In 2005, I found Duane Swierczynski’s The Wheelman, on the “staff’s pick” table at Murder by the Book. A love letter to Donald Westlake’s Parker novels of the 60s and 70s, TW sprang out of the gate running and gunning with thoroughly contemporary sensibilities.
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| Obviously, looks can be deceiving |
Lennon, the titular wheelman, is as enigmatic as he is brutal. The plot is threadbare and the setup for conflict is see-Spot-run simple. All fitting a sparse crime story where the grit is the point.
Infact TW is nearly perfect. Until the last chapter. That’s when we learn that the preceding 230-ish pages were all just a setup for Swiercznski’s REAL protagonist—who you can read more about in the next thrilling novel…
So, Daredevil Born Again…
Like the Parker novels, Marvel Comics’ Daredevil (aka Matt Murdock) has a long-standing place in my heart. I began reading the title in 1981 but as Marvel does, I knew of the character for years from Spider Man crossovers. Issue #174 was the first full Daredevil comic I bought and it was a brilliant introduction as well as a rocket-ride of action. I was hooked.
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| Delivers everything the cover promises |
The story of a man blinded in adolescence by radiation exposure, Daredevil, becomes a masked superhero. See, the same isotope that blinded him also gave young Matt some phenomenal abilities. A hard-nosed mentor trained him up from there in all manner of combat.
Yet it’s a history of violence and injustice that really drives Matt Murdock, public defender by day, to become the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, (a NYC neighborhood) at night. Those books, (about four years of monthly publications) written by Frank Miller, are considered some of the best ever written. Those stories have influenced writers and directors and more than one actor.
“The thing about Matt Murdock is, he's not saving the world. He's just keeping his corner clean.” Drew Goddard, creator and showrunner, Netflix’ Daredevil
Thirty-ish years later and Hollywood was finally figuring out what to do with comic book movies that didn’t feature Batman or Superman. And some folks at Netflix rolled the dice on Drew Goddard’s adaptation of Daredevil. The show was a hit with fans and newbies-alike. That success resulted in a string of other Marvel properties (Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones) debuting on Netflix.
All good things…
Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009. With the success of movies based on Marvel Comics’ titles Iron Man, Captain America, et al, the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) moved to bring all the titles back under their own roof. As a result, Marvel chose not to renew the Daredevil collaboration with Netflix.
Who knew it would take the MCU seven years to produce an original Daredevil series—only to botch the rollout?
First the good. Charlie Cox is back as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. I cannot imagine a better choice. Cox plays Murdock’s barely contained rage against his deep catholic angst with nuance and tremendous humanity. An understated actor, he does a LOT of dramatic heavy lifting with minimal effort.
Likewise, love-interest, Karen, (Deborah Ann Woll) best-friend, Foggy, (Elden Hensen) and criminal nemesis, Fisk/Kingpin, (Vincent D’Onofrio) are all back. Some for less time than others.
Then we get to the bad. Caveat: almost all of the following is second-and-third-hand information. Now, according to sources, one of the myriad series delays was due to reshoots over the tone taken by the new showrunners. Apparently someone thought, “less comic book, more legal comedy” would be television gold. A comparison to 90s TV show Ally McBeal was thrown around.
Fan favorites, Karen and Foggy, allegedly killing both beloved characters off-screen. Blame budget. Blame new directions. Mostly, I think you blame the showrunners who didn't understand what they were working with.
Ultimately, those really not-good plans were nixed. Photos were "leaked" showing Karen and Foggy on the set for DBA. In fact the series opens with Foggy at Josie’s bar celebrating an impending victory. Matt and Karen are present and in good spirits. All appears right with the world.
It’s all short lived.
Foggy is gunned down eight minutes into the episode. Matt, after subduing the killer, removes his mask, screaming into the night sky at the 15-minute mark. Karen leaves Matt, New York, and the show 20 minutes in. The rest of the episode is aftermath with Matt’s new legal partner, Kirsten, (Nikki James) and private investigator, Cherry, (Michael Johnson) all but babysitting a shell-shocked Matt.
And that’s what is missing from DBA. More than Foggy’s pragmatic sensitivity or Karen’s compassionate conflict with Matt’s choices, what is missing from DBA is menace. The Netflix series was poor and hungry. So were the subjects. Matt can only afford the rent on his tenth-floor walkup because of a massive liquor sign right outside his window. He barely has a bed. It’s certainly implied that if not for the deli that Foggy’s parents own, both would starve.
Indeed, the lawyers are always one step from losing their office space for lack of rent money. In every other episode, Josie threatens to cut the boys off for their unpaid bar tab. Most delicious of all, D’Onofrio’s Fisk/Kingpin looms over every endeavor like the shadow of death.
By contrast, DBA’s Matt lives in a fully furnished mid-town apartment—with lots of natural light and airy-space. Matt and Kirsten’s office suite has a conference room. No one is scared. No one is hungry.
As a result is a season of forced conflict. The will-he-won’t-he put on the suit and resume the good fight, is only slightly more engaging than the empty relationship conflict between Matt and new love-interest Heather, (Margarita Levieva). A psychologist who is, ironically enough, providing marriage counseling to the Fisks, (Kingpin and wife) Heather is not credible as the love-interest—the relationship is rushed and feels as contrived as the main conflict—or therapist, who is duped into a blind (puns) date.
It’s not terrible, it’s just not-great with a lot more zeros behind it.
Subverted expectations can be fun. Having seen the John Boorman movie Point Blank, (one of several based on Westlake’s pinnacle pulp publication) I read with the absolute certainty that Parker would end up gut-shot. However, in the book, the double-crossed heister lives to steal another day. Westlake's story rewarded me with delight.
But nobody likes their HARD earned reading time wasted on 230 pages of backstory for a character that is barely mentioned. Maybe it's just me. Swierczynski has written several other books and penned several Marvel titles as well.
Daredevil Born Again feels like Swierczynski’s work and not in a good way. I may yet check out the 2nd season. If I do it will be with managed expectations and a short attention span. Few writers get the opportunity to burn my time twice.
Check out Daredevil Born Again, your experience may vary. Buona fortuna.
I own none of the photos above. All are used for instructional/educational purposes as covered by the Fair Use Doctrine.
