The audiobook fixes some of the technical issues I had with the actual comic (don't have to see Quesada's art, Smith's excessive love of narration boxes is a boon rather than a sin against the entire point of sequential art as a storytelling medium). It does not fix any of the story/plot issues I had with the actual comic and in some cases exacerbates them. I'd still consider this my preferred version of this story. ( )

1238 ( )

I have...mixed feelings about this graphic novel. It is, in some ways, depressing as hell, and yet I also felt uplifted on the final page. Kevin Smith's writing is far too wordy for a medium as visual as a comic book. Joe Quesada's art is sometimes lovely and sometimes I wonder why everyone's face has been stung by bees and where all this dramatic lighting is coming from. I have quibbles with some of Matt's actions, some of which ends up getting explained by events in the story and some of which just are. I'm not entirely happy with the treatment of Karen Page and Natasha Romanov in the story, but it could be worse and some of my dislike stems from what other writers did with the characters, leaving Kevin Smith to do what he could with what he inherited. All in all, I'm glad I read this--it was interesting and I liked the focus on Matt Murdock as a person rather than a vigilante--but I'm not sure I enjoyed this graphic novel. ( )

I hate all of it: there are writing errors; everyone sounds the same; he uses double-hyphens too much; everyone makes jokes, but they're never funny; he makes references to Frank Miller's "Daredevil: Born Again" that don't enhance either Miller's or Smith's story, and he gives Karen Page AIDS without making any commentary or giving any respectable reason as to why the story needed her to have AIDS.

Out of the eight issues this volume is composed of, I could only read the first five before feeling physically drained. Please, avoid this like the plague, and I hope Kevin Smith has improved over the years.

With Love,
Aiden ( )

Meh - The story is over the top, missing a subtlety. The story of Karen seemed too gratuitous and doesn't add anything but some angst to the story of Dare Devil. ( )