Hmm, will brick take fingerprints?

Is it weird that my last figure of 2023 was Matt Murdock, and my first for 2024 is Kingpin? Well, Kingpin was way cheaper, like 75% off; and I don't love the skin tone on him. (You can probably tell, the hand holding the brick isn't his!) But, since I guess he's gonna turn up in Echo, I did finally spring for him. Which was a good reason to watch Hawkeye again...anyway, have a good weekend! Read more!

Until the relaunch last year, I hadn't read a single issue of this one! And I still don't have anywhere near a full set, but here's one: from 1990, Damage Control #4 (volume 2) "The Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Affair" Written by Dwayne McDuffie, pencils by Ernie Colón, inks by Stan Drake and Marie Severin.

I read a lot of crossover books in 1990, so I'm a little surprised I slept on this; the last chapter for Acts of Vengeance! Large chunks of NYC had been trashed through a ton of super-hero fights, but the restoration firm of Damage Control was on strike! Both Wilson Fisk and Tony Stark had sold their shares of the company, when owner Mrs. Hoag was leaving to take a position in Washington D.C. on the Commission on Superhuman Activities. (Seen in a ton of issues of Captain America, among others.) Fisk and Stark both claim they weren't sure the company would survive without her; and Tony hadn't been keen on being in business with Fisk anyway. But Fisk had another reason...In Washington, shape-changer "Dittomaster" knocks out Henry Gyrich, then plans to force Mrs. Hoag to rubberstamp the majority report for the Super-Hero Registration Act: instead, she kicks the shape-changer's ass, since she's working with Nick Fury to retake her company! (Fury knew her when she was younger, and still seems taken with her; which is probably the most likeable he would be for most of that decade!)

Meanwhile, the Punisher was still watching current D.C. head Robin Chapel, since he had thought she was working for the Kingpin. Comptroller Albert Cleary, rightfully pissed at his new parent company, has worked out what their plan had been and how to counter it: they had bought the company, with a loan from Fisk, who was now squeezing them. Cleary offers them an out: sell Damage Control to Mrs. Hoag and S.H.I.E.L.D. for a bit of a loss, or explain things to the Securities and Exchange Commission and Fisk. Chapel confronts Fisk, severing his association with Damage Control, and unknowingly clearing her with the Punisher, who had her bugged. Probably the broadest joke in this one is towards the end, when they haul off the gaudy skyscraper that had been built over their headquarters in the Flatiron Building; as a certain comic book company was flush with money the summer of 1990 and wouldn't even have to change the initials on the building...

Weirdly, I don't think I've ever come across a full stack of any of these mini-series in the cheap bins: maybe people are hanging on to it. I even forgot there was a third miniseries in 1991--aw, Kyle Baker art in that one! Read more!

Standing on a beach with a stick in his hand...

When was the last time Daredevil went to the beach? Well, he doesn't this issue either, despite the cover. From 1995, Daredevil #337, "Fathoms of Humanity, part five: Heart of the Fire" Written by Gregory Wright, pencils by Tom Grindberg, inks by Don Hudson.

Oof, I think there's more words on that page, than in this post...This was an extended fill-in arc, as D. G. Chichester and Scott McDaniel had gone to work on Elektra: Root of Evil: McDaniel would not return, and Chichester would only for four issues as 'Alan Smithee.' Midway through his armored stint as "Jack Batlin," DD was trying to help a community of homeless people living below New York City--not the Morlocks. (It's apparently not uncommon to this day.) Two of their number had been fingered for a bombing, and Daredevil was struggling to bring the real bomber to justice. There is a page this issue of the cops sweating two black men for a confession, then grudgingly releasing them when new evidence cleared them: the cops are not shown in a particularly favorable lot this whole arc, really; although of course DD still maintains his almost Pollyanna-esque faith in the law.

Of course, since this was a Marvel comic, this whole mess also involved the Kingpin, his underground lookalike King and his CHUD-types, Bushwacker, the former Deathlok now going by Demolisher, Blackwulf, and Joshua, the man that used to be Peacekeeper. Peacekeeper appeared to have been made up, whole-cloth, possibly on the spot: Marvel already had another former mystery-man turned homeless hero, the Angel; but the continuity may have gone sideways on him.

Daredevil does find himself in a pickle towards the end, as he has to disarm a bomb, and of course can't see the wires. But, his contacts as Jack Batlin help win the day for a change, as the corporate bad guy is blackmailed then exposed. (Since he's too pure, DD won't allow himself or his contacts keep the millions they extorted: maybe they shouldn't, but hear me out, maybe they should?) And all of this of course plays into Wilson Fisk's hands, as even in a reduced state, he continues to play the long game. This wasn't a must-read arc, but not as bad as I'd been expecting. And I thought Grindberg did an OK job on the much-maligned armor suit.   Read more!

"The End" Week: Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #24!

Aw, I really want to dig up the one where Daredevil fights the Absorbing Man now, but in today's book, can Spidey make a showing of it? From 2012, Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #24, featuring "If You Can't Beat 'Em" Written by Paul Tobin, pencils by Rob DiSalvo, inks by Terry Pallot; and "The Kingpin" Written by Paul Tobin, pencils by Matteo Lolli, inks by Terry Pallot.

Mystery-woman Blonde Phantom has called Spidey for help, since the cops are moving the Absorbing Man to a medical facility. Is he sick? No, the scientists want to try and learn how Creel's absorbing powers work, for use in medicine, recycling, manufacturing, and so forth. (His powers work by magic, you're not going to learn squat, let's call it a day early.) Creel does of course break loose, and Spidey is woefully outclassed but refuses to give up. Even when Creel beats him almost-unconscious and leaves him on top of a cab. Spidey tries to appeal to Creel's better nature, Creel in turn absorbs gasoline and flames on, delivering a flaming, crushing bear hug. Then, Spidey's words seem to hit him: Creel surrenders, picking up Spidey and getting back in the transport. Blonde Phantom wonders, if Creel didn't accidentally absorb some of Spidey's decency, when she really should be getting him to a hospital, I think his ears were filling with blood.

In the next story, it's Spidey vs. the Kingpin, as Spidey notices a ton of crooks he's stopped back on the streets really quickly. (Including "Jimmy 'Big-Time' Gray and Chris 'Casanova' Sims!) After a brief lunch with his girl, Chat, Spidey traces one of the crooks and confronts him: said crook squeals like a pig, admitting a crooked cop has been letting crooks loose after heroes catch them. (Use 'crook' one more time, I dare you!) This actually seems somewhat labor-intensive, as we see some thugs wrapped up in pipe by the Thing. Spidey goes to the Kingpin, who says he doesn't have anything to do with that cop, since he had also been freelancing and extorting charities. Kingpin gives him the cop's address freely, a school closed for rebuilding, which gives Spidey the opportunity for substitute-teacher jokes. After the bad cop is caught by the regular ones, Spidey again visits the Kingpin, to tell him he'd be coming back for him someday. Which would probably be more threatening if his voice had changed; Spidey was pretty young in this one. 

The letters page acknowledges this was the last issue, as next month would bring Marvel Universe: Ultimate Spider-Man #1, based on the Disney XD cartoon. Which wasn't my favorite; possibly because I think Spidey was voiced by one of the kids from Drake & Josh, which my kids watched but I could not stand. Still, as usual, these old Marvel Adventures books usually hold up.

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This was back when "creative financing" was a bribe, not just your bank's business as usual.

Grabbing a Daredevil issue out of the pile: "Well, as long as it's not a Christmas issue, those are too depressing..." Ah, I may have spoken too soon. From 1983, Daredevil #192, "Promises" Written by Alan Brennert, art by Klaus Janson.

Ben Urich is given a tip, about a former city editor that may have taken payoffs from the mob to spike certain stories. A shooter then tries to scare him off the story, but is stopped by Daredevil. (An amateur shooter: trying to snipe him from the Daily Bugle sign might seem cool, but what's your escape route?) Ben is also having problems at home: living in a terrible apartment is wearing on his wife, so they go looking for a house. It seems out of their price range ("$125,000 and 20% down" in 1983, so that house probably costs eighty-seven million now.) The seller says he'd been stuck on the property taxes and needed to sell, and maybe the bank could do some "creative financing."

Searching for clues (super illegally) DD finds proof the editor had been dirty, but he's happy to hear Ben might be getting a house...for about two seconds, before he realizes something he hopes isn't true. Ben confronts the editor, to give him a chance to make a statement, and the editor knows he's caught. He had spiked a story, to keep the mob off his son-in-law, and that's how it began. But, is Ben mad at him, because he himself had folded when the Kingpin sent Elektra to warn him off? Meanwhile, Daredevil works leads as DD and Matt: Ben's seller had been the brother of an old villain, the Masked Marauder, and probably just as dirty. Then, a chat with the Kingpin, who had arranged Ben's bank loan as future leverage against him. DD is furious the Kingpin would stoop so low, but Kingpin points out DD had recently used his wife Vanessa against him the same way, so...? All's fair, right?

DD gives Ben the news, but as the Kingpin surmised, does he have a choice? Can he let his wife down again? Ben wanders Coney Island afterwards, agonizing over it, when his wife Doris finds him: when DD came looking for Ben, she made him tell her what was up. She won't let him sell his soul, telling him he's kept every promise he ever made to her--"...every one that mattered."

Rough. But, on a lighter note, this issue does feature one of my favorite Bullpen Bulletins, with guest writer David Michelinie grousing about artists getting all the glory. How hard could it be? Read more!

It looks more like the Wendigo than the Wendigo.

I had the original back in the day, but was glad to get this reprint recently: from 1994, Marvel Tales #285, reprinting 1986's Amazing Spider-Man #277, featuring "The Rules of the Game!" Written by Tom DeFalco, pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by...somebody, it's not on the reprint credits? It was Bob Layton! And "Cry of the Wendigo" Story and art by Charles Vess. 

The lead story was in the middle of the long-running Hobgoblin storyline, as Peter was still reeling at the idea that his old friend Flash Thompson could be the villain. While Mary Jane tries to defend Flash, she's interrupted by a mysterious phone call from Matt Murdock, who warns the line may be tapped, but they had to meet. Peter heads down to a rundown, nondescript rescue mission; and thinks it must be Daredevil's secret headquarters. No...

This was set during "Born Again," the Kingpin's most ambitious attempt to destroy DD yet, after learning his secret identity. Matt had been disbarred, framed for murder, his house blown up, and severely beaten. This was his absolute rock bottom (so far...) but it's tough to say what Peter finds more disconcerting: the utter wreckage of Matt, or that Matt was starting to bounce back up, planning his revenge. He wanted Peter to stay out of it, the Kingpin was his.

So of course Peter changes into Spidey and goes straight over there...goddamnit, Peter, he asked you one thing. Confronting the Kingpin in his office, while Spidey is able to keep him away from his laser-cane and phone, what can he accomplish there? And the Kingpin knows it. Spidey has to settle for pranking him, leaving webbing on his chair.

The second story was the cover feature, and probably more well-remembered: "Cry of the Wendigo," by Charles Vess. Spidey has a nightmare about freezing to death, because he left his window open and a blizzard was coming in. So of course he immediately goes out into it...man, no wonder Aunt May is always so worried about him, I swear. He stumbles across the kidnapping of a little girl, and gives chase as their van tries to escape through Central Park, and it's really coming down out there. The van crashes into a tree, as Spidey takes a header when the ice on the roof shifts. He's able to get the girl, but is probably concussed; and the recovering kidnappers are going to give chase.

Spidey needs to rest, but the little girl warns him, her mother told her, don't fall asleep in the snow, or the Wendigo will get you...who tells their kid that? Geez. After catching another shot to the head, Spidey has to throw down with the kidnappers; a challenge in his current condition. The last kidnapper, legs broken from the crash, pulls a gun on Spidey, who webs it up. When he goes for another piece...

Spidey gets the girl back to her parents and the cops without being seen, so it's tough to say what they make of her story involving both Spidey and the Wendigo. In Marvel-NYC, it seems like something they should at least look into? Peter goes home, safe from the Wendigo, although I don't know if he should just go back to bed with those head injuries. Probably never closed his window, either.

.

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I don't talk about current comics enough--well, I guess we mentioned the current Star Trek series a bit ago--but here's another recent book I'm now down for, even as it gets sucked into a crossover: from 2021, Daredevil #26, "The Black Kitchen" Written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Marco Checchetto and Mike Hawthorne, inks by Adriano Di Benedetto. 

Matt, as Daredevil, was currently in prison; on a two-year bid for manslaughter. Elektra had wanted him to break out and join her in creating the Fist, to finally crush the Hand once and for all: Matt declines, thinking she had to earn his trust. Somewhat grudgingly, Elektra decides to do just that, making an absolutely stylin' costume for herself, and protecting Hell's Kitchen as Daredevil. She almost certainly has some ulterior motives--I think if they form the Fist, one of them is prophesized to die, and she may want to make sure it's her--but there's a massive sense of "I'll show him" here. Even though she feels it's largely pointless, as when she stops a gunrunner from doing business in the Kitchen: she doesn't really care what he does elsewhere, but also thinks turning him over to the cops would just be more corruption.

Speaking of corruption, Wilson Fisk is still mayor, now with Typhoid Mary as his head of security. (I don't know how long that's been the case: it feels like rolling back a bit of development for Typhoid, but it also sort of works?) Wearing her hair up, and her face half-painted, with a couple swords on her back...that could just read as 'formal superhero wear' to the people of New York. Fisk's right-hand man Wesley is there as well...I thought he was killed off in the last run; but there was a long dream sequence in there, so maybe not. But, none of our characters are prepared for today's nonsense, an invasion of Venoms! Fisk seems unwilling to leave Typhoid as she holds off the Venoms, then is engulfed. In the prison, Matt misses his soundproof room, since he can hear everything in the prison (...ew) and tries to warn the guards of the symbiote intruder, since he knows that's out of their league. And in a bar, hiding out from the invasion, a stepmom steps in to stop her underage daughter getting hit on, and gets slapped for her trouble. The daughter changes her tune when the stepmom gets creepily Venomed, and tries to make her one too. Elektra steps in to save the daughter, mentally complaining that "Matt's life is a horror show. His city is a horror show." Even though she doesn't think much of the situation or the daughter, feeling Matt's judgement, Elektra absolutely refuses to let anything happen to her. Which may be put to the test, when a Venomed Typhoid Mary shows up.

For good measure, in prison, Matt is Venomed as well, with Knull imploring him to join them. Venomdevil isn't as good a design as the Infinity War Doppelganger-DD, sorry.

The people of NYC already seem to know there's a new DD here; I was expecting a few issues of the cops wondering why billy-club beatings were down, but stabbings way up. A comic shop guy suggested this was the first real development for Elektra in who knows how long; but I just love the notion of her trying to pound the square peg into the round hole: can Elektra use her skill set to do a Daredevil's job? Does she want to, really? She often seems to be asking herself, "What would Matt do?...something stupid." I would be legitimately surprised not if Elektra saves the daughter, but if that sparks any sort of warm feelings in her. Also, while I'm sure Matt opting for prison makes sense in a big-picture, protecting other heroes and the law way; it pretty obviously also makes sense for his colossal martyr complex; which I believe Elektra even calls him on, for the good that does her.

That and her costume is great; Marvel Legend soon, please.

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"Denny's."

Yes, neither Daredevil nor Wolverine could tell that Typhoid Mary and Mary Walker were the same person, but Face ID can. Do they both have the same fingerprints? I suppose unless she was fingerprinted while unconscious, Typhoid would burn hers...

Does the Kingpin know Matt's Daredevil in the current continuity? I'm a bit behind.
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Peter makes Debra Whitman cry, drink!

You'd be hard-pressed to find an issue he didn't make her cry, though. From 1982, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #67, "Boomerang, the Killer Who Keeps Coming Back!" Written by Bill Mantlo, pencils by Edward Hannigan, inks by Allen Milgrom.

The cover promises "Adventure! Mystery! Romance! Face it, friend, this issue has it all!" But it might be a bit short on the romance front, as Peter's study buddy/potential love interest Marcy Kane is so cheesed at him for breaking a study session to fight Electro that she drops his books off at the school's lost-and-found; and Peter continues to treat Debra Whitman as a doormat. This was during a particularly sad-sack stretch for Peter, as he was also doing terribly in grad school and facing more competition in his photography job for the Bugle, in the person of Lance Bannon. Also competing for a job this month: Boomerang, angling for the staff assassin job with the Kingpin! It's weird, but that was treated like a position or a cabinet post at the time. Boomerang murders a snitch that turned state's evidence, figuring that would put him in good with the Kingpin, and it really doesn't: Kingpin claims to have been feeding the snitch false evidence for years, in order to lead the feds away from his real activities.

The Kingpin gives Boomerang a second chance: kill Spider-Man, and there might be a job for him. It's mostly just to get rid of him, but I suppose there's always the chance he'll get lucky. He doesn't though. In a running fight that goes through the Daily Bugle, Spidey beats Boomerang, and manages to throw Bannon's camera out the window to boot. (He thinks he'll pay for a new one; like he's ever got that kind of cash.)

Boomerang has largely been played for laughs since Superior Foes of Spider-Man or earlier, but he legit murdered a guy here. Not for the last time either, I don't think.
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He probably goes on like that...

Caved the other day, and bought the other five figures I needed to build the Kingpin! (I had bought Silver Sable earlier.) I'm 90% sure I'm cribbing the Kingpin's speech from the Simpsons Fat Tony, but couldn't say if that's a reference to something else itself.

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