Daredevil: Born Again Paperback – January 5, 2010

Hey there, book lovers! It’s your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes Loves Books Headquarters. Today, I have my review of Daredevil: Born Again. I have coffee in my system and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!Let me start by saying this: This book has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the current television show on Disney+ of the same title. If you are going to get this book to get the source material for the show, you will be most unhappy.That is not to say avoid this book—far from it. This is one of those books that redefined the main character. When it came out in the 1980s, it turned the comic book world upside down. Throughout comic book history, heroes have been redefined for a different fanbase or for a whole new storyline that went through the entire publisher’s universe. What happens in this book hit the fans right in the gut.Karen Page, Matthew Murdock’s one-time love, does the unthinkable. She left him to go to Hollywood to become a star, but stardom came to her in the adult film industry. So does a scorching heroin addiction. Here comes the unthinkable part: She becomes so desperate for a hit, just a single hit, that she sells Matthew Murdock out as Daredevil. Word of this gets to Wilson Fisk (Kingpin), and to test the information, he literally destroys Murdock’s life. Everything from his law practice to his home to his relationships is stripped away, leaving Murdock no choice but to rebuild his life.This is one of those events in comic book history that shook the foundations. It also established Daredevil as more of a crime drama than a superhero book. The writing is top-notch, and the art is so gritty you might need to wash your eyes. This is one of those books that you not only read but experience to the fullest extent! It is also one of my all-time favorite stories in the fifty-plus years I have been reading comic books.I give this one 5 bookmarks out of 5!

I've always been a huge fan of both Daredevil and Frank Miller. I knew about this book and had heard about its greatness for a long time before I finally purchased and read it last year. A recent rumor I heard that there is going to be a new Daredevil movie based on this story inspired me to write this review. Let me just begin by saying that this book is one of my favorite superhero graphic novels of all-time. I think that even non-superhero fans would be delighted with this book, that's how wonderful this story is. Being a fan of Daredevil, I have read most of the other acclaimed Daredevil graphic novels, such as: "Daredevil: The Man Without Fear" by Frank Miller and John Romita, Jr., "Daredevil: Yellow" by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, and "Daredevil: Guardian Devil" by Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada. Although I love all of these masterful works, it would be tough to rank any of them as high as "Born Again". It's that good. And as far as where it ranks among Frank Miller's works, I'd say it's even better than "Batman: Year One", and at least as good as "The Dark Knight Returns"(the book that got me into graphic novels to begin with). For those of you who've read these books, you know how much of a compliment that is.The story here is just phenomenal. It is an emotionally charged, exciting, touching, tightly plotted, and thoughtful tale of redemption that moved me in a way that most stories from this genre rarely do. My emotions ran the gamut from tearfully sad to invigorated with triumph. If or when this book is turned into a movie, the theater will be filled with tears and cheers. This story has real soul to it. Miller, along with Mazzucchelli, show just how powerful a superhero graphic novel can be when done right. The combination of Miller's expertly crafted prose and Mazzucchelli's perfect sense of how to get the most emotion out of an illustration invites the reader into this gripping story of a man's(Matt Murdock, i.e. Daredevil) ascendence from utter hoplessness and despair to true enlightenment and grace. The arc of the character, Karen Page(former girlfriend of Matt Murdock's), is intertwined with and also paralells that of Murdock's in terms of redemption. There is much depth to this story in terms of character development and plot. And there are powerful themes at work here. Overcoming adversity and finding one's inner strength is chief amongst them. This story is a true testament to the magnificence of the indomitable human spirit. It's these kinds of stories that resonate the most with me. And when told by one of the most talented writer/artist tandems in the history of comics(such as these two legends), it makes it all the more sweeter. This is some of the most visceral and engaging writing Miller has ever done. And the gorgeous detail Mazzucchelli displays in terms of action, environments, and characters(particularly their factial expressions and body language) is, in my opinion, close to being unmatched in the field of comic book art to date.One other thing I'd like to mention is how well this story holds up despite the fact that Daredevil isn't in costume through much of the book. It doesn't rely on the dressing to deliver a scrumptious salad. Many fans of superhero comics want to see the hero in costume more than not. I've found, however, that sometimes the best stories are actually the ones where the hero ISN'T in costume through most of the book. "Superman: Up, Up And Away" comes to mind. I was emotionally invested in that story about as much as any Superman book I've ever read. And being a big Supes fan, I've read A LOT! Taking away the costume can be a great way to really get to the heart of who the hero is. It also makes you appreciate the costume scenes even more by building up the anticipation of seeing the hero back in the threads that are, in all fairness, a part of what makes them so cool.The bottom line is this: Whether you're a fan of Daredevil, Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli, superhero graphic novels, or just spectacular storytelling in general, you should pick this one up. Graphic novels don't get much better than this. A+

I'm a huge Daredevil fan, and Kingpin is my favorite villain so I may be a little biased, but I really enjoyed this story.The story is psychologically very engaging; it's let's you get into the heads of the characters and immerses you into their ugly, unsettling perspectives. The storytelling is extraordinarily well done, great style, Frank Miller is in rare form. The whole thing is very uneasy and gripping, I haven't seen anything like it since "The Killing Joke".One of the aspects that some readers may count as negatives is that it isn't really a very action packed story. You can count the fight scenes on two hands, but they are well done but some are really quick. But again, the conflicts are more psychological than physical, think "Godfather" vs "The French Connection". I'm a sucker for empty headed action comic books, and have been bored by some comics without enough action, but this is so well done that I was engaged the whole time. The ending may be a sour spot for some readers, but I don't want to give more information than to avoid tarnishing perceptions.Again, I loved it, I see it as a great work of art more so than a comic book just for fun. If you like Daredevil and/or Kingpin and/or Frank Miller you should definitely give it a try.

The run is insane. It is a captivating story and pushes daredevil to its limits. It is grounded and epic and everything you want from a daredevil/Kingpin story. It is smart and gut-wrenching. It is tough, mean and absolute.Just loved it. Don't even think twice and go for it. It is that good!