DAREDEVIL #17

Review by: MarkCWarner

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Story by Mark Waid
Art by Michael Allred
Colors by Laura Allred
Cover by Michael Allred

Size: 0 pages
Price: 2.99

This review contains spoilers, click here to read

Huh.... I remember when The Dark Knight Rises reviews came out and I had the emotional equivalent to eye-rolling when an extremely negative review came out. Like they were trying too hard. Flash forward to Daredevil 17, which has its own version of Hype from the team that has brought us nothing but stellar work. I have not know Allred from the 'beginning' but lets just say I still proudly own the Madmen Bubble Gum trading cards and the Rocket 7 Graphic Novel. My point is that I am disappoint in the art. Mr Allred went for a scratchier style that I do not think was needed. His rendition of Stilt-Man was not awe inspiring and there were multiple times from the action sequences that I found myself desiring something more... i don't know... dynamic? More of what my impression of Allred brings to a certain something. The Stilt-Man bursting into the office with Foggy grabbing Matt - did not do it for me. The Daredevil reveal was a nice idea, but the costume change iterations could have shown more majesty. My favourite scene was the underwater from the removal of the Glove to the exploitation of Stilt-Man's weakness was just some beautiful art.. But the failure of this book to me was not just in the Art, but the script. The dialogue did not flow, either with the images or with the characters that Mr Waid has given me over the past 16 issues. And maybe that is the point. Maaybe I am missing that this book is something different - something removed. A love letter to the old school Daredevil that they (Mike, Mark and Laura) grew up with. And that is how I should judge the book. Maybe. But even on those terms, I was not transported and for that I will take some of the blame for the disconnect. But I want to end on a good note, and that note is that while there were times that the story, or the cartooning were out of sync with one another - what always provided a constant AMAZING back-beat was the colours. How my goodness, those colours, I do not know how Mrs. Allred does it. But I genuflect at its magnificence and especially here, appreciate its beautiful consistency. PS - Did anyone else get a 'Until The End Of The World' vibe from the plot's reveal?

Story: 3 - Good
Art: 3 - Good

Comments

flapjaxx says:

August 17, 2012 at 12:33 pm

Yeah, I was a tad underwhelmed as well. The story was ANOTHER flashback, and while it was a nice little story it felt sort of pointless. This issue had been hyped beforehand and I was just expecting it to mean more. Allred’s art was also a tad below average — Well, Allred average is pretty high standards, but still.

In general I just don’t feel that the excellence of the first 9-10 issues of this series has held up. There have been a few good issues in recent months, but I find myself making excuses for the book not being a 5-star affair all the time like it used to be. I’m hoping that the upcoming storyline really injects some much-needed excitement into the book. I mean, I liked the Latvaria arc, for example, but stories like that one in this title feel more offbeat than truly exciting.

I’m still a happy enough DD reader for now, though.

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MarkCWarner (@MarkCWarner) says:

August 18, 2012 at 11:04 pm

Agree with everything you said I believe that you made those points more sharper than my diatrabe. One shot standalones can matter. Like the snow covered Christmas special one with the blind children. Simple and beautiful – from art to emotional strings.

THe hype machine and Allred’s interview (Don’t Miss Podacst) is right. Daredevil is back to something that I have not read in a while, and happy to revisit even if it is not 5 stars everytime. Cause the lows are never that low, and the highs are just so high

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- MarkCWarner (@MarkCWarner) says:
  
  August 18, 2012 at 11:10 pm
  
  Sigh – It hurts to read what I just wrote:
  “Agree with everything you said just said, and I believe that you made those points more accutely than my diatrabe for a review. One shot standalones can matter. Like the snow covered Christmas special one with the blind children. Simple and beautiful – from affecting art to internal dialogue that plucks at the emotional strings – to evoke something stirring
  
  So in the end, the hype machine coupled with Allred’s interview (Don’t Miss Podacst) is indeed correct. Daredevil the institution is back to something that I have not read in a while, and I will happily revist them every month, even if it is not 5 stars everytime. Cause the lows are never that low, and the highs are just so damn high
  
  Thanks you for my indulgence
  Mark (Where is the delete POST option?)

DAREDEVIL #17

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