Customer Reviews

Daredevil: Gangwar

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book and Frank Miller DD Vol.2 at the same time. Even though i enjoyed the reading it, I was dissapointed to find that all of the issues printed in this are foud in Frank Miller DD Vol.2. So if you already have vol.2 dont get this.

Before "The Dark Knight Returns", before "Sin City," Frank Miller cut his teeth on old Marvel standby Daredevil.

"Gang War" collects some of Miller's early work on this title, which features Daredevil's first conflict with the man who would become his most implacable foe, Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime.

Miller's writing and art, while already in the upper echelons of the genre, fall utterly within standard comic book conventions. This is clearly a look at Miller during his formative years, as he learned the ropes in the medium he would later revolutionize.

Great stuff if you're interested in the evolution of the artist.

Frank Miller's work on Daredevil contained in this graphic novel ranks among some of the best comics I've ever read -- alongside (if not better than) such comic book masterpieces as Claremont's & Byrne's X-Men, Alan Moore's Watchmen & Swamp Thing, and more recent works as Batman (The Long Halloween) and Kingdom Come. These Daredevil comics still contain some of the innocence and naivete of the late Silver Age comics, but the artwork is beautiful, the characterization is completely believable, and the stories are nothing short of amazing. Frank Miller really set a new standard when these issues first came out. If you want to read comics storytelling at its best, treat yourself to the comics in this graphic novel!

Frank Miller's seminal work on the Daredevil series in the late '70s and early '80s constitutes one of the greatest writer / artist runs in comic book history. The stories stand up today as the perfect marriage of concept, story, and art--Miller really knows when to be fantastic and when to ground the book in gritty reality. This volume comprises a five issue arc (issues 169 - 172 and 180 in the original Daredevil series) that pits DD against the Kingpin and arch-nemesis Bullseye, setting up events and characters that would echo through the title for years. The only drawback to this edition is the hideous cover art; it deserves a more lavish presentation, and I think they're getting around to it with the "Visonaries" series.

Forget what Kevin Smith is doing with Daredevil in the comics. It pales in comparsion with Frank Miller's Daredevil stories. Frank really develops Daredevil's character in this story, DD is presented as a human hero with real human problems. Even the Kingpin, as repulsive as he is, still comes around as character that readers can at least have some sympathy for, as he tries to break away from running a criminal empire but fate has other plans for him. This epic reminds me a lot of the Godfather movies.

A fair, but fairly uninspiring addition to the Miller Daredevil series. There is less thematic thrust and character development here than in previous volumes I have review. This isn't a terrible collection, but Miller has done better.

There has been quite a hype about the seminal work of Frank Miller on DD. His stories here are quite good but the artwork is perfunctory at best. Tiny figures drawn at the same scale, tiny panels, poor layouts, no sense of true perspective, awkward anatomy, repetitive poses, lack of facial expressions etc. The list goes on. The drawing style shows DD in various action poses, many of which makes him look slightly effeminate.

Let's look at some of the characters:
I think that Bullseye the character was OK but uninspiring. His repeated revivals (a few weeks after major brain surgery and he is back in action???)is boring. His motivation was also truly one-dimensional. Driven insane due to some brain tumour, him remaining insane after the brain operation was ridiculous.

Wilson Fisk was OK as the Kingpin, albeit drawn too large. Heather was the passe fiancee. Her character was completely uninteresting. Foggy was completely underdeveloped as a supporting character. There was some attempt to inject humour into a new character Turk, the second-rate hood and also to create a bar ambience in Josie's. However, this setup was just too similar to early Wolverine issues where bar room brawls were occurring in every other issue.

Finally Matt Murdock himself. His fearless creed stands him in good stead when he rushes in wounded, completely defensely into various encounters with Bullseye holding a gun, into a noisy subway. etc. but he always manages to defeat Bullseye. Sounds like a reckless type. The motivation of these superheroes when the chips were down was that they battled against all the odds. It was done with Spiderman as well besides others. So no surprises here.

The whole look of these comics was slightly campy,too. Take a good long hard look at these comics again and stay objective.

In this one we get to see DD vs. Bullseye. It's a keeper. I wouldn't be surprised if the movie is based on the material written in this paperback. If you like Daredevil and the best Miller art ....in my opinion no one has ever surpassed his work on this title...buy this one. It's before Sin City and his run on the Dark Knight. It has all the elements of his later work.

I personally love this trade for so many reasons. I thoroughly enjoy the dark edge Miller gave daredevil in the 80's, the intense battles with not only the enemies (Bullseye/Kingpin) but using rival gangs, and good old drama with his outstanding storytelling. I have always been a fan of Frank Miller's art with daredevil and the blend of fighting techniques that he gives the characters which gives the reader more vivid excitement from page to page. Noone has been able to touch his art/storytelling since and reading these older issues reminds me of why I am still a Frank Miller fan even today.

The stories in this book are notable in their transformation of the Kingpin from one of MARVEL"S lamest villians to one of their best. The original Kingpin got in dirct conflicts with Spiderma, carried a goofy obliterator cane and was not interesting. Miller makes Kingpin a businessman who is legal enough to avoid the law while engaging in amultitude of brutal crinimal enterprises. These stories are preparation for Miller's best Daredevil work,the Born Again series.