It has become routine, therefore, for reviewers to assert that his talent clearly lies in writing alternate versions of familiar characters, but the last three issues of this series has demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for writing Daredevil in his classic form.
To be sure, in its portrayal of a Tony Stark robbed of his moral compass by a freak accident, the series has provided a fascinating look at the dark side of a popular character as well as using that theme-and-variation format to address the dark side of the starry-eyed futurism that has defined the character ever since the Warren Ellis reinvention of the character, Extremis.
To be fair, this new series is very true to the spirit of the Ellis reinvention, what with its cynicism and moral ambiguity. But the secret weapon of this series is and continues to be its use of Daredevil as its counterpoint and moral compass, and the greater and greater lengths that Tony has gone to in order to silence this representative of his last pangs of conscience. I will not spoil it, but at the end of this issue, he tops himself.
As compelling as this series is, if Mark Waid is really leaving Daredevil after issue 15, I would be happy to see Tom Taylor replace him, in part because Taylor seems to have the same knack Waid does for imaginative plot twists and consistently entertaining character work, but largely because he seems to understand the Man Without Fear remarkably well.
Until then, the way Taylor handles the two characters in his care approaches the masterful, and each issue is at least eminently entertaining, and I continue looking forward to pretty much anything he writes.
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