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Daredevil by Brubaker & Lark: Ultimate Collection
Daredevil by Brubaker & Lark: Ultimate Collection, Book 2
The critically acclaimed, award-winning creative teamof Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark continue their explosive run! Everything Matt Murdock thought he'd gotten back teeters on the edge of a precipice, ready to shatter all around him, as he fi ghts a battle on both fronts of his life - in the courtroom and on the rooftops of Hell's Kitchen! And with the post-Civil War fallout all around him, the price of being Daredevil just got even higher. Nominated for three Eisner Awards - Best Continuing Series, Best Writer and Best Penciler-Inker Team! COLLECTING: DAREDEVIL 94-105
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2012
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210 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,798 books3,027 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 20, 2021
The Second Volume of Brubaker's Daredevil was pretty good. It would have been a 4 rated volume had the art been better and had it not revolved around Murdock's numerous, and all equally shitty, female interests.
The core story revolves around Mr. Fear and his attempts to drive Murdock crazy. The way he does this is by going after Murdock's close ones. Starting with Melvin Potter, who is framed as being a psychopath. Then it's on to Matt's wife, who is set up for murder. So as you can see this volume has Matt going through a lot. I didn't like either of the female characters and thus didn't care about Murdock being the fool again. If you read enough Daredevil, it's a recurring theme. Still, this was a fun read. I didn't particularly like the art.
Let's hope Vol 3 of Brubaker's run is better.
The core story revolves around Mr. Fear and his attempts to drive Murdock crazy. The way he does this is by going after Murdock's close ones. Starting with Melvin Potter, who is framed as being a psychopath. Then it's on to Matt's wife, who is set up for murder. So as you can see this volume has Matt going through a lot. I didn't like either of the female characters and thus didn't care about Murdock being the fool again. If you read enough Daredevil, it's a recurring theme. Still, this was a fun read. I didn't particularly like the art.
Let's hope Vol 3 of Brubaker's run is better.
April 10, 2022
The story isn't solidly grounded in reality this time, feeling far more like a superhero action piece than the previous volume. It does touch on some interesting themes such as mental illness and how it's seen by the Criminal Justice System, but it's still very much a work of fantastical imagination spured along by events one would only see in fiction. With a tad too many romantic entanglements for me, it's still a good entry that is built around a lot of interesting core ideas.
NOTE: 3.5 rounded up
NOTE: 3.5 rounded up
August 25, 2015
I fucking LOVED this one. Probably my second fave Daredevil arc. To watch the hero lose everything, no matter how hard he tries, is truly amazing to read. Made me feel so bad for Matt, while loving the bad guy (Mr. Fear). Overall, this is some stunning stuff and can't wait to begin part 3.
June 9, 2019
To put it short: I loved it not as much as the first collection but I loved it and think it a very worthy continuation.
Daredevil, Matt Murdock, blinded as a child and now possessing extraordinary abilities has been acquitted of all charges and maybe his life is about to get back on track.
Hell no. There’s always something just around the corner.
The Gladiator, Melvin Potter has gone on a rampage. Or did he? Milla is struggling with her relationship to Matt, and all of it is being orchestrated from a player behind the curtain.
Ed Brubaker continues in top form as he’s able to handle all the strands thatve been set up by him and before him. As well as using old villains Matt has faced, all while handling the odd point in continuity this was in. With Civil War and the registration act going on and all.
Michael Lark handles the art well. Even if it isn’t as detailed as the covers (handled by Lee Bermajio) the panels effectively tell the story with a strong crime noir style and I love it just as much as the other art styles that mix in their when issue #100 is going down.
It is an exercise is misery and grief at times but it’s astounding to me because of how well the ridiculous elements are grounded.
Matt’s in a bad place and I almost feel bad for loving it as much as I do.
I’m ready to see the hero triumphant.
5 stars and onto collection 3.
Daredevil, Matt Murdock, blinded as a child and now possessing extraordinary abilities has been acquitted of all charges and maybe his life is about to get back on track.
Hell no. There’s always something just around the corner.
The Gladiator, Melvin Potter has gone on a rampage. Or did he? Milla is struggling with her relationship to Matt, and all of it is being orchestrated from a player behind the curtain.
Ed Brubaker continues in top form as he’s able to handle all the strands thatve been set up by him and before him. As well as using old villains Matt has faced, all while handling the odd point in continuity this was in. With Civil War and the registration act going on and all.
Michael Lark handles the art well. Even if it isn’t as detailed as the covers (handled by Lee Bermajio) the panels effectively tell the story with a strong crime noir style and I love it just as much as the other art styles that mix in their when issue #100 is going down.
It is an exercise is misery and grief at times but it’s astounding to me because of how well the ridiculous elements are grounded.
Matt’s in a bad place and I almost feel bad for loving it as much as I do.
I’m ready to see the hero triumphant.
5 stars and onto collection 3.
February 9, 2022
I forgot to add this while I was reading it, so backtracking here.
Having been tearing through Daredevil to this point I really slowed down during this collection. The previous collection had the advantage of coming off the momentum and status quo shifts of the Bendis/Maleev run, and did a good job of maintaining it. But now we're into the Brubaker and Lark era properly, and things have slowed a little.
Brubaker loves a hard boiled crime story and that's essentially the tone we have here. Daredevil is back in Hell's Kitchen, but refreshingly things aren't back to normal. What would normally have been undone by now in any other mainstream comic, is still hanging over Matt's head with no sign of going anywhere. And that is great.
These 12 issues are essentially one big arc. And that's great. I loved that, and though I said I slowed down here. Once I hit the back 6 issues I was totally into it. All came together so so nicely in the end, that I looked back at the rest of it more fondly.
The non-spoiler version of the story is that Matt has returned to his old stomping ground, and found a level of malice and vitriol on the streets that can't be accounted for. Reformed crooks are back to their old tricks, street thugs are crossing lines they never have before, and even innocent civilians are suddenly unpredictable. Have things just spiralled in his absence or is there something for more sinister afoot?
This is pretty solid storytelling and there is a really cool issue 100 thing where they get a whole bunch of legendary DD artists to do a page each (Miller, Romita Sr, Sienkiewicz, and Maleev to name a few!) but instead of it just being for the sake of it, there is a narrative reason for the shifting art styles - very impressive!
Anyway, I'm rambling at this point. But this maintains the high level of quality Daredevil is known for.
Having been tearing through Daredevil to this point I really slowed down during this collection. The previous collection had the advantage of coming off the momentum and status quo shifts of the Bendis/Maleev run, and did a good job of maintaining it. But now we're into the Brubaker and Lark era properly, and things have slowed a little.
Brubaker loves a hard boiled crime story and that's essentially the tone we have here. Daredevil is back in Hell's Kitchen, but refreshingly things aren't back to normal. What would normally have been undone by now in any other mainstream comic, is still hanging over Matt's head with no sign of going anywhere. And that is great.
These 12 issues are essentially one big arc. And that's great. I loved that, and though I said I slowed down here. Once I hit the back 6 issues I was totally into it. All came together so so nicely in the end, that I looked back at the rest of it more fondly.
The non-spoiler version of the story is that Matt has returned to his old stomping ground, and found a level of malice and vitriol on the streets that can't be accounted for. Reformed crooks are back to their old tricks, street thugs are crossing lines they never have before, and even innocent civilians are suddenly unpredictable. Have things just spiralled in his absence or is there something for more sinister afoot?
This is pretty solid storytelling and there is a really cool issue 100 thing where they get a whole bunch of legendary DD artists to do a page each (Miller, Romita Sr, Sienkiewicz, and Maleev to name a few!) but instead of it just being for the sake of it, there is a narrative reason for the shifting art styles - very impressive!
Anyway, I'm rambling at this point. But this maintains the high level of quality Daredevil is known for.
April 11, 2025
One of the darkest arcs of Daredevil and that's saying something. Mr. Fear has decided to drive Matt Murdoch insane and goes to much greater lengths than Mysterio in Guardian Devil. He's a little too much like the Purple Man in places due to his ability to control people with his chemicals but the story ends in a devastating manner that works out well. I like the appearance of the Hood here but sadly they don't do much with Robbie. Sadly, I think Ed Brubaker's handling of Milla Donovan as a permanent end for her character fell into some unfortunate stereotypes. Still, it's got a lot of emotion and fantastic art.
March 7, 2023
Pretty disappointed with this volume. A lot of the story revolves around the women in Matt’s life being put in danger, but 2 writers and several volumes later,and I couldn’t give a satisfying description of who these women are and what they do outside of pining for Matt and suffering crippling disabilities for being in Matt’s life. The big reveal regarding the who and why was also a bit of a let down, as Brubaker gives us *very* little context regarding why they hate Daredevil so much. Hope the next volume is better.
August 20, 2018
Tym razem wahałem się przed ostatnią gwiazdką. Ponieważ historia była bardziej konwencjonalna niż w genialnych poprzednich częściach. Jednak końcówka wynagrodziła wszystko. Wpychanie bohatera w objęcia mroku było jak zwykle realistyczne i dzięki temu poruszające. Kolejny zbiorczy album może przynieść gorzki finał. Nie wierzę, że taki będzie, ale zostałem przekonany, że jest realny. Każdy ma jakąś granicę wytrzymałości.
July 17, 2016
Another really good big installment of Brubaker's DD. I didn't like it as much as the previous book, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Looking forward to the next & final book of Brubaker's run.
June 2, 2025
Picking up smoothly right after the last volume (with a minor Civil War continuity hiccup), Brubaker continues a pretty great run in an emotionally heavy story that seems right at home in the DC universe (yes, the villain is basically a Batman villain copycat).
The plot essentially revolves around someone framing different people (or are they?!) for murder and Daredevil has to put on his detective hat (see? DC) while also dealing with both a string of highly violent crimes and the police chasing any unregistered vigilantes (read Civil War, but then be confused after THAT scene).
The story starts off pretty good, being a noir crime mystery-thriller, but once the villain is revealed, it quickly gets into goofy conspiracy territory in a way that doesn't quite make sense for the character they chose as the baddie. Still if you are down with joke villains becoming serious (which I am), it was pretty great. A lot of the character work was extremely well done... except Milla. She had a good arc going, showing the cost of being a hero on your loved ones, except that seemed to be her entire purpose. She didn't have an arc outside of "plot" and much character outside of worrying about Matt. However, Matt's arc was great and we definitely went places and Foggy remains the solid rock that he is.
Additionally, the art remains phenomenal. Similarly the action is well done, especially in those opening issues and the finale. Speaking of layout, this collection also is ripe for adaptation as it is a single story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. The build up was great, so when we finally get our silly reveal, not only does it feel earned, but not silly. Also the villain redesign was fire!
In short, this was a pretty solid story with some minor issues that are notable, but don't take away from the overall epicness. Another solid entry in DD!
P.S. This will be spoilers for Civil War and Volume 1, but if you have read those, will clear things up. The DD arrested in Civil War was supposed to be Danny while he was posing as DD. Does this make sense for how he acted in Civil War? No. But that explains why DD is still able to do his thing, while not referencing his arrest in the negative zone. He was just in Spain tracking down Vanessa at the time. So if there is any confusion in this volume, now you know.
The plot essentially revolves around someone framing different people (or are they?!) for murder and Daredevil has to put on his detective hat (see? DC) while also dealing with both a string of highly violent crimes and the police chasing any unregistered vigilantes (read Civil War, but then be confused after THAT scene).
The story starts off pretty good, being a noir crime mystery-thriller, but once the villain is revealed, it quickly gets into goofy conspiracy territory in a way that doesn't quite make sense for the character they chose as the baddie. Still if you are down with joke villains becoming serious (which I am), it was pretty great. A lot of the character work was extremely well done... except Milla. She had a good arc going, showing the cost of being a hero on your loved ones, except that seemed to be her entire purpose. She didn't have an arc outside of "plot" and much character outside of worrying about Matt. However, Matt's arc was great and we definitely went places and Foggy remains the solid rock that he is.
Additionally, the art remains phenomenal. Similarly the action is well done, especially in those opening issues and the finale. Speaking of layout, this collection also is ripe for adaptation as it is a single story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. The build up was great, so when we finally get our silly reveal, not only does it feel earned, but not silly. Also the villain redesign was fire!
In short, this was a pretty solid story with some minor issues that are notable, but don't take away from the overall epicness. Another solid entry in DD!
P.S. This will be spoilers for Civil War and Volume 1, but if you have read those, will clear things up. The DD arrested in Civil War was supposed to be Danny while he was posing as DD. Does this make sense for how he acted in Civil War? No. But that explains why DD is still able to do his thing, while not referencing his arrest in the negative zone. He was just in Spain tracking down Vanessa at the time. So if there is any confusion in this volume, now you know.
September 14, 2020
Chyba najbardziej emocjonalny tom przy jednoczesnej całkowitej winie Murdocka (masz inne zdanie, pisz w komentarzu). Kiedy ktoś ujawnia twoją tajną tożsamość, a Ty cudem formalnie udowadniasz, iż nie jesteś tym bohaterem, to i tak pozostaje to co nieformalne, czyli domysły. A te starczą wrogom DD, do podjęcia pewnych kroków. I teraz uważam za skrajną głupotę i absolutne samolubstwo wiązanie się w takim czasie z jakąkolwiek kobietą, tym bardziej niewidomą. Zatem tragedia jakiej jesteśmy tu świadkiem jest winą Matta. Na przestrzeni całej serii jaka zaczęła się w 1998 r. moje wyobrażenie na temat prawnika przeszło z nieszczęśnika, który jednocześnie walczy o miasto i szuka miłości na narcystycznego dupka, który ma tam jakieś wyrzuty sumienia, ale nadal popełnia te same błędy i nie wyciąga z nich wniosków. Nie wierzycie, przeczytajcie kolejny tom.
Gladiator wariuje przed opuszczeniem więzienia i Matt słusznie wnioskuje, że ktoś na niego wpływa. Przeciwnik prowadzi wyrafinowaną grę, która zmusi Daredevila do rzeczy, których normalnie by nie robił. Wróg uderzy tam gdzie boli najbardziej. Milla to typowy case w życiu Murdocka. Wielka miłość, która kończy się źle, choć w innej konwencji niż dotychczas. Nadal się to świetnie czyta, bo DD to przede wszystkim klimat i relacje, ale nie brak tu też standardowej młócki. Brubaker kończy ten tom bardzo dołująco, wręcz przytłaczająco, a to coś czego się nie spodziewałem. Czy warto? Mimo kilku wad jak najbardziej, choć w zasadzie poza kilkoma wątkami wszystko odbywało się raczej przewidywalnie.
Gladiator wariuje przed opuszczeniem więzienia i Matt słusznie wnioskuje, że ktoś na niego wpływa. Przeciwnik prowadzi wyrafinowaną grę, która zmusi Daredevila do rzeczy, których normalnie by nie robił. Wróg uderzy tam gdzie boli najbardziej. Milla to typowy case w życiu Murdocka. Wielka miłość, która kończy się źle, choć w innej konwencji niż dotychczas. Nadal się to świetnie czyta, bo DD to przede wszystkim klimat i relacje, ale nie brak tu też standardowej młócki. Brubaker kończy ten tom bardzo dołująco, wręcz przytłaczająco, a to coś czego się nie spodziewałem. Czy warto? Mimo kilku wad jak najbardziej, choć w zasadzie poza kilkoma wątkami wszystko odbywało się raczej przewidywalnie.
November 10, 2023
Poor Matt Murdock. Things go from bad to worse for ol' Daredevil this time out. He may be a free man who has fooled some of the public into thinking that he is not Daredevil, but every villain knows the score and is intent on making him and his loved ones pay. His wife, Milla Donovan, is the target this time out.
We see lots of great vintage villains throughout this book, from the Gladiator to the Enforcers to Mister Fear. Mister Fear is the main adversary for Daredevil this time out, and I never pegged him as a big leaguer until now. Neither did The Hood for that matter. I loved seeing the Wrecking Crew working separately and together, as I have always been a sucker for them. Blame it on the original Secret Wars mini-series.
As always, Brubaker brings the goods, resulting in a bleary eyed morning the next day. I usually don't start reading comic books until my kids go to sleep, maybe around 9 o'clock. I could not put the book down, having to stay up well past my bedtime to finish it. Like any late night that was worth it, I have no regrets. Michael Lark and Matt Hollingsworth's hard-edged pencil and color art perfectly compliment the white-knuckled proceedings.
Issue 100 was great, featuring a drugged/gassed Daredevil hallucinating and reliving various parts of his life, or warped versions of them at least. His hallucinations are all done by different artists (listed above), and I loved it. I guess the kids would call this a “comic jam”. Daredevil is pushed to his outermost edge, and you see more and more cracks in his sanity with each new twist.
We see lots of great vintage villains throughout this book, from the Gladiator to the Enforcers to Mister Fear. Mister Fear is the main adversary for Daredevil this time out, and I never pegged him as a big leaguer until now. Neither did The Hood for that matter. I loved seeing the Wrecking Crew working separately and together, as I have always been a sucker for them. Blame it on the original Secret Wars mini-series.
As always, Brubaker brings the goods, resulting in a bleary eyed morning the next day. I usually don't start reading comic books until my kids go to sleep, maybe around 9 o'clock. I could not put the book down, having to stay up well past my bedtime to finish it. Like any late night that was worth it, I have no regrets. Michael Lark and Matt Hollingsworth's hard-edged pencil and color art perfectly compliment the white-knuckled proceedings.
Issue 100 was great, featuring a drugged/gassed Daredevil hallucinating and reliving various parts of his life, or warped versions of them at least. His hallucinations are all done by different artists (listed above), and I loved it. I guess the kids would call this a “comic jam”. Daredevil is pushed to his outermost edge, and you see more and more cracks in his sanity with each new twist.
November 16, 2017
I’m sure I might have liked this when I was younger, but the fridging that occurs during this run borders on disgusting.
No, actually it’s pretty fucking gross. Milla is nothing for a prop to hurt Matt. She has no agency, has nothing outside of her marriage to Matt.
Maybe if we weren’t rooting for Matt to win I would have been able to stomach it more. But he’s running around like a chicken with his head cut off and being extremely selfish and neglecting everyone he cares about. And yeah, he’s a superhero, BUT HE’S NOT EVEN PROTECTING HELL’S KITCHEN EITHER. He’s just weeping that he’s failing but not acknowledging that he might be the problem.
Even that doesn’t adequately explain how I feel. Idk man. We’ll see how it goes from here.
No, actually it’s pretty fucking gross. Milla is nothing for a prop to hurt Matt. She has no agency, has nothing outside of her marriage to Matt.
Maybe if we weren’t rooting for Matt to win I would have been able to stomach it more. But he’s running around like a chicken with his head cut off and being extremely selfish and neglecting everyone he cares about. And yeah, he’s a superhero, BUT HE’S NOT EVEN PROTECTING HELL’S KITCHEN EITHER. He’s just weeping that he’s failing but not acknowledging that he might be the problem.
Even that doesn’t adequately explain how I feel. Idk man. We’ll see how it goes from here.
July 26, 2025
Brubaker is one of my favorite comic writers. Daredevil is one of my favorite superheroes. This should be a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, I didn’t love this arc of Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. I think DD is best when it is the least supernatural and here there’s a lot supernatural stuff.
Scarecrow . . . I mean, Mr. Fear is using a toxin gas to go after everyone Batman . . . I mean, Daredevil cares about. An inmate that DD had apprehended snaps and kills someone. Milla, Matt’s wife, even accidentally kills someone. Matt himself goes off on some police officers.
The art is good. The story is fine . . . But this isn’t quite as good as the Bendis/Maleev run.
Unfortunately, I didn’t love this arc of Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. I think DD is best when it is the least supernatural and here there’s a lot supernatural stuff.
Scarecrow . . . I mean, Mr. Fear is using a toxin gas to go after everyone Batman . . . I mean, Daredevil cares about. An inmate that DD had apprehended snaps and kills someone. Milla, Matt’s wife, even accidentally kills someone. Matt himself goes off on some police officers.
The art is good. The story is fine . . . But this isn’t quite as good as the Bendis/Maleev run.
November 18, 2024
Another solid entry in this series! I felt very similar about this book as I did the first one. First half was quite good all around, but second half didn’t live up to the hype.
First half had great drama, mystery, and action.
I felt the second half got a bit repetitive and the ending was anticlimactic.
First half had great drama, mystery, and action.
I felt the second half got a bit repetitive and the ending was anticlimactic.
January 28, 2025
Brubaker really had to twist the knife slowly on poor Matt.
Regarding this edition, I have to congratulate Marvel for shoe-horning some silver age issue to explain the origin of Mister Fear or include some random single-issue story like they loved to do in some of the collected editions of the Bendis-era DD.
Regarding this edition, I have to congratulate Marvel for shoe-horning some silver age issue to explain the origin of Mister Fear or include some random single-issue story like they loved to do in some of the collected editions of the Bendis-era DD.
July 14, 2021
Didn't hit as hard as the first volume, maybe because the ending fizzled out a little - not saying it needed to end with a big fight, because it doesn't, but something didn't sit well about it and the villain's masterplan. Still, a very enjoyable read.
Read
September 19, 2021You know, I’m not really enjoying Brubaker’s Daredevil. It’s fine while I’m reading it and not exactly boring, but the stories are just predictable. Dark vigilante stuff with lots of personal struggles we’ve seen before. Maybe I’m over Brubaker as a writer.
January 28, 2025
Matt is really pushed to the edge and the villain is this and is literally just on reverse flash levels of hating him. Definitely great not as amazing as the last collection but still fantastic work for daredevil.
March 19, 2025
The rawest and most broken down I have ever seen Matt Murdock.. if you’ve ever read a daredevil book, you know that is saying something. Brubaker’s pacing kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The final arc with Dr. fear is one of the best daredevil arcs. I have read yet.
July 3, 2017
4.5 stars
December 2, 2017
Wow. Brubakerův run je asi ještě lepší než Bendisův. Tato část spíš jen využívá superhrdinské pozadí pro vyprávění celkem komorního příběhu.
March 24, 2019
Gran, gran comic. Menos dinámico que el tomo 1, pero aún así, de lo mejor que puede dar un comic de superheroes.
Read
February 1, 2021Pretty good! Maybe a little too much mind control and an
September 28, 2023
por fin terminé, después de ni leer durante un mes jajaja está muy buenooooo todo se va al carajo :( ya solo me falta el volumen 3
Read
May 18, 2025Some great stuff but Milla's ending was so awful jesus christ
January 22, 2026
10/10
April 10, 2022
i heavily dislike how brubaker handles milla
May 17, 2013
Hmmm. Still not sure I totally "get" Daredevil, but I'm beginning to warm to him, even if his enemies seem more organised and purposeful than he does. Although to be fair, that's understandable, given the headspace we see Matt in here... and I'll admit to liking him more once the gloves are well and truly off. (I'd appreciate any pointers on what to read to get a hang of his relationship with The Punisher, anyone? Bueller?) That said, I have to agree with Anton on the yay!factor of a criminal whose plan has a clear and decent chance of success throughout. The overall mood and tone of Lark's artwork is really growing on me, and yeah, I can't fault Brubaker's storytelling. I started reading this not expecting to get all that much out of it, but now I'm itching for vol 3.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews