Daredevil (Vol.2) #80

Background

It's been in the press for a couple of years now that Matt Murdock is the Daredevil. Though he's been trying his best to deny it, the government has been doing their best to prove it.

The Kingpin, in an effort to out Murdock as the Daredevil and gain his own freedom, has led villains, heroes and federal agents on a quest to find "The Murdock Papers". These papers will provide indesputable proof that Murdock is the Daredevil. Only these papers do not exist. The Kingpin has manipulated everyone and led Daredevil into a trap in which he is shot in the shoulder by a sniper.

Story 'The Murdock Papers'

The story begins in the hotel room of Milla Donovan, Matt Murdock's blind girlfriend (maybe wife? I forget sometimes). The Black Widow enters through the window and tells Milla that she is to be taken out of the country. Hotel security is threatening to break down the door and call the police. Milla demands to be taken to Matt. Security breaks down the door but there is no sign of anyone in the room.

There's a cameo of Captain America, Daredevil and our favorite web-spinner in a Daily Bugle article entitled "Night Nurse" written by Ben Urich. We're taken to a night medical center where a nurse seems to be pulling a late shift. Electra holding Matt's limp body in her arms asks the lady, "Are you the night nurse?"

At the prison where they're holding the Kingpin tension is high. The Kingpin has brought up that Ben Urich, having written an article about the night nurse, knows where she's at. Not telling the government agents where the night nurse is would be an obstruction of federal justice and could get Ben arrested. Ben pimp slaps the Kingpin with a manila folder and gives him a mean paper cut.

Meanwhile Foggy Nelson is hiding out at Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' apartment in Harlem. They're watching a news report on TV saying that the Daredevil may be dead. Luke and Iron Fist go off to search for Murdock. Their first stop is the night nurse's clinic.

The night nurse is doing what she can for Murdock. He's lost a lot of blood and shouldn't have been moved are some things that the night nurse vocalizes to Electra. Electra makes a quick phone call and meets the Black Widow who has Milla in tow. After a brief tussle a bunch of Hand ninja's show up and do some ancient ninja magic on Matt.

There's a battle going on outside the clinic. There are ninjas, federal law enforcement, Luke Cage, Electra and Iron Fist. Matt staggers outside, wearing only his Daredevil pants, and stops the fight. They take him into custody and in the last scene he's looking at a reflection of himself in the puddle of a jail cell.

General Comments

It's good to see the federal government finally get somewhere with this case. I mean they were going to catch up with Matt Murdock eventually, this wasn't going to be something that the government just forget about. Matt Murdock is the Daredevil, you don't just let that go...well unless the Scarlet Witch fixes it or something. It's just a relief to see this part of the story come to an end. Now we have a trial to look forward to.

I like the art here better than in most books. I've said it once and I'll say it again, some of the people in this book are butt-ugly but that's okay. Some people are butt-ugly in real life too and not everyone in the world looks good in tights. Ugly people make things more realistic.

Ben Urich paper cutting the Kingpin!! Yowzer! I can't wait to see what repercussions Ben receives for doing that.

There was a panel in which Black Widow shoots Electra with something electric from her wrist thingie. I does nothing for the story, it isn't mentioned later and nothing happens as a result of it. It's just out of place or maybe I don't understand its significance. It is a total waste of space.

Ninja magic? I'm getting tired of everything getting fixed with magic. I'm just getting tired of magic period. Spider-man's powers are now magic based, Scarlet Witch's "No more mutants", and now Matt Murdock's miracle cure. Come people let's think of something better that magic here in a predominately non- magic book.

Overall Rating

Four and a half webs. It was a simultaneous great ending and a great set up for things to come. My gripes were an out of place panel and out of place magical quick fix.

Footnote

Oh, I almost forget. The cover to this book is HOT!! Electra and Black Widow have never been so hot!