mjthomas43's review against another edition
2.0
Not bad. I usually like the concept of Daredevil. He's less "super" than other heroes which appeals to me. But I don't read a lot of him so perhaps I've missed how religious he is? Or maybe it's just this collection. It was a major plot point so I guess it had to be played up. And his mom's a nun -- didn't know that before -- so I guess it makes sense to the character.
And it's not the religious/magical concepts per se: I like Hell Boy, Dr. Strange, etc. I just don't like the obviously lame arguments for and against the existence of "God".
Despite this difficult parts, this was a good story. Good action and some intricate plot weaving. Oh, and some moral dilemmas from the hero... That's always entertaining.
And it's not the religious/magical concepts per se: I like Hell Boy, Dr. Strange, etc. I just don't like the obviously lame arguments for and against the existence of "God".
Despite this difficult parts, this was a good story. Good action and some intricate plot weaving. Oh, and some moral dilemmas from the hero... That's always entertaining.
jdalton's review
4.0
This was my first Daredevil comic that I have read. He is a very likable character. The storyline was enjoyable, but I have to admit that my favorite part was the cameo by the webslinger himself. :) I am a sucker for Spider-Man.
mayabenn17's review against another edition
3.0
I love Daredevil. This one just wasn't it. The plot was kinda boring and a little predictable to me.
readalert's review
1.0
I was always gonna read it anyway because it's an important part of Daredevil's story, but the main reason I wanted to read Guardian Devil was because I knew it was when Karen was diagnosed with HIV. And there are so few characters that have HIV, it's obviously a horrifically stigmatized illness, and it's one of the disabilities that I think is in the most desperate need of well done, informed, and compassionate representation in media. And I didn't expect Karen to be that. It was written in the 90s after all, and I was shocked when Green Arrow handled Mia's diagnosis well in the 2000s. But given that Karen is a well loved character and that Kevin Smith wrote, while not Mia's diagnosis, Mia's creation in a story in which he treated her and Dinah Lance with more respect and dignity that comic book women often get, I expected it to be okay. Far from perfect, but okay.
So to read the book and find that
I didn't like this book anyway, but now I'm actively mad at it
So to read the book and find that
Spoiler
she wasn't even HIV+, that Mysterio just got an actor to pretend to be a doctor and lie to her, that Smith used HIV and AIDS as a cheap, shock value fake out....I didn't like this book anyway, but now I'm actively mad at it
nikshelby's review
4.0
I just finished this, for the second time through. Got in the mood for one Daredevil. I know this might weaken any compliment for this specific book: I've never read a Daredevil that I didn't like. They are ALWAYS good.
capacity4wonder's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Minor: Drug use
gaelmontiel's review
4.0
Kevin Smith's work is refreshing and intriguing. Im not a big fan of Quesada's art but it fits the fast, quirky style of Smith's storytelling, making Guardian Devil one of the best DD stories.
crookedtreehouse's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure how long it's been since I last read through modern Daredevil, but I've always started with the Smith/Quesada run (yes, I've also done the Miller/Nocenti/other writers in the 80s run, but that's a separate project). The Mack and Bendis run is actually where both the story and the art get more interesting, but this is just a solid starting point.
If you've got a basic knowledge of Daredevil, then it's kind of cool starting with a long-winded prose letter from Karen before you get into the story proper. All the back story you need is there, everything else unfolds during the course of the story.
When the story begins, it's too ridiculous. Too over the top. Too religiously overtones. Too unbelievable. And when you eventually discover what the ruse is, and how the too ridiculous, too over the top, too unbelievable is deliberate, it seems forgivable. You can forgive the incredulity because it was designed to be that way. But. But you find out through what seems like a fifty page villain monologue that would exhaust even the most devoted comic fan. And while you can forgive the ridiculousness of the story, you still can't embrace it because the logic is way off, and the story becomes stupid in a completely different direction.
There are plenty of spoilery reviews that can tell you the precise problems, just know that I am giving this book four stars, knowing full well that it's hugely flawed. Smith's writing is verbose. You could cut half the dialog in this book and it would make just as much sense. There are entire scenes that are pretty much just Marvel continuity porn that barely helps move the story forward, but none of them hurt the story. There are a lot of little things that you could nitpick and I would agree with you. But the moments that land, land really well. Black Widow and Spider-Man are both used sparingly, and well. Foggy's story is necessary to move the story from Scott Lobdell's hacky fingers to Dave Mack and Brian Michael Bendis's.
I recommend this to anyone who loves Daredevil, just know that it's a bumpy ride that has a satisfactory ending.
If you've got a basic knowledge of Daredevil, then it's kind of cool starting with a long-winded prose letter from Karen before you get into the story proper. All the back story you need is there, everything else unfolds during the course of the story.
When the story begins, it's too ridiculous. Too over the top. Too religiously overtones. Too unbelievable. And when you eventually discover what the ruse is, and how the too ridiculous, too over the top, too unbelievable is deliberate, it seems forgivable. You can forgive the incredulity because it was designed to be that way. But. But you find out through what seems like a fifty page villain monologue that would exhaust even the most devoted comic fan. And while you can forgive the ridiculousness of the story, you still can't embrace it because the logic is way off, and the story becomes stupid in a completely different direction.
There are plenty of spoilery reviews that can tell you the precise problems, just know that I am giving this book four stars, knowing full well that it's hugely flawed. Smith's writing is verbose. You could cut half the dialog in this book and it would make just as much sense. There are entire scenes that are pretty much just Marvel continuity porn that barely helps move the story forward, but none of them hurt the story. There are a lot of little things that you could nitpick and I would agree with you. But the moments that land, land really well. Black Widow and Spider-Man are both used sparingly, and well. Foggy's story is necessary to move the story from Scott Lobdell's hacky fingers to Dave Mack and Brian Michael Bendis's.
I recommend this to anyone who loves Daredevil, just know that it's a bumpy ride that has a satisfactory ending.
dunfermlinereads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gohawks's review
3.0
I love Daredevil. And I usually like Kevin Smith okay.This story line however, was not for me. It is obvious Smith was writing Dogma while working on this.The religious themes just got to be too much. The panel layouts and color were pretty top notch, but the art itself was very hit or miss. I loved Joe Quesada's run on Iron Man, but the faces in this book were horrible.Everyone looked like their rubbery mask like faces would slide off their misshapen skulls. Oh well, like pizza, it's still Daredevil.