MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY (SPECIAL KING IN BLACK TIE-IN: DAREDEVIL #27)

It’s always fascinating seeing artists’ takes on our favorite Marvel characters transforming into symbiote soldiers of Knull. No stone is left unturned in the ‘King In Black’ mega-event. The alien invasion has dire consequences for all our heroes, even those taking up new mantles, like our dear beloved Elektra acting as the new Daredevil.

ELEKTRIFYING, TO SAY THE LEAST…

Daredevil #27

STORY BY: Chip Zdarsky

ART BY: Marco Checchetto, Mike Hawthorne

COVER BY: Marco Checchetto, Emanuela Lupacchino

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

ENSNARED IN THE WEB!

• As New York begins to crack under the weight of Knull’s symbiotic assault, Matt Murdock has a crisis of faith in the most electrifying issue of Chip Zdarksy and Marco Checchetto’s groundbreaking DAREDEVIL run yet.
• BUT THIS TIME, they’re joined by none other than MIKE HAWTHORNE, spearheading a brutal story that pits Daredevil against the god-king of the symbiotes himself — KNULL!

MARCO’S QUESTION IS, THOUGH…

WILL HELL’S KITCHEN BE KNULL-IFIED?

PROS:

• I must admit, I am not used to seeing Elektra so… unsure of herself and vulnerable. Usually, readers are comfortable with seeing Elektra always in control of the situation, no matter how precarious or tight it may be. She is the very meaning of a dangerous femme fatale, who is lethal mentally, psychologically and physically. But it seems that even Elektra is somewhat overwhelmed with her new role as Daredevil. When she takes on Typhoid Mary (symbiote version), it starts out as a brutal beatdown. She begins to compare herself to Matt Murdock, but in the end… she realizes that while Matt would always rely on his fists, and simply beating down the opponent, she on the other hand must utilize her advantages and strengths like strategizing and fighting smart. And ultimately, she is able to save the life of a child. This seems to be a recurring theme nowadays during this crossover… children having their parents murdered and then getting saved themselves… barely. But when all is said and done, Elektra does her job as DD, at least for the time being. There is a certain joy seeing new characters take on classic roles. A fresh take is always welcome news.
• Symbiote Matt Murdock is frightening, and so is his internal struggle with fighting off the alien and resisting the temptations of Knull. Being a man of God, Matt Murdock strives ceaselessly to ignore and deny the aggressive moves of the devil-figure, Knull, in impressive fashion. Not only is his willpower strong enough to block off the complete invasion of his mind and soul, but he is also able to literally fry his mind and body, forcing the alien out, and saving his sanctity. Even though he is currently incarcerated, Matt Murdock is still just as much a part of the entire story as Elektra. And a person’s faith is truly given spotlight this issue, showing that belief in a higher, greater power can indeed overcome personal demons… and even demons from the outside.

CONS:

• I am on the fence with the creative team’s treatment of Kingpin. Both in script and in art, you just don’t know how exactly to feel about Mayor Kingpin… if you’re supposed to sympathize for him, empathize with him, feel for him, or simply distrust him. Maybe that is the beauty of such a character like Wilson Fisk, and this multi-layered characterization is what has made him an icon in Daredevil and Spider-Man mythology for years… but a part of me just wants to have a solid grasp of what his place in this apocalyptic state of the world is, once and for all.
• I don’t believe Typhoid Mary as a symbiote worked to its maximum potential, both in writing and in art. The craziness was there, the aggressiveness was present, but design-wise and even in the dialogue, she was leaning towards stale.

FINAL SCORE:

B

Sometimes, you have to be selective with the comics you buy, especially during these wide crossover events. Budget does indeed matter. As compared to the nearly perfect Black Panther special, hardcore Spider-Man fans may not consider this issue of Daredevil an essential component to the bigger picture of Knull’s invasion. But if you’re in it to just witness Elektra in an awesome DD costume, kicking butt and taking names later… then this is definitely the book for you.