There’s a scene almost halfway through Amazing Spider-Man #677 that has me scratching my head a bit. Maybe it did the same for you. The scene in question is the one where Spider-Man goes to solicit the legal and extra-legal advice of his lawyer (and superhero) friend Matt Murdock, and ends up not only calling him Daredevil in broad daylight but continuing to press the matter after it’s clear that Matt is trying to stick to his “I’m not Daredevil” routine.
I can’t fathom why Spidey 1) wouldn’t stick to proper “fellow costume in civvies” protocol and 2) wouldn’t know that while the word is out there, Matt has legally been cleared of all Daredevil allegations (if that hadn’t been the case he would have been serving a pretty stiff prison sentence for Shadowland right now). This scene bothers me, although it’s also admittedly quite amusing. And, it’s the only questionable scene in an otherwise pitch perfect issue.
Secret identity woes aside, I absolutely loved this issue. The plot is solid enough, with the Black Cat being framed for a crime she didn’t commit (she was with Spider-Man at the time) and Spidey soliciting Daredevil’s help to solve the puzzle and clear her name. The true magic of this issue, however, lies in the details. The banter between Matt and Peter is absolutely spot on, and I loved little details like the two of them discussing the best route to get to the Chrysler building and challenging each other to a chicken race while jumping off a sky scraper. Mark Waid excels in not only reminding readers of why Spidey and DD are so good together, but just how good they can be when done right. Bravo, Mr Waid.
Emma Rios’s art impressed me greatly as well. It’s got a stylized, slightly psychedelic (yes, that’s the word I’m going for) look to it that is much more hit than miss, though there’s a panel here and there that looks ever so slightly off to me. Her greatest achievement this issue is the spectacular scene of our two heroes rushing down the side of the Chrysler building which shows off her knack for portraying movement on the static page. The art has an energy to it that seems just right for these two heroes and the beautiful colors by regular Daredevil colorist Javier Rodriguez make us Daredevil fans feel right at home.
If Daredevil #8, coming out this Wednesday, manages to come even close to this, we’re in for a spectacular finish!
5 comments
R.M. Hendershot says:
Jan 16, 2012
I blame Spidey’s lapse in tact on memory problems–maybe Mephisto erased some of his memory of Daredevil’s issues along with his marriage. Certainly Spider-Man has seemed a bit brain-damaged ever since. *Shakes fist at all parties responsible for Brand New Day*
Or maybe he’s just giving Matt a hard time. I do remember a comic from the ’90s where Matt served Spider-Man with a subpoena by stepping in front of a truck, in blind-man mode, so that Spider-Man had to save him. They do mess with each other a bit.
Aaron K says:
Jan 17, 2012
I’m a little surprised that Emma Rios hasn’t gotten a gig as a regular artist on an ongoing Marvel title yet. Her work on STRANGE (written by Mark Waid, no less), SPIDER-ISLAND: CLOAK & DAGGER, and even SHADOWLAND: ELEKTRA was great stuff. And yet I have to suffer through Whilce “Everyone I Draw Looks Like a Zombie” Portacio art on JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY. Life isn’t fair.
AP says:
Jan 17, 2012
I had a similar feeling about Spidey calling out DD in front of Kirsten, but it was pretty funny so I let it go. This was such an awesome issue! You hit all the points of what made it so great Christine, but I want to second how great Waid did writing DD and Spideys relationship. He gets across all the great subtleties of their relationship but in an exciting way that moves the plot along. A great, fun read. So thankful that Waid is writing DD.
Simon says:
Jan 19, 2012
Reading this issue, did you get the impression that what happens here is going to be essential to the plot of Daredevil #8? I don’t think I’ve bought a Spider-Man comic since I was about 12, but this does look pretty good.
Christine says:
Jan 19, 2012
@Simon: If you don’t want to pick up Spidey, you’ll learn all you need on the recap page of DD #8. Having said that, you really should pick it up. I thought it was great, even better than DD #8 (which I hope I’ll get to reviewing tonight).