Daredevil by Mark Waid, Vol. 2

Daredevil by Mark Waid #3-4

by Mark Waid, Greg Rucka (Contributor), Marco Checchetto (Illustrator)

Collects Daredevil (2011) #11-21, Avenging Spider-Man #6 and Punisher (2011) #10.

Mark Waid’s epic re-invigoration of the Man Without Fear continues! Daredevil and Spider-Man form a shaky alliance with not one, but two Punishers to obtain the invaluable Omega Drive — which contains the information needed to dismantle an international criminal network. But the plan goes pear-shaped when one hero betrays the group! Then, Daredevil undergoes urgent brain surgery as size-changing scientiest Hank Pym enters his head to destroy sensory-deprivation robots implanted by Dr. Doom. But Daredevil’s recovery hits a snag when he starts to question reality. His best friend, Foggy Nelson — believing Matt is losing his mind, and that he presents a danger to himself and others — dissolves their law partnership…and their friendship! Ghosts from Daredevil’s past return to haunt him in a mind-bending adventure that leaves him second-guessing his sanity as he faces off against dangerous new villain the Coyote.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Sequential Art

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2014

About the author

Mark Waid (born March 21, 1962 in Hueytown, Alabama) is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another nice entry. Book starts off with a crossover between Avenging Spider-Man #6, Punisher #10 and Daredevil # 11. This arc feels more like the dark, broody, crime/noir style of Daredevil that I’ve read before. Marco Checcheto’s art helps with this vibe. Has Spidey, DD, Punisher and his new lady partner reluctantly teaming up to protect the hard drive DD has. Solid arc where Spidey had some funny one liners. Next we got back to the more lighter, adventurous feel Waid has brought to the character. The art style of Chris Samnee helps with this. We had the assistant D.A. Going on a date with Matt trying to prove he’s Daredevil. A bate and switch maneuver that Matt pulls off with some Avengers help. DD being captured by Doctor Doom’s servant, Chancellor Beltane and experimented on in Latveria trying to crack the secrets of his radar and other heightened senesces. Then the final arc, which was probably my fav, where a villain from an earlier issue returns to give Matt one hell of a ride. So far Waid is on a roll and I’m having a blast.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume contains some very dramatic and heart-wrenching storytelling. My heart broke for Ben/Daredevil while reading this.

Not only did it affect me emotionally, which is the sign of a good book, but the content was cleaner this time around: less profanity, and little to no blood. Hopefully, the rest of the volumes continue that trend.

[The Lion's Share · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as volume 1, but still very inventive. Where does Waid get his excellent ideas from?!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this volume feels like a step down from volume one, but it's still so much better and more engaging than most other superhero comics on the shelves that I've got to still give it 5 stars.

The first half of the book focuses on Daredevil teaming up with Spider-Man, Punisher and Punisher's new protege to protect the Omega Drive and fight off the forces attempting to acquire it. If you don't know what the Omega Drive is, it's a McGuffin that contains all of the secrets of all the major supercrime organizations in the Marvel Universe, and those organizations want it back. This storyline has dominated Daredevil for several issues at this point, and this section of the book serves as a finale for that plot. It's a little messy, and you're not given much of a reason to care about Spider-Man or the Punisher(s)' roles here, but it's still a big, comic-booky ending that's hard to dislike, despite its feeling like pretty well-trod territory. Double crosses, lots of punches, that sort of thing. It's fine.

This book really heats up after the conclusion of the Omega Drive story, though. I LOVED the last half of this book. From here, Daredevil has to face Stiltman, one of the dumbest villains in the Marvel Universe, and then Coyote, who appears to be one of the more sinister villains Daredevil's faced lately. He's a torturous, sick madman with an uncertain amount of power, and it makes him genuinely intimidating. Jumping from Stiltman to Coyote highlights the cool dynamic that really defines what makes Waid's run so good. He manages to balance silly, Silver-Agey comic ridiculousness with disturbing villainy and real-life darkness in a way that leaves you feeling like you just leapt into an ice bath after sitting in a sauna for 20 minutes. It's very post-modern, self-aware comic storytelling that doesn't get too meta or up its own ass. I really can't wait to keep reading this.

[Pruett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could take or leave the Omega Drive stuff, but Coyote and Spot are FREAKY and I live for paranoia tales. The melodrama’s also great in the last couple issues!

This is like a 3.75 star that gets a 4 nonetheless.

[Michael Emond · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know how long this rant will be but I was so disappointed with this volume after such a promising start in volume one, a weak second half and now it has come to this. Fans rave about this series so I may be in the minority but that's how I feel. What started off as a fresh and welcome new take on Daredevil both visually and in tone has now fallen into the "sad sack" Daredevil that has been the tone ever since Miller left the book. Everyone picks on this guy and in this volume, his self professed "best friend" and new girlfriend dump on him. I am just sick and tired of the mopey tone of the book and Waid started off with the promise that that wasn't going to be the tone of the book when he wrote it but he breaks his promise in spades here. There will be spoilers so stop reading if you don't want to know too much about the stories. The first set of stories were my favourite. They involved Daredevil, Spider-man and Punisher. The art by Checchetto is breathtaking. The story isn't too memorable since we end up back where we started at the end of it but the inclusion of Spider-man and his interaction with Daredevil is welcome. Then we get the conclusion of the "Daredevil has a hard drive that can bring down five major super-crime groups". From the beginning it made no sense that "Daredevil had to bear this burden by himself" bringing angst and the threat of death to him. And as the storyline ends it still makes no sense (still not clear why he couldn't have handed over the hard drive to the Avengers in the first place) and the conclusion of it is not clever nor worthy of all the build up.
It leads to a three parter that was extremely distasteful to me. It was a "rape of a hero" for the sake of torturing your main character. Dr. Doom manages to teleport DD to his castle and punishes him for costing him business with the 5 crime groups by stripping him of all his senses. So Doom can do that? Teleport heroes at his whim? Oh, only when Waid needs him to and not, you know, every other issue of every other comic. Cause if Doom can do that he can pretty much destroy every hero he wants to (i.e. all of them). It is a brutal torture of DD and not interesting and the conclusion of the villain saying "you can't hurt me, diplomatic immunity" is INSANE! Hey, I just kidnapped and tortured DD but every citizen of my country can do whatever they want because of that rule.
Then when DD gets back his friend Foggy accuses him of going insane because he finds DD's dad's remains in DD's desk at work. So, instead of believing in his friend he throws him under the bus and gets his girlfriend to start a manhunt for him. So apparently Foggy wasn't reading the other 300 issues of DD and forgot about super-villains and how his friend is a hero. DD makes a similar rant when it is all cleared up (after another scene of torture - a super-villain was starting a human slave trafficking business - REALLY Marvel? I know we are gritty but how far are you going with this??) and Foggy gives a half apology before again accusing his friend of going insane. My God. And we end with the girlfriend enlisting the help of someone to hunt down DD (apparently Foggy wasn't too quick to speed dial the girlfriend to tell her he is an idiot and made mistake about DD).
So, in short, I think Waid has tonally shifted this book back into a direction I hate, forgot his original promise of having a lighter DD and instead is giving us the sickest take on the character yet (digging up human remains, human trafficking and torturing your main character).

[Ty Lazauskas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brb crying forever. Mark Waid has managed to give me the MOST FEELINGS.

[Bryan Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

After volume 1 set the standard for the new tone of this series, this volume reverted back in many ways to the usual. Still enjoyed it, was just expecting something lighter.
I never loved the Omega Drive storyline much in the first place and especially didn’t think it deserved this much more focus. But it did allow the story to go in some strange and unexpected places.
I liked the story in the last half of this book quite a bit. The mystery that was woven through was well done and had a nice payoff. The writing and art style in general was still solid (I particularly liked Checchetto’s art), I just think it was all better in volume 1.
I think the main loss is this volume was the comedy, it was practically non-existent.

[Dale Kulas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really digging Mark Waid's run on Daredevil after this second hardcover collection collect the next dozen issues of volume 3 of Daredevil. The first half features crossovers with Spider-Man and Punisher as Daredevil gains possession of a special drive that contains intel on all the top crime syndicates. I enjoyed all the crazy trouble Daredevil gets himself into trying to align himself with both of them while trying to avoid all sorts of traps the crime syndicates set out in order to get out the drive back.

The second half features a lot of drama between Daredevil's friendship with his best friend and business partner Foggy. Mr. Nelson believes Matt is losing his mind as Murdoch appears to literally be going bonkers as he makes some serious deep dives into his personal life that makes Foggy turn his back on Matt/Daredevil. Of course there is a lot more to the story as that plotline unfolds, and the deeper it got, the more off the rails it went for me and I did get a little disconnected from it when they explain the masterminds behind everything. Still, the interplay between Foggy and Matt and new love interest Kristen throughout it is excellent and I think I actually ended up enjoying how the real life personas played out more in the back half of this collection then the Daredevil theatrics that went well into the deep end by the last couple of issues in this collection.

Overall this is still another excellent collection of Daredevil stories with far more greater moments and issues than bad.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

After binge watching Daredevil on Netflix last month, I wanted to read some of the old comics to get more of a backstory on Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson. This book has many famous characters, like Spiderman, the Punisher, and Iron Man, that partner and help the Daredevil survive plots from Dr. Doom, The Spot, and Hydra. The thing I like most about the Daredevil comics is the complex relationship between the two partnering lawyers who are battling their friendship with the “demons” that rise up inside both of them. Great comic book character that I am starting to like more than my favorite character, Spider-Man.

[Helen (they or he) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Mark Waid's run is very, very refreshing. DD truly deserves a less depressing run like this.

Thank god Daredevil and Spidey are neighbouring heroes because if not, we wouldn't be blessed with Spidey's lines like "I think this is my super villain origin" (vol. 1) or "Because Daredevil --- A.K.A. Attorney Matt Murdock --- has the worst-kept secret identity since Hannah Montana" (vol. 2)

[José Ignacio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully maintained momentum

What can I say? This is still pretty damn good and a worthy continuation of the previous volume, with Waid ramping up his stories now that he’s gotten some ground laid out, and he does get to have a lot of fun with the flash drive MacGuffin he introduced in the previous volume; and I think his two-part story set in Latveria as a direct result of the flash drive might be one of my all-time favorite DD stories of all time now.

That’s not to say the rest of the work in the book isn’t great either, the storyline that kicks it off, a three-part crossover involving DD, Spider-Man and Punisher is just a fun, brainless, action popcorn story that while it may not be very complex, it makes up for it by just being action packed and fun.

Issue #12 is also a standout for me because it really highlights why Matt and Foggy are the perfect complement for each other and why their dynamic is so cool and enduring, complemented even more with Issue #17 further showing that, while also making a story where Stilt Man of all villains actually poses a tangible threat.

And the final arc that questions Matt's sanity in such an interesting fashion is also great, and it pays off and tied up (in a sense) some of the lingering plot threads that Brubaker and Diggle left unresolved in their runs.

The art is gorgeous all throughout the book, the thicker outlines and more cartoonish styles are retained with Paolo Rivera still being the main artist, but Chris Samnee's fill-in pencils for Issue #16 look so good and compliment that story's 50s sci-fi style so well. Not to mention it’s fun to once again see early Marco Checchetto work on Daredevil years before his run with Zdarsky.

Overall, just an excellent story that ramps up and retains momentum through and through.

[Kyle Berk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly of all the Daredevil I've read this year Daredevil by Mark Waid volume two has the darkest element to it. Which is seen in the last two issues when Matt's life is falling apart again.

The volume starts out simple enough. A crossover between three titles, that all come down to the Omega drive Matt had been keeping around his neck. Daredevil, Spidey, and the Punisher all team up. And it's very good especially across three titles I think it holds very well. It doesn't amount to a big end as Matt still has it at the end but lovely characterization and development for Matt. As he tries to do for someone else what he's trying to do for himself. And that is atone.

I don't usually like to talk too much about the plot because the enjoyment of seeing everything unravel is something I myself really enjoy. And I won't talk about everything but by the end of this volume Mark Waid plotting and clever crafting has really fleshed out what this run is about. It's about Matt trying to be better yes, it very much tells us that at every possible turn. But for once it doesn't solely focus on Matt's budding romance or his romantic choices but this one is about the whims and woes of Nelson and Murdock.

And I love it. Some of the ideas don't go as far as I'd like them (or haven't yet) primarily his senses being taken away, I'd have thought that'd go further. But the emotional core of Matt and Foggy is very well developed and I look forward to seeing how it unravels.

The fun is still there. Stilt man shows up and plenty of Avengers show up. It appears as fun as it is but it's surely not as light and fun as everyone makes it out to be. And it's so well plotted and well drawn by a number of artists.

Another Daredevil comic worth everyone's time.

4 stars.

[Satyros Brucato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Waid's run on Marvel's most angst-ridden superhero provides an engaging counterprogramming to the pervasive misery Matt Murdock has suffered at the hands of Frank Miller, Ann Nocenti, Brian Michael Bendis, Kevin Smith, Ed Brubaker, Chip Zdarsky, and a handful of lesser talents filling in between them. As one might expect from the guy who made Archie interesting (no joke - Waid's Archie comics are among the best I've read in years!), Mark prefers a lighter touch - a return to the "Ol' Hornhead" days when Daredevil was more like a blind Spider-Man than a tortured noir renegade.

This series, boosted by a more four-color "cartoon" style that hearkens back to the Gene Colan years, begins with Matt deciding that he's tired of being depressed. Affecting a bouncy, playful persona, this decision matches the lighter touch that Waid employs. Naturally, this IS Daredevil, and so the darkness drops back in occasionally; one arc, featuring a new(?) antagonist called Coyote, is impressively dark even by Daredevil standards, and while the initial resolution comes a bit too easily, it involves a queasy bit of body horror underscored by the sort of cosmic weirdness Steve Ditko employed at the top of his game. A few other elements reveal the horrific aspects of Matt Murdoch's existence, and those elements grow darker still in the next volume.

As for the first two, they're fun. While I wouldn't rank them near the best work from Miller/ Mazzucchelli, Bendis/ Maleev, or Brubaker/ Lark, they're a damn sight better than most other work on this title. And it IS fun to see "Ol Hornhead" trade barbs with Spider-Man, though Matt ought to have a word with Peter sometime about turning disability into a punchline... especially when you're ribbing your friends.

[chad chrysanthemum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Granted, I've only read about 10 comics ever, but I'm still going to say this is the best comic I've ever read. The art is fantastic, but I think the writing and characterisation is where this run really shines. I knew pretty much nothing about these characters going into this and, especially in this section, I think Waid effectively shows you what these characters are about and how they approach problems. I really liked that even though this is a lighter take on Daredevil, it is insinuated that Matt's new positive outlook is in part a front to avoid having to deal with all the shit that's happened to him, which I appreciated as it doesn't ignore all the rest of his story.
The second half of this volume is probably my favourite - the wrap up of the hard drive MacGuffin isn't bad (I really liked the bit with Doom and how Daredevil deals with an absolute lack of sensory input), although a little underwhelming as nothing's really solved long-term - but the second half is really, really cool. I think Coyote is an incredibly cool villain - not only is his character design awesome, but I think it's incredible how Waid took a comical D-list villain like the Spot and turned him into a genuinely terrifying villain like Coyote. It had me questioning what was really or not, and the reveal with human trafficking had my skin absolutely crawling. He's a really satisfyingly evil villain, and so it's especially fun to see him defeated. There's no justifying his actions here - he's just a guy who is absolutely evil and exploits people for profit because, well, he can. So, yeah, this is absolutely awesome and I'm excited for the third volume!

[Kris Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Omega Drive has information on the five largest criminal organizations on the planet on it. It is made from the unstable molecules from an old Fantastic Four costume and Daredevil has possession of it. This has made Daredevil a walking target, but he is not without a backup plan. What that means is that we get another dose of the age-old team-up crossover with Spider-Man and the Punisher. That's okay, those are always fun and they always work.

From there Mark Waid does away with the lighthearted Daredevil that we have been seeing so much of and shows more of the brooding, dark Daredevil which has been typical for the character since the Frank Miller run. Seeing ol' Matt Murdock's life being turned upside down again gets depressing, even when done in a well written, well drawn book like this. Hopefully things get lighter again, because this Silver Age flavored take on the character has been as absolute blast.

[Lucio Constantine:is busy learning languages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Waid’s Daredevil Vol. 2 is a fresh take on Daredevil. In this story Daredevil and Spider-Man team up with Frank Castle to obtain the Omega Drive which everyone is after. Over the course of the story there is a question of whether Daredevil is losing his mind or if his mental instability which causes him to lose his firm is influenced by something else.

I really enjoyed this issue, as well as the last one in the series. It brings back the fun and joy of old Daredevil comics like the ones from Stan Lee, while I prefer the darker tone of Frank Miller and Kevin Smith’s runs, this is a nice change of pace over the previous interpretations of the character.

The art is great, it influenced me to draw a few images from the book.

If you are new to Daredevil and you don’t want to be bombarded with depressing atmospheres, then this is the story for you.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to rate this 4.5 stars since it's just shy of perfection somehow. Nevertheless Waid has finally won my over with his ability to really make this run feel coherent, interesting and surprising. Things, characters are introduced with unique and surprising payoffs down the road, the art is funky and smart and the new direction for Daredevil's psychology is ... perhaps a little weak when it comes to interpersonal relationships ... but also really quite clever in how it has its cake and eats it. A good superhero saga needs emotional conflict and Waid almost promised to remove it and almost make this comic feel like Spiderman (on a good day); actually introducing Spiderman into the mix was a genius move that allows him to cheekily explore that dynamic and make us further question what we're reading.

Also, spot.

Why aren't I giving this 5* exactly?

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good continuation of Mark Waid's Daredevil run. New regular artist Chris Samnee is a great addition. I really like his work here.

The end of the Omega Drive storyline is kind of crazy but fun. I'm not sure it really makes much sense, if you think about it too much, but that's OK. From there, Waid tells a couple of other weird stories that are a lot different from the kind of stuff you usually see in a Daredevil book, but I thought it was all a good change of pace. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of Waid's run.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you think Waid and Samnee’s Daredevil obviously you think Ikari but I had entirely forgotten how insane the preceding Coyote arc, found in this volume, is. I mean, wow. And this volume of course contains Samnee proper arrival in the pages of Horn Head and it obviously rules. You read this book and you remember this book is great and then you reread it and it’s like oh damn this book is great!

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The swashbuckling nature of vol 1 leans more towards emotional distress and drama here as Matt finds himself in some very horrific and mind ending situations.

The writing remains really strong (with the exception of two of the Spidy / Daredevil / Punisher issues) as does the art. I had a really good time here for the most part, I’m not sure I enjoyed it as much as volume 1 but it was pretty close.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well at least the megacrime arc is done now ? I'm still very whelmed by this run so far. There's definitely some highlights, I thought the Latveria parts were cool. Daredevil loosing his radar sense had actual stake. Spot/Coyote felt like a Scott Snyder vilain though, and I think I'm over that kind of stuff. And as much as it felt like a jumping on point at first, I do feel like I'm missing a lot of background that makes this story much less hard hitting. We'll see how the third one goes

[Maciej Matusz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still in love with Mark Waid’s reinterpretation of Daredevil. This volume is weaker than the previous one because of the drawn out MegaCrime disk storyline, but the remaining arcs are solid. I also really like the Milla subplot and Matt’s emotions connected to it. The artwork is still masterful, and it remains the most distinctive superhero comic I’ve ever read.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super good. Doctor Doom! Great flashback to law school! The plot thickens! Wonderfully creepy stuff with Coyote!

[Rachel Fortin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many villians, too many heroes, not enough story line.

[Jdetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Waid's reinvention of this book continues, and it's great. Waid isn't making everything all puppies and unicorns and rainbows, but he keeps the book from dipping into overwhelming depression.

[Edward Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty solid volume, and I finally got to read all of that crossover with Spidey and The Punisher. I liked that there was such a slow build up to the conclusion - it worked very well.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foggy and Matt's friendship is so touching. The art is great too.

[Ale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really digging this run

[leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

favorites from this volume: issue #11 (beautiful art style, spiderman and the punisher!!), issue #12 (I love cocky lawyer matt murdock), issue #15 (hella cool).