Hell Breaks Loose In Saladin Ahmed And Aaron Kuder's Daredevil #1

Aaaand Marvel continues it's tradition of pairing incredible artists with subpar writing talent. Gone is the BA Daredevil I grew up with. When you're constantly rebooting books it means something is not right. The only thing #1's do is boost sales for exactly one issue. And then you read it and try to forget it and then never pick up another issue. I'm a sucker for DD but I don't get my hopes up anymore.

Another issue #1 for a character that's been around for nearly 60 years? This has got to stop.

I can image the struggle a young new reader would face walking into a local comic store for the first time:

NEW READER: "Hello, I'd like to buy a copy of Daredevil #1"

COMIC STORE EMPLOYEE: "Sure kid. Do you want the 5th issue #1? Or maybe vol. 13 issue #1? Or issue #1 from 2 years ago, which was from the 25th series?"

NEW READER: "Never mind, I just wanted to read the first issue, but comics are too confusing."

(The new reader then leaves the comic book store and never returns.)

On 7/8/2023 at 3:07 AM, Atlantis said:

This DD they've got now is barely recognizable as the Man Without Fear from the 80s during Miller's run. The homeless dude's beard, the baggy outfit, paired with the frazzled artwork just doesn't work for me. But I'm sure the pendulum will swing back to something better soon enough.

That's what I'm afraid of. What someone else considers good may not be the same as me. Not trashing any individual's taste but I like DD as an unphaseable BA. Like most comics I began reading older issues from my older cousins when he was an imposing character with supreme confidence and motivation and was well respected and appreciated by the community. I know he's kind of seen as the Anti-Batman where he does what he does without unlimited resources and means but yeah turning him into some do-gooder hermit is not my idea what DD should be. He should be smart and tough and being able to maintain a productive civilian life while he does his thing was part of his charm. Like I said I'm not knocking anyone else's opinion but I have an iconic benchmark in my head that today's current DD does not stand up to and I really don't want to ruin that image of him for myself. I'll stay with my classic DD.

On 6/20/2023 at 1:44 PM, AndyL said:

I have not my friend. I gave up on his comics long ago. He's still one of my favorite OGs. I might have to get back on the wagon and catch up. Any suggestions as to how far I should go back?

And I most likely have the comics you're probably talking about. I never took him off my mail list. I just kind of put them away. I can't tell you how many unread comics I have lying around right now.

This DD they've got now is barely recognizable as the Man Without Fear from the 80s during Miller's run. The homeless dude's beard, the baggy outfit, paired with the frazzled artwork just doesn't work for me. But I'm sure the pendulum will swing back to something better soon enough.

Well, it's actually not too bad compared to most recent Frank Miller works...

Every time I see modern Frank Miller art I can't help but be reminded of this long Tumblr post I saw years ago by comics artist James Harvey, going into detail about how Frank's art in the past couple decades isn't even bad, but just horrendously mis-served by the colorists often doing a modern, standard, vaguely realistic-ish style; he recolored a bunch of Frank Miller covers and DKR2 interior art in a much flatter, abstract, almost graphic design-ish style that makes it look WAY better. It's a really interesting read: https://phillip-bankss.tumblr.com/post/143800556669/theory-frank-millers-recent-work-is-good-but-it

On 6/20/2023 at 4:40 PM, tarot said:

have you not been reading some of the recent stories? DD has had some of the best stories he has ever had in recent years.

I have not my friend. I gave up on his comics long ago. He's still one of my favorite OGs. I might have to get back on the wagon and catch up. Any suggestions as to how far I should go back?

And I most likely have the comics you're probably talking about. I never took him off my mail list. I just kind of put them away. I can't tell you how many unread comics I have lying around right now.

On 6/20/2023 at 10:39 PM, AndyL said:

What a shame Miller couldn't be the writer as well. Poor DD is really in need of a makeover. They've turned him into such a shadow of his former BA self over the last many years. I guess Saladin is as good as any modern writer but he just doesn't seem to be the kind of writer DD needs right now.

have you not been reading some of the recent stories? DD has had some of the best stories he has ever had in recent years.

What a shame Miller couldn't be the writer as well. Poor DD is really in need of a makeover. They've turned him into such a shadow of his former BA self over the last many years. I guess Saladin is as good as any modern writer but he just doesn't seem to be the kind of writer DD needs right now.