When writer Brian Michael Bendis outed Matt Murdock as Daredevil in the pages of a tabloid newspaper, jaws dropped across the Marvel Universe - and all over the comics industry. Readers were speechless. Nothing would ever be the same, and nothing could possibly be more shocking.
Until Bendis upped the ante again, and the Man Without Fear did the unthinkable. Faced with the growing frustration that his fight with the Kingpin would never end, Daredevil beat him senseless and declared himself the Kingpin. His new ultimatum to the denizens of Hell's Kitchen: Clean up or get out.
Ever the tease, Bendis then proceeded to tell stories set a year later. Fans dying to know what happened during Daredevil's reign as the "King of Hell's Kitchen" were treated to only a tantalizing piece of the larger puzzle.
The wait is now over! The details of Daredevil's historic cleanup of Hell's Kitchen will finally be explored in Daredevil #71-#75. Framed around the Ten Commandments, the five-part "Decalogue" story arc is a series of one to two self-contained stories told by people whose lives have been profoundly affected by an encounter with Daredevil himself. Each testimonial will peel back another layer in the Daredevil story. Together, they offer a prismatic look at one of the most complex characters in the Marvel Universe.
The inspiration for this unique story arc came from Bendis's great admiration for the Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski, and is an homage to what many consider his seminal work, The Decalogue, a series of 10 one-hour dramas originally made for Polish TV.
"Kieslowski is one of my heroes," said Bendis. "I just love him tremendously, and I'd found a book of scripts for his Decalogue (or Dekalog), which he'd done in Poland about twenty years ago. In the introduction, he discusses quite frankly that he wished a bunch of other writers and artists would do the Ten Commandments as a theme. He said he wasn't the first person to think of this, and hoped that more people would do it."
Kieslowski died in 1996, and Bendis still mourns the loss of one of modern cinema's great storytellers. "I miss him a great deal, and I think it's my way of (A) getting my story across about Hell's Kitchen; and( B) working in religion. But it's also my valentine to him, doing something that he wanted to have done," said Bendis. Readers have been anticipating this story arc for many months. "I've been working on it for a long time; I haven't rushed it. I announced it a while ago, but that was premature. Now the stories are ready to go," Bendis added. Capped with a double-sized 75th issue featuring a gallery of all-star pin-ups, this epic story arc is like nothing you've seen before!
Cover alert: A bold new story demands a bold new cover approach. This new look will showcase the monthly Daredevil title for the length of the "Decalogue" story arc.
Source: Marvel.com
TheManWithoutFear said:
#71
DAREDEVIL #71
MARCH 2005
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and cover by Alex Maleev.
"Decalogue" Part 1. The wait is over! Exactly what happened during Daredevil's year-long reign as the new Kingpin? His historic cleaning of Hell's Kitchen will finally be revealed in bloody detail. Framed around the Ten Commandments, this epic story-arc is like nothing you've seen before.
#72
DAREDEVIL #72
APRIL 2005
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and cover by Alex Maleev.
"DECALOGUE"
Exactly how much was Matt Murdock willing to sacrifice in his obsession to clean up Hell.s Kitchen? And what does it have to do with a painful family legacy? The next episode exploring Daredevil.s year-long reign as the new Kingpin, framed around The Ten Commandments. Part 2 of 5.
Retailer Alert: A bold, new story demands a bold new cover approach. This new "look" will showcase the monthly Daredevil title for the length of this story-arc.
#73
DAREDEVIL #73
MAY 2005
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and cover by Alex Maleev.
"Decalogue." A new costumed foe takes to the streets of Hell's Kitchen. Who is he and what will his effect on Daredevil's new status quo be? Did someone say "new super-villian?" Oh, yes. From the writer of New Avengers, it¹s the very, very dark side of the Marvel Universe. Part 3 of 6.
#74
DAREDEVIL #74
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by ALEX MALEEV
"DECALOGUE"
The secrets of Matt Murdock's clandestine marriage to Milla are revealed at last! The details of Daredevil’s year as Kingpin continues in this special love story. Part 4 (of 5).
32 PGS./T+ Suggested for Teens and Up …$2.99
#75
I don't know just probably the coolest covers I've ever seen. I can't wait for this arc. Bendis' final run on Daredevil consisting of this arc and the following "The Murdock Papers" will probably be his best on the title yet. And that's pretty damn good!
