World Famous Comics: Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller, Vol. 2
Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller, Vol. 2
By: Frank Miller Publisher: Marvel Comics Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Marvel Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 368 Publication Date: June 01, 2002
Amazon.com Review: In 1981, a young Frank Miller took the reins of a second-class superhero, Daredevil, and turned the comics world on its ear with a dynamic, cinematic storytelling style, complicated characters, and unusual (for the time) devices such as first-person narrative. Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller, Vol. 2 covers issues 168-182, when Miller took over the writing (he had already been doing the pencils; Klaus Janson did the inks) and pitted DD against Spider-Man's archrival the Kingpin, super assassin Bullseye, the ninja group the Hand, and a brand-new character, Elektra, a bounty hunter/assassin who also happened to be Matt Murdock's former lover. Issue 181, the showdown between Bullseye and Elektra, is still one of the most memorable single issues in comics. --David Horiuchi
Frank Miller really WAS good For those of you who have only experienced Frank Miller's writings in the form of the ultra-violent, zero character driven "Sin City" or the literary wasteland that is "All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder" then I am here to tell you that ol' Frank was good...once upon a time in a magical land known as the 1980's. This was a time when Miller took a second rate Spider-Man and transformed him into an even better version of Batman. A character with flaws, prone to violence, but who also had actual human relationships. The dialog is distinctly 80's but the story is well crafted. When Electra dies (sorry for the spoiler)you actually believe Matt Murdock's reaction. Not only that but the villains are believable as well whether its the DD version of the Joker found in the surprisingly frightening Bullseye, or the man-mountain that is the Kingpin. Even the depiction of the Kingpin's wife makes you feel as though this is based on a real person. Frankly I don't know what happened. I would hate to think that if Miller went back to this book it would be nothing but slapping kids around and muttering "I'm the god damned Daredevil" but back in the 80's Miller was all over awesome like a fat kid on a cupcake. Read it and enjoy fellow nerds, enjoy.
Yes Sir, Frank is the Best What can I say, Frank Miller is simply the Best writer/artist in the comic book industry. This book contains the very best Daredevil stories ever written and drawn, period. Comics don't get much better than this. The dialog is crisp and the artwork is stunning. Few people can draw the human body like Miller. Do yourself a favor, buy it and enjoy it.
Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller, Vol.2 Just before Frank Miller on Daredevil: The series was bi-monthly and in danger of cancellation; Marv Wolfman had created a villain with potential called Bullseye, but Wolfman's run on Daredevil was not his finest work, and even the Bullseye stories seemed silly; the Daredevil series was being used to introduce new superheroes like Torpedo, who fizzled, and Paladin, who remains a somewhat popular supporting Marvel character, but what of Daredevil himself? The character was having the same old adventures, and bringing back the wonderful Gene Colan as artist just made the book a too-familiar throwback. Enter Frank Miller. And let's skip right to issue #s 168-182 while we're at it, which, collectively, make up the brilliance of what they are now calling Daredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller, Volume 2.
Four magic words: Daredevil, Bullseye, Kingpin, and Elektra. Lion, tiger, bear, and Elektra, oh my. Marv Wolfman, in his tremendously underrated run on Amazing Spider-Man #s182-200ish, had retired an old Spidey foe named the Kingpin from organized crime. Frank Miller took him and made him into the perfect Daredevil nemesis once Kingpin's only redeeming feature, his wife, was killed in an explosion apparently caused by old rivals. And every good crime boss needs a top-notch assassin; Bullseye would be such a good candidate if he weren't trying to kill the Kingpin. Bullseye would also like to kill Daredevil as a thank-you to Daredevil for defeating him in combat and saving his life...but Daredevil's old love, Elektra, is back, and she has decided to rekindle their passionate love by trying to kill Daredevil. Love and hate. Business and pleasure (assassination, that is). Politics and Organized Crime. Power Man and Iron Fist. Daredevil versus Bullseye. Daredevil versus Elektra. Elektra versus Bullseye. It's all here, controlled somewhat by the Kingpin and with the ninja group called The Hand lurking in the shadows, but through all the character-juggling and plot-twisting, Daredevil--he is, after all, the star of this show--becomes an awesome, compelling presence in his own book, all the more impressive given the supporting cast. He retains some humour (I'd forgotten the light touch Miller can apply when necessary to soften the mood for even a few panels), and has never seemed more like a fearless blind man with astonishing super-powers.
What else? The Punisher shoots his way into the story, at the very end of this Volume (it was inevitable). My favourite "old school" Daredevil foe, the Gladiator, figures into things. Daredevil takes a fascinating inner journey to confront his own worst demon. Ben Urich, reporter, assists Daredevil with alligators in the sewers, while Foggy Nelson, lawyer partner of DD's alter ego Matt Murdock, shows Matt how to handle a tricky trial. Elektra tries to kill them both, when she's not busy with The Hand's most feared ninja-assassin, the legendary and possibly unkillable Kirigi. Elektra tries to kill him too. The Kingpin seems to put a contract out on someone in the cast every thirty pages or so; the constant battles between the principals are a repeated delight because the overall plot of the whole affair is quite the opposite: completely delightfully unpredictable.
I haven't even mentioned the art. Go look at it. A panel is worth a thousand words. But my thesaurus doesn't give a thousand words for "incredible". The art is incredible . The art is Frank Miller and Klaus Janson. Look up "incredible" in my thesaurus and it says "Frank, Miller, Klaus, Janson".
These are some of the greatest superhero adventures in the history of comics. Whatever other graphic novels you want to have around the house, this is not the one you overlook. This is the must, have, Frank, incredible get, Miller, stunning, it, amazing, now!
The highlight of the Daredevil legacy I used to think daredevil was the lamest hero. Eventually, I started getting into the Bendis/Maleev MK books and was hooked. Then I ran into this collection and am convinced that Frank Miller did this book right as soon as he took over the writing. The storyline is complex and completely envelopes you. The final issue when DD accepts that Elektra is dead made me believe that heroes are human too. I tried reading later issues of Daredevil, but Bendis/Maleev are the only team to come close to this level.
All your favorite Daredevil characters packed in one great book! This is a totally awesome book! It has Daredevil and Elektra, who are # 2 and 3 in my Marvel Knights Lineup(Punisher would be # 1)and throughout the book they kick a lot of butt! Also in this book are other cool heroes like Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and of course all of your favorite Daredevil villains like Bullseye and Kingpin! I of course would rank those two in the order above. The fight scenes are well written and well drawn as well as intense, and you'll love Kirigi, too!(He is my # 1 favorite Elektra villain, and very fierce and vicious and skilled)On top of all of that, this is a collection of comics that, if purchased separately, would cost over $200.00. If you like tough comics such as Daredevil, buy this without hesitation. It is a classic treasure. Oh, and people like Sewer King appear, too. THIS BOOK ROCKS! AND IT EVEN HAS THE FIGHT OF BULLSEYE AND ELEKTRA!!!
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