Most Wanted

Possibly the worst week ever for Most Wanted since I've been doing this - there wasn't a single book that I would call a "must read." Nothing really jumped out at me with anticipation. Oh, there are several solid books here, but nothing that gave me that "Yes!" feeling as my box was pulled at the LCS. Still, if I had to pick which of this week's lot I'm most looking forward to (and I do, or else this would be a very short entry), I think I'll go with:

Daredevil #96
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artists: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano

I've been getting Daredevil since about mid-way through Bendis' run because, frankly, it's a great comic. Always brings the turmoil, the gritty, and the individual character focus that I like in my Daredevil. By getting away from the supervillians (and lets be fair here... Daredevil has one of the worst rogues galleries in all of comics) and focusing on DD as a Batman-esque agent of the night cleaning up the streets of his horribly crime ridden city, Bendis made him a character you rooted for. You liked him, and wanted him to finally succeed.

Then, Bendis destroyed him. Well, basically. It was very well done and really crushed you, the reader. Personally, I think this type of thing works especially well with Daredevil - remember Karen Page? Elektra? Daredevil is doomed to tragedy. Brubaker understands this, too.

As this issue starts, DD is in between tragedies. He recently escaped prison, cleared his name, was reunited with Foggy (whom he thought dead), reconciled with his new wife, forced the Kingpin to leave the country, and is just getting back to Hell's Kitchen to resume whatever kind of normalcy a blind devil-suited crime fighter can have in a city called Hell's Kitchen.

DD's Former enemy but newly reformed Melvin "The Gladiator" Potter has (apparently) killed several guards while serving out his time at Ryker's. Matt Murdock's firm has decided to represent him and Daredevil is busy trying to figure out what really happened on the streets of Hell's Kitchen. The issue goes from talking head lawyer scenes to DD kicking butt, back to the lawyers, back to the butt-kicking. I counted no less than 6 panels where someone's face is getting kicked, which should please a certain blogger to no end.

As you'd expect, it turns out that there's more to Melvin's dilemma than what lies on the surface, and this issue sets up what will probably be a big reveal for the next one. It's all good.

Typical Brubaker Daredevil issue, which is not a bad thing at all. I'm really enjoying his run on this series - it's easily comparable to Bendis'. In fact, it may be better, but it's too soon to tell. There's certainly less of the talking heads and more of the face-kicking.

Most Wanted Panel:

Thought I'd beat him to it.