Picks Of Comic Book Week for 2/15/12: Mole Man's Grave Robbing Gondola Service!

Book Of The Week - DAREDEVIL #9

With a brief crossover with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN over, Mark Waid and regular artists Paolo Rivera (pencils) and Joe Rivera (inks), alongside colorist Javier Rodriguez get back to basics on DAREDEVIL for another two part adventure story. It seems Waid's theme here is to rehabilitate the character away from the decades of grim and dark tales via battles against random villains across the Marvel Universe, while collaborating from some of the most innovative artists Marvel employs. In fact, the only actual Daredevil villains who have had a major role in the series thus far is the organization Black Spectre, who have hired Black Cat to steal back the "data disc" that he acquired from them back in issue six. This issue, however, picks up from a subplot which was left dangling at the end of the previous issue(s); underground tunnels have emerged beneath cemeteries within Manhattan, which has caused the dead to be stolen (http://www.examiner.com/comic-books-in-new-york/picks-of-comic-book-week-for-1-18-12-a-thief-and-a-lawyer-walk-into-a-lab-review). One of those stolen coffins includes that of Jack Murdock, Daredevil's murdered father. Underground tunnels should be enough of a hint without having to see the cover again; this is a Daredevil versus Mole Man story. Considering that Klaw originally debuted in FANTASTIC FOUR, this is actually the second FF villain that Daredevil will face during Waid's run - which is perhaps deliberate since Waid wrote a very iconic run on FF at the start of the century. While the lack of actual DD villains within his own series remains a narrative niggle, Waid at least has chosen villains which allow his artists to go to town on the visuals, as well as provide a particular challenge to Daredevil's power set. The Spot's dimensional "portals" were "disturbing" to Daredevil's radar sense, and Klaw relies entirely on sonic energy. Mole Man and his Moloids are themselves blind and reliant on enhanced senses underground, and Daredevil has rarely (if ever) battled against them.

View slideshow: Honorable Mentions for Comic Book Week 2/15/12

Most of the issue is spent building set pieces of Daredevil finding out about the mystery and then tracking the Moloids and the coffins underground. This naturally gives the Riveras a chance to shine with their exceptional artwork. The Mole Man became something of a joke as a super-villain around the Marvel Universe, despite literally being the first enemy the Fantastic Four battled back in 1961. He popped up at the start of AVENGING SPIDER-MAN, and more effort has been made to salvage him over the years during Jonathan Hickman's run on FANTASTIC FOUR. This issue plays up the horror elements of the concept; a hero named after a devil venturing through underground tunnels and crypts, following creatures who look very much like demons themselves. The fact that Daredevil isn't physically powerful enough to swat aside Mole Man and his minions like the Four and many other superheroes seem to be also elevates the sense of suspense and drama as well. When it is boiled down, it seems simple, but the effectiveness of the execution is what makes this issue rise about its peers.

Sales data for January shows that the crossover with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN boosted sales by four figures for DAREDEVIL, which is positive as despite this run being a cult and critical hit, DAREDEVIL is selling at multi-year lows. Due to that, DAREDEVIL will have another brief crossover with at least one better selling title in a couple of months - with AVENGING SPIDER-MAN and PUNISHER (which is itself sinking fast) - which will resolve the "Omega Disc" subplot. While some fans are wary of crossovers big or small, at the very least it will be a crossover born from the subplots Waid is weaving here, and he will be one of two writers helming the three issue arc (alongside Greg Rucka, who writes PUNISHER). In the end, Waid is weaving a run in which his arcs on DAREDEVIL are short (rarely longer than three or four issues), but which build upon each other as they progress, which rewards both monthly readers and trade paperback readers. It would be nice to see Waid utilize actual Daredevil villains such as Purple Man or the new Stilt-Man, create new ones (like Bruiser), or rehabilitate old forgotten ones from the Marvel Handbook, more often than picking random other villains as foils. Despite that longing, Waid (alongside artists like the Riveras) has been crafting some of the most innovative and exciting DAREDEVIL stories in years, if not decades, and it isn't a run to ignore. Waid's DAREDEVIL is what Ed Brubaker's CAPTAIN AMERICA was when it was fresh, to form a comparison. Virtually every issue, even crossover ones, are can't miss issues.

Honorable Mentions:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #679.1 - Last year, Marvel launched their "Point One Initiative" with a ".1" issue of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, which successfully launched the spin-off title VENOM. While VENOM isn't selling like it used to, it should still outlast quite a few subsequent launches by Marvel lately. However, Marvel's aim for ".1 issues" to serve as jumping on points for new readers has proven via sales data to be either a lie or unsuccessful. "Point One" issues usually sell the same as regular issues (and usually a tad less), and no gains in sales after have been detected. In practice, therefore, they are annuals under another name - despite Marvel still selling annuals as well. Some "Point One" issues attempt to serve the aim of pleasing new and old readers well; others simply become filler material. This ".1 issue" is co-written by regular ASM writer Dan Slott, who is joined by Chris Yost for this issue, and according to the senior editor, a few other issues of ASM. The art is by Matthew Clark (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), and Rob Schwager (colors), an art team which hasn't worked on any of Slott's ASM issues. The plot of this issue follows a theme from the last two of ASM in which it centers an adventure around one of Peter Parker's co-workers at Horizon Labs. Grady Scraps shared the stage for ASM #678-679 (http://www.examiner.com/comic-books-in-new-york/picks-of-comic-book-week-for-2-1-12-my-future-and-present-selves-liked-this-review), and this issue features Uatu Jackson - a child prodigy who shares the name with the infamous alien Watcher. The issue allow follows up the subplot of the mysterious "Number Six" scientist at Horizon whose identity is unknown to Parker and the staff - who has since been revealed to be Morbius the Living Vampire, one of Spider-Man's sporadic enemies. Morbius' main experiment comes to a head, which re-awakens his bloodlust and turns him into a menace to Horizon Labs. Spider-Man thus has to battle him once more, alongside the pre-teen Jackson, who is revealed as an occult expert. Jackson in particular works on inventing technology to kill supernatural creatures - even if Morbius is a vampire-like genetic mutation and not a "real" vampire. Does this mean Blade will eventually recruit Jackson for one of his perennial squads of vampire hunters who all end up dying at some point, or will Jackson merely sell him some gear? This is a solid done-in-one adventure story which continues a narrative theme from recent ASM issues as well as sets up a future one involving the Lizard; in short, this is an extra issue of ASM in all but number. Slott and Yost prove to be a solid writing team, and the art is good, although hardly the best the title has seen. This is perfectly fine for regular ASM readers, but it could feel a bit mundane for those not already on board.

VENOM #13.2 - The "Circle Of Four" mini event chugs along in this second (of four) "Point One" issues of VENOM #13. One imagines that if Marvel inevitably wants to publish a VENOM #150 for $3.99, they will simply count them as single issues anyway, as they should be. Since this "event" was intended to promote GHOST RIDER, X-23, and (Red) HULK, this means each issue will tend to focus on one of those three in addition to the titular VENOM. Two out of those three titles have since been canceled, but it is too late to change course now, so on it goes. This is the second issue written by Rob Williams, formerly the writer of GHOST RIDER, although the interiors now credit Rick Remender (VENOM) and Jeff Parker (HULK) with the story, or whatever the "Venom Circle of Three" means in the credit page (http://www.examiner.com/comic-books-in-new-york/picks-of-comic-book-week-for-2-8-12-is-aqua-romita-better-than-coors-lite-review). As X-23 is the major focus of this point issue, it is appropriate that Sana Takeda is on art, as she was one of the regular artists on X-23's solo title. Unlike other credited "artists", Takeda truly handles it all - pencils, inks, and colors - and it all looks quite lovely. Williams does a better job of balancing the focus among the characters here than in the previous issue; X-23 herself really is only in roughly 4.75 pages out of 20 here, which includes half pages and panels. Given that Williams wrote his new Ghost Rider in a solo title yet never wrote X-23 in hers, that probably seems logical. X-23 is still struggling with the idea of whether or not she has a soul by being a clone, and if so, if she is more than a killing machine. Blackheart answers her question in an amusing, "No, duh" manner, as the rest of the heroes also battle against their demonic opposites. The idea of X-23's demonic opposite being a psychotic cheerleader remains hilarious. The other major development involves Alejandra, the new Ghost Rider, as she appears to accept a Faustian bargain with Blackheart to ease her own dark past in exchange for spreading "Hell On Earth" past Las Vegas. Takeda's art seems inspired to a lot of manga out there, yet not so much so that it appears off putting with these characters, which is critical. Red Hulk/General Ross and Venom/Flash Thompson continue to have an interesting dynamic as two soldiers on opposite paths who still fall lock step together during a crisis. Given that Alejandra's title has been canceled, the cliffhanger involving her could be genuine. The last page claims "X-23 RETURNS IN MARCH", neglecting to mention that March's X-23 #21 will be the final issue. While this is nothing Eisner worthy, this is about as good a team up issue as one could expect with four characters who have never met before and had little reason to beforehand. This issue features some spectacular art and a lot of action. In the end, six issues with two other writers involves is easily far too long a length for this simplistic story, so some drag is inevitable as this arc fulfills editorial demands. Given that VENOM's sales are hardly stellar nor stable, it will remain to be seen how this moves on the shelves and whether it aids, harms, or has no effect to VENOM's future as an ongoing title. Since VENOM writer Rick Remender has taken over SECRET AVENGERS and is poised to have his titular character here join that team, fans could consider this "team experience" for Thompson.