BLINDSPOTS: Bendis and Mack's Daredevil - Wake Up
By Wesley Messer — Everyone has media blindspots — TV we haven’t watched, movies we haven’t seen, and, for readers of this site (myself included), comics we haven’t read. In fact, there are many classic comics that I haven’t read, sometimes not even a single issue. That’s where this new series comes in — it’s called Blindspots, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: me making an effort to fill in my classic comics blindspots.
This series began as a chat on Twitter about Brian Michael Bendis’ classic early 2000s run on Daredevil, and so that’s where I’m going to begin. I’m going to go by story arc to cover this run, so we’re starting our journey with this first column about Benids and Mack’s Daredevil arc, Wake Up (Daredevil Vol. 2 #16-19), and believe me, we’re in for an adventure. Sit back and relax, welcome to the start of what will be a fun and interesting journey.
Bendis and Mack’s Daredevil - Wake Up
The first arc of Bendis’ Daredevil is relatively quiet but powerful. David Mack is the artist for this story, which is truly fitting for him. It’s a story about a traumatized child named Timmy, who happens to be the son of the villain Leap Frog. Another main character of the story is Ben Ulrich, the Marvel Universe’s ace reporter for the with Bugle. Ulrich is trying to figure out what happened to this kid. Ultimately, this arc is a Ben Ulrich story with Daredevil as a supporting player, which I found both intriguing and cool.
Ben Ulrich by David Mack
What I loved about this is how it wasn’t afraid to experiment or to take risks. Bendis scripts these comics in a way that truly shows off David Mack’s art, and Mack answers in kind by showing off with his pencil work combined with mixed media pieces that feature both daring and wonderful painting. The story goes on to explore what is going on in the mind of the kid Timmy as well as how Ben can help by sharing the story. The focus on the reporter is a strong piece of storytelling in itself, exploring Ben’s life as a journalist and also his relationship with Daredevil in the process.
That choice is one thing I really love about how Bendis writes this story, deploying a narrow perspective that works quite well. Readers get background elements of Ben and his coverage of the Kingpin trial and such, but really the major focus is this — Ben is trying to help Timmy. And it’s all done by Mack’s incredible art, which is unafraid to play around with style at any given time. Mack’s penciling shows Timmy as a hero, and then switches to loose crayon doodles as Timmy processes everything that is happening.
David Mack was such a perfect choice for this tale, really. Sometimes you see stories and you think, yeah this is spot on for what was needed for this. And this is certainly one of them. Bendis tells a story involving the mind of a child dealing with immense trauma, exploring it through the lens of Daredevil. It’s unusual but clever and fascinating. With Mack’s art meshing well with Bendis’s writing, it’s a unique story that I am glad I finally got to experience.
These stories are now 19 years old and I’m trying not to spoil much. I know they’re a blind spot for me while most are more familiar, but there are likely others who would love to experience these too. Anyway, to sum it up: I really liked this. It mixes a great personal touch with some genuinely strong storytelling. I can only imagine what it was like for readers at the time. Now that I am familiar, I’d love to hear any thoughts out there, so feel free to share them. I would love to talk more about this with you all.
Timmy from Bendis and Mack’s Daredevil - Wake Up.
The next part of my Blindspots adventure is another Bendis Daredevil storyline, Underboss, which covers #26-31, and is when the real meat and potatoes of the run kicks in. So, until next time, and I hope you will join me as I explore further into this legendary run, all of which is brand new to me.
Bendis and Mack’s Daredevil - Wake Up
Daredevil, Vol. 2 #16-19
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Mack (Pencils pg. 1-3 #16-17, Painted Pages pg. 4-22 #16-17)
Inker: Mark Morales (pg. 1-3 #16) Pond Scum (pg. 1-3 #17)
Colorist: Richard Isanove (pg. 1-3 #16-17)
Letterers: Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Wes Abbot
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: Wake Up collection ($6.99 US), or Daredevil Ultimate Collection Vol. 1 ($29.99 US)
Ben Urich, investigative reporter for the Daily Bugle, should be covering the Kingpin's trial, so why is he spending all his time with a two-bit super-villain's catatonic son and questioning his journalistic integrity
Release Dates: May-August 2001
Buy It Digitally: Wake Up Collection; or Daredevil Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1
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Wesley Messer: Traveler of the Internet Multiverse, feel free and contact me on twitter.