Broken Frontier

As Matt Murdock lies beaten, bloody and exposed on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, a new hero appears to save the day…and perhaps more.

Just when it seemed there was no way out of the mess Matt Murdock has made of his life and his secret identity as Daredevil, this issue shows that there may yet be light at the end of the tunnel. The long-ago death of the White Tiger left a power amulet in the hands of an FBI agent looking for answers. With Daredevil’s help, she is able to realize her potential and even discovers the reasoning behind wearing a flamboyant costume.

Bendis seems to enlist non-linear storytelling more on Daredevil than perhaps any other of the plethora of titles he writes. Sometimes this tactic works against the story by halting momentum; other times, like in this arc, it aids the story in fascinating ways, such as building suspense and neatly filling what first looked like plot holes. Occasionally critics hammer Bendis for using conversationally repetitive dialogue and inserting what some call out-of-character actions. In the case of Daredevil, it is sometimes both, but most criticism extends from not using the red-costumed, title-bearing vigilante in his own book. That does not occur in this issue, though. What we get here is straightforward superhero yarn with lots of action, rapidly paced dialogue and even one or two character-defining moments, such as why Matt dons the outfit.

Alex Maleev has gotten progressively better at portraying action sequences. Were they at first seemed static and boring, they have been fine-tuned into something verging on dynamic. I still don’t think he’s quite there yet, but he’s taken great strides toward improvement. Where Maleev’s greatest strengths lie is in the criminal elements of this book. Each panel is truly gritty and characteristic of a crime book. The colors don’t cover the wide array this issue that they had in previous issues of this arc, but the lack of indulgence grounds the story and makes it almost surreal.

Bendis and Maleev are down to the wire on their already classic, Eisner Award-winning run on Daredevil. There are still some unresolved issues and hanging plot threads that need revisiting. I get the inkling that this issue began the transition toward those resolutions with the emergence of a new White Tiger. I eagerly await the Decalogue storyline, where certainly more of the Matt Murdock/Daredevil issues find resolution.

- Kert McAfee