Pyro
12-17-2007, 03:00 PM
I've been reading a lot of Daredevil recently. I just finished Bob Gale's "Playing to the Camera" arc, the one arc that I think hasn't been collected and reprinted in trade. I found that it's not because it isn't a good story; I quite enjoyed it. It was a little too long, I think, but I enjoyed the detail each scene added to the story, but it felt a bit like the author was milking every single drop he could out of the story. Still, I love stories with Matt in court.
I actually think it was a little better than "Trial of the Century" because it raised more issues about superhero vigilantism, rather than focusing on proving the defendant innocent. It reminded me of Civil war and dealing with the accountability of vigilantes and how they function in society. Still, they were both very interesting trials with Matt playing at different angles. The crime and repercussions in "PttC" weren't as heavy as they were in "TotC" but the risk factor for Matt himself was a lot higher. Maybe Matt should have come up with the idea of putting doubt on who was in the Daredevil Mask in the first place. It might have saved him some trouble.
Kate Vinokur was a really interesting character. I almost wish Bendis hadn't introduced Milla as Matt's new love interest. Almost. I do think Milla has interesting qualities too. The "blind love" thing is an interesting angle. Still, I wish Kate was a recurring character. I doubt two lawyers would be able to function well as a couple, so in the long run she wouldn't have made a good love interest for Matt. However, she wasn't interested in Matt Murdock anyway; she liked Daredevil and that could have been taken some interesting places. Plus, she could have figured out his identity anyway. In any case, Kate and Milla are both better love interests than characters like Heather Glenn or Typhoid Mary. I just can't imagine how Brubaker would go about including Kate if he ever decided to bring her back.
The Ringmaster plot should be tied up. It had potential, making the Ringmaster into a big player. And the way Brubaker brought back Mr. Fear, I would love to see him take on Ringmaster next. Ringmaster's motives and the mystery surrounding him in "Playing to the Camera" weren't very strong, but the fact that he was just testing his abilities for the future and that he caused so much trouble with that could make him really dangerous.
It's definitely interesting and ironic how Matt went to such lengths to protect his identity in this arc, to being outed in the next arc under Bendis. At least Bendis' stuff takes place quite some time afterwards and revolves around a totally different situation. I noticed that when Bendis referenced this arc in "TotC," he made a mistake with the judge's name. In "PttC" the Judge is named Steinburg--in "TotC" It's Nicholson. Unless his name is Nicholson Steinburg.
The art was pretty good. Too bad none of those artists seem to be doing anything these days. Phil Winslade reminded me a bit of Mike Perkins, if only a bit less realistic. He had some really interesting panels, though.
One thing I always wonder, why is the possibility of Matt receiving amnesty for his actions never considered? Maybe now that he's lied for so long it's not really an option anymore, but when it first came up he could have hoped for that. He is a good person who has only done good things. Maybe now if he joined the Initiative, they would give him amnesty and allow him to continue being Daredevil since only Tony Stark would have to know his identity and Tony probably already knows. I guess it's more interesting, though, to have him work outside of the law, while fighting for justice.
I actually think it was a little better than "Trial of the Century" because it raised more issues about superhero vigilantism, rather than focusing on proving the defendant innocent. It reminded me of Civil war and dealing with the accountability of vigilantes and how they function in society. Still, they were both very interesting trials with Matt playing at different angles. The crime and repercussions in "PttC" weren't as heavy as they were in "TotC" but the risk factor for Matt himself was a lot higher. Maybe Matt should have come up with the idea of putting doubt on who was in the Daredevil Mask in the first place. It might have saved him some trouble.
Kate Vinokur was a really interesting character. I almost wish Bendis hadn't introduced Milla as Matt's new love interest. Almost. I do think Milla has interesting qualities too. The "blind love" thing is an interesting angle. Still, I wish Kate was a recurring character. I doubt two lawyers would be able to function well as a couple, so in the long run she wouldn't have made a good love interest for Matt. However, she wasn't interested in Matt Murdock anyway; she liked Daredevil and that could have been taken some interesting places. Plus, she could have figured out his identity anyway. In any case, Kate and Milla are both better love interests than characters like Heather Glenn or Typhoid Mary. I just can't imagine how Brubaker would go about including Kate if he ever decided to bring her back.
The Ringmaster plot should be tied up. It had potential, making the Ringmaster into a big player. And the way Brubaker brought back Mr. Fear, I would love to see him take on Ringmaster next. Ringmaster's motives and the mystery surrounding him in "Playing to the Camera" weren't very strong, but the fact that he was just testing his abilities for the future and that he caused so much trouble with that could make him really dangerous.
It's definitely interesting and ironic how Matt went to such lengths to protect his identity in this arc, to being outed in the next arc under Bendis. At least Bendis' stuff takes place quite some time afterwards and revolves around a totally different situation. I noticed that when Bendis referenced this arc in "TotC," he made a mistake with the judge's name. In "PttC" the Judge is named Steinburg--in "TotC" It's Nicholson. Unless his name is Nicholson Steinburg.
The art was pretty good. Too bad none of those artists seem to be doing anything these days. Phil Winslade reminded me a bit of Mike Perkins, if only a bit less realistic. He had some really interesting panels, though.
One thing I always wonder, why is the possibility of Matt receiving amnesty for his actions never considered? Maybe now that he's lied for so long it's not really an option anymore, but when it first came up he could have hoped for that. He is a good person who has only done good things. Maybe now if he joined the Initiative, they would give him amnesty and allow him to continue being Daredevil since only Tony Stark would have to know his identity and Tony probably already knows. I guess it's more interesting, though, to have him work outside of the law, while fighting for justice.