Monday, March 7, 2011

First Spotlight - Spotlight On: Daredevil by Frank Miller

Okay, when I do a "Spotlight On" something, it'll be something that I like and wish more people would try out. When it comes to comics, I'm really writing it for people who are starting to get into comics and/or are looking for recommendations.  Sometimes, when you ask for recommendations on the internet, you'll get a replies saying "READ DEADPOOL NAO!" or "Grant Morrison's Batman is awesome," and you don't often get a clear enough answer to why they're awesome and why you should read it immediately. So, I'm going to describe why I think Daredevil by Frank Miller is worth checking out.

Full disclosure, I'm mainly a DC fan. Sure, Marvel always outsells DC from month to month, but most comic book nerds will admit that the House of Ideas doesn't make enough comics that hold up in the long run. That's because Marvel's just as bogged down by "events" as DC comics. But, when I got bored by DC's new direction, I decided to look at other publishers and find those rare, good stories that stand the test of time. I already owned Frank Miller's acclaimed Batman: the Dark Knight Returns, so I looked up his character defining run on Daredevil.





Daredevil started out as basically a rip-off of Spider-Man. (Stan Lee co-created the character.) Instead of Spider Sense, Daredevil has Radar Senses, and he jump over rooftops and swings using a grappling hook built into his club. It was an attempt to make an adult version of a guy with similar powers. Matt Murdock is Daredevil. He was blinded when he was young by a radioactive isotope that gave him his radar senses and amplified his other senses. That's really all you need to know going in.

Frank Miller's run on Daredevil begins in Daredevil #158 as DD faces some random super villain. Immediately after clearing that up, in Daredevil #159, the Slaughter Gang is hired to kill the Man Without Fear the events of this issue serve as a launching point for the rest of the run.

Now, what I hear from anime/manga fans is that comic books aren't as good as manga because they never end. And, that manga is superior because it is always drawn and written its creator. That is technically true, a comic book character will go through multiple writers and artists. What they don't know is that a writer will usually introduce a new idea or plots when he comes into a character, and they'll "pay off" their idea by the end of their tenure as writer.



In the case of Frank Miller's original run on Daredevil, it boils down to a story of Bullseye's obsession with Daredevil and the repercussions of that. Bullseye, by the way. is the deadliest assassin the Marvel Universe. So, Bullseye "shadow" falls across the entire 33 issues. This is also the time the Kingpin moved away from antagonizing Spider-Man and firmly became a Daredevil villain. And the introduction of Elektra. Plus, about half a dozen subplots that I'd prefer not to spoil. But, everything that's worth knowing about the character stems from these issues.

Along the way, you'll also see Miller refine his art, going from the generic "house style" to his own unmistakable style. Besides themes of obsession, you'll see depression and unrequited love. You can even find hints of misogyny that Miller is sometimes accused of. My personal favorite is Matt Murdock's always unlucky girlfriend, Heather Glenn.  (Poor, poor, Heather Glenn.) Not to mention, despite the comic's general darker tone, Miller knew how to inject humor into the series.

It is, in my opinion, one of the most perfect run of issues by any writer in any comic book.

I'm lucky enough to own the Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Daredevil Omnibus that was printed a few years back. But, you can find Frank Miller's original run on Daredevil as "Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller" Volumes 1, 2, & 3.

Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller Vol. 1

Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller Vol. 2

Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller Vol. 3

Now might be a good time to look them up, because they might fall out of print soon, making them way more expensive.  So, don't delay.

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