The Daredevils #5


 In which I track back and actually read issue 5 now, having already read the following issue. 

There's a couple of characters in here that do stuff with time - one of the members of the Special Executive (Cobweb) apparently has constant psychic contact with a number of past and future versions of herself, and when Betsy Braddock scans her mind, she will be "plunged into a word where time has no meaning, where past, present and future melt into a terrifying kaleidoscope" which of course, is how I felt reading these issues in the wrong order. 


Anyway - this time around we get to see the Special Executive for the first time - there's also a 2 page colour poster and a text page explaining who they are. There's also a piece explaining why the Spider-Man strips have been dropped (basically, they felt out of place), some fanzine reviews focussing on some publications from Ed Hillyer, and as well as the second part of Alan Moore's article on sexism in comics, there's also a 2 pager from Frank Plowright explaining a little about the various companies currently publishing comics in the US. 

There's a 4 page reprint introducing members of The Special Executive (originally from Doctor Who Magazine) and this month's DD is one where Ben Urich finally puts his suspicions to DD, who confirms his secret identity, recaps his origin, and convinces the reporter to spike the story, 

But back to the main story - I am more and more impressed with the economy of storytelling at play here - with only ten pages to play with every month, Moore and Davis have to tell a story that satisfies as a quick burst and that also advances the overarching tale. They do an excellent job of it here, demonstrating the powers of each individual member of the Special Exec and setting up the next instalment where Brian is being asked to speak up on behalf of Saturnyne. Marvel UK was really firing on all cylinders at this point and though it's taken me something like 43 years to get around to this title, I'm really pleased to be reading it. 

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