Hood.
The Hood's roll in this was shaping up to be the most interesting thing about it, until it ended up going absolutely nowhere. Blah.
The Hood's roll in this was shaping up to be the most interesting thing about it, until it ended up going absolutely nowhere. Blah.
January 21, 2018
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
October 7, 2025
Daredevil hits a new low in this story. He is forced to do some nasty things to protects the ones he loves, all while racing toward thwarting a plan that is a bit too well thought out.
Larry Cranston, now calling himself Mr. Fear, has been poisoning the city, even Milla, into carrying out deeds of death and destruction. Foggy tries to shield Milla after she pushes a man onto the subway tracks while under the influence of Fear's drugs. Matt receives a full done and is released in public. He gets visions of his worst enemies, but in reality he is beating up cops. He desperately tries to maintain his grip on reality while he relives his life's most traumatic events.
Larry Cranston, now calling himself Mr. Fear, has been poisoning the city, even Milla, into carrying out deeds of death and destruction. Foggy tries to shield Milla after she pushes a man onto the subway tracks while under the influence of Fear's drugs. Matt receives a full done and is released in public. He gets visions of his worst enemies, but in reality he is beating up cops. He desperately tries to maintain his grip on reality while he relives his life's most traumatic events.
August 24, 2020
Chyba najbardziej dołująca i przytłaczająca opowieść z Diabłem z Hell's Kitchen. Milla pod wpływem działania gazu Mister Fear'a doznaje zmian w psychice, które przejawiają się napadami agresji. Cechuje się to tym, że może kogoś zranić, a potem nie pamięta swoich czynów. Jedynym ratunkiem wydaje się lekarstwo, jakie ma w posiadaniu przeciwnik.
Zaczyna się brutalna vendetta Matta, który pierze bandytów w poszukiwaniu odpowiedzi, ale na drodze ciągle mu coś staje, bowiem dodatkowo na terenie Hell's Kitchen dochodzi do starć dwóch konkurencyjnych gangów. Nie jest to też liga Murdocka, bowiem w szranki stają tutaj nieco "ulepszeni" przeciwnicy, a gdzieś w tle mamy konsekwencje Civil War i problemy z rejestracją herosów.
Tak na dobrą sprawę nie mogę nic więcej napisać, bo bardziej niż zwykle naraziłbym się na spoilery. Niemniej końcówka jest duszna. Ukazuje Daredevila jako zwykłego człowieka, który popełnia błędy, gdy wróg zmusza go do zachowań opartych na emocjach. Nie wydaje mi się też, iż jest to historia zakończona, co pokazuje końcówka. Wrogowie Matta mają naprawdę silne karty i dobrze nimi rozgrywają tą partię.
Na uwagę zasługuje setny zeszyt, przy którym majstrowało naprawdę sporo artystów, co ma odzwierciedlenie w różnych kreskach. Mamy możliwość zobaczyć jak to kiedyś było. Fajny pomysł. Może nie nowy, bo seria już miała coś takiego zastosowanego, ale jako ukłon wieloletnim czytelnikom... Zawsze na plus.
Siedemnasty tom coś kończy, ale też zaczyna. To treściwy dramat, ale z drugiej strony ma motywy już aż za dobrze wyeksploatowane. Duża zasługa Brubakera, że ten trik nadal działa, choć wolałbym aby był już ostatnim. Wypada polecić.
Zaczyna się brutalna vendetta Matta, który pierze bandytów w poszukiwaniu odpowiedzi, ale na drodze ciągle mu coś staje, bowiem dodatkowo na terenie Hell's Kitchen dochodzi do starć dwóch konkurencyjnych gangów. Nie jest to też liga Murdocka, bowiem w szranki stają tutaj nieco "ulepszeni" przeciwnicy, a gdzieś w tle mamy konsekwencje Civil War i problemy z rejestracją herosów.
Tak na dobrą sprawę nie mogę nic więcej napisać, bo bardziej niż zwykle naraziłbym się na spoilery. Niemniej końcówka jest duszna. Ukazuje Daredevila jako zwykłego człowieka, który popełnia błędy, gdy wróg zmusza go do zachowań opartych na emocjach. Nie wydaje mi się też, iż jest to historia zakończona, co pokazuje końcówka. Wrogowie Matta mają naprawdę silne karty i dobrze nimi rozgrywają tą partię.
Na uwagę zasługuje setny zeszyt, przy którym majstrowało naprawdę sporo artystów, co ma odzwierciedlenie w różnych kreskach. Mamy możliwość zobaczyć jak to kiedyś było. Fajny pomysł. Może nie nowy, bo seria już miała coś takiego zastosowanego, ale jako ukłon wieloletnim czytelnikom... Zawsze na plus.
Siedemnasty tom coś kończy, ale też zaczyna. To treściwy dramat, ale z drugiej strony ma motywy już aż za dobrze wyeksploatowane. Duża zasługa Brubakera, że ten trik nadal działa, choć wolałbym aby był już ostatnim. Wypada polecić.
October 18, 2021
Lily is SO annoying Jesus CHRIST. I get that she’s under duress but even in the last volume she was so … how do I say, punchable. I say this as disrespectfully as I can. God. Matt’s MARRIED and ALMOST HAPPY for once. She couldn’t have just, I don’t know, not be annoying. Can’t she take a hint? Sorry he doesn’t wanna be associated with a ringleader and also, HE HAS A WIFE.
I’m reading daredevil backwards by volume, so I already know, Millas not gonna get better. Heartbreaking, really, they don’t even mention her in the newer comics. Last we see her is in vol 3 (maybe 4? I don’t remember a thing about Soule’s run but Blindspot ❤️ and the damn horses. And Mike, of course) and I’m probably not there yet but they’re still married, yeah? Let him visit her. Don’t just forget about her, all of Matt’s other love interests get a lot of attention, and I do love them but she’s arguably the one who stood her ground the hardest (apart from Elektra).
I get what people mean when they say Waid’s run is a breath of fresh air. Bendis and Brubaker’s runs are super dark and gritty, but it gets old after a while. There’s only so many things you can do to a guy till it gets old. I really need to reread vol 3.
I’m reading daredevil backwards by volume, so I already know, Millas not gonna get better. Heartbreaking, really, they don’t even mention her in the newer comics. Last we see her is in vol 3 (maybe 4? I don’t remember a thing about Soule’s run but Blindspot ❤️ and the damn horses. And Mike, of course) and I’m probably not there yet but they’re still married, yeah? Let him visit her. Don’t just forget about her, all of Matt’s other love interests get a lot of attention, and I do love them but she’s arguably the one who stood her ground the hardest (apart from Elektra).
I get what people mean when they say Waid’s run is a breath of fresh air. Bendis and Brubaker’s runs are super dark and gritty, but it gets old after a while. There’s only so many things you can do to a guy till it gets old. I really need to reread vol 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
For me, this is by far the weakest portion of the Brubaker Daredevil run. I don't believe pretty much anything that happens in this story. I get the impression that Brubaker didn't like the Murdock marriage and wanted to get rid of it immediately but wasn't sure how. And the way he begins to go about in this volume is not just brutal but also incredulous.
There's also an issue #100 in this volume (and we're only 2 or 3 volumes away from an issue #500!). To celebrate, some of the most famous artists who have ever worked on Daredevil come back to do a few pages of art. And while there are narrative reasons for the art shifts, and the art itself is beautiful, the story doesn't support it. It's a weak frame to support the level of artistry in the issue.
I had to really grit my teeth to keep reading Brubaker's run.
There's also an issue #100 in this volume (and we're only 2 or 3 volumes away from an issue #500!). To celebrate, some of the most famous artists who have ever worked on Daredevil come back to do a few pages of art. And while there are narrative reasons for the art shifts, and the art itself is beautiful, the story doesn't support it. It's a weak frame to support the level of artistry in the issue.
I had to really grit my teeth to keep reading Brubaker's run.
February 19, 2025
Brubaker and Lark’s run really hits its stride here, not that it wasn’t incredible before. But the pacing really makes this arc. I thought things were moving a little too quickly before, and I was right. The slow boil here is masterful.
And it sticks the landing. I know that there is quite a bit of criticism directed at the way Milla is treated in this arc, and I think it is justifiable, but I also think the majority of the issues with her story should be directed towards Bendis. It was the one thing I repeatedly bumped on my latest reread of his run.
And it sticks the landing. I know that there is quite a bit of criticism directed at the way Milla is treated in this arc, and I think it is justifiable, but I also think the majority of the issues with her story should be directed towards Bendis. It was the one thing I repeatedly bumped on my latest reread of his run.
March 15, 2023
The #100 issue in this was bomb as fuck- Daredevil gets hit with some fear gas and starts hallucinating and the art changes throughout.
This story was otherwise okay, I feel like it just didn't go anywhere like bad guy attacks, makes Daredevil mad who then beats up a bunch of dudes and that's it. All while his wife is dealing with the fallout of herself being poisoned by Mr Fear. Like hmmm I was already tired of Milla being there just to suffer but okay.
This story was otherwise okay, I feel like it just didn't go anywhere like bad guy attacks, makes Daredevil mad who then beats up a bunch of dudes and that's it. All while his wife is dealing with the fallout of herself being poisoned by Mr Fear. Like hmmm I was already tired of Milla being there just to suffer but okay.
December 12, 2024
I mean it was a good plan, it is a great way to break the Devil. I feel so bad for Milla, it has been tragedy after tragedy for her. Ed is doing a great job analyzing Matt’s stubbornness, this love that he want to hold to but it’s clearly hurting her more. She will never be safe. My main issue is that Mister Fear is basically Scarecrow with the Phantasm outfit. Maybe both gases are a bit different in detail, but this is a story I’m familiar with thanks to Batman.
May 31, 2018
Too much emphasis on Matt's personal life.He's a superhero after all,there should be room for other things in his life rather than just protecting his loved ones.I think the writers just overdid it for Daredevil....
August 9, 2021
The first story arc by Brubaker and Lark/Azaceta is a good one, and is promising for the rest of their run on Daredevil. The art looks really good and complements the story. I also liked the villain, and the way he had set up Matt Murdock. All in all, a solid story and an enjoyable read.
December 8, 2019
Cool,cool,cool,cool,cool
January 17, 2022
Not my thing, and poor Milla…
July 5, 2023
3.5 ⭐
April 9, 2024
good
3.49 stars
3.49 stars
July 14, 2010
Writer Ed Brubaker and artist Michael Lark continue to psychologically, emotionally, and physically brutalize the Man Without Fear in volume 2 of "Hell to Pay," the rather shocking conclusion of what would appear to be a turf war between Mr. Fear and The Hood.
Readers will continue to delight in the manner in which Brubaker constructs the conflicts around Matt Murdock and his loved ones. In volume 1, it appeared that B-list villains were stepping things up and making life at least a little miserable for Daredevil...and writers always delight, as the fans do, in proving that characters that you once believed were a necessary evil to the hero's mythology, are suddenly a bit more terrifying than ever before.
The twists and turns that ramp up and lead to the stunning final pages of this volume are a worthwhile treat, proof that Daredevil's soul-searching and psychological foundation weren't entirely abandoned when Bendis left the book about two years prior. DAREDEVIL has been very concerned not only with action, detection, and crime, but also with the make-up of Daredevil himself. This is a tortured individual who, according to some theories doesn't really seem to catch a break too often. To others, and perhaps to Brubaker especially, it appears more and more that Murdock himself makes it impossible for him to discover his own happiness.
Like a small handful of heroes in contemporary comic books today, Murdock surrounds himself with a circle of friends that are directly in danger, simply for having Murdock as a friend, and Brubaker continues to build upon that legacy, if in rather circuitous fashion. If it's a staple of Brubaker's writing that the path to a story's conclusion seems to almost veer out of control, the conclusion itself is the payoff. At times, though, whether controlled and manipulated perfectly by Brubaker or not, the road to those last pages of "Hell to Pay" tend to get a little long. Your interest is maintained for the majority of the tale, but some abbreviation of the plot could sometimes be in order.
What does not seem to take forever, though, are Lark's pencils. His gritty artwork, a remarkable contrast to the work he did on Vertigo Comics' TERMINAL CITY, seem sometimes hurried. As with illustrators like Guy Davis and Eduardo Risso...both very accomplished and good at what they do...readers sometimes have to take care that they recognize who they're looking at. The artwork doesn't necessarily detract from the book in a tremendous way, but some more control of the "darkness" of Lark's pencils might be called for in the future.
All in all, "Hell to Pay" is a fine addition to the DAREDEVIL saga, evidence that Brubaker/Lark do, in fact, have a notion of the dark places they intend to visit over the course of their run on the series, and previewing the very dark places that Matt Murdock is beginning to call "home".
Readers will continue to delight in the manner in which Brubaker constructs the conflicts around Matt Murdock and his loved ones. In volume 1, it appeared that B-list villains were stepping things up and making life at least a little miserable for Daredevil...and writers always delight, as the fans do, in proving that characters that you once believed were a necessary evil to the hero's mythology, are suddenly a bit more terrifying than ever before.
The twists and turns that ramp up and lead to the stunning final pages of this volume are a worthwhile treat, proof that Daredevil's soul-searching and psychological foundation weren't entirely abandoned when Bendis left the book about two years prior. DAREDEVIL has been very concerned not only with action, detection, and crime, but also with the make-up of Daredevil himself. This is a tortured individual who, according to some theories doesn't really seem to catch a break too often. To others, and perhaps to Brubaker especially, it appears more and more that Murdock himself makes it impossible for him to discover his own happiness.
Like a small handful of heroes in contemporary comic books today, Murdock surrounds himself with a circle of friends that are directly in danger, simply for having Murdock as a friend, and Brubaker continues to build upon that legacy, if in rather circuitous fashion. If it's a staple of Brubaker's writing that the path to a story's conclusion seems to almost veer out of control, the conclusion itself is the payoff. At times, though, whether controlled and manipulated perfectly by Brubaker or not, the road to those last pages of "Hell to Pay" tend to get a little long. Your interest is maintained for the majority of the tale, but some abbreviation of the plot could sometimes be in order.
What does not seem to take forever, though, are Lark's pencils. His gritty artwork, a remarkable contrast to the work he did on Vertigo Comics' TERMINAL CITY, seem sometimes hurried. As with illustrators like Guy Davis and Eduardo Risso...both very accomplished and good at what they do...readers sometimes have to take care that they recognize who they're looking at. The artwork doesn't necessarily detract from the book in a tremendous way, but some more control of the "darkness" of Lark's pencils might be called for in the future.
All in all, "Hell to Pay" is a fine addition to the DAREDEVIL saga, evidence that Brubaker/Lark do, in fact, have a notion of the dark places they intend to visit over the course of their run on the series, and previewing the very dark places that Matt Murdock is beginning to call "home".
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