The new “Daredevil” has earned praise left and right, and not just here at Multiversity – everyone loves this book. Everyone, that is, except for me. It seems all I do is complain and whine about the old days. My opinion is fairly unpopular like that.
However, the “Omega Effect” crossover between two books I quite enjoy (“Avenging Spider-Man” and “The Punisher“) has brought me back to “Daredevil.” So let’s talk about that now that I am (maybe) older and “wiser.”
Check behind the cut for some thoughts on the latest issue of “Daredevil.”
Written by Mark Waid
Illustrated by Marco Checchetto– “The Omega Effect” Concludes!
– Daredevil And Spider-Man Join Frank Castle In A Blitzkrieg Takedown Of New York Crime– But Don’t Take It For Granted That These Heroes Are All Working Together.
There has always been one inherent problem with “Daredevil” by Mark Waid, and I am one of the few people that has ever really been bothered it: a happy Matt Murdock does not a compelling comic make. That’s basic the whole premise of Waid’s story with the character; Murdock is known for being one of the darker characters in the Marvel U, but after the events of “Shadowland” and the short story that followed he has changed his tune. It never truly made sense though, because anyone who has ever felt or known someone dealing with depression (or, really, has seen a movie) knows that the road back is not that easy. You don’t go to some god forsaken town and somehow drive a truck while blind and fighting Nickelback fans. Unless you’re faking it, the path back to happiness is slow and arduous.
With Murdock running around smiling, cracking jokes and kissing brides, it always felt forced. It felt like we had a character who was forcibly being written in a new way as if an entire line had been rebooted due to a murky time travel/alt universe-based event and now this was just the way things were, but as someone who had read “Daredevil” through the lowest of his emotional lows it was just a hard pill to swallow. If Matt Murdock was truly a man seeking happiness without the aid of Xanax and finding it so easy, it stood to reason that there should be some moment to show he’s really not alright. Heck, even Foggy Nelson said it as much in an early issue, so clearly Waid was privy to this idea even if he wasn’t addressing it.
With “Daredevil” #11, though, the cracks begin to show. It’s sad, it’s honestly quite moving, and it has been all I’ve wanted from this comic since it relaunched.
“Daredevil” #11 brings to a conclusion both the “Omega Effect” story as well as the current dangerous game Murdock is playing with Megacrime. More so than that, though, it’s a story from Rucka’s “Punisher” run being given some inherent closure that Rucka couldn’t give alone. The trick of Rucka’s “Punisher” is that he writes the character less like the star and more like a force of nature, so when he introduced Cole-Alves (who wants to be called Alves even though everyone calls her Cole) there seemed to be an inherent issue in that Rucka couldn’t properly address her emotional issues after the book opened with her family being murdered. The Punisher isn’t exactly Dr. Phil, after all; conversations with him are about as enlightening and one-sided as a conversation with your pet (you’ll enjoy it, but you’re definitely not speaking the same language). Rucka needed someone for Cole to talk to, and it just so happened there was someone in the Marvel Universe holding back emotions in a “ticking time bomb” fashion as well: Daredevil.
So finally, after almost a years worth of stories, Mark Waid acknowledges the biggest missing element of his story. There’s a lot that happens in this issue all things considered, but it all revolves around the dynamic between Murdock and Cole. The two reflect one another: Daredevil has mountains of issues, but is trying to walk the light side, while Cole has one burning problem that’s taking her down a dark path. Its a relationship that works, and Waid exploits it for every penny that its worth. The major scene between the two is incredibly visceral, a relatable event in which Matt Murdock finally feels like Matt Murdock again.
Continued belowThis isn’t to say Murdock can only ever behave one way. Murdock doesn’t have to be a Debbie Downer all the time, but as much as continuity doesn’t really matter it felt like an arbitrary change to his personality. This issue really solidifies Waid’s viewpoint of the character, though; Murdock’s still a somewhat sad man, but his willingness to change is the character’s inner monologue. It’s subtle, but its there. It’s a line between Point A and Point B that never fully existed in a palpable way, but now that its here its impossible to read “Daredevil” without that knowledge of Murdock’s evolution. It’s a very welcome addition to the story, and it makes everything that came before look that much better in retrospect.
Or, long story shot: It just all makes sense now. I’ll still probably have that one axe to grind, but its nice to have this acknowledged. And throwing Spider-Man in the mix, the epitome of “should be depressed but isn’t” character to play off Daredevil through these trying times? Gold.
“Daredevil” has always been a good comic. The shifting art team is wonderful, and Checchetto’s guest art in this way brings a wonderful flowing connectivity between the entire ‘Omega Effect’ event. As much as crossovers can often be a sore on the wallet, ‘the Omega Effect’ has been a great showcase of both the characters and the creators involved. Waid and Rucka work well together and it shows — the entire event flows well from beginning to end without missing a step, and each creator has a firm grasp on the other’s characters quirks. While initially a crossover between the various titles seemed a bit forced, the end product is quite palatable.
In a time when there is a lot of negativity brewing around the world of company-owned superheroes, it’s easy enough to see why we as a comic collecting culture still buy into i all when books like this are released. Waid played a long con (against me, anyway) with his handling of Murdock, but this issue shows me the “Daredevil” everyone else sees: a fun and slightly nuanced take on Marvel’s other resident punching bag. Can’t wait to see what issue #12 holds now.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
