Comic Review – “Daredevil: Parts of a Hole”

Ol’ Hornhead has to deal with the Kingpin once again. As usual, the Kingpin prefers to work behind the scenes instead of getting his hands dirty, a rare trait among super villains.

General Information

Title: Daredevil: Parts of a Hole

Author: David Mack

Illustrator(s): Joe Quesada (pencils), Jimmy Palmiotti (inks) for most issues

Original Publication Date: 2003 reprint of material first published in 2001-2002

ISBN: 0-7851-0808-4

Cover Price: $17.95 US, $28.75 Can

Buy from: Amazon.com or Amazon.ca

Premise

Daredevil faces off against a deaf woman who believes he killed her father.

This collects issues 9-15 of Daredevil: Volume 2, picking up where Kevin Smith left off. Issue 12 is reprinted at the back of the collection. Written by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, with art by Rob Haynes, the issue was a fill-in. Although it was a well written fill-in, covering a series of vignettes about Hell’s Kitchen residents, it does disrupt the pacing of the regular narrative. It’s treated as bonus material, and I won’t be concerned with that issue in this review, although it is a good issue.

High Point

The final panel of the last issue in the main narrative. Long-term implications are a Good Thing (TM).

Low Point

You’d think by now that Nelson and Murdock would have learned to keep a closer eye on their witnesses.

The Scores

This feels like an original story, with a deaf villain, some interesting character work, and providing long-term effects on the characters (even if they are more about the villains than the hero.) I give it 5 out of 6.

The artwork is always clear, but often off-model. I give it 4 out of 6.

The story has a great villain, and a nice set of related plots between the lives of Matt, Daredevil, and Foggy, particularly in the latter half when Foggy really goes into action. I give it 5 out of 6.

The characterization was very solid. We have an excellent grounding for all characters, particularly for Wilson Fisk. I give it 5 out of 6.

The emotional response this produced was similarly high quality. Both villains are compelling, and the “confused” one is genuinely likeable. It’s particularly nice to see the final issue’s lasting implications. I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow was very well done. Quesada may stumble while drawing individual panels, but he’s a good storyteller. The only disruptions were in the “crayon” pages, and the scattered information they pack in so tightly. I give it 4 out of 6.

Overall, this moves beyond standard superhero storytelling into artful juxtapositions and dramatic ironies. It’s a good return, with a writer I’d welcome back at any time. (I hear he’ll be working on both Daredevil and Ultimate X-Men, in addition to his creator-owned Kabuki, in the near future.) I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, Daredevil: Parts of a Hole receives 33 out of 42.