Devil's night

"The Golden Age"
v2, #65-70
Brian Michael Bendis/Alex Maleev

we learned from last issue that the Kingpin's predecessor (not "Matt the Kingpin", i mean the real fat one) is finally walking out from prison after years of incarceration courtesy of ... who else? did you think it was Willie Lumpkin the Mailman?

why would a geriatric old fart pose a threat to our red-spandexed hero with horns? hah! you will know why, and not a moment too soon. am just a little concerned about the timeline here, when Bendis presents the flashbacks as a kind of back in the 40s to 50s era (note the Nazi references), and if let's say grampa Alexander Bont spent around 30 years in jail, Matt would be in his late 40s himself at this time. ahh, comic book time. what a wonderful thing. as great as sliced bread.

Bont arrives in a wholly-changed Manhattan, and even he can't recognize Hell's Kitchen (betcha he hasn't heard of the Internet, the iPod or hedge funds either). he's simply awestruck at the Spiderman stuffed toys being sold on the street corner.

"what the f- ?! this town needs an enema!!!"

his old favorite restaurant is now a Blockbuster. well, at least he can catch up, 'cause the movies he used to watch are now on DVD boxed sets, 20% off.

"yes, i heard of this great film ... The Shawshank Redemption ...?"

trying to look up some old pals, he still feels a man lost in time. and speaks some ominous words.

old habits die hard as Bont falls back to what he likes doing best - well, the picture below may connote something else, but we assure you its just, uhm, a killing method ... really. call Bendis if you don't believe me.

much worse, Bont got out of prison the same time Matt's secret identity is being speculated to death by the tabloids. imagine his shock when he learns that Murdock may be Daredevil after all.

to understand old people, we must go back in time and eavesdrop on what occurred back when ol' Hornhead still used to wear yellow. i guess he didn't think the color screamed cowardice, not to mention Teletubby-ness.

Bont, he doesn't know its yellow! just shut up! you're ruining the joke!

how did Bont (a distant relative of Jan de Bont, who unleashed Speed on us, and subsequently, its crappy twin Speed 2: Cruise Control) get to become 'The Man' in the city? why, by whacking a costumed do-gooder, of course. street cred quadruples instantly, and you get everything free. you don't even need to pay income taxes.

Wile E. Coyote used to show a "Bye Bye" sign around this moment

i learned to dislike Bont very early in the story - such an arrogant jackass. Wilson Fisk, i can still stand somewhat, but Bont really rubs me off the wrong way. good thing Matt, aside from being blind, is the model of restraint and collected cool (at least he was back then). i'd punch this asshole right off, damn the lawsuits.

gotta hand it to Matt; he subtly insults Bont twice - with the index finger and the fist

one of Matt's earlier adversaries, the Gladiator, gets mixed in with Bont, but Matt has a soft spot for him, and thus only Bont is taken off his roost and behind bars.


in the meantime, Matt comes to his senses and ditches the yellow costume.

Bendis ties in the introduction of a new White Tiger - the deceased Hector Ayala's niece FBI Agent Angela Del Toro, whose partner, Harold Driver, a man we had high hopes for, bit the dust in a Yakuza hit. with the FBI flip-flopping on what to do with Daredevil, Angela has no idea she'll soon be joining Daredevil on his side of the fence. her detective skills gives her ropes her in into the Bont situation.

Angela has actually more than the Bont thing up her head - she needs to find out what to do with the gems that give the White Tiger power. and why would anyone wear a costume to fight crime. Daredevil, or at least, Matt Murdock, presents her only option for answers.

after flip-flopping on his identity as well (Matt would work well as a talent agent - Ari Gold, your days are numbered), Matt decides to take Angela under his wing. and what a prescient move that was.

but of course, he has to be the stern teacher, just like Stick was. can you imagine Matt hitting Angela with his billy club during training? "Try again." whap! "Again." whap! "Again." "I don't care if it's that time of the month, Del Toro; do it again." whap!

a scared Angela meets him at the designated time and location, which then confirms Angela's suspicions (and also confirms ours that: who else in NYC does not really know his secret ID??? even that bum in the subway reads the New York Post!).

Matt also gives Angela the 10-cent lecture of what a White Tiger is - they were basically good men who were given great power but squandered their friendships because of a woman. so Matt was basically telling her, "don't let any potential lesbian relationship ruin your future career as a White Tiger."

anyone who watched karate movies know the drill - you find a teacher, you go through training, then you have your moment of truth. the first one for Angela is your standard NYC store robbery.

in stopping the criminals, Angela finally gets the answer to the question 'why do men wear silly tights to do this'. maybe.

"okay, now i can rob the 7-11 myself! awright!"

fast forward to the present: the reason why Alexander Bont, all of 120 years of him suddenly 100 years younger, is none other than the Marvel Universe steroid: MGH (mutant growth hormone). hopped up with these pills, he can do anything for periods of time, including bullying the reformed Gladiator (who never wanted to do anything more than be a tailor). poor Melvin Potter. he should have left this city and stayed with his nephew Harry.

and to my mind, i still am half-unconvinced that Melvin can catch Matt unaware, and truss him up like a Thanksgiving turkey for his new temporary boss.

Matt gets roughed up, and suspiciously he doesn't put up much of a fight. actually i should even be more surprised that Bont isn't bewildered that he looks really old while Matt is still in the prime of his life, looking the same when he sent Bont up the river.

then instead of going for the kill immediately, Bont makes the fatal mistake of getting greedy. taking a page from our reality TV culture (hey, just because he's old doesn't mean he can learn a few tricks), he decides he wants to film Matt's suffering. break out the JVC!

Melvin, still clinging to a sliver of conscience, wants to just the whole thing over with. unfortunately, the slowly-going-insane Bont still has the final word. here's a thought, Melvin - throw the damn circular blades at him!!!

Bont wants to parade Matt wearing his DD costume on the streets of 10001, which actually makes sense as a potential technical detail to clear Matt's name later, assuming he survives this thing.

so just like a young Hector Ayala stepping in to save the day once before ...

did you notice that Dr. Octopus is the only villain named after a
sea creature who doesn't operate in water?

... his niece, the new White Tiger, steps in to save Matty's ass.


now, why is Matt not fighting back? why is he leaving the fighting to a girl? the answer, my friend, is blowing within.


turns out 'roid rage is bad for your heart, especially if you're a gazillion years old and the 'roid is MGH.

serves you right, cheeky bastard. you don't know when to stop. well, now you know!! man, this guy makes me really angry. let's hope no one resurrects him as a Marvel zombie or something. the only thing i regret in this arc is that Matt didn't get the chance to pummel Bont himself (that thing about respecting your elders). but if i were Matt ... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!


wow, moving along a bit. hope to get to #100 before someone else in the current storyline dies.