Daredevil by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Vol.3 Review

Daredevil by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Vol.3 is the conclusion of one of the most influential and acclaimed comic book runs of the Man Without Fear – Daredevil. Frank Miller concludes his highly successful run of the series with Inker-Penciller Klaus Janson. Collecting the final six issues of his initial run; #185 – 191 from August 1982 to February 1983, also included are other works by Miller, an alternate version detailing what if Matt Murdock became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in What If? #28, the gritty urban crime western story #219 and Daredevil: Love & War, a 1986 graphic novel. Their character defining run ends here on the last of three collected trade paperbacks that covers the end of their four year run.

It’s more from the master of crime of noir featuring stunning visuals and gut-wrenching storytelling as Frank Miller ends his run. The drama, tension and action doesn’t falter or slow down towards the concluding part of Miller’s series. It’s as good as everything that preceded it. By issue #185 Miller had nearly relinquished his role as artist only providing rough layouts for Janson to both pencil and ink. Although Miller returned to the role for his exciting conclusion issue on the series. The final six issue of the initial run by Miller are great. Issue #185 -Guts is a pleasant start to the book, it’s a lighter tone and fun story depicting an investigation by Matt Murdock’s partner and best friend Foggy Nelson’s and his foray into the world of organized crime, he even comes face to face with The Kingpin. It is a change of pace for a light hearted single issue tale before the story gets back to its more familiar tone. The main story arc cumulates from the best of the previous aspects of Miller’s run. The Hand and their return to New York, Stick, Black Widow and Elektra are all a big part of this final story arc that’s a thrilling and a satisfying end to arc ending issue #190 another excellent and brilliant double length.

Issue #191 Roulette is frequently cited as one of the greatest single issues of all time and rightfully so, for this finale of Miller’s initial run has Daredevil pay a visit to a hospitalised Bullseye, bringing back the villain that had long plagued Daredevil since Miller’s run began. He lies motionless, paralyzed due to their last encounter. The over the edge hero plays the deadly game with his deadliest enemy as he reveals the reason that brought him here as well as his own back story. Daredevil reevaluates what it means to be a hero. The art is dramatic with depth as Miller pencils his final issue with guest Inker Terry Austin providing excellent work with dark tones to match the story. An element that’s very effective was the use of the same panel several times and in the climax, becomes larger, zooming in closer on a helpless and still Bullseye. It was great bringing back the villain for his final issue even if it a reduced state. A fantastic issue that you instantly want to re-read again that marks the end of Millier’s initial run on the series, serving as the conclusion on a highly successful run. It summarizes many of the moral themes and character statements the writer focused on, reflecting on the nature of morality, law and ongoing conflict between good and evil in society that became one of Marvel’s single greatest comics ever published. It could also be considered as one of the earliest high points of Miller’s career, predating The Dark Knight Returns and Batman Year One by less than three years. The story is the single greatest highlight of this collection, its brilliant. Unfortunately it can only undermine the impact of the two single issue stories that follow.

What If… was a series that explored alternate paths of various Marvel heroes and issue #28 featured what if Matt Murdock became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Miller penciled and co-wrote the story shortly after he became a Writer on the Daredevil series. It’s a nice bonus tale that’s something you’d expect to find in a collection such as this. Being a Daredevil fan you know the origin story so well and this is an alteration of the familiar event. Issue #219 marks a single issue return by Miller on the series, Badlands is an urban crime story that’s like a modern western. Matt leaves his Daredevil persona at home as he’s traveled to a little crime ridden town and doesn’t utter a single word in this gritty crime tale. It’s very good, giving you something that’s different from what we’ve come to expect from both Miller and Daredevil, it’s an interesting story.

Love and War is the final piece of the collection. Originally printed as a graphic novel in 1986 features Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin trying to help his wife Vanessa recover from her catatonic state from events of the Gang War story line that was featured in Vol.1 of this series. A story very much told in the presence of the crime lord, he arranges the kidnapping of the wife of Psychiatrist Dr. Mondat as a method of persuasion to help Vanessa’s recovery. The kidnapping of the doctor’s wife is carried out by Victor, a psychologically disturbed man who carries the real horror of the story. Daredevil plays a supporting role as he attempts to rescue both the Doctor and his wife from the actions of Fisk, it shows his savage nature to help his wife, the one he thing he truly holds dear. It’s an excellent story that builds upon Miller’s initial Daredevil run further expanding upon the antagonistic relationship between the two, explaining the reason behind the change in Kingpin’s attitude toward Daredevil that indirectly bridges Miller's first run with his jseminal Daredevil story Born Again. A great story focusing on the motivations of both The Kingpin and Dr. Mondat showing the depths what both men go to for their wife’s. It’s very much a violent story down to the actions of the psychopath Victor. Originally printed in a single Graphic Novel that’s no longer in print is a nice bonus and great way to end the collection of Daredevil by Frank Miller books, a somewhat unheard of book and story. The art of the story is distinctively painted by Bill Sienkiewicz, his skillful art doesn’t make it appear as dated as others in the collection. Everything that followed in Millers primary run in this collection features Millers doing something different and not trying to re-create the same kind of style of stories he had previously done, An alternate history, a modern western tale and a story more focused on sympathizing with the villain, positioning Daredevil in the background of the story offering a change of pace of the 35 issues over the three trade paperbacks.

Miller brought some of the greatest and interesting aspects back for this final arc including The Hand, Stick and Elektra and the welcome re-appearance of Black Widow. The final story arc raises the drama, action and tension for an exciting story that has a grand finale feel to it. The inclusion of Miller’s other work, What If…#28, issue #219 and Love and War is a great bonus from a writer that you are interested of reading more from. When Miller first came on board Marvel's ailing Daredevil series, his role was largely visual, but seeing how well fans were responding to Miller's darker style, he eventually took full control of the series, Daredevil gained a new level of recognition and respectability. Miller’s take redefined the character for a generation and has lived on to be a classic decades later.

But Miller wasn't done with the character he later returned for several issues of what is considered the definitive and greatest Daredevil story; Born Again. Miller’s return to the series was heighted due to how successful and influential everything he had done previously. Miller again later returned to the character for his 1993 limited series The Man Without Fear, redefining the origin story that included many elements that originated from this original run of the series.

Frank Miller ended his brilliant four year run on Daredevil as both a Penciler and Writer with one of the most amazing comics ever published, with issue #191 which saw Daredevil be so open about his doubts and give an interesting point of view with respect to violence. Miller’s final issue that he cited in a 1983 interview as the issue he’s most proud of before passing the torch to another comic’s legend Denny O’ Neil. Miller's stories, tone and artistry herald one of Daredevil's greatest eras and is concluded in the last of three trade paperbacks. If you’re a Frank Miller Daredevil fan who’s previously read the best known books; The Man Without Fear and Born Again, go back a check out this amazing and influential run of his first take on the character that’s arguably one of best takes of Daredevil and some of the greatest comics you’ll ever read, essential reading for any Frank Miller or Daredevil fan.