Daredevil By Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Omnibus Volume 2 HC (Marvel Omnibus) Hardcover – 6 Jan 2010

Genius! Absolute genius!Okay, that may sound like extremely high praise, but to put this into context...There abound in the superhero comics world two general types of storyline; the Golden Age storyline which emulates the kind of colourful and escapist superhero fair of lore, and the modern Grim and Gritty storyline which places superheroes firmly in our modern world.The Brian Michael Bendis Daredevil run is very much of the latter category, but Grim and Gritty is a little unfair as there is also hope and excitement and a certain amount of wonder in his stories. But, mainly, there is incredible and believable characterisation.This volume continues the story from the first omnibus (which itself is a must read but, unfortunately, very hard to get hold of now) which deals with the fallout of Matt Murdock being outed by a newspaper as Daredevil. Bendis writes with subtlety and a raw energy that really sucks you into this world and allows you to imagine exactly what a world with superheroes would be like. There's little in the way of fighting in here but when the fights do happen they are bloody and brutal. Instead we have some fantastic dialogue and some wonderfully intricate and very human stories.One of my absolute favourites was the tale of a group of normal people who join a help group in a church (think: an AA meeting type of affair) to discuss how Daredevil has impacted on their lives. For a run of several issues each person details their story and Daredevil remains a shadowy and distant figure as these people themselves become the focus of our attention.This down-to-Earth and very real kind of writing is what makes this run on Daredevil one of the greatest comic series I have ever read. Add to that the absolutely stunningly wonderful and so very real art of Alex Maleev and you have a very fine comic book indeed.And I should express, as well, that prior to giving the Bendis run a go I had a) never read a Daredevil comic before and, most importantly, b) never really felt any interest in doing so.Now I'm gazing lovingly at my first Ed Brubaker omnibus, which follows on from the Bendis run and some have stated is even better but, I have to admit, even though I adore Brubaker's work (such as Criminal,Gotham Central and Sleeper), I'm finding that concept very hard to believe.Still, here I go...

Wow. What a rush. This concluding omnibus of Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev's run on Daredevil is even more compelling than the first (I was just about glued to the pages as this intricate tale approached its thrilling climax). The first thing that grabs you is the stellar artwork, and I do mean every aspect of it: pencils, inks, colors, layouts...this is as good as it gets in superhero comics. Then comes the story itself, which started out rather deliberately early on but now gets rolling like a downhill racer. Say what you will about Bendis, but when he's on (as is the case here), he's ON. The guy knows crime noir, and both he and Maleev blow the hinges off traditional superhero tropes with this engaging, gorgeous, and perhaps most importantly, unconventional contribution to the Daredevil mythos. The popular comparisons to Frank Miller's run are apt, particularly in the story's gritty tone- which matches the darkness and dread of even Born Again (and then some).A brilliant, sprawling epic of one man's vigilantism as it comes crashing down around the very judicial system he upholds, and the effect this has on both friends and enemies...and much more besides."Hell's Kitchen" has seldom been this vibrant.

If you've picked up the first Daredevil Omnibus by BMB and Alex Maleev then you know what to expect and i don't have to tell you of the quality this holds...even though i just told you. I don't really want to give away any plot, but like the first omnibus they manage to make decisions on the character that not only show how they've given the character the breath of fresh air he needed, but keep it coming, and do not let up, and this goes on till the final page! I also want to mention that Amazon incorrectly lists this as including Daredevil: Ninja 1-3 when it includes Ultimate Marvel Team-Up 6-8 which is also written by BMB, but has nothing to do with the major underlining story in this book. Its a great bonus though, and also the other extra of 'What If Karen Page Had Lived?' is a great what if tale, and art by the one who succeeds Alex's run. Brian and Alex manage to out do themselves with every issue in this beautifully put together collection, and if you have any hesitation while being on this page about picking this up...don't Buy this now before you regret the fact its out of print like the first omnibus volume.

This is an amazing story arc that is extremely well-written and Bendis does not take any cheap shortcuts to resolve the storyline. It's as realistic an approach to superhero writing as you are likley to find in the medium.

A gorgeous omnibus and a must have for any big fan of Bendis & Maleev's run on The Man Without Fear. The artwork, in particular, stands out even more in the oversized hardback.

The run of Brian Michael Bendis (New Avengers, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign, whatever other else Marvel event you can think of) on Daredevil is undoubtedly only surpassed by Frank Miller's legendary defining arcs on the title, and this second Omnibus collecting the second half of Bendis' run is proof positive alone. In the issues collected here, we witness a breakdown-suffering Matt Murdock take a look into his past and his first encounter with the original Kingpin of crime, who has just made a comeback. Also featured here is a team-up with Black Widow (and the use of Punisher villain Jigsaw in a quite humerous way) and the return of Wilson Fisk, whose grand plan to take down Daredevil comes to fruition and Bendis' run concludes in a shocker of a way. Though Ed Brubaker managed to pick up great right where Bendis left off, Bendis managed to truly "get" Daredevil like many others writers have failed to do, as well as put to use some great supporting characters. A majority of the artwork in this Omnibus is by Alex Maleev, whose moody renderings have never failed to impress during Bendis' run. All in all, just like the first Omnibus before it, this second Omnibus of Brian Michael Bendis' run on Daredevil is wholeheartedly worth adding to your library if you missed out before.

Wow. What a rush. This concluding omnibus of Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev's run on Daredevil is even more compelling than the first (I was just about glued to the pages as this intricate tale approached its thrilling climax). The first thing that grabs you is the stellar artwork, and I do mean every aspect of it: pencils, inks, colors, layouts...this is as good as it gets in superhero comics. Then comes the story itself, which started out rather deliberately early on but now gets rolling like a downhill racer. Say what you will about Bendis, but when he's on (as is the case here), he's ON. The guy knows crime noir, and both he and Maleev blow the hinges off traditional superhero tropes with this engaging, gorgeous, and perhaps most importantly, unconventional contribution to the Daredevil mythos. The popular comparisons to Frank Miller's run are apt, particularly in the story's gritty tone- which matches the darkness and dread of even Born Again (and then some).A brilliant, sprawling epic of one man's vigilantism as it comes crashing down around the very judicial system he upholds, and the effect this has on both friends and enemies...and much more besides."Hell's Kitchen" has seldom been this vibrant.