The Good
If you're looking for a dark, gritty story that will completely envelop you in its dialogue and incredibly detailed, dirty and raw art, then look no further than the latest issue of DAREDEVIL: END OF DAYS #4. Daredevil is presumed dead -- at least that's what detective Ben Urich thinks. In the fourth issue of the series the man who supposedly killed Daredevil has turned the gun upon himself and he too, like Daredevil, left a clue. Or rather, several. Mapone: one simple word that has left Urich scratching his head not knowing what it means. It's also a door that will likely lead to a lot more action, suspense and mystery.
This is an absolutely phenomenal issue. Although the issue has various different artists working together, they pull it off brilliantly and their artistic styles blend together to deliver a very gritty, in your face comic book. Klaus Janson, Bill Sienkiewicz, Alex Maleev and Matt Hollongsworth team up to bring readers a stunning book that really captures the grittiness of the tone that Writer Brian Bendis is trying to convey.
The way the story progresses is great. The writer doesn't show the reader all of his cards at once, he instead lures readers into the story gradually by creating a mysterious air around the story and its characters. The result is an issue that will completely immerse you and leave you wanting more. And although you are getting one story from Urich's perspective, the artists also leave readers with several clues. It's great to see writer and artist work together to tell an interesting story.
The Bad
Nothing bad here. This is a great, interesting and very different kind of comic book that will appeal to readers looking for a darker, edgier Daredevil story.
The Verdict
I like how finite everything is in this series -- particularly in this issue. It's interesting to see Bendis write a story that gives him the ability to be flexible and do crazy things because he knows his story is outside of continuity. He is able to freely push characters and stories to their limits and he clearly does that here, and it's very entertaining to see. This issue also has some really beautiful art. It's definitely a more mature title, dealing with more mature themes and issues, but it's a great read if you're looking for something a bit darker. The way the story progresses is also really great and it is really well structured and organized. I don't recommend starting the series with this issue, however. If you want to read this series, I suggest starting with issue #1.
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