Daredevil #22, 23, 24, by Mark Waid (writer), Chris Samnee (artist), Javier Rodriguez (color art), Joe Caramagna (letterer) - I like DD's posture on that cover. Makes him look slightly weary, not really enjoying his triumph over these goons. Plus how the line from his billy club is draped over and around the statue and the goons.First off, Matt's almost out of money since he and Foggy split up. Then Octavius Spidey attacks him, but that's broken up by the appearance of Stilt-Man, who has upgraded his gear by stealing some of Ock's designs. You know, Stilt-Man was a woman in last year's Villains for Hire mini-series. Maybe people trade the name off between them. "Here, you try and be a decent villain named Stilt-Man, I can't do it." Octavius manages to do a passable enough Parker that Matt doesn't suspect anything. I gotta say, I find it hard to believe Octavius can copy Pete's posture that well that it fools Daredevil. Anyway, DD convinces Ock he's not a danger and they part ways so Matt can learn Foggy may have cancer.
Well, then.
Matt tries taking Foggy out for some fun to take his mind of it and for them to reconnect. The fun's interrupted by a horde of guys who have all been blinded by the same radioactive sludge that Matt was hit with. So they have super-senses too, they just don't know how to control and focus them like he does. Which comes in handy for corralling them, but it's pretty disturbing. When that doesn't get Matt moving fast enough to suit his mysterious, darkness loving adversary, he receives a crate full of blinded, hypersensitive attack dogs at the office. Just what every person needs. However, Matt may have just gotten a lead. Or it may be a trap. Knowing Matt's luck, I'd bet on trap.
I have absolutely no idea who is after Matt. He had his assistant make a big collage of relevant pictures into a bullseye, but I can't believe it's Bullseye. I'm fairly confident it isn't the Kingpin, though, which is enough for me. Oh crap, it isn't the old man he saved when he was boy, bitter because he wasn't gifted with super-senses to compensate for his preexisting blindness, is it? I was about to say I'm more curious about this mysterious client Matt hasn't told Foggy about, but now I'm not sure that's true.
Damn, I almost forgot Matt talked with Assistant D.A. Kirsten McDuffie, who admitted she doesn't want to be in a relationship with Matt because it leads to a point where everyone defines her in relation to him. "Daredevil's Girlfriend", rather than "Assistant District Attorney", that sort of thing. Naturally, her ability to walk away from him only makes Matt more attracted. Just leave her be, Matt. She hasn't died or gone insane yet, don't tempt fate.Let's talk about sound effects. there are a few good ones, but as usual, I don't know whether to credit Samnee or Caramagna. There's the "POP" as Spidey's shoulder is separated in #22, with the letters done in the shape of bones. The "BLAM" in #23, with concentric circles inside the letters, emanating from right where the "wilder"'s ears are.
On the definite art side, I thought Samnee and Rodriguez did a good job with "Superior" Spidey. His costume has no blue, just black with the red, and his posture is much more aggressive. He's always leaning forward poised to attack, and he always seems to be in the upper part of the panels, above Daredevil, or trying to get above him. Plus he moves more forcefully. He goes right through a wall, rather than use the window he already chucked DD through. Also, he moves differently from Daredevil. It's hard to describe how, exactly, but it's a matter of training. Matt's trained, so his body works as one, while Spidey in general, but especially with a relatively inexperienced Ock driving it, moves on instinct, so his body is more all over the place. The panel where Matt mentions Ock as a tub of lard (page 11), DD's dodges an arm by seemingly twisting slightly and deflecting with the billy club. Spidey has to duck with his entire body. There's an unfamiliarity to it for him where he can't do subtle movements. Also, I like Matt's surprise when Spidey beats him to the punch - literally - on disabling Stilt-Man's armor.
My favorite panel from 22 is still Foggy's visualization of Matt as a magician. The cape, top hat, doves, puff of smoke, Typhoid Mary as the smiling assistant. It's a nice visual. There's the bit at the end of 23, as they wait for the diagnosis, and Matt is convinced it's Foggy who is terrified because he hears an incredibly rapid heatbeat. But we can see Foggy's face, his expression, which Matt can't, so we know he's totally calm before Matt does. It's excellently set-up.
I'm not sure about the Foggy has cancer thing (I'm also not sure about a bacon and limburger cheesecake. Anyone who makes that ought to be on trial for war crimes. Not sure how Matt carried it to the office without passing out), but I've trusted Waid this far, and I would say other than the "Omega Effect" crossover, he hasn't let me down. Either way, the die is cast.
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