Comics Over Time

Murdock and Marvel: 2003 Part 2

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Episode 65 - Murdock and Marvel: 2003 Part 2

It was a crazy year in America, with the Gulf War and the Patriot Act in the news, and over a billion dollars spent on comic-based movies.  But in the actual world of American comics, 2003 was that most beautiful to things – a stable, productive year filled with fantastic and influential stories.   

This is part 2 of the podcast. that will feature the year in Daredevil, the Spotlight story and the Takeaway for 2003.

 

The Year in Daredevil 

Appearances:  Daredevil #39-53, Daredevil: The Target #1, Ultimate Daredevil and Electra #1-4, Daredevil: The Movie #1, Paradise X #7-11 and X, Exiles #20 and #25, Alias #18 and #24, Marvel Universe: The End #1-6, Ultimate X-Men #36, Captain America #19 and Punisher #33-34 

Writing: Brian Michael Bendis (#39-50), David Mack (#51-53)  

Pencils: Manuel Gutierrez (#39), Terry Dodson (#40), Alex Maleev (#41-50), David Mack (#51-53) 

Inks: Manuel Gutierrez (#39), Rachel Dodson (#40), Alex Maleev (#41-50), David Mack (#51-53)

  • The year begins with the named story that started at the end of 2002 “The Trial of the Century” but this isn’t the trial we’ve had story leaning up to. Instead, Luke Cage urges and eventually convinces Matt Murdock to defend Hector Ayala aka the White Tiger who recently get back into the costume and in a failed attempt to stop a robbery get arrested for a police officer who was shot and killed. 
  • The trial doesn’t go particularly well despite the fact Ayala is innocent. Murdock’s defense included calling superheroes like Reed Richards, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones before Ayala himself takes the stand. During cross examination, Ayala loses his cool and lashes out in anger and frustration about how no one understands (superheroes).  
  • This story tragically comes to an end with Hector Ayala convicted of murder. Dismayed over the conviction and assurances by Murdock he will go free, Hector attempts to flee the courthouse rather than being taken into custody and is gunned down by police on the stairs of the courthouse. 
  • Starting in March, we get the storyline Lowlife in which The Owl has taken over part of the Kingpin’s old territory and is selling a drug MGH (Mutant Growth Hormone). He’s also trying to get incriminating evidence on Matt Murdock/Daredevil. Also, in this story we meet Milla Donovan, a blind woman Daredevil saves from get hit by a truck – who falls for the hero and befriends Matt Murdock (since he’s Daredevil) 
  • Uri Rosenthal, the Globe newspaper owner whom Matt Murdock is suing is found dead at home and Murdock is taken into custody for questions during his date with Milla. Matt tries to apologize to Milla for their interrupted date, takes down the Owl as Daredevil and learns that the Kingpin is back in town. 
  • This then leads directly into the story “Hardcore” and the return of Typhoid Mary. Kingpin is amassing power again and needs a distraction for Matt Murdock / Daredevil so he pulls Mary for her “normal” life as a soap opera star. Her distraction, it turns out, is showing up during Milla and Matt’s walk for lunch and setting Matt on fire. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage help Matt subdue Mary while keeping Milla safe. With Mary in jail, Bullseye talks Kingpin into giving him another shot at Daredevil which turns out to be a shot at Milla. Daredevil saves her (and carves a crosshair tattoo into Bullseye’s forehead) and angrily turns his sights on Kingpin. 
  • This culminates in another epic showdown between Kingpin and Daredevil in issue 50 of Daredevil worthy of our spotlight this week. 
  • The year ends with writer/artist David Mack along with character Maya Lopez’s Echo returning in the first three parts of the Echo storyline that we’ll be saving for next year. 

    • This Week's Spotlight: Daredevil volume 2 #50 October 2003 “Hardcore Part 5”

    Recap

    Why We Picked This Story

    Daredevil Rapid Fire Questions

    The Takeaway

    Even as we leave behind the grimdark of the ‘90s, Marvel’s Supreme Power, DC’s Red Son and Image’s Invincible lead us from an age of sex and violence into an age of cynicism and moral ambiguity.

    Questions or comments

    We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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    THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING CREATORS AND RESOURCES 

    Music: Our theme music is by the very talented Lesfm.  You can find more about them and their music at https://pixabay.com/users/lesfm-22579021/. 

    The Grand Comics Database: Dan uses custom queries against a downloadable copy of the GCD to construct his publisher, title and creator charts. 

    Comichron: Our source for comic book sales data. 

    Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History 

    DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle 

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_English-language_comics 

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Marvel_Comics_superhero_debuts 

    https://comicbookreadingorders.com/marvel/event-timeline/ 

    https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-awards/past-recipients/past-recipients-1990s/ 

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    Comics Over TimeBy Duane Eckholm and Dan Newland