Rating: 4/5 – The end of an era, but also the beginning of a new one.
by guest reviewer Kevyn Knox.
It’s always a sad thing when a favorite title ends its run, which is exactly what is happening with Daredevil #36. Granted, with a new series, and a brand new number one on the horizon, this sadness is alleviated a bit. But still, the end of an era and all that makes one ponder the greatness of such an endearing character as Daredevil. The guy’s been my favorite character since I was but a wee comic reader and through decades of ups and downs in popularity, old Hornhead has managed to hang on and stay one of the best damn characters in comic history.
From Stan the Man and Gene Colan through such artists and writers as Roy Thomas, JR JR, and of course Frank Miller, DD has brought a lot of joy to a lot of comic book readers out there, and Mark Waid’s current run on the title with Chris Samnee contributing a large portion of the art managed to keep that flag flying so high not even Matt Murdock can see it. Wait, what? Seriously though, Waid and Samnee have given this title their all, and it has always been a great read and a great look. Sure, it may not have had what some other creators have given it (how can one compete with someone like Miller or Brubaker?) but it was a good and solid run – a strong run, if you will – and the final issue is more of the same.
With this issue we essentially see the end of Matt’s days in New York City, but he goes out the hero he has always been. A man of integrity (Foggy even says as much in the issue), Matt Murdock does what is right, even if it does mean ending everything he has built for himself over the years. A strong end to a strong series, issue number thirty-six also works as a stepping stone into the new fourth volume number one, and Matt’s return to sunny San Francisco. There is no big villain here (the Serpent Society doesn’t really count as a big villain in any sort of way), nor any big groundbreaking surprise (well, maybe one surprise, but that was an inevitable one probably), nor even any sort of epic battle (a quick courtroom brouhaha at best). This is just the end of an era – simple as that.
But this is not a time to mourn the loss of a great Marvel title (one of many out of the House of Ideas), especially since there’ll be a brand new one on comic stands March 19th, and by the same creative team at that. What this is, is a time to celebrate all that is Daredevil. Mark Waid and Chris Samnee have contributed well to the mythos that is Daredevil, and they have ended this run with a sturdy but expectant finale. Now we and they both move on to a brand new era for the Man Without Fear, for this is not the end, but just a new beginning.
Reviewed by: Kevyn Knox
(kevynknox@gmail.com) www.allthingskevyn.com
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