DAREDEVIL #25

[ A KNOCKOUT SALE ] 

Is Foggy finally out for the count? And will Matt pay the hospital the right amount? The doctors think not. Whereas the nurses do not give a jot. Unless he'll award them a very lawyerly discount. Wink-Wink! And if not him, maybe these chaps will. The Writer: Mark Waid; the Artist: Chris Samnee; and the Publisher: Marvel Comics, in March, 2013.

Using GENERAL terms, answer the following 4 questions about this STORY entitled 'Sensory Overload'.

• WHAT'S THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS TALE: Once 'unlucky' Larry shows him the way, Matt (Daredevil) Murdock goes one on one with somebody who has the same abilities as he has: Ikari -- The Fury.
• ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED: Errr? Let's just say that not everything goes according to plan, OK?
• ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN: Yes. I learnt how to spell 'Kusurigama'. Plus we get to see how Stick trained a young Matt all those many years ago.
• HOW DOES THIS STORY END: Will a man knowing fear.

All in all, what is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

Maybe this is the more sardonic side of me speaking, but I did find it amusing in the flashback scene, where Matt said to Stick...

'I know you want me to jump. But I'm not ready, Stick. Not yet. Thanks for being patient with me'

... only for Stick to then push Matt off of that tall-tall building. Yoinks! Isn't life ironic?

What are the BEST bits about this issue?

(+) I really-really enjoyed that cross-cut scene where we got to see Daredevil and Ikari fighting in the present day, whilst Stick taught a young Matt how to 'fly' in the past. Not only did this extra dimension aide the overall narrative with some extra added substance, but it showed the contrast between the cocky young Matt and the cocky old Matt.

(+) If like me you're a big fan of Hong Kong Cinema, you know that every fight scene tells an actual tale. Yeah. I'm not kidding with you, dear reader. Every move has a counter move  and every punch has a block in toe. And do you know what? That's what this adventure has too. Balance within its battles. Resulting in the whole thing to come across as a symphony of swings and stories. 

(+) Mark Waid and Chris Samnee are a really great creative team. I can't seem to say any more than that, because whenever I do, for some strange reason I get tongue tied. Blu-blu-blu.

What are the WORST bits about this issue?

(-) I suppose at a push, the only thing I can gripe about this issue, is that a large chunk of it was dedicated to a large fight scene, thus diluting the overall story into a situation of events. Apart for that though -- nah -- it was smashing.

Choose TWO CHARACTERS out of this comic book, and then compare them to two WELL KNOWN MOVIE STARS.

TONY JAA AS IKAI: Well, come off it, who else do you think can beat up Daredevil and make it seem plausible at the same time? Jean Claude Van Damme? Ha! Don't make me laugh.

MICHAEL CERA AS LARRY: Now I came up with the answer to this question by saying to myself 'Who looks young, stupid, and naive, whilst sporting a really permed hair style?'. Yep. That's our Michael.  

What QUOTE would be appropriate to sum-up this story?

'It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow man, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui' -- Helen Keller

What SONG, THEME-TUNE, or MELODY, would complement this tale, as well as add and extra dimension to it by default?

THE 'WONG FEI HUNG' THEME MUSIC FROM 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA': All the way through Matt's duel with Ikari, the aforementioned theme song was playing around and around in my head, and it had nothing to do with the copious amounts of medication I'm on. Say no more.

ANYTHING Else?

Now I don't know if you've heard about the new 'Daredevil movie revelation' or not. But if you have, you know what this type of thing normally brings to its regular series.

Yep. That's correct. Bye-bye current creative team.

So to prevent this from happening, I thought that it would be a good idea to do something that I recently did over on my 'Savage Wolverine' column. And that is to spread a prayer to keep Mark Waid and Chris Samnee on this book.

OK. You got all of that? Good. Here goes.

Our Waid, who work at Marvel,
Mark be thy Name.
Thy Samnee come.
Thy will be done in rebirth,
As it is in Chris Evans.
Give us this day our daily self-defence.
And forgive us our Foggy Nelsons,
As we forgive those who trespass against Matt.
And lead us not into a cross-over event,
But deliver us from DC.
For thine is the kingdom of Kirby,

The power fist, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Joe Quesada.

Come on folks. Spread the love. And lets make sure those cats at Marvel hear us chant 'Hallelujah' for this amazing monthly read.

GIVE IT, IT'S DUES: If This Comic Book Was a Martial Arts Film, It Would Be A Splash of 'Drunken Master', With A Drop or Two of 'Herbie Goes Bananas'.