Thursday, March 31, 2016

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Review: DAREDEVIL #1

DAREDEVIL No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Charles Soule
ART: Ron Garney
COLORS: Matt Milla
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Ron Garney with Matt Milla
VARIANT COVERS: Joe Quesada; John Tyler Christopher; Tim Sale with Dave Stewart; Larry Stroman and Tom Palmer with Rachelle Rosenberg; Alex Maleev (Hip Hop variant); Patrick “Rick” Lance photographed by Judy Stevens (Cosplay variant)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2016)

Daredevil is a Marvel Comics superhero created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett.  The character first appeared in Daredevil #1 (cover dated: April 1964).  Jack Kirby contributed to Daredevil's creation, but to what extent is unknown.  In Daredevil #7, artist Wally Wood created the red uniform by which the character is known into modern times.  Daredevil is Matt Murdock, a vision-impaired attorney who was blinded as a child after being exposed to a radioactive substance.

Frank Miller had an influential run on the Daredevil comic book series, first as an artist and later as the writer and artist.  He made the character popular and also important in the Marvel Universe.  As part of the “All-New, All-Different Marvel,” the Daredevil comic book series is relaunched, and it seems (at least to me) to recall Frank Miller and even the work of those influenced by Miller.  Daredevil is written by Charles Soule; drawn by Ron Garney; colored by Matt Milla; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Daredevil #1 opens on the Manhattan Bridge in New York City, where Daredevil is rescuing Billy Li.  He is a witness in a case that Assistant District Attorney Matt Murdock of the New York County District Attorney's Office has put before a grand jury.  The target of that grand jury, the mysterious criminal Tenfingers, wants Li dead and has decided that maybe Murdock should also be killed.  Plus, Daredevil's apprentice, Blindspot, continues to learn.

The story by Charles Soule isn't bad, but it isn't anything special, at least not yet.  It simply takes the classic Daredevil paradigm that connects Matt Murdock's case to a bad guy that Daredevil is pursuing.  I guess this is how it should be, and if done right, can be entertaining.

What I do like is the drawing by Ron Garney and the coloring by Matt Milla.  This combination recalls the black and white, original art of Frank Miller and Klaus Janson and also the pencils, inks, and colors of Klaus Janson – all done by this creative duo during their glorious run on Daredevil.  Garney and Milla's work here also reminds me of Jim Lee's art on the first two issues of Deathblow (a 1990s Wildstorm title), which was – let's face it – a rip off of Frank Miller's art on Sin City.

Garney and Milla's jimmied negative space and faux toning simply looks right for Daredevil.  Like I said earlier, this isn't great, but it makes me want to keep reading for a bit.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint or syndication rights and fees.


Tuesday, March 29, 2016

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for March 30, 2016

DC COMICS

DEC150363     100 BULLETS TP BOOK 05 (MR)     $24.99
JAN160233     AQUAMAN #50 (NOTE PRICE)     $4.99
JAN160287     BATMAN AND ROBIN ETERNAL #26 (NOTE PRICE)     $3.99
DEC150219     JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #8     $3.99
JAN160264     OMEGA MEN #10     $2.99
DEC150322     RED HOOD ARSENAL TP VOL 01 OPEN FOR BUSINESS     $14.99
JAN160344     SUICIDERS KING OF HELLA #1 (MR)     $3.99
DEC150345     SUPERMAN BATMAN TP VOL 03     $19.99
DEC150326     WE ARE ROBIN TP VOL 01 THE VIGILANTE BUSINESS     $14.99
DEC150349     WORLDS FUNNEST TP     $19.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

AUG150303     BATMAN V SUPERMAN DAWN OF JUSTICE BATMAN STATUE     $150.00
SEP150346     DC COMICS SUPER PETS HOPPY PLUSH FIGURE     $15.00
SEP150347     DC COMICS SUPER PETS KRYPTO PLUSH FIGURE     $15.00

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for March 30, 2016

MARVEL COMICS

JAN160955     A-FORCE PRESENTS TP VOL 04     $14.99
JAN160789     ALL NEW ALL DIFFERENT MARVEL UNIVERSE     $4.99
JAN160897     ALL NEW X-MEN #7     $3.99
JAN160850     AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.4     $3.99
JAN160778     CAPTAIN AMERICA SAM WILSON #7 ASO     $5.99
JAN160942     CIVIL WAR HOUSE OF M TP     $16.99
JAN160947     CIVIL WAR PETER PARKER SPIDER-MAN TP NEW PTG     $24.99
JAN160945     CIVIL WAR PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL TP NEW PTG     $24.99
JAN160862     DAREDEVIL #5     $3.99
JAN160919     DARTH VADER #18     $3.99
JAN160812     DRAX #5     $3.99
JAN160929     FIGMENT 2 HC LEGACY OF IMAGINATION     $24.99
JAN160858     HERCULES #5     $3.99
JAN160952     IRON MAN EPIC COLLECTION TP DUEL OF IRON     $39.99
JAN160966     MARVEL UNIVERSE GUARDIANS OF GALAXY TP DIGEST VOL 01     $9.99
JAN160753     MARVEL UNIVERSE ULT SPIDER-MAN CONTEST CHAMPIONS #1     $2.99
JAN160908     MAX RIDE #5 ULTIMATE FLIGHT     $3.99
JAN160829     MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #5     $3.99
JAN160964     ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ULTIMATE COLLECTION BOOK TP BOOK 06     $34.99
JAN160879     UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #6     $3.99
JAN160934     UNCANNY INHUMANS TP VOL 01     $17.99
JAN160739     X-MEN 92 #1     $3.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for March 30, 2016

IDW PUBLISHING

JAN160389     BACK TO THE FUTURE #6     $3.99
JAN160421     GHOSTBUSTERS INTERNATIONAL #3     $3.99
JAN160392     GODZILLA OBLIVION #1     $3.99
JAN160488     JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS #13     $3.99
JAN160448     JUDGE DREDD (ONGOING) #4     $3.99
JAN160506     RAGNAROK #8     $4.99
JAN160479     SKYLANDERS SUPERCHARGERS #6     $3.99
JAN160418     STREET FIGHTER X GI JOE #2     $3.99
JAN160520     TET TP     $19.99
JAN160382     TMNT DEVIATIONS (ONE SHOT)     $4.99
JAN160408     TRANSFORMERS ARMADA OMNIBUS TP     $29.99
JAN160412     TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE #51     $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for March 30, 2016

DARK HORSE COMICS

JAN160172     CONAN THE AVENGER #24     $3.50
DEC150108     FIGHT CLUB 2 #10 MACK MAIN CVR     $3.99
OCT150084     GAME OF THRONE 3D CRYSTAL IRON THRONE ILLUMINATION     $29.99
JAN160173     KING CONAN WOLVES BEYOND THE BORDER #4     $3.99
DEC150154     OUTLANDER COASTER SET TARTAN     $9.99
DEC150153     OUTLANDER JOURNAL CROWN & THISTLE     $9.99
DEC150157     OUTLANDER MAGNET 4 PACK TARTAN     $8.99
DEC150155     OUTLANDER MAGNETIC BOOKMARK SET     $6.99
JAN160185     OUTLANDER PATCH CROWN & THISTLE     $4.99
DEC150156     OUTLANDER PIN CROWN & THISTLE     $12.99
JAN160146     PASTAWAYS #9     $3.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for March 20, 2016

IMAGE COMICS

JAN160568     ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE #10     $2.99
JAN160574     BLACK SCIENCE #21 (MR)     $3.99
JAN160657     EAST OF WEST TP VOL 05 ALL THESE SECRETS     $14.99
DEC150642     ECHOES TP VOL 01 (MR)     $19.99
DEC150582     ELEPHANTMEN #69 (MR)     $3.99
JAN160643     FASTER THAN LIGHT TP VOL 01     $9.99
JAN160583     FOUR EYES HEARTS OF FIRE #3     $2.99
DEC150648     OCTOPUS PIE TP VOL 02     $14.99
JAN160645     PAPER GIRLS TP VOL 01     $9.99
JAN160604     POSTAL #11 CVR A SEJIC     $3.99
JAN160605     POSTAL #11 CVR B GOODHART     $3.99
JAN160528     POWER LINES #1 (MR)     $3.50
JAN160608     REVIVAL #38     $3.99
JAN160610     SAGA #35 (MR)     $2.99
NOV150655     THEYRE NOT LIKE US #12 (MR)     $2.99
DEC150677     WALKING DEAD TP VOL 25 NO TURNING BACK (MR)     $14.99
JAN160625     WAYWARD #15 CVR A CUMMINGS & BONVILLAIN (MR)     $3.50
JAN160626     WAYWARD #15 CVR B KUVSHINOV (MR)     $3.50

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

NOV150724     HALO 5 GUARDIANS SER 2 AF     $15.99
NOV150726     HALO 5 GUARDIANS SER 2 SPARTAN ATHLON AF     $15.99
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NOV150727     HALO 5 GUARDIANS SER 2 SPARTAN HELLJUMPER AF     $15.99
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DEC150716     TMP NBA SERIES 28 STEPHEN CURRY AF     $15.99
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DEC150705     WALKING DEAD TV SERIES 9 T-DOG AF     $15.99
DEC150706     WALKING DEAD TV SERIES 9 WATER WALKER AF     $15.99