DAREDEVIL #32

[ GET BACK OR I'LL BARGAIN ] 

Holy crap! Take a look at that cover. Go on. Take good hard long look at it. Because can you honestly believe that our pal Matt has managed to teamed-up with last years winners of 'X Factor'? I mean, it is rather surprising isn't it? Yet not as surprising as this nightmarish adventure created by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee, Published by: Marvel Comics, in October, 2013.

Using GENERAL terms, answer the following 4 questions about this STORY entitled 'A Call For Justice?'.

• WHAT'S THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS TALE: As soon as he outsmarts a diabolical trap set for him by the Jester, Daredevil takes it upon himself to track down this 'Son of The Serpents' stooge, with some help from Foggy Nelson and Doctor Strange.
• ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED: Well, let's just say that a start is made, until Matt mistakenly gets sidetracked into stopping a skirmish between a rampaging mob and a pack of monsters!
• ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN: Yeah! We discover that racist taxi drivers all carry around shotguns in their car. Yeee-hawwwww!
• HOW DOES THIS STORY END: With a hero getting shot in the chest.

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

Now there are so many pithy pieces of dialogue scattered throughout this issue, I'm not entirely sure which one I should assign to this section. Having said that though, I did have a devilish grin when the Jester said...

'The word theatre has grandeur. Power. Back in its ancient Grecian origins, it means "The Seeing Place". A stage in which live actors and actresses use fiction to show the truth'.

... mainly because a part of me is Greek in origin. Shucks. I'm blushing now.

What are the BEST bits about this issue?

(+) Now how can I describe this story to you? Well, maybe I can compare it to a classy horror movie directed by Mel Brooks or someone? Then again, maybe I could also compare it to a vintage b-movie classic starring Vincent Price and Cary Grant? Better yet, I could stop my comparison, and say that this story was one bloody marvelous read. Full of character, pathos, and all of those wonderful things Mark and company always brings to the table. Good job.

(+) On a conceptual level this adventure was a yarn divided into three. With the first-third dedicated to Matt evading the Jesters trap. With the second-third dedicated to Matt tracking him down. And with the third-third dedicated to monsters and mobs. Granted, I understand that this may sound fairly conventional if you haven't read this comic yet. But in the same breath, the conventionality in this premise is what's made it so easy and relaxing to follow.

(+) As I've insinuated up above, I did love reading nigh on everything that came out of the Jester's mouth, especially all of those historical tit-bits he darted about. Admittedly, Matt and Foggy did some of this 'darting' too. Yet that's not to take anything away on a jovial villain that's gone up greatly in my own estimations since reading this story.  

(+) I did get a kick out of that scene where Matt told Doctor Strange how he felt about magic. My God that was funny. In fact, it was so funny I wanted a lot more of it.

(+) Psst! Do you want to hear a secret? I love monsters I do. Let's leave it at that for the moment, shall we?   

What are the WORST bits about this issue?

(-) The only slight gripe I have with this particular issue is that its overall narrative was a very simple one by nature. Hero has to find villain. Apart from that though -- nah -- nothing else much to say.    

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

HELEN KELLER AS DAREDEVIL: If you know anything about American history, I'm sure you must know that this brilliant blind lady was a tireless author, activist, and advocate for people with disabilities. Case closed.

SARAH SILVERMAN AS THE JESTER: Hey! She's a funny and cleaver lady, isn't she? So why not compare this cute-clown-ette to this class-cad?

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

'Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster' -- Friedrich Nietzsche

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

'SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPER CREEPS)' BY DAVID BOWIE: Alright. I've got to be honest with you, folks. I was going to choose 'Monster Mash' for this comparison. However, after a quick check through my own memory banks, I remembered this strangely appropriate surreal pop-ditty sung by my old pal, Davy.  

ANYTHING Else?

I'm sure you've heard the dreadful news that this current series of Daredevil will be no more after issue 36. But don't you worry your pretty little heads off, folks. The word is out that a new series will be returning not so long thereafter, thankfully, with the very same creative team.

Still. This has got me to thinking -- don't panic -- why do Marvel feel the need inside themselves to start once again with a new number one?

I mean, what's this strange fascination with 'number ones' all of a sudden? Is this Marvels way of keeping up with DC's 'New 52'? Is this a trick just to push this title back into the spotlight once again? Or is it -- as I suspected a couple of reviews back -- an opportunity to do both of these aforementioned scenarios, whilst at the same time sparking Hollywood to take another look at a brand new Daredevil movie?

Yeah. That's the way these things work, don't you know. Product placements. Hero initiatives. Marketing strategies. All in the good name of commercialism and not so free enterprise.

Anyway. That's enough of my gumf for this month. The only thing I have left to say is that this issue of 'Daredevil' reminded me of a classy Hollywood starlet with a rude word written across her chest. Once you've read it, you'll never forget it.

Nuff said.