One Sentence Overview: A mysterious creature attacks Daredevil and Spider-man at an abandoned fairgound, Daredevil unaware of the connection of his foe to Mephisto
A few issues back, I commented on how Ann's Christmas tale (DD266) felt a little like an MR James ghost story tribute. Here, Ann gives this tale a very unusual opening, especially for the time, with three splash panels accompanied by the kind of text one might expect from a gothic short story (perhaps more Poe than James?). It's a very promising start, the text chillingly relating the tale of one Abigail Housman, a murdered girl, her life brutally taken from her at the top of a small hill in 1658, Ann describing in morbid detail how "the blood soaked the land for many hours before she was found".
The text is delivered in typed text, giving the reader a feeling that they've stumbled across an ancient historical document. Indeed, I initially thought, given that the incident is dated, that Ann had based this story on a factual event. As in all the best ghost stories, we go on to read that the ground is thought to be cursed and is effectively abandoned over the centuries... until now (naturally).
It's a terrific opening which isn't really sustained for the rest of the story (albeit with a brilliant coda on the last page.... but we'll come to that). However, Ann paints the portrait of a place that is alienated and inaccessible, surrounded by overgrown thorn bushes (and that's very significant), and the sense of foreboding imbued upon it by those who live nearby has given it some kind of unnatural power that gives birth to a creature. The creature, Blackheart, the son of Mephisto!
And here's where I lose a little interest. Ann has demonstrated herself to be a brilliant writer of implied evil, especially that which has been wrought upon individuals by poverty, neglect or just unfortunate circumstances. Here, evil appears to be a literal character (moreso Mephisto than Blackheart, the implication being that he's almost a victim) and there's a sense of letting the cat out of the bag. Instead of a range of circumstances conspiring on an individual to turn to crime (for example), a character like Mephisto potentially undermines all this and may denude villains of their power.
Naturally, this being his comic and all that, Daredevil encounters Blackheart. In this battle, he is helped by Spider-man, who also just happens to be in the neighbourhood. This allows Ann a moment to have fun with Spidey's wacky dialogue.
This isn't the first time Ann has written Spider-man, having already scripted a bizarre three parter, 'Mad Dogs' with Bill Scienkiewicz, in that character's own title. Spidey, of course, recently battled DD after being turned into a hound in a recent annual. The characters don't discuss this though (I'm guessing Spidey was too embarrassed).
There's a sense that Ann's setting up something here, perhaps interested in meditating on the nature of evil some more. However, overall the issue's something of a letdown after that really intriguing beginning. There's something of a coup in the issue's finale though with Ann taking us back to the hill from whence the creature sprung and gives a terrific twist to the tale by revealing the mound's name - "Christ's Crown".
This revelation is accompanied by text that reads, "He cries out in anger to his absent father, why was he brought forth? Why was he forced into being, into this, a dark, cruel world? He does not want this, his own birth. He does not want to live, just to suffer, to die." I don't think I need to comment any further on the allegory alluded to here, but it's certainly powerful stuff, rescuing an otherwise mediocre issue.
Cast
Daredevil/Matt Murdock
Spider-man/Peter Parker
Mephisto
Blackheart
Abigail Housman
Sarah
Peter
Rating: 6 out of 10
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