Arguing For The System With Daredevil #8
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
While Mayor Wilson Fisk goes on a hunting trip with the governor of New York state, Matt Murdock takes a dinner invitation from Mindy at the bookstore. At the dinner, Matt quickly makes a disturbing discovery: Mindy’s husband is Tom Libris. His mother is Izzy Libris, daughter of Levitia Libris, the founder of the Libris crime family. Matt Murdock, former district attorney, has walked right into the home of a mob family dinner, and they all know exactly who he is.
Daredevil #8 is a relatively slow issue, but it maintains a high level of tension throughout. From Kingpin’s intimidation of the New York governor to Matt’s dinner with the Libris family, each scene focuses on two parties trying to figure one another out while holding intense animosity for the other.
It is a very dialogue-heavy issue as well, but it uses said dialogue wisely. It’s very much a comic about conflicting views of how the world works. The Libris Family makes it clear that they view the government as exclusively a mechanism for protecting the wealthy and powerful at the expense of the poor and in need. Matt defends the system as protecting everyone equally, but that perception is seemingly dismantled completely by the meeting between Fisk and the governor.
It’s a comic that waxes a lot of philosophy, and, though that may not be for everyone, it was quite gripping for yours truly.
Lalit Kumar Sharma once again provides the artwork for this issue, and, despite not having a lot of action to work with, still does an excellent job of keeping the visuals gripping. The expression, body language, and shadows of every scene set the tone for the narrative and does so with seeming ease. Jay Leisten does great work in inking it all, and Java Tartaglia’s color work is thoroughly atmospheric.
Daredevil #8 is a low-energy yet thoroughly compelling issue that finds both Matt and Fisk navigate their way through dangerous negotiations that could end with either in a cell or body bag. It’s a damn solid issue and is easily worth a recommendation. Feel free to check it out.
Daredevil #8 comes to us from writer Chip Zdarsky, artist Lalit Kumar Sharma, inker Jay Leisten, color artist Java Tartaglia, letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles, cover artist Chip Zdarsky, and variant cover artist Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho.
Final Score: 7.5/10
