Daredevil #117

This is the second part of the "Return of the King" storyline. Here's hoping this issue is as good as the previous issue was.

-We open with Kingpin hooking back up with Turk and heading to an underground bar, where he announces to the criminals present that he is going to "deal" with Daredevil, and that there will be a lot of blood on the streets when he's done. Well, that's an ominous start!

-Daredevil hunts down the private investigator who took incriminating photos of Matt Murdoch(that's DD's alter-ego for those not in the know)and Dakota North. DD roughs the guy up and demands the photos, the camera, the memory card, everything. The private eye finds Dakota and gives her the photos before getting out of Dodge.

-Master Izo meets with Matt and tells him the Hand have begun creeping back into town in an attempt to force Matt to become their leader.

-Matt also meets with the parents of his deranged wife Milla. Milla's parents warn Matt that if he continues to fight them for custody of Milla they will release the photos of Matt and Dakota's affair. Matt still won't back down and Milla's parents leave in a huff.

-Later on, Dakota confronts Matt about his actions towards the private investigator. Matt pretty much says he was just trying to protect Dakota, which really pisses Dakota off and causes her to quit her job at Matt's law offices.

-We end this issue with Matt getting a visit from Turk, who tells him the Kingpin is back in town and that the big man wants to meet with DD. Daredevil meets Kingpin in a cemetery and Kingpin tells DD about the Hand's slaughter of his adopted family in Spain and his plans for revenge. Kingpin asks DD if he wants to help attack the Hand, but DD is worried about what will happen between himself and Kingpin after they defeat the Hand. Kingpin tells DD not to worry about the future, because he doesn't plan on surviving the battle against the Hand.

Wow, this comic was just what the doctor ordered to get the taste of that awful New Avengers comic book out of my mouth. The work Ed Brubaker is doing in this book is really phenomenal. The way Ed has transformed the Kingpin is really something else. I'll admit that the Kingpin was never a character I really cared about. He was a fat crime boss who walked around in a white suit. Meh. However, after the last two issues of DD, I find myself caring about Kingpin. I feel badly for him. Sure, he was a world class scumbag, but he tried to turn his life around, until the Hand shattered his new life.

I also have to admit that I have been enjoying the way Ed has been writing Daredevil himself as of late. DD has really begun to straddle the fence separating right and wrong. His attack on the private investigator(who in all honesty was only doing the job he was paid to do), his steadfast refusal to relinquish custody of Milla(even though he did cheat on her), and the fact that he was even considering Kingpin's offer all go to show that Matt is turning a bit darker. Ed's run on this series has been so good that I really can't envision anybody else writing this comic book/character. That's about the highest praise I can give a writer. For a score, I'll give this issue a 9 1/2 out of 10. I really enjoyed this comic, and I can't wait to read the next issue.