DAREDEVIL #12

[ HIGH FALL - LOW PRICES ]

In January, 2015, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee have both decided to jump the Grand Canyon with the use of a trampoline, a pogo-stick, and a very large bridge. So come on. Let's get round there and see what happens when Marvel Comics shows up, and tells them that this stunt isn't for charity.

To QUOTE Vin Diesel: 'It's insecurity that is always chasing you and standing in the way of your dreams'.

THE STORY:

Even though he miraculously saved George Smith from The Stunt Master's death defying death-trap, at the same time I'm sorry to say that our pal Daredevil still had quite a lot of trouble catching up with this slippery sod.

Yeah. I'm not yanking your cross-bars, dear reader. First he managed to get away with the use of the company van. He then out maneuvered Daredevil thanks to the assistance of a speedy motorbike. And now, now after all of this coming and going, DD almost gets outsmarted once again, because... because... because...

No. I best not say anymore or else I may spoil the surprise. A surprise, I might add, which was as slippery as the aforementioned sod.   

THE GOOD:

If you're a lover of high speed car chase's, daredevil stunts, as well as end page revelations that make an awful lot of sense after the event, then by God, I'm pretty damn sure you're going to go ape for this brilliant Daredevil adventure.

Well, just try to think of it as the Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne 1995 thriller, 'The Usual Suspects', except this time round it being made by someone like Jackie Chan (Hmmm? That gives me an idea for later on!). So yeah. Get ready for the usual Mark Waid and Chris Samnee razzmatazz -- like the down to earth story-line and cleanly polished visuals -- yet aided and abetted with an additional injection of eighties inspired action sequences that I really got a kick out of.

Now for a concluding chapter, the only thing this one needed to do was explain away what was going on when the final bombshell eventually exploded. But no. This one did a whole lot more than that, didn't it? As it entertained, my friends. It entertained so much that I'm afraid I have to be fairly vague in the details or else I might spoil the surprise.

Although, what I can say, is that in this issue Daredevil explains why he shouldn't be allowed to drive. Apart from the obvious reasons, of course.

THE BAD:

There was a scene in this adventure where Daredevil was chasing the Stunt Master over the byways and highways of San Francisco, with each of them using a semi-appropriate mode of transportation accordingly. However, my main problem with this sequence was how it segwayed throughout it's telling. You see, nearing the start of this scene SM managed to get his hands on a motorbike, because -- coincidentally -- one of them was coming his way at the same time DD had him backed into a corner.

No. Not my cup of tea at all, dear reader. As I just said, this occurrence was too coincidental for my own liking, and it felt very obvious in it's execution as well.

THE MUSIC:

Conceptually this comic book was about one person chasing someone else. So how about I now musically match it up with 'The Dastardly & Muttley' theme tune, 'Stop The Pigeon', except in this instance, the chase has nothing to do with a feathered friend. Hint-hint!

THE COMPARISON:

Now without giving too much away I'd say this issue's end page revelation kind of reminded me of a cheap version of Keyser Söze's from 'The Usual Suspects'. Admittedly, it is a very-very cheap version for reasons I can't really divulge. Still, please keep this in mind just in case you ever get around to reading it. Because for the sake of joviality, this Keyser gets a good kick up the Keyser!

THE CONCLUSION:

To keep in line with this issue's theme, I thought it would be a good idea to present to you ten facts you need to know if you ever wanted to become a stunt-person.

1. You have to be mad -- Hey! It must help.
2. You have to be fearless -- See previous answer for more details.
3. You have to be good at maths -- Just in case someone wants to stiff you out of some cash.
4. You have to have a flexible body -- See Jackie Chan for more details.  
5. You have to avoid eating beans -- Or else you might let one rip by accident.  
6. You have to realize that you will not always get the credit -- See James Bond for more details.
7. You have to be some sort of masochist -- Do I need to write anything here?
8. You have to know what to do if you're falling, jumping, or sliding, off of a ninety story building blind-folded -- See Tom Cruises' Attorney for more details.

Nuff said.