Saturday, April 19, 2025

Daredevil: Born Again (Spoilery Thoughts)

Photo courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.


Netflix's Daredevil is one of my all time favourite comic book live-action adaptations. I consider it to be one of the best projects to have come from Marvel, and one of the best pieces of mainstream television in general. It's a gritty story about found family, the willingness to do good, and flawed people fighting their personal demons while accepting and supporting each other, that also happens to involve masked vigilantes and undead ninjas. Ten years later, going back and rewatching all 3 seasons in a row before diving into 'Daredevil: Born Again', further solidified this opinion. Having now watched every single episode of 'Born Again' as well, I can say that although it's not perfect, it has, all in all, fulfilled most of my expectations and left me wanting to watch what comes next.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

It has been a decade since the premiere of the OG Daredevil, which makes how easily both Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio stepped back into their respective characters even more impressive. The same goes for Deborah Ann Woll as Karen, Elden Henson as Foggy, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, for the brief moments that we get to see them. Continuing from the finale of Daredevil's Season 3 directly into 'Born Again' really felt like going back to that universe. Not everything is the same, characters' lives have taken different turns, and there's also a difference in tone, cinematography, and pacing, so the show might not live up to everyone's nostalgia, but it's still a solid continuation from where Daredevil Season 3 Ep13 'A New Napkin' left off.

To have a plot for a new show, it's unavoidable that the somewhat hopeful and uplifting ending of 'A New Napkin' has to be undone, and the band-aid is ripped off very fast, with the assassination of Foggy Nelson and Karen and Matt being driven apart by grief. The show was off to a strong and shocking start, but to claim that it survived its rewrites and creative overhaul completely unscathed would be a lie. There are certain decisions some characters make that don't really make sense, some things happening too serendipitously or too abruptly, and there's a general unevenness that can be attributed to the changes in the creative team for each episode, but in the end it still manges to land on its feet, especially after the season finale.

The acting remains brilliant, and the rivalry between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, which takes centre stage, continues and evolves in a way that feels true to the characters. At the same time though, it's impossible to ignore the fact that 'Born Again' seems to be missing a big chunk of its heart. 

There's a Foggy and Karen shaped void that remains both palpable and unfilled throughout the biggest part of the season. One of the most prevalent, ongoing themes of the Netflix show was Matt's relationship with other people. How he was taught early on that having others to care about is a risk and a liability, his inner struggle between needing human connection and fearing the consequences that would bring, and how he avoided letting people in because of the abandonment that he felt from a young age and the loss and isolation he had experienced due to his circumstances. Eventually revealing, both to the audience and the characters, the complex reasons why Matt tended to push people away, how his vulnerability intertwined with his fear of abandonment, and having him realise the importance of his bond with Foggy, Karen, and the other people in his life as part of his growth.

'Born Again' doesn't necessarily undo any of that, but 10 years later we find Matt Murdock following a different life path, estranged from Karen, in a fancier office that lacks the charm and heart of "Nelson and Murdock", having left Daredevil behind him. Although it is still abundantly clear that his primary goal is to use whatever means he has to help the underdog. What feels really disappointing though, is how almost every single connection in Matt Murdock's life seems to be just surface-level and lacking substance.

Margarita Levieva is amazing in her performance, but the way her character as his girlfriend Heather Glenn is written makes it clear that the relationship isn't meant to last. Matt and Heather seem to be in a "dating for the sake of dating" situation, as there's no initial spark on their first date, and no apparent affection or companionship shown between them later on. She doesn't appear to know about his history with Fisk, nor do they appear to be on the same page on a significant number of issues. And it shouldn't really take a therapist to know that someone who has difficulty with opening up and letting people in, who at the same time is also grieving the loss of one of the closest people in his life, needs to be supported and not antagonised.

All of this makes it really hard to be invested in their connection, or to care when it inevitably falls apart. During the latter parts of the season, the way the character of Heather is presented feels like it's almost spoon-feeding to the audience the fact that she is intended to be disliked. Speaking of deliberately unlikeable characters, Michael Gandolfini shines as Daniel Blake, Fisk's sleazy, power-hungry lackey. The writing in this instance works far better, with Gandolfini giving a standout performance as a very intentionally insufferable and unscrupulous character, who rises in the ranks not because of his capabilities but due to his obsessive loyalty and adoration of Fisk.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.
The relationship between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk continues to be one of the most stable aspects that carries on with the show's revival in the way the two men seem to know and interact with each other. Fisk as the main villain of the series remains one of its biggest highlights, with Vincent D'Onofrio's excellent performance and the way the character acts living up to the standards set by the 2015 show, making the kind of extreme cruelty that the Kingpin is capable of even more brutally clear, and proving once again that a character doesn't need superpowers to be a terrifying villain. Another plus of this season is how it showcases the way Vanessa Fisk isn't only an intelligent manipulator but also matches the viciousness of her husband and is as much of a ruthless villain as he is, not just someone who tolerates or pretends to not see his darker side. Something that was only briefly touched upon in Daredevil Season 3.

It was certainly also really good to see the return of the Punisher. Even if his appearance in this season was brief, the chemistry between Charlie Cox and Jon Bernthal was phenomenal and left me looking forward to the upcoming Punisher special. The series doesn't shy away from the violence and the gore, and it was good seeing Muse, one of the most chilling villains from the comics, also making an appearance. Sadly, the whole storyline felt a bit rushed, and didn't reach the level of creepiness and horror of the "Dark Art" comic book run. That's not to say the character was adapted badly, but the whole arc felt like it didn't reach its full potential and was too quickly wrapped up. It mostly felt that Muse was basically there as a device to finally push Matt to go back to being Daredevil again, and to further move forward Heather's plot, rather than to tell the story of that specific villain.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.
Overall, the show is an imperfect but certainly solid revival that brought back a lot of of the aspects that made Netflix's Daredevil great. It starts with a bang, then becomes a slow burn, but it eventually finds its pace. The way it ends leaves the door open for a ton of possibilities, both in regards to the plot and the characters that might be joining Daredevil and Karen next season. Opinions may vary, but I liked how we didn't see the Defenders, or any other familiar characters specifically show up in the end, as it would have been revealing too much, and it could potentially feel too gimmicky. That said, I really hope to see Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Colleen Wing, and the rest make a return, one way or another.

Bringing back any beloved show after a decade isn't an easy task, doing so while going through a series of rewrites and other creative shortcomings doesn't help either, but despite its imperfections 'Born Again' has done right by the original show. The action scenes deliver, the social and political commentary is on-point, the old familiar characters make a strong return, and even though the finale did not conclude the story it managed to finish on a high note and set up the scene for a very promising Season 2.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

ARC Read: Nacelleverse Vol. 1: Biker Mice from Mars & RoboForce

cover of the Vol. 1: Biker Mice from Mars & RoboForce paperback
If you are someone who has been of cartoon-watching age (or of cartoon-watching habit, for that matter) sometime in the mid 90s, then there is a good chance that you remember the 'Biker Mice from Mars' show, you might even remember the slightly older 'Robo Force' toyline. You definitely also know that toy and comic book tie-ins for animated shows has been a decades-old tradition when it comes to cartoon entertainment. This book collects two of the latest such entries, as parts of the NacelleVerse, with the storylines setting up their respective animated series.

This volume includes the two runs of RoboForce #1–3 and Biker Mice from Mars #1–3, as well as NacelleVerse #0, all written by Melissa Flores whose excellent 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' and 'The Dead Lucky' runs have already established her as an ideal creator to handle similar material. It also features art by Rahmat Handoko, Rhoald Marcellius, Francis Portela, Diogenes Neves, and other well-known names in comics. Beyond the undeniably talented team behind it, and beyond its status as a cartoon tie-in, this book is actually an also pretty fun read.

With similar tie-ins, it's not uncommon for the quality to be less than stellar, and for the books to only exist as promotional, nostalgia-bait material. So it was good to see that this is certainly not the case here. There are the familiar characters and lore, but there is also a well-crafted storyline that combines both feeling true to the original and also fitting modern standards. Overall an enjoyable, action-packed, and nostalgia-fuelled read, whether you're already a fan or you're curious to discover those franchises.

A big thank you to Oni Press for providing an advance review copy. The book is expected to come out on May 20, 2025.

Friday, April 11, 2025

ARC Read: Murder on the Books

Book cover showing a green background with a black font with the book title and a cat playing with one of the o's in the word book which is hanging from a string.
'Murder on the Books' follows Charlotte (Charley) James, a successful thriller writer who after experiencing a burnout decides to take a break and go back to her hometown, where not everyone knows about her author status as she has been writing her books under a pseudonym. Through an interesting turn of events, Charley finds herself in charge of a bookshop, as her best friend's business partner Sheila suddenly disappears, which in turn puts her in the middle of a murder mystery when she ends up discovering Sheila's dead body in the basement.

The book certainly lives up to the cosy mystery claim, it's a fun and fast read that keeps you invested. The plot isn't too complex, and it does require some suspension of disbelief in regards to the circumstances, but that is pretty much the norm of the genre, especially when it involves a civilian main character taking it on their own to investigate a murder. Charley felt real and relatable, her connection with her best friend felt refreshing, and the approach that the book takes to experiencing a burnout, needing a break, and to mental health in general, feels also quite realistic. With a plot that involves its main protagonist moving to a small town, taking over a bookstore, adopting a cat, and using their intellect to solve a crime, there's a lot to like here.

As this is the first of the 'Cozy Bookshop mystery' books, the characters are newly introduced and their circumstances are just being established, but the book soon finds its pace and becomes both a highly enjoyable read and a promising beginning to the series.

Big thank you to Severn House for providing an advance review copy. The book is coming out on the 1st of July, 2025.

Saturday, April 05, 2025

ARC Read: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vol. 1: Return to New York

Cover of the TMNT Return to New York vol 1 comic
As a kid I discovered the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon sometime in the mid-90s, and much like every other show I used to watch growing up, any new version or modern adaptation of such material immediately strikes a nostalgic nerve in me. Add to that the fact that 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vol. 1: Return to New York' is written by Jason Aaron, whose Thor/Mighty Thor runs and work in the Star Wars comics I thoroughly enjoyed, and features art by Joëlle Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Cliff Chiang, and Darick Robertson, and it's no surprise that I was really eager to read this book.

Having now finished the first volume, I can say that 'Return to New York' certainly didn't disappoint. Even though it's a continuation and not a reboot, it's a pretty good starting point for new readers. The story is noticeably grittier and more violent than the original series, but never gets exploitative or edgy for the sake of edginess.

The book starts with the turtles separated, each in a different place and situation, which works well in (re)introducing them, establishing their different personalities and perspectives, and setting up the story for when they eventually reunite. The plot worked well, making for a fast-paced read, the art, considering it involved such great talent, was everything I expected it to be, and the story is very much in the spirit of TMNT. I will absolutely be grabbing Vol. 2, no question.

A big thank you to IDW Publishing for offering me an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review. The book is coming out on June 24, 2025.

Recent Watch: Flow (2024)

Movie poster of the film Flow

First time I watched 'Flow' was at the cinema, but upon second viewing I can now confirm that the internet was right about the effect that the film has on cats. Can also confirm that it remains a masterclass in visual storytelling, and a beautiful and tender tale about survival and found family that evokes thoughts and emotions without the use of any dialogue.

Such an incredible achievement by a small team, all done with open source software. People keep repeating how impressive it is that it was created in Blender for good reason, because it is legitimately one of the most stunning animated films that have been released in the recent years. 100% worth every bit of praise it has received.

 

Two pictures showing my calico cat Carrie standing in front of the TV which is showing two scenes from the film Flow, depicting a black cat running in a field full of greenery, on the top picture the cat is visible from a distance while there is a lake as the main focus, on the bottom picture the same cat is running away from a pack of dogs that are running behind it.

 


Copyright © 2013-2025 All Rights Reserved