Twenty-seven issues, several story arcs and a few narrative bumps in the road. For nearly two years, writer Mark Waid has been herding us to this issue, the penultimate battle between the Man Without Fear and his greatest nemesis. For twenty-seven issues, somebody has been screwing with Daredevil. Sending new and old foes, getting him wrapped up with Black Cat, having him run afoul of several criminal organizations, convincing Daredevil he’s insane, nearly costing him his friendship with Foggy Nelson. The devious mastermind behind this plot? Bullseye, the man we all thought perished during Shadowland.
Daredevil #27 answers all the questions we’ve been answering. Turns out, Lady Bullseye found her mentor’s body and brought him to The Hand. Looking to repay Bullseye for his services, The Hand brings him back to the world of the living. Problem is, his Shadowland battle with Daredevil left Bullseye a paraplegic. As Lady Bullseye busied herself constructing a steel drum that would allow Bullseye to exist, the crippled killer dedicates himself to revenge. His will to live driven only by the idea of crushing Daredevil’s spirits before killing him.
Now, the jig is up. Daredevil stands face to face with the man trying to destroy him. But Bullseye also has Ikari, the ninja who almost killed Daredevil, and Lady Bullseye. How is Daredevil ever going to get out of this one? Cue the genius storytelling of writer Mark Waid. He never allows Daredevil any dumb luck – everything that goes down is either a plan, or something Daredevil manages to think of during the heat of battle. For instance, instead of turning and fighting Ikari and Lady Bullseye, Daredevil simply jumps atop Bullseye’s steel tomb and places his baton in such a way that he could easily kill his old foe. Waid isn’t screwing around here. Daredevil is out for blood, and he gets it.
I won’t spoil the riches of action in Daredevil #27, but the outcome is brutal. I think Waid wanted to put a final nail in the coffin of Bullseye, which is a ballsy move. If ever Daredevil started to run out of foes, dropping Bullseye back in the mix was a sure way to generate excitement. That idea is over, at least for the time being. Bullseye isn’t dead, but he won’t be coming around for a long, long time. Waid actually adds a detail to Bullseye’s fate which might prove to be an interesting plot point, should the assassin gets back on his feet. Only time will tell.
Chris Samnee’s art is, as always, quite awesome. He draws comic books, and makes no apologies for making them look like comic books. There’s a Silver Age cartoonish vibe going on, but also a darkness, a modern edge with bold lines and deep shadowing. The combination of noir and Silver Age gives Daredevil the emotional impact for its story, but without sacrificing the idea of comics being entertaining. It’s the same way of seeing comic book art that makes Jack Kirby, Walt Simonson, Bill Sienkiewicz, and their ilk so wonderful – the idea of giving comic book art its own identity. Samnee is one of the few modern artists who have mastered it.
Daredevil is awesome. A series that reminds all of us why we started reading comic books in the first place.
(4.5 Story, 4.5 Art)
