When I found today's chapter of Atlantis Attacks in the quarter bin, I also grabbed Avengers Annual #18 and Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #9 since I might not have...totally blogged those already. All part of the method! From 1999, Daredevil Annual #4 (it's really #5!) "A Friend in Need" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Mark Bagley, inks by Sam de la Rosa.
Spider-Man had been hypnotized and captured by Tyrannus in the aforementioned previous chapter, but this issue starts in Daredevil's current continuity, namely walking the earth like a bum, around about Daredevil #268. On reflex more than anything, DD saves a man from getting killed by snake-men: the man, Leo, was on the trail of his missing friend Wally, who had gone into the "Save Our Society" rehab program, which was a front for Tyrannus! Who should probably have his own tag, since we've seen him multiple times over the years, even outside of this crossover.
Daredevil isn't willing to further help Leo, since at this point he really didn't want to be responsible for anything. Which Dr. Strange finds a little out of character: he had been believed dead for some time, but DD doesn't seem especially surprised to see him. Still, even at this low point, Daredevil still has to help. Meanwhile, Tyrannus was planning to step around Ghaur and take the forefront in Set's return, by using the Viper as a human sacrifice. Unfortunately for him, while his plan allows him to summon and control Set (and Spider-Man has a fair handle on Daredevil) Tyrannus loses concentration on controlling Viper, and gets tossed into the pentagram with the demon, which seemingly takes a bite out of his head. While it's feeding, Strange casts it out, the place explodes and the serpent-men are returned to normal. (Viper makes the traditional escape.) Spidey is also freed, but Strange disappears without him seeing, telling DD no one but him will remember him being there. Leo finds his friend, who doesn't want to go home, and tells him they weren't friends, they were drinking buddies. Harsh.
There's a Frenz/Sinnott cover on this ish, that makes it seem like it's going to be more retro: DD doesn't have his beleaguered stubble, or Strange his eyepatch. The interior art is slightly more gritty, but not much. Bagley also penciled "the Saga of the Serpent Crown," but there were bigger names in the back-ups: Jim Lee on a Wild Boys story--they were two trashy recurring thugs; they had nothing on Turk. (And they may have just recently died in Old Man Logan #44!) John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson draw a Fat Boys story: they were a kid skate gang, and kind of suck. And Whilce Portacio does a Ben Urich story; all of these were written and colored by Gregory Wright.
Do you ever wonder if villains would be less villainous if they weren't named something like Tyrannous or whatever? If his name had been Wally Wigglesworth, he would probably have been happier.
ReplyDeleteThis is the second time I've seen Strange with an eyepatch (The first being What If The X-Men Lost Inferno?) and I gotta say....it works for him.
ReplyDelete"Only you saw me, so only you will remember me...." Ha, I wonder how many times and to how many people he's given that line too?
@SallyP: You'd think so right? Sinestro being another example, or even Thanos' name.