Comic Book Resources

Daredevil #86 Review

Now, please note that I have no active knowledge of how Ed Brubaker writes his scripts. Two cool points to the first person who can tell me how Brubaker writes his script (i.e. full script or “Marvel method”). So while I do not know how he writes them, it certainly appears to me, from reading his work, that he has a good deal of control over what the artists draw, and when you’re working with as talented of artists as Brubaker is working with on Daredevil (Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano - who really should be getting more credit, most sites don’t even list him, they just say Brubaker and Lark- and Frank D’Armata), it results in some impressive looking scenes.

We’re now five issues into Brubaker’s run, and there has still yet to be a single misstep. This is just as close to note perfect as a superhero comic book can get. What I especially like is that, while Daredevil has the same basic format as Captain America (smaller plots unfolding upon one larger plot), Daredevil, I believe, has more story packed into each issue and each issue fully stands on its own, without any need of the “overall” plot. It is just a remarkable job of writing by Brubaker.

The plot of the issue involves a gang war at the prison instigated by the federal agents who need Daredevil and Kingpin dead. This is why so many bad guys are under one roof, Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk are to never reach trial. Well, we shall see about that, eh?

There is an awesome scene in the middle of the book, where Brubaker pulls off one of the best outside writing jobs I’ve seen in a comic book. There is a FAIRLY big character who would probably be best served to not be killed off in this comic, but the scene is set up so that it is highly unlikely that this character WOULDN’T die. The way Brubaker explains it is astonishingly natural. You wouldn’t dream that outside influences affected it at all (and heck, maybe it didn’t - maybe Brubaker just likes this character - but in either event, killing off the character wouldn’t be a good idea).

The way the plot unfolds, it is like a beautifully orchestrated pile of dominoes. Almost every single character in the comic gets one “cool” scene.

The book is so good that Brubaker brings in Milla, and I didn’t even hate her that much!

What I especially like is the way that Brubaker plays the “natural reaction” card a lot in the comic. The “natural reaction” is so difficult to pull off in comics, as so often, the way people react is so damned FORCED. You know, the whole “say anything but the one thing that would explain the whole misunderstanding” routine. In this book, Brubaker puts characters into situations where their natural reactions are also the most INTERESTING reactions. Like the reactions of the warden, the reactions of Milla to Matt, the reactions of Matt to Milla - great stuff.

And the Milla scene also has a great, dramatic use of Matt’s powers, both with some words he has for a guard as well as the tense moments of Milla’s departure.

Daredevil has been a remarkable comic so far, and I can only wonder how long Brubaker can pull this off without even a slight misstep. But if/when that happens, it will be forgotten in the midst of all these great issues of Daredevil.

Recommended without reservation.