Daredevil #168-172

Daredevil #168-172

Originally released in 1981

Written by Frank Miller

Art by Frank Miller

Frank Miller's Daredevil run is cited as a definitive one for the character, and based on these issues, I can see why.  Miller handled the art for several issues before this, and he received co-credit as a writer on some of the issues shortly before this, but this is the first Daredevil issue where he's credited as the sole writer from what I could find.  This issue introduces Elektra (or, as the cover calls her, Elecktra - the issue itself drops the "c"), one of Daredevil's most prominent love interests and also a brutal mercenary, and the following issues bring back Bullseye and the Kingpin, who would go on to be two of Daredevil's most prominent villains, easily eclipsing his older rogues like the Owl, the Matador, or even Stilt-Man.

Unlike Kingpin, where the two dislike but respect each other, or Bullseye, which is sheer hate on both sides, the relationship between Daredevil and Elektra is far more complicated.  The two met at university, where Elektra was attending as the daughter of a diplomat, and fell passionately in love, but an ill-advised attempt at vigilantism by Matt during a hostage situation resulted in Elektra's father being killed by a police sniper.  Since then, Elektra traveled the world, developing skills to become a mercenary, but the two of them still harbour feelings for each other, and Matt is remarkably bad at keeping his secret identity hidden around her, to the point where she figures it out by the end of her first issue and seems to suspect it much earlier.

My main exposure to Frank Miller's art is through The Dark Knight Returns, but it's much cleaner here.  The art in The Dark Knight Returns was a lot uglier, fitting the state of the futuristic Gotham that it portrayed but making it harder for me to get into at first, but here, it depicts the filth and grime of 80's New York while still being appealing to look at.  The book has a dark and gritty tone for the most part, but there are times (like when Daredevil's interrogating thugs or when he first fights the Kingpin) where they're willing to let him throw out wisecracks.  There's also an unfortunate thug, Turk Barrett, who keeps getting caught up in Daredevil's adventures, making for good comedic relief.

Bullseye is reintroduced with the reveal that he has a cancerous tumour in his brain, causing him to hallucinate that everyone around him is Daredevil.  As a result, he goes on a killing spree, which Daredevil has to put a stop to.  The foreshadowing is thick in the air throughout these issues, with a police officer commenting to Daredevil that the next time Bullseye kills, it will be Daredevil's fault since Daredevil saved an unconscious Bullseye from being crushed by a subway train. (the cancerous tumour is successfully removed, with Bullseye's lawyers claiming that it was responsible for his actions and getting him freed from jail) I don't know if the specific outcome of this conflict was always intended to happen, or if it was thought of as a way to add on to Daredevil's guilt, but it works well as a way to build up to the oncoming dramatic conflict between Bullseye, Daredevil, Elektra, and the Kingpin.

Meanwhile, Kingpin is in self-imposed exile in Japan, staying out of the New York City crime scene out of love for his wife Vanessa.  As soon as he's introduced, Kingpin dwarfs everyone else, and not just in size - even when he's no longer involved in the dealings of the underworld, he's three steps ahead of just about everyone else (tearing down what his former lieutenants have built in less than a day), and for all of Daredevil's skill and experience, he can't hurt or outwit the Kingpin, with Fisk proving to be his better at every turn.  Despite this, he still has a compelling storyline, and I'm interested to see how he rebuilds his empire and how Matt will manage to bring him down.

Despite this storyline being almost forty years old and the backbone of just about every Daredevil adaptation out there, there were points where it still managed to surprise me.  Elektra was only involved in the first issue of this set, but her backstory was heartwarming and a punch to the gut in quick succession.  I'm looking forward to seeing where the rivalry between Daredevil and the Kingpin goes in Miller's run, and what role Vanessa will have to play in all of this.  Five issues in, and I can already see why this run is considered a classic.