Frank Miller and Klaus Janson entrust Elektra with responsibility for the Daredevil series in the third volume of her career at Panini Comics

After two volumes already published by Panini Comicsthe phase of Frank Miller Yes Klaus Janson leading the series Reckless It continues into the early 1980s with notable maturity and with the introduction of new characters who will be of capital importance for the future of the blind lawyer. The third volume of this collection comes to us with the title of Marvel masterpieces. Daredevil by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson 3 of 4.

The background on the form

If there’s anything evident at this point in the series, it’s that Miller isn’t trying to make another superhero story. Yes, we have people in pajamas fighting on rooftops and we have such a teacher Stick and we have a villain whose physique defies all rationality Pinbut above all those bizarre plots what is presented to us here is a story in which philosophical disquisitions and moral conflicts are the real engine of the plot.

As a good Catholic, guilt is something essential in the life of our lawyer. The consequences of his actions fall on his shoulders, and how his choices affect his environment and those around him will be something that haunts him deeply. But it is true that beauty is usually in the eye of the beholder, and that is why it is necessary to read these themes with sufficient involvement in the story that Miller tells us to be able to accept and understand what the author proposes.

Electra arrives

Electra Natchios he is a character created by Miller who we saw debut in the previous volume but who will take on particular importance in this one. The assassin par excellence, morally ambiguous and object of our protagonist’s desire, steals all the attention here when, after facing the charismatic Bullseye The fight ends with him stabbing her with one of his own. he says (and in theory these weapons have blunt tips) in an impossible scene that will go down in comic book history.

This moment is brutal, told in a couple of silent pages whose silence is broken only by the killer’s last whisper before dying in the arms of Matt Murdock. As with Spider-Man Yes Gwen Stacyit seems that for the masked hero Electra was more important in his death than in his life. But unlike what happened with Gwen, here the effect is quickly diluted as we shouldn’t have to wait too long before seeing Elektra return from the grave…

The inevitable revenge would come later. Blinded by rage, Daredevil will clash with Bullseye with a very typical ending of the time, where do-goodism It wasn’t something to take away yet, in fact it was Harry Callahan the one who set the trend. In some ways this was a turning point for Matt, marking what for years (perhaps until the arrival of Mark Waid to the series, well into the 21st century) would be a life where darkness was the norm, almost becoming the norm Batman From Marvel Comics.

Japanese style

In the graphic section it is perhaps appropriate to note that in this volume we will see more clearly, if possible, the oriental influence on Miller’s style. When the moment of action arrives, sometimes you have the impression of being in front of a work of classic manga, with cartoons full of dynamism but at the same time full of sobriety that we don’t see in current manga in which the kinetic lines they are the norm. A good example of this is every appearance of the ninjas of The handwhere every moment is deliciously appreciable…

Him tome published by Panini Comics In hard cover it contains 344 color pages with a format of 17 x 26 cm. and includes the translation of the American edition of issues 173 to 181 of Daredevil, from material taken from What if? #28 and #35 and from issue #28 of Bizarre adventuresplus all the covers of the included issues, an introduction written by Klaus Janson and a juicy extra section at the end. The recommended retail price is €42 and it went on sale in November 2024.

Marvel masterpieces. Daredevil by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson 3 of 4

Issue after issue, Frank Miller redefined the Man Without Fear with a work that reached the pinnacle of sequential storytelling. In this volume, Elektra’s saga reaches new heights of excitement as she and Daredevil battle the unstoppable ninja of the Hand. Miller also introduces Stick, the mentor who trained young Matt Murdock and who must now help him regain control of his powers before Kingpin falls on him. Follow the monumental battle with Bullseye that ends in the most dramatic way possible. Plus, a couple of essential What Ifs and Elektra’s first solo mission.

Authors: Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Mike W. Barr, Paul Smith and Roger McKenzie