Stillanerd Reviews: Marvel Knights 20th No. 1 review

The Marvel Knights imprint celebrates its 20th anniversary, with a story depicting the Man Without Fear as someone the world forgot.

Marvel Knights 20th No. 1

“Marvel Knights, Part 1”

Writer: Donny Cates

Penciler: Travel Foreman

Inker: Derek Fridolfs

Color Artist: Matt Milla

Covers: Geoff Shaw and Rain Beredo; Mike Dedodato Jr. and Dean White; Jae Lee and June Chung; Kaare Andrews; David Mack; Joe Quesada and Richard Isanove

These days, it’s almost difficult to imagine that Marvel was ever in any serious trouble. Yet twenty years ago, the situation for the comic book publisher couldn’t have been more dire. Thanks to the speculator boom and bust of the 1990s, along with some disastrous executive decisions, Marvel filed for bankruptcy. To recoup their losses and stay afloat, Marvel sold the IPs of some of their most popular characters to various film studios and merged with toy manufacturer, ToyBiz.

More from Comics

• X-Men: 6 reasons why Marvel’s mutants are the best superhero team
• Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)
• Marvel Comics announces seven important X-Men comic books
• The X-Men were betrayed by Captain America in Uncanny Avengers
• Spider-Man: Miles and Peter team-up for their first ongoing series

Into this turbulent climate came artist Joe Quesada, whom Marvel hired to oversee a new imprint line called Marvel Knights. The concept behind this new imprint would be telling stories geared towards an older audience, and while remaining in-continuity with the rest of the Marvel Universe, they would also be self-contained. Moreover, it initially headlined less notable characters like Daredevil, Black Panther, the Punisher, and the Inhumans. And, in keeping with the independent comic flavor, its writers included such up-and-comers as Brian Michael Bendis, Garth Ennis, and Paul Jenkins, alongside more high-profile creators such as Christopher Priest and Kevin Smith.

Credit: Travel Foreman, Derek Fridolfs, and Matt Milla (Marvel Comics); from Marvel Knights 20th No. 1

Marvel Knights 20th No. 1’s premise reads like the basis for a neo-noir conspiracy thriller…More than once, just when you start believing you’ve figured it all out, the narrative zigs when you think it will zag.

Marvel Knights was a success from the start. While some stories, such as Frank Castle resurrected as an angel, were derided, the vast majority received overwhelming praise. Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada’s “Guardian Devil” still affects Daredevil two decades later. Christopher Priest’s run on Black Panther is widely regarded as one of the definitive takes on the character. Paul Jenkins’ The Inhumans would win him the Eisner Award. And Quesada’s leadership paved the way for him landing the role as Marvel’s Editor-In-Chief and later Chief Creative Officer.

While Marvel Knights didn’t save Marvel all on its own, it certainly was a contributing factor. So although they’ve discontinued the imprint five years ago, little wonder they would celebrate it’s anniversary by resurrecting it as a miniseries.  Thus, Marvel Knights 20th will not only feature many of the characters which comprised the imprint’s line-up, based on this first issue, it also retains the same spirit as those original comics.

Marvel Knights 20th No. 1′s premise reads like the basis for a neo-noir conspiracy thriller. The story opens with a disheveled, rain-soaked Matt Murdock clutching the gravestone of Karen Page, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Things become even more strange when Frank Castle shows up at the cemetery, too, and dressed in a police uniform. Frank knows Matt is Daredevil, but somehow doesn’t know his real name. In fact, all Frank has to go on is the information provided to him…because didn’t remember who he really was either.

Credit: Travel Foreman, Derek Fridolfs, and Matt Milla (Marvel Comics); from Marvel Knights 20th No. 1

You truly feel Matt [Murdock’s] growing confusion, fear, paranoia, and desperation as he tries to comprehend a world turned upside-down, a world in which, ironically, a blind man can only see the truth.

I won’t reveal what’s really going on, not just because this would spoil the enjoyment of reading this for yourselves, but also because what might be really happening remains a mystery even after the final page.  All I can tell you is that whatever is going on is deeper and more nefarious than a simple case of amnesia. Someone or something has significantly altered the Marvel Universe as we know it, and for reasons unknown, Daredevil seems to play a key role.

Much of the credit goes to writer Donny Cates for crafting such an engaging mystery.  More than once, just when you start believing you’ve figured it all out, the narrative zigs when you think it will zag. But, what truly makes this mystery so effective is how personal Cates makes it for Matt. You truly feel Matt’s growing confusion, fear, paranoia, and desperation, as he tries to comprehend a world turned upside-down, a world in which, ironically, a blind man can only see the truth.

Moreover, fans of Daredevil, and the Marvel Universe in general, will likely get a kick out of what strange things await Matt, with more than a couple of surprising cameos. That is, of course, after the scene at the opening at the cemetery which does go on a bit too long. It’s a really good scene to kick things off, to be sure, but it also would’ve helped the comic’s pacing if Cates somehow reduces the amount of pages devoted to it.

Credit: Travel Foreman, Derek Fridolfs, and Matt Milla (Marvel Comics); from Marvel Knights 20th No. 1

…it took a little while to warm up to the art, as well. Yet the closer I looked at Travel Foreman’s illustrations in this issue, the more impressed I became…[His art conveys] some truly expressive, yet exaggerated emotions, [resulting] in some truly stellar depictions of movement in a static medium.

I also admit it took a little while to warm up to the art, as well. Yet, the closer I looked at Travel Foreman’s illustrations in this issue, the more impressed I became. From a stylistic standpoint, his style is reminiscent of animator Peter Chung (Æon Flux, Reign: The Conqueror), given the lean-bodied, wide-eyed character designs, speed lines, and forced perspective dutch angles. Not only do such techniques allow Foreman to convey some truly expressive, yet exaggerated emotions, but it also results in some truly stellar depictions of movement in a static medium.

Why, then, was I initially apprehensive when it came to the art? That’s likely due to both the inking and coloring. While Derek Fridolfs inks appear appropriately strong and solid during the cemetery scene, they become very sparse throughout the rest of the issue. Also, given the content and tone of the story, Matt Milla’s colors are too soft, almost pastel. Still, it’s easy to get past this, especially once you see splash pages like the one incorporating classic Daredevil covers or how Foreman represents Matt’s radar sense.

One cannot determine a near classic comic book on the basis of a single issue. One must remember, after all, that future installments of Marvel Knights 20th will have different writers and artists taking the helm, which could affect the series’ overall quality. Nevertheless, after reading Marvel Knights 20th No. 1 though, calling this story a classic would be an easy assumption to make. On a more practical, less lofty valuation, it’s a comic which does make for a promising beginning for this six-part miniseries, and definitely one that’s worth reading.

Stillanerd’s Score: 4.5 out of 5

Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks (with possible spoilers)

Credit: Travel Foreman, Derek Fridolfs, and Matt Milla (Marvel Comics); from Marvel Knights 20th No. 1

What? No date of birth or date of death on Karen Page’s headstone? I realize you run on a sliding timescale, Marvel, but isn’t this taking things a bit too far?

“Why does it feel so good to hurt like this?” See? Don’t let anyone tell that Matt Murdock doesn’t enjoy a life full of angst and guilt just a little. He wouldn’t be Daredevil without it.

“…if your guy upstairs is listenin’…” Well, since you’re also a Catholic, Frank (albeit lapsed), God’s “your guy” too. Then again, you did forget a lot of things due to whatever happened to the world, so I’m sure “your guy” will forgive you.

Hmm…so if I’m reading the subtext right, the Hulk is the one leaving messages for Bruce Banner, meaning he’s the only one who still remembers how everything is supposed to be. Not exactly what I’d call a reliable source of information given the Hulk’s temperament.

It makes perfect sense that Banner would be looking for folks like Steve Rogers or Tony Stark. But, why aren’t folks like Reed Richards, Doctor Strange or Peter Parker on Banner’s list? How is it that Elektra has priority over them?

Okay, since folks clearly still have their powers, how is it that Jennifer Walters hasn’t undergone a full-blown Hulk out yet?

And, Matt Murdock is a man of normal strength, he breaks his legs as he lands on a police car. Oh wait, no he doesn’t, because….”superhero landing”?

I agree with Bullseye. His true name is Lester? Really?!

For those of you who read Marvel Knights 20th No. 1, what did you think of it? Any theories about what might be going on, or what caused the world to lose its collective memory about the Marvel Universe? What do you think “the Dragon wrapped around the machine” means? And how do you think Matthew Rosenberg and Nico Henrichon will do on issue No. 2?