Daredevil: Yellow


By Jeph Loeb (W) and Tim Sale (A).

Cover Price $14.99. Published by Marvel Comics, 2001-2002. Originally printed as Daredevil: Yellow #1-6.

Plot: This story takes a look back at how Daredevil became who he is today, showing the murder of Matt Murdock’s father (done in by mobsters after he refuses to throw a fight) during the time that Matt attended law school. It also shows Murdock, along with fellow portly chum Foggy Nelson, open up his own law firm and the headaches that accompany such an endeavor. After opening the firm, the two start to look for somebody to work as their secretary, and, after a string of losers, finally come across beautiful blonde (and frequent damsel in distress) Karen Page. Both men are instantly smitten, but she seems to favor Matt and, by night, Daredevil, whose costume is yellow and red, made out of the fabric of his dad’s old prizefighting robe. As Daredevil, the hero hunts down the men responsible for Battling Jack Murdock’s death, in order to bring them to justice. The narrative is told through letters that present-day Matt is writing to the now deceased Karen Page, his first love, in order to help him cope with her death.

Strengths: Loeb and Sale nail the nostalgia in this one. It just feels like you’re reading an old classic comic book, yet it’s only five years old. Also, I can’t say enough positive things about Matt Hollingsworth’s spectacular coloring (water color!) throughout the book. It’s just beautiful to look at, and extremely fun to read. As for the writing, the greatest quote I found is spoken as words of wisdom from Matt’s dad to Matt, when he says, “The measure of a man is not in how he gets knocked down to the mat. It is in how he gets up.” It does an excellent job of showing the love and admiration Matt has for his dad, a self-proclaimed “uneducated pug.”

Weaknesses: The main weakness is that the developing love between Matt Murdock and Karen Page just isn’t there. He says he’s in love with her, but, it’s not on the page. It seems rushed, forced, and too easily developed before anything of note happens between them. The dynamic between Karen and Daredevil is much more smooth and natural.

Grade: A- While I can’t think of anything technically wrong about this book, it just doesn’t strike me as being as good as everybody has told me it is. There are lots of great moments, but it reads so quickly, that it’s hard to say it has any real emotional impact, overall. Coming from a guy that’s never read Daredevil before, though, I’d say it’s an incredibly decent place to get acquainted with the character and his supporting cast.