Daredevil 261

Meltdown by Ann Nocenti and John Romita Jr

One Sentence Overview:  At the behest of Karen, the Human Torch hits the streets of Hell's Kitchen to look for Daredevil, whilst the Kingpin shows his anger towards Typhoid Mary for disobeying his instructions

Daredevil is dead.  The district's guardian and protector is gone.  Well, at least that's the rumour going round Hell's Kitchen - as Ann tells us, "The streets are open turf now, and everyone who's hot to trot wants a piece of the action".  But it's all a bit presumptuous, isn't it?  In the UK, a missing person isn't declared legally dead until there are seven years without any sightings.  And this is probably, at best, a few days since Matt tumbled from an old bridge at the hands of Typhoid Mary.

But anyway, let the Kitchen posse believe the mistruths if they must.  Truth be told, the way they're presented here in a very entertaining bar scene gives the impression that most are blessed with a whole lot of brainpower.  But how do we get to the bar in the first place...?

Well, over at the legal clinic, Karen's losing the plot.  Not surprising really, given that her lover's missing (and she's also curious as to whether anyone will make a connection with Daredevil's 'death').  So it's up to that famed legal eagle, Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, to come down and lift spirits.  Which is kind of exactly what he does.  He isn't doling out advice (thank goodness).  Instead he's joyfully impressing the Fatboys with innovative ways to light a cigarette. 

A very funny little vignette that wouldn't make today's books for health reasons but nevertheless captures the spirit of the neighbourhood - and Johnny's character.

Karen persuades the younger Storm sibling to help her look for Daredevil.  Johnny wonders if he can fill DD's boots, even if for a moment, and so changes his look when he calls at a local dive (for once, not Josie's) in an attempt to, er. blend in and seem cool.

It's a great piece of writing showing an iconic character completely out of his depth.  There then follows a fun fight scene between Torch and the extraordinarily named Baby Elmo. 

Some of the dialogue here, for once, is leaning towards parody, though in some ways, that's okay - the scenes with Johnny Storm, in stark contrast to Matt's perilous situation, are atypically largely played for laughs.  The net result is Johnny recognising he can't be Daredevil.  I really liked the end of this book as it gave a terrific contrast between the territory of Daredevil and what a hero had to be to survive in such an environment and the most whimsical world of the Fantastic Four.  They may save the world, but aren't so comfortable with the coalface of a deprived inner city neighbourhood (though perhaps that's a bit unfair on Yancy Street's Ben Grimm).

The fun with Johnny is contrasted with some of the darkest writing yet about sexual politics.  In a very disturbing scene, Typhoid Mary goads the Kingpin until he snaps and starts to knock the crap out of the woman.  

Having dramatically roused his passions, Mary manipulates him into having sex with her.  It's uncomfortable stuff, a little prescient of the likes of John Dahl's 'The Last Seduction', a few years hence.  Indeed, I'm not sure a male writer would have got away with this - at Ann's hands, you feel there's a point being made about sexual violence and power.  Having manipulated matters, Typhoid Mary is not a victim, as such.  However, the scene certainly doesn't show Wilson Fisk, whose wife remember is an invalid, in a very good light - moreover, it confirms that this is a frighteningly powerful character and not some rotund jolly villain.

Which brings us to the Gratuitous Panel of the Month:

Before winding up the Kingpin, Typhoid does a little flirting with one of his bodyguards.  In a piece of dialogue resplendent with double entendre, Typhoid slinks up against the poor sod and whispers, "Oooh!  You're so hard, so rigid..."  Blimey!

But where's Matt in all this? I hear you cry.  Well the poor soul spends the entire issue face down, unconscious, in a bunch of long grass underneath a bridge, his fate uncertain.  I love it when writers do something like this.  Will he finally rise again next issue...?

Cast
Daredevil/Matt Murdock
Karen Page
Kingpin/Wilson Fisk

Typhoid Mary
Human Torch/Johnny Storm
Butch (Fatboys)
Darla (Fatboys)
Eightball (Fatboys)
Hilda
Baby Elmo

Rating: 8 out of 10