Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev
Publisher: Marvel
Everything from the cover to the Truth ad in this Daredevil book is nothing but ordinary. Brian Michael Bendis came on strong with Daredevil twenty-two issues ago with a Hollywood-like take on the character, making the comic book more like CSI meets Law and Order. In this issue, Bendis draws out his latest story even more, with Alex Maleev's art becoming more and more tiresome as time goes by.
Bendis offers nothing novel or interesting in this issue. For the last three books, the reader has been treated to the exact same premise of Typhoid Mary setting lawyer Matt Murdock a.k.a. Daredevil afire in an unbearably awful drawing by Alex Maleev. A fight ensues between Murdock's bodyguard and Mary, as well as fellow hero Luke Cage entering the fight from nowhere. Daredevil gets a visit from F.B.I. agent Driver (see last issue) who discusses the Kingpin and Typhoid Mary problem with him. Bendis continues with thin, glossy, Marvel pages of dialogue between Murdock and new-found love interest Mila Donovan. A surprise in the last few pages as villain Bullseye returns to aid the Kingpin is present, but most unwelcome.
While more happens in this issue than others in the Bendis run, most of the book is too obvious in its nature. The Ultimate Spider-Man scribe paints over this fault with his usual clever dialogue and amusing storytelling, but much more is needed to satisfy. Adding to this discredit is the fact that Typhoid Mary has been seen enough recently---heck, the same cliffhanger for the past two issues. She should have been defeated within three pages, with the story moving along. It's not like Alex Maleev knows how to draw a convincing fight scene on a bright day. Any reader knows that Murdock will recover from the fire some way or another (it's only part 3 of 5), and Mary will be defeated. Putting Luke Cage in the story does attempt to add notoriety, but all the happenings of the scuffle could have been condensed.
Then there's the scene between FBI Agent Driver and Matt Murdock in which Bendis writes the most bloated dialogue of the book yet. The point of this conversation is to establish Murdock and Driver in symbiosis against the Kingpin, and does not require the length, nor attempted cleverness Bendis uses. Talented as Mr. Bendis is when it comes to dialogue, he should give his readers more along the way of substance.
Perhaps the most disappointing feature this week is that artist Alex Maleev is drawing the villain, Bullseye, as he appeared in the Daredevil movie. This is not a welcome; many thought Bullseye should have his old costume back, and no forehead tattoo. It suits Bendis' nature with the Hollywood-type take, but all stories are beginning to look the same, run together; issue #47 looks like #42. An arc such as this does not take five issues to resolve. I wouldn't mind if it were new and entertaining.
Alex Maleev is a very talented sketch artist, but his obscure style and Matt Hollingsworth's simple coloring contributes to the monotonous nature. This would be good for flashback scenes and perhaps to show certain darker aspects, but Maleev's work should be presented better than this. The mood of this book hasn't changed since Terry and Rachel Dodson filled in on issue #40.
The past eight issues are run together with nothing new being offered. Maleev's stagnant artwork is there, as well as Bendis' usual pacing charade. Not even the dialogue paints over that graffiti. Bendis has yet to move this arc forward properly in two issues. We're treated to another cliffhanger that we don't even know if it'll be resolved next issue or not. Why come back?
If you like anything Brian Michael Bendis does, then you'll love this issue from cover to Bullseye. But for the rest of us who knows what Bendis is about and expects the same as he does in Ultimate Spider-Man, there may be some disappointment in this latest chapter.
Marvel Knights is supposed to be on the edge---a selling point of our mutual friend, Joe Quesada. But the TV show is starting to lose its demographic. Maybe they should change the format to "Bendis says the darndest things."
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