Okay, so here are my thoughts. This was really cool. I really loved the commentary on the comic book medium and how writers get to decide things about the characters they write, but how nothing really matters because it can all be undone or re-written later by someone else (I would've complained about Animal Man getting his family back in the end and the story not actually having accomplished anything lasting for the character, but I see that that's basically Morrison's whole point). I loved how this was held up in contrast to real life and how it doesn't work like that for us. For us, death is permanent, and violence has real, lasting consequences. That was a really powerful, thought-provoking idea that was well-executed. I loved Morrison's introspection on his own writing tendencies; I thought that showed a refreshing level of self-awareness and was very entertaining to read. I guess my main gripe is one I mentioned a couple issues ago, which is that this whole fourth wall-breaking comic book commentary idea could have been written about any character, and there was nothing unique to Animal Man about it. We didn't even see him use his powers at all in the last several issues. Maybe that's part of the point too and I'm just not getting it, but I don't know... I just felt like it was a cool idea but it would have worked whether it was a Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, or even Detective Chimp comic. Animal Man was basically just a vessel to preach about animal rights until Morrison decided he wanted to comment on the creative process behind comic books. And that's totally fine, and I did enjoy it, but I think the fact that any other character could have been used to tell the ending story sorta takes a little bit away from it for me personally. Not a lot, but a little. In the end, I enjoyed this run, although it had it's ups and downs, it was clever, intriguing, and thought-provoking. I will be reading Morrison's Doom Patrol eventually, and honestly I'm excited because I think some of the ideas and weirdness in this series will work even better with that group.

Side note: I don't know if Morrison was being intentionally controversial or if he truly believes that "a child with leukemia has no more intrinsic right to life than does a white lab rat", but God help him if he does believe it... What a horrifyingly misguided opinion that would be. more

Maybe I'll update my rating after the final issue, but I just don't really know what to make of this for now. It's intriguing, but I just have no idea where it's leading or what it means. Hopefully it all makes sense in the end.

Art is still great, story is still meh.

After several stellar issues, this one I thought was just okay.

These last bunch of issues have been really good. I love the idea of the characters becoming aware of comics continuity and what happens to characters when they get written out of it, however my only qualm with this is that it would work just as well in any other character's story. There is nothing unique to Animal Man about it, and these past issues haven't really focused on Animal Man's powers whatsoever. more

The art is really, REALLY good, and this issue was decently well-written...I'm just having a very difficult time buying Victor von Doom as a good guy. It's just one of those things that comic book writers pull sometimes to change things up and try something new, but it goes against everything the character has been about for decades and so it just doesn't work.

Art, great. Story, kinda confusing. Writing, not bad.

Man, this series took a while, but it's finally grabbed me.

Bug-Man is stupid, but this issue still rocked.

I liked this fine. The dialogue was good, although the story wasn't super clear to me. I feel like I may be missing key pieces; feels like some context would help. Alex Maleev's art is really great here, except during action scenes. I find he struggles a bit to make it clear what's going on anytime characters are doing anything other than standing and talking.

Oof...this was a heavy read.

Also, seriously Roger? Your best friend's wife and kids are murdered and you can't get out of your work meeting? I think they'd understand.

Yes, it was a rushed finale. No doubt about that. This story deserved at least 3 additional issues to flesh things out more and tie them up properly. Hickman did an admirable job here, but it does leave you wanting more. Let's hope we get a follow up arc in the future, although that "The End" on the last page doesn't offer much hope for that. Overall, this was a surprisingly good crossover that I didn't know I needed but am glad we got. I'll always read anything Hickman and Ribic put out and they've got another winner on their hands with this one. more

Not quite as good as the first two, but still really, really good. This one was a little more action-focused and not as plot heavy. Dialogue was more sparse so it moved a little quicker. Of course Sinister would use the potential extinction of humans and mutants to further his own genetic aims; perfectly on brand for him. Cool to see Logan still alive and badass, and seeing Manifold pop up in yet another Hickman Marvel book is becoming a meme at this point. more

This was wild. An absolute game changer.

My gosh this is quality stuff. I wish this series was at least twice as long. Hickman and Ribic have tapped into something special. Old Man Steve showing up with a whole group of people he couldn't leave behind was peak Cap, and Bruce's line "...if I did, I'd be a monster" was just perfection. This series is bleak AF, but it is so, so good.

Trippy.

This was unreal. Bleak, haunting, deeply unsettling... What a way to kick off a mini. The stakes could literally not be higher. Always a joy to see Hickman and Ribic collaborate. This should be fun.

Well, so ends Zdarsky's run on Daredevil. I enjoyed this ending, and I'm very pleased Chip managed to salvage his run after losing his way a bit towards the end. I'll remember this run fondly for having boasted some of the best art Daredevil has ever seen, the epic Devil's Reign event, Elektra's awesome Daredevil costume, and some good to great writing at its peak. Unfortunately, as with most runs that go on for this long, it wasn't without its faults. Zdarsky's run was at its worst when he seemed more focused on inserting his political opinions into every issue than crafting a cohesive and compelling superhero story. It got to the point of beating a dead horse and just grew really tiresome.

All in all, I quite enjoyed Zdarsky's run, though, for me personally, it doesn't take the top spot in my all-time favourite Daredevil runs as it apparently had for many others. Top 5 for sure. Has a case for top 3 even. But not 1 or 2. more

Another solid issue. The symbolism is super cool, and Daredevil's white suit with the fiery horns and ethereal swords is one of the baddest things I've ever seen. Art was out of this world. This is shaping up to be a really great conclusion that could've been so much better if the lead up to it actually made sense and wasn't just a fart in the wind, narratively speaking.

Finally an issue that gets back to the quality that Chip is capable of but hasn't been meeting for a while. This was a really cool issue, and the art was fantastic. It was awesome to see Blindspot again, although I gotta say...as incredible as Checchetto's art is, he didn't do a very good job of making Sam look Asian... I noticed the same thing when he drew Kirsten McDuffie too...she didn't seem to have the slightly darker skin tone she's supposed to when Checchetto drew her. Maybe he just has a hard time drawing races other than black and caucasian for some reason? I don't know. more

The difference in quality between the writing in the start of Zdarsky’s run to this is massive.

Zdarsky is a good writer, but he continues to do things that are inexplicable. DD cuts out his eyes in front of the Stromwyns, who don't know that DD has radar sense, so why would they make a deal with a powerless blind man? DD enters the meeting declaring he's not there for revenge, but then takes (illegal) actions that show he definitely was. As far as I know, the world still believes the world leaders, including POTUS, were asssasinated. So are they REALLY just going to spring Elektra from the clink and expunge her record? Is the public not going to demand action? Besides,is it even remotely plausible that the STromwyns can make ONE phone call and supervillains get a "Get out of jail free" card? So many implausible events. more

One of God's first lessons for the world was fear? Fear of losing His love? Man it grinds my gears to no end when Daredevil writers show that they have no depth of understanding about biblical matters. Chip's theology sucks.

Other than that, art was decent, it was nice to see the Stromwyns finally get theirs, even if it came after a bit of a weirdly extreme tactic from Matt. Also, Cole and Matt have been far too pessimistic for my taste throughout this run. It makes me miss Waid and Soule's Daredevil runs. Those writers actually wrote a Daredevil who believed he could make a difference no matter how hopeless it seemed or how corrupt the system was. You stare into the face of injustice and you keep fighting it back, even if it seems like it's winning the day. Cole and Matt just come across like they're throwing in the towel. This is not inspiring by any stretch. more

Zdarsky is usually a pretty decent story teller but here he gets in his own way by using Daredevil as his mouthpiece to spout his hatred of cops and his ridiculously ignorant opinions about the criminal justice system.

The story itself was ok, but Zdarsky went out of it his way to insult cops and the American flag. A good writer can tell a story in such a way that even if you disagree with a particular statement, it at least gets you thinking about it or can help you see things in a different light. Here neither the comment about cops nor the comment about the American flag were inherent to the storyline nor contributed anything meaningful to it, it was obviously nothing more than Zdarsky using the comic as a soapbox to air his own political opinions.

Aside from that, I’m ready for Zdarsky’s run to come to an end. While I enjoyed it overall, it’s been a lot of beat downs and moping for Matt, I hope to see him start racking up some wins again. more

This was an enjoyable issue, but I mean...I'm of the opinion that the Avengers are in the right here, which I'm not sure was Zdarsky's intention...sooo, I think it was enjoyable for the wrong reasons. Spidey put it as well and as simply as possible: Matt broke killers out of prison. He may have a good point that letting criminals rot in jail without putting any effort into rehabilitating them isn't helpful or humane, but then start pushing for policy changes and advocating for more effective rehabilitation programs. Don't break into a prison and set a bunch of murderers free. Good motive, but reeeally bad method. I was cheering for the Avengers this whole issue, which, again, feels like it probably wasn't Zdarsky's aim here, but I can't help it. Matt is doing dumb stuff and the Avengers and the law are responding accordingly.

Couple quick thoughts:
-Art was out of this world. Checchetto continues to blow me away.
-Matt saying Spidey is "just another cop" as an insult is so dumb and really shows just how Zdarsky feels about law enforcement. more