General Information

Title: Daredevil: Underboss
Author: Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrator: Alex Maleev
Original Publication Date: 2002 reprint of material first published from 2001-2002
ISBN: 0-7851-1024-0
Cover Price: $14.99 US, $24.00 Can
Buy from: Amazon.com or Amazon.ca

Premise

The Kingpin's men rise up against him, while an open bounty is placed on the head of Matthew Murdock.

This collects issues 26-31 of the second volume of Daredevil. The title feels a lot more like a crime book than a superhero book, which works very well when you're not actually expecting a superhero book. (I think my opinion of the 25 cent issue will improve when I go back and re-read it knowing what to expect.)

High Point

Vanessa Fisk's reaction. One of the marks of the second volume of this title seems to be that every story arc has an impact that will be felt throughout the run of the title. (The arc through issues 20-25 may be an exception; based on the volume labels on this trade and Daredevil: Wake Up, I'd say that Marvel has no intentions of reprinting it, which must mean that it tanked in sales.)

Low Point

Where did the man in the crowd go? Argh!

The Scores

The entire purpose of this story arc seems to have been to push Daredevil and his greatest villain into completely new and unfamiliar territory. Combine that will Bendis' "crime comic" feel and you get a pretty original product. I give it 6 out of 6.

The artwork leaves something to be desired. The gritty feel is nice, but at no time do I forget that I'm looking at a series of still images. There is no sense of motion most of the time. Matt Murdock spent four pages talking to a jury with his mouth closed! I give it 3 out of 6.

The story is very well written, and in a non-linear storytelling fashion. The action jumps around within a three month span (for the most part), but it still comes across clearly, revealing through detective work and dramatic irony what was happening behind the scenes, allowing some scenes to shock the reader in ways that a chronological story wouldn't allow. I give it 6 out of 6.

The characterization was very well done. The entire Fisk family, Mr. Silke, Foggy, and Matt all came through clearly. Wilson Fisk is a changed man in many ways. Richard Fisk shows himself to be a mewling child after all these years. It's a very human story. I give it 6 out of 6.

The emotional response this generated was excellent. The only negative moment was my first look at the art. Four pages later, I was hooked for the duration. I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow was marred only by the art. Even the time-shifting plot wasn't really a problem. I give it 4 out of 6.

Overall, it's an excellently written and adequately drawn story. If you like crime comics, pick this up. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, Daredevil: Underboss receives 35 out of 42.