DAREDEVIL BY FRANK MILLER & KLAUS JANSON VOL. 3 Paperback – January 1, 2009

Frank Miller's run on "Daredevil" redefined the character for a generation, leaving the template that most other writers would either follow or consciously attempt to get away from. The defining story of Miller's run was the famous battle between Bullseye and Elektra, and the following confrontation between Bullseye and Daredevil himself, which played out in the second volume of this collection series. Volume Three collects the final issues of Miller's run on the main title (#185-191), as well as #219, which preceded Miller's return for the "Born Again" story arc, an issue of "What If?" written by Miller, and the "Daredevil: Love and War" graphic novel that Miller did with Bill Sienkiewicz. Looking at the contents, one might conclude that it represents merely the tapering off of MIller's time on "Daredevil" (much like "Green Arrow: Sounds of Violence" did for Kevin Smith), but that is not the case. It is the thematic coda of Miller's run.The final issues of Miller's first run begins with "Guts", the most comedic issue of the period, focussing on Foggy Nelson, Matt's perpetually befuddled partner, and the perpetual buttmonkey of the New York underworld, Turk. We watch as Matt's law partner bumbles his way through the underworld, including a meeting with the Kingpin hiimself, escaping by the skin of his teeth (with some help from Daredevil. Proceeding to the main story, the return of the Hand, the introduction of Stick's rival good martial arts faction, the Chaste, and the battle over Elektra's body. Resurrections are quite common in comics (the demands of both fans and writers being what they are), but Miller's handling of this battle remains uniquely compelling. Miller also brings in the Black Widow, one of those characters who always shows up at some point in any lengthy Daredevil run. She and Foggy take surprising action to deal with Matt's increasingly grief-twisted relationship with Heather Glenn; that whole scenario is remarkable both for how Matt's motives are questioned, and the determined solution.In my review of the first volume of this Miller collection series, I noted that I had never really gotten the character of Elektra, whose transition from Matt's college love to assassin never made emotional sense. Here, Miller at last gives the reader the full story of what happened to her. The character of Elektra finally makes sense.The run concludes with #191, where Miller returns to Bullseye, now crippled, and the issue that has dogged Miller's run from the start: Daredevil's refusal to kill him. This is a brilliant issue that ends with Matt's whole situation summed upon in one pithy phrase.After that, the "What If?" is the only genuinely disposable story in the collection, following an alternate history where Matt joined SHIELD. #219 is a gritty little urban western story, told from an outsider perspective, with no Daredevil costume in sight. "Daredevil: Love and War" follows up on the story of Wilson and Vanessa Fisk. I have never been a huge fan of Bill Sienkiewicz's art as many others have been: his figures are a weird mix of photorealism and exaggerated eccentricity. His Kingpin has a realistic head attacked to a gigantic body that exceeds the wildest cartoony dreams of Ed McGuinness. The tone does suit the surreal delusions of a man hired by the Kingpin to guard a kidnapped woman, who slowly descends into madness while off his meds, but less so in the real-world scenes.Overall, another strong collection.

In my opinion, the first volume starts weak because Miller was only a visual artist at first and ends with a few amazing issues once Miller is writing, and the second volume is my favorite because the story lines are dark, and brutal and hilarious with only a couple of weak entries. I was surprised that the third was very disappointing to me, I got the distinct feeling that Miller was running out of inspiration, it kind of came off like a modern Simpsons episode in that it seemed a little tired and forced. There was even an issue that was almost exactly the Clint Eastwood movie "High Plains Drifter", but with Daredevil instead of Eastwood. It was entertaining but a sign of mental fatigue. I read that Miller was forced to go in certain directions with the story that he didn't care to go, which could explain a lot, that sounds like an ugly creative environment.So why did I give it 5 stars? At the end of the collection they include the graphic novel "Love and War", which, after reading, is one of my favorite graphic novels I've ever read to date. The art by Bill Stenkiewioz required a lot of adjustment but grew on me and I became more and more impressed as the novel concluded. The story is Miller at his best, it's horrifying, hilarious, dark, unpredictable, and complicated, and there is a villain introduced named Victor who is like nothing I've ever seen in a comic book before, really indescribable, you'll have to read it.The cherry on top is I tried to buy "Love and War" by itself before I realized it was in this collection and by itself it costs more than this whole collection. Also my opinion about the first stories is not shared by many of the other reviewers, so I'm guessing the bulk of prospective buyers have nothing to lose.

All good thing must come to an end..... even Frank Miller's legendary run on "Daredevil". Volume 3 opens with Issue #185 where Daredevil once again deals with the Kingpin. In Issue #186, Daredevil squares off against his nemesis Stilt-Man. In Issue #187-190 was the four-part story arc "The Resurrection of Elektra" where the Hand resurrects Kirigi who was killed by Elektra. Daredevil once again seeks out his mentor Stick for his help dealing with his hypersenses problems. Black Widow returns with a new haircut to aids Daredevil & the Chase in their battle against the Hand. The story arc concludes with Elektra resurrects from the dead. ("The Resurrection of Elektra" story arc was loosely adapted in the 2005 action film "Elektra") Frank Miller's legendary run concludes with Issue #191 where Daredevil was playing Russian Roulette with a paralyzed Bullseye. Of course there's bonus materials written by Frank Miller includes "What If #28", "Daredevil #219" & Daredevil's graphic novel "Love & War".What a way to conclude Frank Miller's epic run.

Frank Miller and Klaus Janson are an all star team and this volume is just another example of their top tier work.

By this point Miller had already hit his stride, and just about everything in this collection is great. After losing Elektra, Daredevil starts to lose his sanity and the everyday stresses of being a superhero start to get to him. Also, there's a one-off issue of Matt Murdock walking into a lawless Jersey town. DD doesn't make an appearance, and Murdock rarely speaks, if at all, but with Miller's writing, an appearance by Daredevil would've only been a formality.

Very good indeed.

I reread these stories at least one a year. The best comics of that era Miller's finest in my opinion

This is where Miller really hits his stride as the writer of the Man Without Fear. More brutal, less campy, and overall just really gritty. Matt Murdock/Daredevil becomes the character that a lot of people love in these issues.

Great stuff!

Volume di chiusura del meraviglioso ciclo di Miller, non un singolo numero mediocre, non un singolo personaggio non sviluppato, in questi 32 numeri Miller ha creato un personaggio che verrà ricordato per molto tempo

デアデビルの黄金期、フランクミラーの担当した単行本は・デアデビル フランクミラー&クラウスジャンソン コレクションvol.1〜3・デアデビル ボーンアゲイン・デアデビル マンウィズアウトフィアーです。本書は、フランクミラーが長期連載したデアデビルのオムニバスの完結編になります。デアデビルは、自分がレーダーセンスを会得したきっかけである物質を再び被ってしまい、レーダーセンスが暴走を始める。そんな彼が頼れるのは、SENSEIことスティック。一方で、諜報活動中にザ・ハンドと一戦交えたブラックウィドウは、彼らの撒菱に塗ってあった毒のせいで死に瀕していた。ブラックウィドウが助けを求めたのは、デアデビルであった。スティックとデアデビルとブラックウィドウ。そしてスティックに仕える白装束の忍者集団。vol.2にてブルズアイに殺されたエレクトラの死体をザ・ハンドが狙う。デアデビル達は最強の戦士エレクトラを取り返すことはできるのか！Netflixで配信中のドラマ版デアデビルとディフェンダーズは、フランクミラー期から着想を得たと考えられる部分が多々あります。デアデビルの良心のせいで仲間が死ぬ。デアデビルが葛藤していても、考える余裕など与えられず闘うしかない。そう言う部分がとてもデアデビルらしく、デアデビルを知りたいと言う人には是非読んでほしい一冊でもあります。

Bought this for my brother for his Christmas present .He loved it. He promised me he would let me read this book and six months later I am still waiting its proberbly in plastic on his book shelves with his other frank miller stories.Arrived on time and would recommend to other collectors of daredevil products, my brother still gushes that he got something for Christmas that he could use.