Continuing with the Bendis/Maleev run, which is basically one long story. It’s wonderful. There are lots of new supporting characters (like the FBI agents investigating the issue!), the dialogue is crisp and genuinely funny, and the art is staggeringly good.
The last arc showed Daredevil’s secret identity being published in a newspaper. We open this one outside his house, with the street full of reporters.
Foggy makes his way inside.
Once through the front door, Matt asks Foggy how this leak happened.
The issue then flashes back to show us how: The investigating FBI agent is having money problems that threaten his marriage, so he sells the secret to a tabloid.
Foggy and Matt strategize on what to do: Coming clean means disbarment. Retiring his super-identity seems impossible. Later that day, Daredevil saves a woman from being mugged, which seems to confirm that his superhero work is not done.
Meanwhile, at the Daily Bugle, Ben Urich tells the truth to J. Jonah Jameson–who is angry that his paper didn’t get this story–about knowing who Daredevil really is, but then lies and says DD is not Matt Murdock. Peter Parker says the same thing.
It’s cool to see these characters standing up for Daredevil. And I love that line where Daredevil doesn’t want help from Spider-Man–that’s great character work.
Peter Parker first stands up for Matt in his civilian identity, and then later as Spider-Man, when he and Daredevil fight Mr. Hyde.
After that battle, a month goes by in a single panel, after which Matt holds a press conference where he says he has been in Japan and has decided to sue for libel.
Then it’s another time jump: Three weeks later, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage have been hired as bodyguards while he investigates the source of the story about him.
He tracks down Vanessa Fisk, meets with her, and learns that, with Kingpin dead, she is leaving the city and has sold off her dead (or should I say “dead”?) husband’s interests and has cancelled the hit on Matt Murdock (from last arc).
Finally, issue #37 focuses on Elektra, and it’s a powerful end to the arc. Their conversation is touching and beautiful, with Matt wishing she and he had been able to make it as a couple and Elektra being…Elektra. He kind of humiliates himself pining for her.
Next: The trial of the century.
I love this run. Absolutely love it.