Daredevil #81 Review

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Review by Tim Sheridan

“The Murdock Papers” Part 6

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev
Colors: David Stewart
Letters: VC’s Randy Gentile
Production: Deborah Weinstein
Asst Editor: Cory Sedlmeier
Editor: Axel Alonso
Publisher: Marvel Comics

This review is a little painful to write. Because when I finish it, it means that I effectively end my relationship with the Bendis/Maleev era of Daredevil. They turned a book that I was marginally interested in into one of my favorite books on the market, and one of the best comic stories I have ever read, and probably will ever read for some time.
I knew this issue was coming for a while, so I had time to prepare for the end, and there was a bit of trepidation on my part. I didn’t know if this last issue could live up to the rest of their run. It could just as easily be a letdown.

It was not.

This was one of the strongest issues of the entire series, getting right into the head of Matt Murdock. Wasting no time, the issue starts with Murdock’s trial, and then…he escapes. In a total shock, Daredevil flees his trial, and we see him live happily ever after in France with his love, Milla.

He lives in hiding for a while until Bullseye shows up. Then something totally shocking happens. Daredevil crosses a line that I never thought he would.

The issue from that point on gets darker and darker, as Matt Murdock’s world becomes more and more isolated.

But…it’s all in his head. You may think this to be a gimmick or a cheesy “what if” tale, but it’s so fully realized, and you feel such actual emotions for what happens, that when you find out it’s all a “dream”, you are legitimately disappointed. When it turns out that Matt is still at his trial, it hurts. You want to see him get away with this whole thing. It’s the way things are supposed to work out for the hero.

But such is not the way things go in the world of Bendis. The series under him wraps up on such a down note for Daredevil. I don’t want to give away too much, but the cover does a decent job of spoiling it for you.

Bendis and Maleev do a wonderful job finishing their run on Daredevil. Everything comes to a very satisfying conclusion, but it gives the next team on the book a very interesting place to start.

I will miss them on this book; I’m sure Brubaker and Lark will be great, but there was something magical about Bendis and Maleev. I’ve said it before, but this is the best that Daredevil has ever been, even better then when Frank Miller did his run 20 years ago.