Daredevil Message Board

[Kuljit Mithra]

DAREDEVIL #21 ships July 22 by Zdarsky, Checchetto, and Iacono and here's the cover:



The preview is here:

http://www.manwithoutfear.com/gallery/Daredevil-V6-021

Please use this thread for all discussion when the issue ships!
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Kuljit Mithra
www.manwithoutfear.com

[Dimetre]

This is an excellent issue, as has become the norm with Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto.

What lifts this issue up is the way Matt has arrived at a place where he is ready to take responsibility for his sins. Matt's sense of nobility is probably my favourite of his character traits. When writers get that wrong, I go a little bit nuts. I also like the way Zdarsky pulled in aspects of Charles Soule's run to inform this story.

There are great character moments for Foggy, the Kingpin and Detective North. Checchetto has some jaw-droppingly gorgeous art in this issue, my favourite panel being the one where Daredevil is wrapping up his fists in preparation to go a few rounds against Spidey.

If I have any complaint, it's that Zdarsky seems to be repeating a trick he pulled in the pages of Spectacular Spider-Man, where Peter revealed his identity to J. Jonah Jameson. The pacing of the moments are similar, but the impact here is lesser because we readers don't have any attachment to District Attorney Hochberg. At least I don't. I can't even remember if that was the name of Matt's boss during the Soule run.

I predict that Daredevil is going to have to prove his worth to Hochberg over the next several issues, much like he did with North, but I like that Matt is completely willing to face the consequences of his actions. That's the nobility I respect. I gave this a score of four.

[fubarthepanda]

On the whole, I've enjoyed the Zdarsky run to date. It's definitely a throwback to the Bendis/Brubaker days, so those that may have been turned off by Waid's whimsical or Soule's action-driven approaches will find a welcome home here. And, wow, Checchetto's art has been phenonomal, a timely addition to the pantheon of great DD artists.

That said, I haven't been as excited by some of Zdarsky's plot choices, from DD accidently killing a guy, to his mopey nervous breakdown, and his bizarre affair with the married bookstore manager... Yet another "break-him-down and rebuild-him" cycle that we've seen at least six or seven times since Born Again.

But I've loved the Kingpin plotline, which I didn't expect to after Soule's "Mayor Fisk"; and Detective North has turned out to be a solid addition to the supporting cast. Zdarsky also has a firm grasp on the various other DD characters who've shown up to date (The Punisher, Elektra, and The Owl in particular).

Now, on to the current issue!

I was a bit skeptical with last month's cliffhanger with fears of yet another "secret identity exposed" storyline dancing in my head. Fortunately, Zdarsky sidesteps that old chestnut, with a nice in-continuity callout to the Soule run. Wasn't as enthusiastic about the Spider-Man encounter -- the friction doesn't seem genuine given all of the history that these two characters have shared together.

But given the heavy doses of action the last couple of issues, this was a welcome "reset issue" that clears the board for the new storyline and moves the various characters into position. And the Checchetto art makes it an overall winner.

[Mike Murdock]

The main plots are just moving along nicely, but nothing significant happens. The big thing in this issue is Daredevil's secret identity and what to do if he stands trial. I love the callback to Soule's run (which I just recently re-read). I think it's a good way to handle it. But revealing his identity to the District Attorney was an interesting twist. I don't think they had enough interaction, but I think it was still meaningful. Plus, his anger gives realism to the idea that he'd go after Daredevil to convict him.

Four and a Half Stars.
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Matt Murdock's cooler twin brother

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I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
Thomas More - A Man for All Seasons

[Orpheus007]

Incredible artwork, good character moments. As someone responded to me in an earlier thread: just because I don’t like Matt sleeping with a married woman or Elektra showing up out of nowhere for the millionth time does not make those moments inconsistent with the characters. Matt has always made questionable romantic choices and Elektra comes and goes. I have to agree that the identity reveal to the DA fell flat, but included a great call back to the Soule run.

I’m not crazy about the fact that #22 of Soule’s run started with Matt testifying as Daredevil, and we’ll likely get the same thing in this #22. I’m all about homages and symmetry, but I wish we weren’t in such a similar place 20 issues in. I know there is more at stake now, and I’ll trust Zdarsky to spice it up.

Gotta mention how psyched I am to see Typhoid Mary back in the mix. Do we know where things left off with her, officially? Did we know Fisk re-homed her?