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by Dave Scrimgeour and Kevin McCluskey    Writer- Frank Miller Artist- David Mazzucchelli Colours- Max Scheele Letters- Joe Rosen Editor- Ralph Macchio Editor In Chief- Jim Shooter Publisher- Marvel Comics synopsisThe comeback is on as Matt begins to rebuild himself both physically and mentally, however Ben Urich is reminded that principles often come with consequences, as Wilson Fisk targets his loved ones in an attempt to silence the Daily Bugle reporter. Meanwhile, The Kingpin changes tact and implements a plan to assassinate The Man Without Fear's character, which ultimately backfires and serves only to galvanise not only Daredevil, but his allies too. Dave Interesting cover to 'Saved,' it gives the impression that Matt is about to be brutalised by an impostor Daredevil in this issue, and the Kingpin being giddy with joy in the corner adds a nice touch. It's another eye-catching image and it suggests that we have a no-hold-barred story is ahead of us. Kev It's definitely an intriguing cover, alright. Dave Actually, I’m not sure if The Kingpin is giddy with joy, but he certainly has a commanding look on his face. His face at the top left of the page is symbolic of him overseeing all the events that are about to transpire. Kev Yeh, he's definitely watching over proceedings, and he certainly looks smug and pleased with himself. I’m liking the dust coming up from the floorboards in Fogwell’s gym, to show Matt’s footwork as he works the heavy bag. And that last panel actually looks like a boxer throwing punch at the bag. Either Miller or Mazzucchelli is a fight fan, or one of them at least has done their homework here. Matt maybe needs to keep his guard up a bit though. Ha, ha!  "Float like a butterfly,.....  ".....sting like a bee." Dave The first page is showing the tension building within Matt, then swiftly jumping between that and a meeting in The Kingpin's office where one of his underlings dares to raise an issue with him. Doesn't he know that's not going to end well? Kev If he doesn't, he's going to find out on his skiing holiday when Kingpin's goons break both his legs. Dave Yep. This is quite good work. I like the monochromatic panel of The Kingpin's office, with his face purposely shadowed out.  It's casual 'Pink Friday' at Kingpin HQ. Kev Yes. I like that panel too. That's a nice touch. I like the strain on the chain of the heavy bag on page 2 as well.  "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." Dave There's plenty of panels on this page, leading up to the spread of Matt, from an aerial view, standing over a demolished punchbag on the next one. I like the full page panel on that one. It's another sterling piece of artwork. The tension and pace of this story doesn't let up.  ".....Took my time, took my chances. Went the distance....." Kev It really is just an exercise in building tension, isn't it? It keeps on ramping-up and ramping-up. Yeh, the composition on that splash page is sublime. The lettering of the title by Joe Rosen and everything. Dave Matt is training hard for a war here. Kev Oh, yeh. Matt has hit his rock bottom by now and the comeback is on. “Rising up, back on the street.....” I like the steam rising from the all coffee cups in on the first panel of page 103. Dave It's the little details that add an extra touch to the visual image, such as the open pizza box with a few slices remaining. Kev Yep. It's brilliant, isn't it? I cannot speak highly enough of Mazzuccelli's work on this series. Dave It captures that classic, 80's looking cop shop, doesn't it? The way they are all hanging over Ben, literally.  "Let's be careful out there." Kev That's a really good point actually, man. It's like a scene straight out of 'Hill Street Blues,' or something. Kingpin’s obsession with breaking Matt is leading to his troops starting to act up. Switzer questioning his decisions in the board meeting, Lois the disobeying direct orders, it’s all starting to unravel for Wilson. Dave Plus, the use of the constant narrative is a necessity in carrying the story over. It has a great cinematic feel to it. I'm surprised Lois, the nurse, was disobeying Fisk, but as you say he must be showing signs of unravelling and it makes them nervous. Kev I was thinking about that today, just how this story, both in terms of the story and aesthetically, lends itself to a cinematic adaptation and yet, it took 30 odd years before someone even managed to get a version of it on the small screen. There's definitely a sense of his grasp, his control over them all, weakening. I do like how Matt is virtually under Ben Urich’s nose at this point in the greasy diner, basically hiding in plain sight. Dave And there's also that little nod from Urich to Matt's heightened skills, such as telling if someone's lying by their heartbeat and reading a paper by feeling the impression made by the ink. Kev Definitely. Once again, a nice little run down of Matt's abilities, should any readers be late to the party. I found it quite amusing that Urich’s wife, Doris is dressed like a stereotypical housewife in this scene, with the bandanna and everything. Ah, the ‘80s.  Doris is hanging in there, literally. Dave Things are looking more grim than ever, then suddenly Matt appears at the doorway and quickly demolishes Lois in the same time it takes Ben to cut Doris down. The reaction on Ben’s face says it all. Kev Yep, the gloved-hand punch to Lois leaves us in no doubt as to who this is coming to the rescue alright. I honestly thought that Urich was going to go for Lois with the razor blade here. Excellent use of red to denote the rage Ben’s feeling at the attack on his wife. And “Right in my own home “ as well. Dave And, of course. The Kingpin is now resorting to hiring lunatics from the asylum to don the Daredevil outfit and we get another appearance form Melvin. All the supporting characters get a chance to be used here in Miller's writing. Kev Definitely. We're in the third act now, so all the little plot points from earlier on are all coming to a head. I also like that Ben's coloured blue, once he comes back into his living room, to indicate that he has calmed down. The rage, the red mist has subsided in this moment. Just how good is that, “Melvin. Make the costume. No-one will get hurt.” “Pleasure to hear your voice, Daredevil.” And the little, reassured smile on Melvin’s face sells it so well. Dave Then the story jumps straight to Karen and Foggy. There are so many characters, with different backstories, all linked to one person ....Matt Murdock. I like the use of the narrative by Miller here, lending a third person perspective on what is going on. Kev Yep, I like the use of the narration in the caption boxes too, and I think Miller is generally incredibly effective with it, but once again we have this thing here, with the switching between first and third person narration, that’s been a niggle of mine. There's not even a change of the colour of the caption boxes or anything to indicate the change. It’s a little bit clunky and confusing, I think. And why on earth is Paulo cosplaying as Dick Tracy across the street from Foggy’s apartment? Dave Haha. He looks like a pervy Dick Tracy. Karen Page really looks like a mess at this stage.  "You don't have to be part of the crowd, just be who you are and stand up proud. Just say, No!"  Starring Warren Beatty as Paulo and Madonna as Karen Page. Kev Ha, ha! Pervy Dick. Yeh, she really does, doesn't she? Mazzuccelli does an excellent job of conveying the heroin addict look of her. Dave I like how Matt is atop the rooftop, able to hear the conversation. Another reminder of his special gifts before he then swiftly departs. He's one step ahead of what is about to happen this time. Kev This chapter is where we truly get to see a good deal of the rebirth of Matt Murdock, such as him punching through a door to take-out the Fakedevil. Matt’s a badass, alright. Dave And Dick Tracy's career is about to come crashing down to a grizzly end. Nice cut to Fisk sitting alone in his office overseeing the events with a black background, showing his solitude at this moment in time when he has so much riding on this. Kev Ha, ha. Yeh. I bet he never thought this would be how his life would end; getting shot in the crossfire of a gunfight that he has nothing to do with really, whilst also being robbed of his stash by a heroin addict porn actress. It's somewhat undignified. Dave The story at this stage is just erupting into mass violence all around, the nutter "Daredevil" is clearly just unstable and Karen is, again, acting irrationally by knocking Foggy out all for a fix. Matt is on fighting form this issue though, that kick through the wooden door shows the explosive power of the real Daredevil in combat. Kev Yeh, that panel of the side-thrust kick to the downed Fakedevil, and the proceeding one of Matt saying, “Karen” are superb. Very dynamic. There's a lot of energy in a relatively short fight sequence and I also love Matt’s use of some proper Kung-Fu, nerve strike blows that lead up to the thrust kick as well. It really has all just boiled over, hasn't it? You're right, this Fakedevil is an absolute, homicidal maniac. And does Karen prove that maybe she’s not a complete liability after all, by breaking the plant pot over poor Foggy’s skull and leaving him out cold, in an effort to ensure his safety? Dave That panel of Fisk sitting intently at his desk, internally evaluating all that's currently happening, with the thought bubbles giving us an insight to his mind is another excellent Mazzucchelli image. He had plans to hire Foggy? Not sure that would have worked somehow.  Fisk loves it when a plan comes together. Kev Man, that panel is great. The body language of Fisk is superb. I love the swirling smoke from his cigar, spiralling upwards towards the heavens. I think Fisk had already hired Foggy by this point, but through a third party firm, so Foggy was unaware that he was actually working for The Kingpin. Karen’s last actions before she thinks she’s going to die are to steal heroin from her pimp and shoot-up. Very dark and yet, probably very accurate behaviour for an addict. But she professes her love for Matt too, I suppose. Dave These next few pages culminate in all out brawls. I love that back-kick Matt uses on impostor Daredevil to finish him off. Then, at the same time, Dick Tracy is coming to his end and Karen can't help herself in robbing him, but Matt is truly on form and manages to ice pick him as well. That second last page really needs no dialogue or narrative, the two of them embracing says it all, she has finally been reunited with Matt. Kev That stomp on the snow and to use the icicle as a weapon is class. Proper boss move from Matt there. Yeh, that's an excellent panel of the dropped syringe, and then that splash page of Matt and a smiling Karen embracing, with the tears of joy and redemption running down her face, is superb. It's really quite moving actually. Dave Yeah it’s powerful stuff. Reunited. Plus, Ben Urich has found his mojo and has started writing again. Kev Definitely, that's a nice use of Ben Urich’s article to give the reader a wrap-up of the story so far and it sets the stage for the grand finale.  "He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee." Dave Yeah, this is a jam packed, action and emotionally driven story, I'd say. Top notch effort by Mazzuccelli and Miller. They took this up a couple of gears and showed the force of nature that Daredevil is. This is why the source material of Daredevil had to be dealt with this gritty level of violence in live action form, and the Netflix series did it justice. Which made it one of the best ever Marvel productions. Kev Yep. I'd echo those sentiments. It was the most action packed part of the story, so far. By a long shot, actually. And Matt is certainly beginning to get his groove back. He has indeed been 'Born Again.' Do you think the 'Daredevil' series was the jewel in that Marvel/Netflix crown? Dave I think it was. It really was a top notch show. Kev Yeh. I think it was probably the most consistent of their programming. It didn't have as deep troughs as the others. It does dip a little in the middle with season 2, where I think it tries to do a bit too much, but the across the series, the quality is certainly of a higher standard. Dave It will be interesting to see where the story continues in the next issue and how much more Matt has grown as a person after all he's been through. Kev That's a really good point, as well. Or, will he still be suffering from any of the trauma, both mental and physical, that The Kingpin has inflicted upon him? Dave This is such a great Matt Murdock story, suitably disguised as a revenge thriller. (D) & (K) Next: 'God and Country.' 
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