COMIC REVIEW

“Daredevil: End of Days” is not a superhero comic in the truest sense; it's a gripping murder mystery with conclusions and impacts almost as astonishing as the premise itself. Fact: This book is already on its way to becoming a modern-day classic. Also fact: This is not your run-of-the-mill superhero story. More fact: The ending may very well disappoint you. Even more fact: Whether you end up loving or hating it, “End of Days” is an essential read for every comic book fan.
The story begins with veteran reporter Ben Urich investigating the bloody demise of Daredevil at the hands of his arch-rival Bull's Eye. Urich attempts to track down Matt Murdock's final secret; “Mapone”, a cryptic last word that befuddles almost all of his allies and associates. In his search for the truth behind Murdock's death, Urich contacts basically every single one of Daredevil's rogues' gallery -- from the elusive Elektra to the dangerously driven Frank Castle aka The Punisher.
This is a dark world where the regular rules of superhero comics don't apply. Matt Murdock commits the one crime heroes vow to never commit -- murder. He takes over Hell's Kitchen, usurping power from the Kingpin, whom he bludgeons to death in broad daylight after he comes back to Daredevil's jurisdiction. Matt Murdock wasn't seen in Hell's kitchen again until his fight to the death with Bull's Eye, who kills himself a few days later. The plot thickens further when a new daredevil is seen working behind the shadows! And when The Punisher comes into the mix, all mayhem breaks loose in Hell's kitchen.
“End of Days” is filled with one twist after another, and the fate of each character is impossible to predict. So many of Marvel's heavyweight superstars perish in the course of this story that by the end of it (and for that matter, throughout it), a violent and despondent atmosphere is concocted. It has a realistic feel to it that separates it from other dystopian end-of-times tales. The Daredevil and Marvel mythos are inspected through a perspective that will shock those expecting something along the lines of the flamboyant, pulsating run of Mark Waid as of late. Many have compared the gritty, slow-burning mystery noir-style storytelling to Frank Miller's unparalleled “The Dark Knight Returns”.
“End of Days” was the product of many years of hard work from some of Daredevil's finest creators to date. The masterful storytelling of Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack crafts a tale that will no doubt be debated and looked up to for many years to come. More impressive still is the dexterity with which the likes of Klaus Janson and Alex Maleev used their pencils and brush strokes to bring out the shifting moods and sudden happenings at every turn of the story. The artwork and plot manage to enliven a book that is impossible to put down -- love it or hate it.
 
Farhanul Hasan, 18, is a 12th grade student at the Aga Khan School, Dhaka.