Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Daredevil

  • UPDATE: Deborah Ann Woll Denies Photos With Kirsten Dunst In Midst of Reported ‘NO WAY HOME’ Reshoots

    UPDATE: Deborah Ann Woll Denies Photos With Kirsten Dunst In Midst of Reported ‘NO WAY HOME’ Reshoots

    UPDATE: It looks like it may be a look-a-like of Deborah Ann Woll, as the actress took to Twitter to state that it isn’t her in the photos shared by @Peli_Comic.

     

     

     

    Additional photography for Spider-Man: No Way Home is ongoing in Los Angeles as fans are still anxiously awaiting their first look at the upcoming film. Rumors and plot leaks have run rampant over the last year and all point to the film including characters from not only previous live-action Spider-Man franchises but also Netflix’s Daredevil. Today, a fan may have caught a glimpse of those worlds colliding as actresses Kirsten Dunst, who played Mary Jane Watson in the Sam Raimi trilogy, and Deborah Ann Woll, who played Karen Page in Daredevil, were spotted together in Los Angeles.

    The photos, shared by Twitter user @MaguireDunst, seem to have caught the two actresses out for a walk together. It could just be a coincidence that the two are out together in Los Angeles, but it could also point to even more characters joining the cast. Dunst has been rumored to be a part of the film for months now and a recent IMDB listing indicated that a personal costumer for the actress was part of the crew. Woll, on the other hand, has not previously been associated with the Spidey threequel, but with Cox rumored to be working as Peter Parker’s lawyer in the film, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Karen Page make an appearance given that she was part of the Nelson, Murdock and Page law firm established in the final episode of Season 3 of Daredevil.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Shang-Chi’ Continues Marvel’s Exploration of Father Issues

    ‘Shang-Chi’ Continues Marvel’s Exploration of Father Issues

    Finally, the trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings dropped. We got our first look at Simu Liu in the titular role, as he tries to live his own life out of the shadow cast by his father Tony Leung‘s Wenwu. After a ten-year rest, his father calls upon him to take over the leadership of the Ten Rings. His return into the world he tried to leave behind will re-awaken some dormant issues between him and his estranged parent. Now, producer Jonathan Schwartz highlighted the focus

    The core of Shang-Chi’s arc in the comics is really a family drama. That was something that Destin keyed into really early on in our conversations, the idea of taking this broken family and this really dark, even abusive family background and seeing what that does to a child over time.

    This story isn’t the first time that Marvel Studios has explored a dark and abusive relationship like this. Avengers: Infinity War put quite a bit of focus on how Thanos turned his adoptive daughter into the perfect killing machine. Of course, it pushed her away from him, as his warped view of the world left a deep rift between them. Let’s not even get started on his abusive behavior towards Nebula and how that even destroyed any chance for his daughters to bond.

     

    Avengers: Endgame fan theories that could be true

     

    Now, Thanos wasn’t the only father leaving a long-lasting scar on his child. Tony Stark’s journey was haunted by the sins of his father early on. The second entry in his trilogy highlighted that very legacy weighing down on Stark, who translated that into some rather destructive behaviors. Learning to overcome his issues allowed him to embrace his mentor role for Peter Parker. Now, unlike Gamora, he was able to make amends with his father in Avengers: Endgame even if Howard Stark had no idea he was talking to his son from the future. Still, it offered a more positive ending for Tony to take away and push him towards his final decision.

    Marvel Studios wasn’t the only live-action adaptation in the Marvel family exploring family ties as a core anchor for their storytelling. Marvel TV gave us the ever-expanding family in Agents of SHIELD. The relationship between Phil Coulson and Daisy Johnson, especially during the second season while being hunted by her biological father. We witnessed her even sacrifice a potential relationship with him to ensure he doesn’t have to live with the nightmares of his own actions driven by desperation to find her. Daisy carried that weight with her with Coulson taking on that role she was missing.

     

    What Happened To Daredevil's Dad? This 'Defenders' Moment Brought Up The Past

     

    Now, an episode that hit home with me was in Daredevil. The close relationship between the Murdocks before tragedy would eventually separate them was laid out in just a few episodes. We see a father struggling to meet ends meet by doing the only thing he believes he can do. The weight of trying to take care of his son and ensure he doesn’t repeat his mistakes will tear at anyone’s heartstrings. In a way, the story of parentage and how it defines the next generation will continue carrying an important role in the MCU, as younger heroes take over legacy titles. It looks like Shang-Chi is kicking off a new generation of heroes with father issues.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • How ‘ECHO’ Can Bring Back Marvel’s Netflix Characters

    How ‘ECHO’ Can Bring Back Marvel’s Netflix Characters

    The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is ever-expanding, and Marvel Studios continues to keep fans on their toes when it comes to new projects. You would think we’d be ready for anything after announcements for movies like Eternals and Shang-Chi, but most of us were shocked once more when Variety broke the news of an unexpected Hawkeye spin-off earlier this week. The Disney+ series will center around the character Maya Lopez (a.k.a. Echo), who is set to be portrayed by newcomer Alaqua Cox in the Avenging Archer’s show. While the character’s name is probably unfamiliar to many, obsessive comic readers like myself will know it actually bares more in connection to the cult classic Marvel/Netflix shows than it does to the current MCU. In fact, it almost seems to me that a project focused on Echo’s story would be the perfect place for those two franchises, which may or may not be the same, to finally converge on a large scale. So, read on Macduff, and allow me to explain how Echo could bring back some of your favorite players from the era of Defenders.

    Connecting Echo to Netflix

    A deaf Native American woman, Echo is traditionally depicted in the comics as an assassin with strong ties to Marvel’s criminal underworld. Actually, she was essentially born into it, because her father was an active enforcer for the Kingpin while she was still a little girl. And uh, yes, it was that Kingpin. Wilson Fisk (who Daredevil fans will most definitely remember as the bane of Matt Murdock’s existence for two-out-of-three seasons) eventually put out a hit on Lopez’s dad, which led to him dying tragically in her arms and imprinting his bloody handprint on her face. The malicious Kingpin saw potential in a young Maya and took her in, using her photogenic reflexes and some valuable footage of Bullseye to turn her into one of his best weapons. Many years down the line, he would send her hurtling in the direction of one Matthew Murdock, with her brain having been twisted to believe Daredevil killed her pop. This, of course, backfires for Fisk when Maya falls in love with Matt and learns the truth about her origin. Her relationship with Murdock doesn’t work out, but she does find a sense of liberation by cutting off ties with Kingpin.

    Suffice to say, Lopez was already steeped heavily in the world of Daredevil before she was even able to make connections to Hawkeye or the bigger Marvel Universe. When she finally does start mingling with the Avengers, it still sends her straight back to Daredevil’s corner of the world. Upon leaving Hell’s Kitchen, Lopez travels to Japan and begins operating against mystical ninja clan The Hand and their leader, fellow former Fisk assassin and Murdock-lover Elektra Natchios. She does so under a new mantle, Ronin, which would eventually be used by Clint Barton as well, and was introduced to the MCU in Avengers: Endgame. That conflict would end with Maya’s death at the hands of Elektra (later revealed to be a Skrull), until her eventual revival by The Hand, something that group is kinda well known for. So, if you’re keeping track at home, that connects Echo to Kingpin, Daredevil, Bullseye, and Elektra before Hawkeye ever puts on her Ronin suit. The enormity of space that the previously-owned-by-Netflix characters take up in Lopez’s personal storylines almost makes one wonder how Echo could exist without using at least some of them. Obviously, Echo’s story will differ in live-action, but I do have some ideas as to how Marvel Studios might use her solo series to honor her comic roots and introduce Marvel’s street-level cast to the mainstream MCU.

    Wilson Fisk, Elektra Natchios, and Bullseye in Marvel Studios’ Echo

    What we know about the MCU’s take on Echo could be described as very minimal. We know that Maya Lopez will feature in Hawkeye, played by the previously mentioned Alaqua Cox. We also know her father will appear, with the role taken on by veteran actor Zahn McClarnon. This information, combined with exclusive footage from the set of Hawkeye, seems to indicate that Lopez’s father will live much longer into her life span than in the comics. That would make Lopez too old to be potentially manipulated by Kingpin in the same way she was on the page, but it doesn’t mean she can’t end up working for him in a similar manner. When Echo begins, Lopez will presumably already be an assassin or be on the verge of becoming one. Her father will most likely be freshly dead or about to die. With the rights to the Netflix characters back in their pocket, Marvel Studios could pull off a late-stage reveal that Wilson Fisk was behind some of the criminal activity in Hawkeye, including the death of William Lopez.

    Echo could then be a revenge story, where Maya goes after Fisk either through his bodyguards or by infiltrating his organization and becoming one of them. Now, if Fisk is going to have an assassin by his side, it might as well be Bullseye. Much like the comics, watching him during combat could lead to Maya becoming a better fighter. She could also slip into Elektra’s role for the classic story in which she is pitted against Bullseye for the position of Kingpin’s top assassin. Speaking of Elektra, she could appear working for Fisk as well. Or, Marvel Studios could use her to re-introduce The Hand properly, making her their leader (as teased in Defenders) and adapting her conflict with Maya from the comics. Whatever the case, it feels apparent that Echo has the potential to be the MCU Daredevil revival so many fans have been clamoring for since its cancellation, and who knows, maybe the Man Without Fear himself could show up at some point. After all, he’s scheduled to make his comeback sooner than later.

  • ‘Hawkeye’ Spin-Off Focused on Echo In Development for Disney+

    ‘Hawkeye’ Spin-Off Focused on Echo In Development for Disney+

    It looks like Marvel Studios is already planning some spin-offs for their major series well in advance. In a recent exclusive by variety, they have unveiled that Marvel Studios is already developing a series that focuses on Echo. The character will be first introduced in the upcoming Hawkeye series. Alaqua Cox has been cast in the role of the deaf Native American, Maya Lopez, who might have a bigger role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward than we first expected. It seems that they also have already found their writers, as Etan Cohen and Emily Cohen are attached. Of course, Marvel Studios will return to produce the series.

    Now, this is interesting as it opens up the floodgates to many other characters introduced on Disney+ getting their own series at one point. It also means that Marvel Studios has some big plans for the character. We don’t know how large her role will be in the upcoming Disney+ series. Of course, the knowledge of her spin-off makes us keep an even closer eye once Hawkeye premieres, as we will see how its ending might keep the door open for her story to continue upon.

    It’s a great surprise, to say the least, and I cannot wait to see what other spin-offs might be in some form of development moving forward. The MCU will continue to grow from here and it is obvious that a lot of fate has been put into the development of their long-form storytelling.

    Source: Variety

     

  • SCOOP: Daredevil Season 3 Production Timeline Revealed

    SCOOP: Daredevil Season 3 Production Timeline Revealed

    Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy on MCU Exchange on August 23, 2017.

    Just last week we broke the news that the third season of Daredevil would begin shooting in October. Since then, Charlie Cox himself reiterated that the show would indeed film “later this year” and now we can confirm not only the October date, but also the entire production timeline.

    As it stands now, Season 3 is scheduled to begin production on October 15th and wrap on June 30th. While anyone who has followed a production will understand that those dates are never set in stone due to the unpredictability of logistics, that is the plan for now. Given that information, it’s likely that casting will start to take place over the next several weeks though it may not be officially confirmed until later in the process. The eight and a half month timeline is quite a bit longer than normal, but given the fact that it also runs through the holiday season, it’s reasonable to assume there may be some downtime. Assuming production stays on schedule and wraps around early July, it’s possible that the series could debut late in 2018!

     

    Given the state of things at the end of The Defenders, it seems a foregone conclusion that Daredevil Season 3 will be adapting Frank Miller’s beloved Born Again arc so while many fans are itching to see Bullseye in action, we may be looking at the return of Wilson Fisk alongside another new villain. Who would you like to see take on Daredevil in Season 3?

  • How Marvel Studios Can (Re)introduce The Defenders Into the MCU

    How Marvel Studios Can (Re)introduce The Defenders Into the MCU

    Marvel’s Netflix venture gave fans some of the most interesting programmings for Marvel TV. From the gritty, suspense, and dark themes of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher to the Superhero Street vibes in Luke Cage & Iron Fist, Marvel’s Netflix had something for everyone. On top of it all, the casting in these shows was phenomenal. They embodied these characters, and it was the interactions that sold us on their chemistry. Charlie Cox‘s Daredevil with Jon Bernthal‘s Punisher gave life to a very memorable showdown in Daredevil‘s second season. Krysten Ritter‘s Jessica Jones and Mike Colter‘s Luke Cage shared some incredible chemistry during their time together. In their attempt to recreate the Marvel Cinematic Universe formula on a smaller scale, these Netflix shows created a tiny world set within a larger universe.

    Since their respective cancellations in 2018, people have been waiting for Marvel Studios to bring them back. So now, after years of waiting, all of Marvel’s Netflix rights have reverted to Disney and Marvel. Now, we have to wonder what will follow now that Marvel has all of these characters at their disposal. So, Kevin Feige has a slew of choices ahead of him. How do you introduce these characters into the MCU? Do you recast them or try a soft reboot? Can you continue their stories from their time on Netflix, or would they require new backstories? These are all essential questions moving forward. If only we had a precedent as to what we can expect. Luckily, we can.

     

    Daredevil

     

    Daredevil is a perfect candidate to stick with long-form storytelling. I do believe that he needs to have his first appearance in the MCU in another franchise. We know that Charlie Cox will reprise his role as Matt Murdock in the upcoming Spider-Man threequel, which will release at the end of this year. How exactly that will play out remains to be seen, but given how Spider-Man: Far From Home ended in 2019, chances are Peter Parker is going to need one hell of a lawyer. The dynamic duo of Nelson and Murdock are perfect candidates to tackle this case.

    If you ask me what I’d adapt for this series, I believe Daredevil: Gang War by Frank Miller and Tom DeFalco would be a fantastic story for a future show. You would already have Matt Murdock established in the MCU as Daredevil, and it would also be a brilliant way to reintroduce Wilson Fisk. In this particular run, he retired in Japan with his wife, Vanessa. She had grown sick of Fisk’s life of crime, but they are forced back due to his wife getting kidnapped by a former rival gang. It could explain Kingpin’s absence in the MCU, and I have an excuse to say that I want Vincent D’Onofrio back as Kingpin.

     

    Jessica Jones

     

    Following a similar introduction pattern of Daredevil, there are rumors that Jessica Jones could make her appearance in the upcoming She-Hulk series. Like before, we have no idea how she might play into the story. I am working on a theory of what role she might have in She-Hulk, but that still needs some time in the oven as a potential Theory Thursday piece.

    Story-wise, I liked Jessica Jones: Blind Spot by Kelly Thompson, and it is a story that would be the perfect choice for her MCU introduction. It is a murder mystery thriller, where Jessica Jones is the prime suspect in a murder. Her regret haunts her, as she failed to help her years ago. Not only would it showcase Jessica’s investigative abilities, but also uniquely retell her origin. The murderer could tease her alongside the audience with bits and pieces of her past. The viewers get immersed in the murder mystery and allow them to piece together Jessica’s origin.  

     

    Heroes for Hire (Luke Cage/Iron Fist)

    The fact that we never got the chance to see Mike Colter and Finn Jones truly embrace the dynamic Heroes for Hire duo is criminal. A buddy cop series similar to the styles of Bad Boys, Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, and 21 Jump Street is how I could see these two pull appear in the MCU. And I would keep their origins the same way and have it play out like in the comics. Luke Cage was exonerated, so both of them meet at a party and get into a fistfight. Afterward, they both become great friends by the end of it. It also would allow viewers to truly explore Iron Fist’s vast history from the comics with Cage as the straight man trying to figure out all the craziness that starts to haunt them.

     

    The Punisher

    Say what you want about The Punisher, but Jon Bernthal‘s portrayal of the character was incredible in Daredevil and his spinoff show. In the comics, Frank Castle always appeared as a secondary character or even as an antagonist. He got into fights with the likes of Spider-Man and, of course, Daredevil before being given his comic run. Netflix replicated the formula by making him appear in the second season of Daredevil. He had a recurring role before being given a spinoff. My money’s on Marvel Studios doing the same thing. Castle will appear in another franchise before being given his show. And there are several places he could appear in if you consider Castle’s military background.

    He could be a former ally to Col. James Rhodes and have a brief cameo appearance in the upcoming Armor Wars series. There is also the chance that he could make his MCU debut in the Moon Knight series. Their interactions in the comics have been iconic. I am not sure what story to give Punisher’s new MCU series because I’m unfamiliar with his comic runs. What I do know is that the show should be similar to the Netflix counterpart. We will explore Castle’s motives before he becomes the Punisher. It shouldn’t shy away from the dark and gritty, which would still be possible to showcase on Disney+.

  • ‘JESSICA JONES’ and ‘PUNISHER’ Rights Return to Marvel Studios

    ‘JESSICA JONES’ and ‘PUNISHER’ Rights Return to Marvel Studios

    Two years after their final seasons dropped on Netflix, Jessica Jones and Frank Castle have now returned home to Marvel Studios. The reversion means that Marvel Studios finally has full control of all their so-called street-level heroes. A multi-year deal with Netflix had previously been holding the live-action rights to the characters in the streaming service’s clutches and prevented Marvel Studios from using them in any projects produced before the contract ran out. The details of the agreement between the two mega-corporations meant fans would have to wait two full years after each show’s cancellation before they could hope to see their favorite protagonist’s names in any Marvel Studios announcements. Jones, a super-powered private eye played by Krysten Ritter, was one of four Marvel heroes revealed to be getting their own series on Netflix in 2013, alongside Daredevil, Iron Fist, and comic book love interest, Luke Cage. The first season of her show was a surprise hit for Netflix, and led to the creation of two more solo outings. Jon Bernthal‘s Frank Castle, better known to viewers as The Punisher, debuted in the second season of Daredevil before his popularity led to the production of a spin-off. Two seasons were made before that series met its own untimely demise.

    Image result for marvel jessica jones

    The four Marvel-Netflix projects, which converged in a team-up mini-series known as The Defenders, were incredibly popular among comic fans. It came as a shock to many when Netflix began to systematically cancel the projects in 2018. The moves by Netflix came shortly after Disney pulled the curtain back on it’s own rival streaming service, Disney+, which led subscribers to believe the cancellations may have been made out of spite. However, statistics released in the time since show a steady decline in viewership for many of the shows, which probably didn’t help their case in staying alive. Nevertheless, with all five major players having now come back to Marvel Studios, their most vocal advocates have made it known they want to see them on the small, or silver, screen once more. With Charlie Cox set to appear in the upcoming Spider-Man threequel, only time will tell if Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have any plans to incorporate other characters into the future of the MCU, but for the first time in almost a decade, the ball is entirely in their court.

  • LockeDown #06: Hell’s Kitchen Turf War Gets Interrupted by a Devil

    LockeDown #06: Hell’s Kitchen Turf War Gets Interrupted by a Devil

    LockeDown is back with its latest episode bringing you up to speed on all the local happenings in New York City. As events are still unfolding with Spider-Man, the new Hell’s Kitchen has been quite active. New rumors and sightings of a “devil” may be chasing away recent Maggia activities. This story and more only on LockeDown:

     

     

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  • Charlie Cox Reportedly Already Shot his Spider-Man 3 Scenes

    Charlie Cox Reportedly Already Shot his Spider-Man 3 Scenes

    In the first episode of his new podcast, Phase Zero, comicbook.com’s Brandon Davis revealed his belief that Charlie Cox has already filmed his scenes for the currently untitled Spider-Man sequel. News of Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock and/or Daredevil was first revealed last month by our own Charles Villanueva. The film, which Kevin Feige has said will be part of a sort of Multiverse arc that begins with WandaVision, is rumored to see the return of pretty much everyone that’s ever had anything to do with a Spider-Man project. Fans firmly believe that Cox’s Matt Murdock will serve as the lawyer to Tom Holland’s Peter Parker who will be on the run following the events at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home.

    MCU | Adversion

    During the recent WandaVision press junkets, Collider’s Steve Weintraub asked Kevin Feige about Cox’s potential return and while Feige would not confirm it, he did indicate that he Charlie Cox and other actors and characters from prior Marvel TV projects are all fair game to reappear in the MCU’s future slate. Davis’ report corroborates our Lizzie Hill’s belief that Cox was on set during a November Spidey shoot.

    Spider-Man 3 is currently set to swing into theaters this December.

  • The 5 Best Daredevil Stories You’ve Probably Never Read

    The 5 Best Daredevil Stories You’ve Probably Never Read

    With a murderer’s row of writers and artists throughout the years, it’s no surprise that Daredevil has consistently been one of the best titles from Marvel. The title, in many ways, has served as a platform for writers and artists to explore a wide spectrum of storytelling opportunities. Some of them have gone on to be benchmarks that transcend the medium – Frank Miller’s run is still highly regarded as one of the medium’s best – while some have gone on to achieve massive critical acclaim. And with an array of good stories to his name, it’s understandably easy for some stories to get overshadowed by their more popular cohorts. So here are some of the best Daredevil stories you may have never read.

    DAREDEVIL: REDEMPTION

     

    In a small hick town in the backwoods of Alabama, a child is murdered in what is believed to be a Satanic ritual. Local law enforcement is quick to charge three outcast goth kids with the crime. The mother of one of the suspects pleads for New York bigshot Matt Murdock to give her son, who she claims to be innocent, a chance to fight for the truth. 

    Based on the true events of the West Memphis Three, Daredevil: Redemption is a haunting portrait of a hysteric God-fearing town’s faith and the rotting corruption underneath it. The story stands among Daredevil stories not for the spectacle but for how focused it is on Matt Murdock’s character as a man of faith, law, and righteousness and how it challenges those tenets of his being. In fact, there’s barely any Daredevil in the story nor is Matt Murdock the star of it. 

    If you’re a fan of neo-noir detective mysteries like True Detective or Zodiac, this is an absolute must-read. Artist Michael Gaydos and writer David Hine absolutely knock this one out of the park, writing a Daredevil story that’s wholly unforgettable.

    DAREDEVIL: FATHER

     

    As the son of a single dad, stories about fathers hit differently. It’s a big reason why Daredevil’s journey resonates so much for me. So it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that Joe Quesada’s tribute to his late father in the form of a Daredevil comic named Father is one that I highly recommend. 

    In the midst of a terrible heatwave crippling Manhattan, a killer on the loose goes on a rampage and mutilates the eyes of his victims. Matt Murdock is hired by an ailing cancer patient to sue a  company for poisoning her land. Meanwhile, a new group of mystical vigilantes has a territorial dispute with Daredevil. 

    Joe Quesada fires on all cylinders as he flexes his storytelling prowess by masterfully weaving these seemingly unrelated moving parts into a shocking revisionist tale of the circumstances behind Matt’s accident. Seriously, this story contains one of the biggest twists I’ve seen in a comic. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered what a hulking Daredevil looks like, look no further. 

    DAREDEVIL: DECALOGUE 

     

    Brian Michael Bendis’ Daredevil run is arguably my favorite run of all time. I think it surpasses *gasp* Frank Miller’s on every level that it’s become the modern gold standard on how gritty Marvel crime stories should be. Over the course of 80 plus issues, Bendis and Alex Maleev took Matt Murdock to new lows and had him rise up from the pits of hell. That said, I think there’s one particular story in Bendis’ 80-issue run that stands out like a diamond in a sea of gold; Decalogue.

    Decalogue stars a group of Hell’s Kitchen locals attending a support group in the wake of Matt Murdock’s ascent into the Kingpin of their borough. The comic dissects the essence of Hell’s Kitchen, the people in it, and Matt Murdock’s place in their lives as its self-appointed protector. Some lives have changed for the better, while some have irrevocably worsened.  Layer by layer, the grime, and muck that binds each person to this fabled New York borough unravels as each member in the support group tells the story of the time they crossed paths with the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. 

    Another thing I love about the comic is how it sheds light on not just Matt Murdock, the superhero, but also Matt Murdock, a practitioner of Eastern mysticism. I feel like the idea of Daredevil being a ninja first and foremost gets overlooked by a lot of interpretations. 

    DAREDEVIL: ANGELS UNAWARE 

     

     

    There’s never a shortage of superheroes punching their way through their problems so it’s always nice to see a comic that puts the superhero in a scenario where conflict is futile. In Angels Unaware, Daredevil is faced with the insurmountable task of getting a donor’s frozen heart across a terrible blizzard engulfing Manhattan to a dying child.

    It’s a beautiful story that shows the full extent of Matt Murdock’s resilience to save lives. It doesn’t matter to Matt that he’s on the brink of hypothermia or that Kingpin’s armed forces are after him. The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen will move mountains to save someone’s life even at the cost of his own. 

    3 JACKS & GAME ROOM 

     

    I’m lumping these two stories together because a) they’re both really short stories and b) they’re by Ann Nocenti and David Aja, two of the most prolific comic creators of their generation. Nocenti, some of you may know as one of the watershed writers for Daredevil, having created characters like Typhoid Mary and Aja as the star of the fabled Hawkeye run of Matt Fraction. That creative pairing alone merits a place in this but that’s not the sole reason why these two stories are in this. 

    In Game Room, Aja and Nocenti ditch the comic format and craft a short story with Aja’s subdued art serving as flourishes to the story. With no paneled art, Nocenti does the heavy lifting and tries her damnedest to have the audience visualize every single detail in the comic through prose. She does it in spades and the result is a nice little story about Daredevil investigating a suicide that might have been foul play. 

    3 Jacks captures Matt Murdock at a point in time at the height of his beef with Bullseye. Two bystanders witness Daredevil get brutally beaten by Bullseye and spend the day nursing him back to health. It’s a heartwarming encounter amidst a bloodied backdrop that surprisingly tugs the heartstrings as much as it satisfies anyone looking for a good comic fight. Aja, as always, destroys with his art as he crafts an amazing fight with Bullseye that’s one for the books as far as visuals go.