Thursday, December 20, 2018

TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (COMIC BOOKS)

TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (COMIC BOOKS)

Ninjas! Ninjas! Ninjas!
AHHHH!!!

I love ninjas! I am obsessed with ninjas! I can't get enough ninjas in my life! I also happen to love comic books too. So here is the list of my personal favorite comic book ninjas!

Comic book ninjas, much like all comic book characters, are pretty far out there and far removed from traditional depictions and or real world counterparts. Personally, I am a traditionalist when it comes to my choice in ninjas. By that I mean I prefer them to be Japanese. I do, however, go for the more fantastic and romanticized renditions of ninjas as well as more real life depictions.

When it comes to comics you really don't have a whole lot of choice but to go with wild and crazy ideas and characters. Surprisingly there aren't many Japanese ninjas in comics and most are quite wild in their abilities. Just like the show NARUTO, they're ninjas but they're not really ninjas. They're ninjas in name only. So you just have to go for it. Video games have done a better job of at least keeping most ninja characters Japanese while also incorporating the more wild and crazy esthetics.

In short, Ninjas are a cultural thing, specifically Japanese culture. There are assassins all across the world as well as stealth warriors and covert killers galore. What makes them ninjas and more than just another everyday assassin is their Japanese heritage. The word "Ninja" has been appropriated and applied to numerous characters and concepts in comic books, disregarding the Japanese connection outright at times.

All this is a long winded way of saying that some of these ninjas may not actually be ninjas. Gah! Now I'm confusing myself. Whatever, these are the characters I see as being the closest thing to ninjas in comic books and my favorites among them. There aren't a whole lot to choose from so I've included both men and women on this list.

So without making this more complicated than it already is, here are my favorite comic book ninjas!

Enjoy!





HONORARY NINJAS (THE BONUSES)





#14
DAREDEVIL

Daredevil isn't technically a ninja but he was trained by The Chaste (essentially a group of virtuous ninjas dedicated to battling a group of evil ninjas called The Hand (although the Chaste may not actually be "ninjas" either)). Daredevil has the skills of a ninja but is in fact his own entity (a super hero). During a rather dark period of his life, Daredevil even ruled over and led his sacred enemies, The Hand. I verified with a very creditable source and Daredevil expert on this. His designation is quite complicated (Is he a ninja? Is he not a ninja?) so the best way to put it is that he's an honorary ninja.

He's a great character and his place as number #14 on this list is in no way a reflection of his standing in regards to the other characters on this list. He's #14 not because I like him less than the others, just that this is a list for ninjas and Daredevil isn't actually a ninja. The same goes for the next guy!






#13
BATMAN

Like Daredevil, Batman is NOT a ninja, to be clear. But he exemplifies many premiere characteristics of ninjas. He's a vigilante that uses the shadows and operates in stealth. One of his primary weapons are "batarangs" (shurikens or "throwing stars" by any other name). He sometimes uses smoke pellets to vanish abruptly or confuse his enemies. The use of grappling hooks and rope to scale walls and bind enemies is a staple of the ninja as well. And, of course, donning skin tight black garb and black armor, part of which obscures his face, is very ninja-like. While trained in numerous styles of combat and martial arts, he did receive legit ninja training in Japan! So again, like Daredevil, Batman is a ninja... but really he's not... but really he is... he's his own entity (a super hero).

Just to be clear, he's a great character and his place as number #13 on this list is in no way a reflection of his standing in regards to the other characters on this list. He's #13 not because I like him less than the others, just that this is a list for ninjas and Batman isn't actually a ninja. But you can't talk about comic book ninjas without acknowledging Batman and Daredevil, am I right?







#12
NTH MAN ~ THE ULTIMATE NINJA

A nameless orphan was taken in by an elderly Japanese man. This Japanese man trained operatives for the C.I.A. in various ninja skills. Trained from a young age in the ninja arts, the orphan became the most skilled ninja spy/assassin in the world. As the world erupts into World War III, only the Nth Man can save the world from destruction.

The Nth Man was one of those side projects from Marvel Comics in the late 80's (trying to cash in on the G.I. Joe craze). Brutal and intense, Nth Man is a unique and cool comic book ninja whose time was cut short too soon.







#11
THE HAND

An ancient sect of supernatural ninjas that worship and are empowered by a demonic entity known as "The Beast." Battling the likes of Daredevil and Elektra quite often, The Hand are eternally opposed by a group called The Chaste. The Hand have even ran with other demons such as the soul eater known as Deathwatch, and thus have come into conflict with Ghost Rider.

I love that the Marvel Universe has their very own group of evil ninja running around, but they need to do more with them, not as a group but as individuals. More often than not The Hand are merely nameless masses and vehicles for other characters such as Elektra, Daredevil, and Kingpin. The members of the Hand themselves rarely receive any actual development. And the ones that do receive more character than others don't stick around for long. Even so, these guys are A-Okay in my book!





THE TOP TEN





#10
KARAI

The daughter of Shredder, Karai took on leadership of the Foot Clan ninjas after Shredder "died" supposedly. She proved more than a worthy foe for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and in many ways I thought she was superior to her father. First off, Karai is just as skilled as her father in the ninja arts but is far more level-headed than Shredder ever was. She's tactical and pragmatic, even siding with the turtles in times of necessity. And unlike Shredder, she doesn't appear to be true evil. I really enjoyed her inclusion in the 2007 film TMNT. She's a cool character and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise is richer for her.







#9
LADY SHIVA
Lady Shiva according to the Earth 0 timeline.

Martial arts prodigy and master assassin, Lady Shiva is one wicked and badass character. Originally an antagonist of Richard Dragon, she later found her way to Gotham City. One of the top martial artists in the DC Universe, she has fought Batman and the rest of the "Bat Family" numerous times, defeating them even. She's had a long and epic history with numerous rewrites and revisions. Whether she's an actual ninja or not depends on which DC canon you're reading. Anyway, she comes very close to embodying all the characteristics and esthetics of a ninja. And she's so cool!







#8
DEATH NINJA
Comics do some pretty crazy things with ninjas or ninja parallels. Death Ninja is one of those members of the Hand that received a little more character than some others, but after a few issues he was virtually forgotten. He's a zombie ninja that fights Ghost Rider! What's not to love? More than anything it is the great artwork by Brett Blevins that endears the character to me. The character longs for death but is unable to die. His initial motivation is for Ghost Rider to kill him once and for all. But even when his body is strewn across the train tracks and obliterated under a passing train he still survives and comes back to kill more.

A Moment of Self Awareness:

If Death Ninja is on this list (and #8 at that!) than you know there's a shortage of quality ninja characters in the world of comics... or perhaps my qualifications for what a "true" ninja character is are too unrealistic. Likely it's both!







#7
NINJA
Marvel's deadliest ninja and enigmatic shinobi, Ninja (his true identity was never revealed) was the most skilled warrior of his time (feudal Japan). He began as a samurai and eventually mastered the secret ninja arts to further his abilities. Traveling the world to enhance his martial arts prowess, he eventually encountered the ancient sorcerer, Master Khan, and became the magician's right hand enforcer. Invading K'un Lun, Ninja met defeat at the hands of Lei Kung ~ The Thunderer, and Ninja's spirit was sealed away inside an ancient grimoire. Centuries later the book was destroyed and Ninja was freed. With his new found freedom, Ninja set his revenge upon K'un Lun's current champion, the Immortal Iron Fist!

Sorry for the long-winded recap, but I felt it was necessary as this guy is a fairly obscure character and, of course, one that I find quite awesome! And, if logic dictates that Iron Fist is the best fighter in all of the Marvel universe, then logically anyone who can defeat Iron Fist, i.e. Ninja, must be the deadliest ninja in all of Marvel! One of Danny Rand's earliest and deadliest enemies, not much has been done with him beyond those early Iron Fist stories. He's a character rife with potential and begging for a comeback!








#6
ZEN ~ INTERGALACTIC NINJA

Born on the planet Baltoon, Zen was a test tube baby for a genetics experiment. Failing to yield the desired results, the experiment was cancelled and Zen was assigned for termination. One of the scientists saved the infant Zen and packed him in a space ship. Ending up on the planet Om, there Zen was raised and trained in martial arts, eventually growing into a warrior of renown skill. Now Zen travels the galaxy as a mercenary for hire.

Zen came about in much the same way as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles did, through a creator owned self-published book. Zen - Intergalactic Ninja was introduced in 1987 and has had a fairly sporadic, but enduring, publication history. I picked up on him when he was licensed by ARCHIE COMICS in 1992 and then later with his Nintendo game by KONAMI. I've always enjoyed his sleek alien/ninja design and his badass demeanor. Zen is a very cool and underappreciated character.






#5
NINJA-K

Imagine if James Bond were a ninja and you have NINJA-K or simply Ninjak. A world of British spy espionage and action, lead by a modern ninja is a recipe for awesomeness. To me this character and this story feels like a forerunner and template for ideas and esthetics explored and popularized in the METAL GEAR SOLID franchise.

Colin King is the heir to a wealthy British family. Raised in Asia, Colin eventually became a master of the secret ninja arts. Returning home, Colin has now provided his skills and services to British Intelligence, undertaking deadly missions and battling the greatest evils of the world!

On second thought, this sounds like cultural appropriation, white savior-ism, and basically all the social justice sins that killed Iron Fist. I'll be the first to say, "I want my ninjas to be Japanese." But Ninjak can be so very cool if done right and doesn't necessarily have to lean on the cultural appropriation angle much. Ninjak is so very cool and so rife for cross-media potential, I'm amazed no one has optioned the character for film.







#4
 THE SHREDDER

One of the reasons why the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have endured for so long and continue to endure is due to having an equally great character to oppose them: The Shredder. Blending both classic Japanese armor and 90's comic extremism into one wicked (and massively imitated) design. Shredder is both scary and fun at the same time (meaning both kids and adults can appreciate him), his character being adaptive to both children's programing or mature narratives.

There's something instantly appealing about Shredder (hint: it's all the blades and the armor). The fact that he can take on all four turtles single-handed and defeat them says volumes about his skill level. And leading a group of evil ninja shows you mean business. I've loved Shredder since I was a kid and still think he's one of the best comic book villains ever created.

Oh yeah, and he's one of the few comic book ninjas who's actually Japanese!










#3
ELEKTRA
Strong, mysterious, and deadly; Elektra, in my mind, is one of Marvel's strongest and most interesting female characters. Originally intended to be a one-off character for a single issue of Daredevil, Elektra quickly grew into a favorite of Frank Miller's (her creator) and the fans. Her original saga too became one of the defining arcs for the Man Without Fear and it wasn't long after that she became a full fledged independent character.

Is she a ninja? Well, if she isn't she's the closest you can get. Her long history with The Hand, either in opposition or in allegiance to, inclines me to give her the title of ninja. A master assassin, Elektra is one of the coolest Marvel characters, male or female, among their entire universe.







#2
PSYLOCKE
My favorite Marvel ninja is, without a doubt, the X-Woman named Psylocke. Now, Psylocke wasn't originally a ninja nor Japanese. Betsy Braddock was the mutant sister of Brian Braddock a.k.a. Captain Britain. After joining the X-Men Betsy's mind was transferred into a Japanese woman, Kwannon, a ninja assassin rival of The Hand. Psylocke gained all of Kwannon's ninja powers and Kwannon's badass personality while retaining her mutant telepathic and psionic powers.

I first came to know Psylocke during the 90's X-Men renaissance. She had an intense personality about her, stoic and badass, and wielding a frickin katana! One look at this character and you knew instantly how cool she was. Nowadays the whole "body swap" aspect of her story is seen as white appropriation and they've since placed Betsy back in her original body (sadly, no longer a ninja). I guess it's a good thing? All for the best?

No matter what, I will always think of Psylocke as the extremely awesome kunoichi (female ninja) I first came to know (just like I will always think of Ms Marvel powered Rogue first).






 
#1
THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

Okay, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are across all mediums just about. Comic books, television, film, and there was once a stage play production too (way back when). But the TMNT made their debut in this world through the comic book medium and there they have continued to endure. As such I've decided their best place is here.

I was just the right age when the initial TMNT action figure craze took the world by storm (35 years old... ha! Just kidding. More like 5 years olds). The Ninja Turtles have long been a part of my fandom. Truthfully I wasn't introduced to them through comics but rather through the action figures and then the original animated series. I received their comic books shortly thereafter. While my obsession with the Ninja Turtles isn't as strong as it once was when I was in single digits, they still hold a strong place in my fandom heart.

If I had to pick my favorite among the turtles it'd have to be Leonardo. He wields my favorite weapon among them, the katana. Ninjas are masters of many weapons but the sword has always held the most allure for me personally. And Leonardo is the most "ninja" of them all placing priority on stealth and concealment when his brothers throw caution to the wind and act more like super heroes than ninjas (not a bad thing, mind you). Also, Leonardo's skills are the best among his brothers (Raphael being the only one to challenge him on this). In short, Leo exemplifies almost all the characteristics I love about ninjas!

While Leo is my favorite among them, I do love all four of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and probably always will.

And there you have it! My top favorite ninjas: comic book edition!

Who are your favorite ninjas!

Leave a comment below!

And for more Top Ten Ninjas check out these other lists below!




TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (VIDEO GAMES: MALE)
TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (VIDEO GAMES: FEMALE)
 TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GUYS
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GALS
TOP TEN CINEMA SAMURAI

And for more posts on my obsession with ninjas check out these others as well!

Way of the Ninja: Kunoichi 


 Kage No Gundan ~ Shadow Warriors Season One
(a show set in feudal Japan about ninjas!)


Top Ten Cinema Samurai
(it says samurai but ninjas are included too) 

 Shinobi No Mono 
(The film responsible for the status of ninjas today in pop culture.)
 
Way of the Ninja: Kunoichi 
(A brief examination of female ninjas and how cool and dangerous these women were.)
 
Viking VS Ninja 
(A survey in which I asked coworkers who they thought would win and a story based on the outcome.)
 
Top Ten Fighting Game Hombres
 (A list of my favorite fighting game males, some of which are ninjas!)
 
Top Ten Fighting Game Femme Fatales  
(A list of my favorite fighting game females, many of which are ninjas!)

Hero Worship: Hotsuma ~ The Ultimate Ninja
(my favorite video game ninja!)
 
And for more of Blood Work's Top Ten Lists check out the lists below!


TOP TEN JOHN CARPENTER FILMS
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Tuesday, December 18, 2018

COMICS IN REVIEW: INFINITY WARS ~ SLEEPWALKER #4

Hello everyone! As some of you may know, I am writing for the website COMICONVERSE. I have been covering the current comic books from Marvel Comics and BOOM! Studios such as Doctor Strange and Kong of Skull Island. And really anything I want to review.

For myself and anyone else interested I am documenting each of my articles here at Blood Work.

If you haven't checked out this latest article here you go!
 





The dream has come to an end.

I was ridiculously excited about this mini series from the moment it was announced. So excited in fact that it was garnering a bit of playful ridicule here and there. I am self aware enough to know what I am, a person with very odd tastes, and I knew that I was probably the only one who was excited about this. Just because I have weird tastes doesn't mean what I like is bad, right? Or that I can't tell the difference between something bad and something good (at least I hope that's the case). 

Maybe I can't anymore... it's been a weird year and self reflection points to me not knowing what's good from what's bad anymore. Can you go senile in your thirties?

So, anyway, sometimes these books sound great in theory but in actuality fall hard on their faces. Such was not the case here. I loved all four issues, from the art to the story, and wish there were more. The only issue I found a little wanting was issue #2. There was a section in #2 that spent way too much time away from Sleepwalker and with those mostly irrelevant "Infinity Warps" characters (ugh, talk about a waste of time). The other issues didn't have this problem whatsoever.

Now there's a holding pattern that I'm in. A "wait and see" approach whether enough other readers enjoyed this book to warrant a continuation in another book. The last few pages hint at possibly more on the horizon, and I sure hope so. But I'm not gonna hold my breath as many books have teased such things only to amount to nothing (here's looking at you Doctor Strange: Damnation).

But we're gonna be hopeful and stay positive, and eagerly await more adventures with these characters and this creative team which I think works so very well together.

For my full review click on the links above!

And for more of my bizarre and strange tastes feel free to read up on my previous reviews as well!

 
THE INFINITY ENTITY

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL #2
 
DECODING THE DnA OF GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (PART 3)
DECODING THE DnA OF GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (PART 2)
DECODING THE DnA OF GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (PART 1)


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Wednesday, December 12, 2018

CASTING OUT PODS: EPISODE #003

THE NEXT EPISODE OF THE BLOOD WORK POD CAST IS HERE!
 
Finally our voices can be heard... again. Now live is the third episode of Blood Work's very own podcast! Just like our blog here, the podcast is dedicated to celebrating all things horror and cinematic bloodletting in all its facets. Listen to the Blood Work staffers gush about our favorite horror movies, new horror movies, and basically whatever we want.
 
HURRY! CLICK THE LINK BELOW AND FOLLOW US! 
 
 
EPISODE #3
EPISODE #3
 
Episode #3 showcases a fairly detailed look at Horror Anthologies also known as Portmanteau films. Listen as we talk about the different aspects of horror anthologies that we like, the peculiar format, the challenges, the unique strengths, and surprising immunities. And of course, there's a HUGE list of horror anthology films that we talk about and gush over. Hopefully you've seen a few of these and at the very least are curious about this weird and wonderful horror format. 
 
Enter DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS!
Follow us so you can catch every new episode as they drop and comment with your thoughts!
 
CLICK THE LINK AND LET THE BLOOD FLOW!
 
 
 
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Friday, December 7, 2018

SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACE (2018)


Possession movies are at an all-time height in popularity right now thanks to franchise favorites The Conjuring and Insidious. The bloody, gory, slashers of old have stepped aside (but appear to be on a return trajectory) for the demonic, ghostly, and the PG-13-eeny. And I, for one, am not opposed to this, provided the films are good of course. Though, in my perfect world we'd being receiving a steady stream of diverse horror films i.e. hauntings, slashers, possessions, gothic, and monster movies.

The problem that arises when you have an over-saturation of a single genre is that everything feels and looks the same. What filmmakers have to do is strive for new ways to present the same story. This can be a double-edged sword though. If a movie strays too far from the path it runs the risk of not being accepted but if it stays too familiar it runs the risk of being dismissed as just another genre film. And then you have to account for a fickle audience who, one week, want something new but come next week they want the same ol' thing as before.

I wasn't aware of THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACE until about a month ago. I saw the trailer and based off of that I knew the film would be a low budget horror film, offering the minimum requisite thrills and suspense, attempting to cash in on the possession movie craze. I went in expecting a run of the mill horror film and I came out pleasantly surprised. I thought the acting was fine and the film had a cool slant on a tired premise. There were just enough unique elements to keep me interested and in suspense.

For a little "out of season" horror film I quite enjoyed it.

THE PLOT

Megan just started a new job as the third shift attendant at the coroner's office. Her second night on the job a strange body is admitted, the body of a mangled and brutalized young woman. As the night wears on a security guard goes missing, a nurse disappears, and other strange occurrences happen. Megan finds herself in the grip of a man with a knife. He tells her that the corpse of the young woman isn't dead and that he needs to incinerate the body, cremation being the only way left to him to kill the demon in the body.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

Like I stated above, from the trailer it was apparent that The Possession of Hannah Grace was going to be a small film with little to offer. That was what I was expecting and I came out having received more than I bargained for. If you're expecting the next Conjuring or Exorcist prepare to be disappointed. If you're wanting a little escapist horror film than you're in for a treat.

The strengths of the film rest in the atmosphere and setting. The beginning of the film has Shay Mitchell's character, Megan, being taken on a tour of the coroner's office and shown her duties. In this sequence we too are taking the tour and learning the basics of the movie and its setting. The coroner's office is setup very well as a creepy and atmospheric place rife with horror potential. This setting is utilized to great effect in the film, both the atmosphere and the setting feeding off each other. The place is already scary without a possessed corpse running around in it.

Enter Hannah Grace a.k.a. Kirby Johnson. Actress Kirby Johnson is the film's unsung hero, performing nearly the entire film in the nude with brutal looking gory make-up appliances. Johnson's real life contortionist skills are put to terrifying and disturbing use here. She fills you with dread just lying on the morgue drawer motionless and then takes the horror to another level once she starts to move.

Shay Mitchell does a fine job as the protagonist, portraying a struggling woman whose life has gone off the rails. She showcases both strength and vulnerability throughout the film. Megan came across as very stalwart and engaging heroine in what could've been a "by the numbers" role. The film builds this stoic and redemptive character very well that by the end of the film I kept thinking, "This would make a great origin story for a demon hunter." If Megan would continue into another film dispatching things that go bump in the night I'd be there to watch. In fact, the women are among the stronger elements of the film including a bit part by Stana Katic.

The peculiar slant on the story is that the exorcism failed and Hannah Grace could not be saved. But the demon is still in possession of the body. In order to stop it the body must be utterly destroyed. This premise combined with a wonderful setting and atmosphere and quality acting by both leading ladies made for a fun horror film.

What didn't help the film, in my opinion, was the strange sound design. During the opening sequence, in which we are privy to Hannah Grace's final moments, there is a scene of an intense exorcism. The sound fades in and out in a strange artistic flavor that neither helped the suspense nor added any novelty. It served more to hinder the intensity of the moment. In addition to this there are some instances of strange camerawork during sequences of terror that didn't land with me.

THE VERDICT

The Possession of Hannah Grace isn't anything more than it sets out to be, a small pot boiler horror film. It's another possession film in a fog of possession films. But what makes The Possession of Hannah Grace stand out from the others is the unique and well executed setting and atmosphere. The acting is good and the premise is just skewed enough to feel fresh. Is it the next great horror film? Not by any means. Is it as bad as the reviews say? Not at all. There's plenty to be enjoyed if you let yourself get into it.

Overall Ranking: 6 out of 10
Nude-O-Meter: 1/2 out of 10
Surprisingly little given one of the main characters spends the majority of the film naked

For more films in the current wave of possessions, ghosts, and demons check out these others!

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Saturday, December 1, 2018

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE: DAREDEVIL SEASON 3 (2018)


Netflix has cranked out four seasons of Marvel's shows this year, a record achievement! First there was Jessica Jones S2, then Luke Cage S2, followed by Iron Fist S2. And now we've been given the fourth (and presumably final) Marvel Netflix season for the year, the long awaited DAREDEVIL SEASON THREE!

Netflix's Daredevil has always been a cut above the rest of the Marvel shows. Season One of Daredevil has the advantage of being the first Netflix Marvel show. It was shocking, brutal, and utterly amazing! And it set a nearly R-rated tone for the Netflix corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (I say nearly because they still refuse to drop the F-bomb or show actual nudity save for the sparse butt shots). The hallway fight scene has since become a signature feature of most of the Netflix Marvel shows. Jessica Jones wasn't nearly as compelling on the action front but it made up for the lack of fight scene amazement with incredible performances and an intriguing story.

Then Daredevil Season Two comes out and, in my opinion, surpasses both Daredevil Season One and Jessica Jones both in terms of mind blowing action and bold storytelling. For me Daredevil Season Two hasn't been equaled yet, the only ones coming close being Luke Cage Season Two and Punisher Season One. And now Daredevil Season Three.

Daredevil Season Three is, in a word, amazing! But...



LEGITIMACY IN QUESTION: LAMENTING THE END

Daredevil Season Three is the first Netflix Marvel season that took me a long time to finish. Part of it was the timing of the release in which life had become very busy. The other part of it was the writing, not of the show, but rather on the wall. By now Netflix had cancelled both Iron Fist and Luke Cage. This has left the future of Netflix's Marvel properties in question. With no legitimate connection to the movies i.e. Daredevil, Iron Fist, or any of the others not having appeared in a Marvel Studios film. There is a likely possibility that these shows will not actually be a part of the MCU (despite them saying they were). It's something I've always suspected.

Needless to say, the enthusiasm for Netflix's corner of the Marvel universe, regardless of quality, is drying up. The pessimistic view is that these shows were never really a part of the MCU and will be retconned when Kevin Feige decides to make a Daredevil movie which, why wouldn't you? And ultimately this will be considered a separate universe.

And now they've CANCELLED Daredevil despite stellar reviews and incredible quality. With Disney's own streaming service coming quickly next year and announcements of their own Marvel television shows coming, again, it seems the writing is on the wall. Will I still watch Jessica Jones Season Three and Punisher Season Two (presumably the final chapters in the Netflix MCU)? Punisher probably. Jessica Jones has always been my least favorite of the shows despite high quality acting and David Tennant's wonderful Kilgrave. I just really have a hard time liking Jessica Jones as a character. But who am I kidding, I'm a completist. I'll probably watch it anyway.

Suffice it to say, the truth has finally come out. These Netflix Marvel shows are not a part of the MCU. The whole reason why I started watching these shows and suffered through the shows I didn't really care for was because I thought they were a part of the MCU (and I can't get enough of the MCU!). Knowing now that they are in fact a separate entity all their own takes a little bit of the magic away from it all, not to mention any drive I once had for watching these shows. At one time there was this feeling of "It's all connected! They could pull from any of these in the future in either movies or television! I gotta catch it all!" That feeling is gone now.

THE PLOT

After the epic battle with the Hand at Midland Circle Daredevil a.k.a. Matt Murdock has been missing and presumed dead. Washed out of a sewer pipe, Matt eventually finds his way back to his church. But he isn't the same man he used to be. His body is badly hurt and his powers are gone. Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk has been attacked in prison. Offering to turn states evidence against the criminal underworld, the FBI arranges for Fisk's release from prison. With Fisk out of jail the public begins rioting. Matt senses something's amiss but he can't do anything to fix it until he fixes himself. While Matt tries to heal his body Fisk recruits a new enforcer with a remarkable talent for always hitting the bullseye.

WHAT I LIKED

Kingpin. I know. I know! I always rave about Vincent D'Onofrio in Daredevil. It's because he's so good! And this time the writers have created the twistiest labyrinthine plot around him, in effect, making him far scarier and smarter than he's ever been. THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T KILL THE VILLAINS, MARVEL STUDIOS! I love seeing the classic villains return, upping their game, and pushing the heroes further than they ever have before! The Marvel movies have wasted SO MANY good villains by killing them after one appearance. In this respect, Netflix (specifically Daredevil) can teach the movies a few things.

You know, Marvel, some of us love the villain characters as much as the heroes. Some need to die, sure. Others shouldn't be killed.

Bullseye. I had no idea how they were going to introduce this character, one of Daredevil's greatest villains. They used up Bullseye's greatest moment in Season Two, which was great for Nobu, but not so great for ol' Bullseye. Here they give him a believable and frightening origin and showcase his abilities exceptionally well. I was also surprised to see some clear nods to the Ben Afflect Daredevil movie too in the church sequence as well as the ending. I know it's out of style to say you like the Daredevil movie, but for its time it wasn't half bad and its nice to see them acknowledge the forerunner that paved the way for this show.

The Jail House Rocks. I mean, the jail house sequence rocks! Holy cow! I didn't think anything could top the Punisher vs the Prison sequence in Daredevil Season Two but episode four of Season Three comes damn close. The action! Oh lord almighty, the action! The action throughout this season (and all Daredevil seasons) is stellar and episode four is the peak (for this season. I still think the Punisher vs the Prison edges it out ever so slightly).

Agent Nadeem. At first I was very curious as to why the season was spending so much freakin' time on a seemingly random character. But they turned him into a very intriguing and sympathetic character by the end. I did not see that coming. Well done, Netflix. Of all the extraneous characters in this season he was by far my favorite. And I felt he was wholly realized as a character.

And the Darkness. This show continues to reach some dark levels which always astounds me. As a whole I think this show among all of the Netflix Marvel shows is far and away the highest quality from season to season.

NITPICKS

The beginning of the season felt very sluggish. The recovery of Daredevil seemed dragged out far too long (but admittedly my patience for "Netflix Bloat" has worn very thin. And I don't especially enjoy the "heroes losing their powers and struggling to reclaim them" plot. It's not a bad plot by any means, I just personally don't enjoy them). And as a whole Matt was very annoying this season. He was inching close to Jessica Jones unlikability and that's not good. I get he was dealing with a lot of personal baggage this season, but it was flirting with the edge of going too far.

I also didn't like Daredevil's schizophrenia episodes where Fisk and his Dad visit him in his mind and have conversations with him. Doing internal monologue is always hard to do, especially trying to keep those moments interesting, because it's basically no new information and our character simply collecting his thoughts. They should've used "thought balloons" 😉
'sigh' that was a stupid joke

No greater connectivity. Other than dealing with the fallout of Defenders and name dropping Jessica Jones at the end, there was very little connectivity between Netflix's other Marvel shows. I'll admit that it was nice having a completely Daredevil centric story but, c'mon, where's the team-up episode? What's the point of having a shared universe if you don't utilize it? I'm not talking having Luke Cage come in and stick around for eight episodes. Just one. Just one, people! Daredevil and Iron Fist fighting back to back would've been killer! And with Daredevil's face posted all over the news in this season and all the Defenders believing him dead, it should've been a rallying cry for the other heroes to show up. But no. And now the opportunity is passed! Daredevil has been cancelled! YOU BLEW IT!

Ode to what might've been

Daredevil and Elektra were in a violent (and steamy) embrace at the end of Defenders. If he got flushed out the toilet so should've she, right? It would've been awesome to see Daredevil face off against Typhoid Mary, Bullseye, Elektra, and Kingpin all at once! But, no. More hero team-ups would've been nice. But no. Kingpin's other major enemy, the Punisher! How cool would it have been to see Punisher battle Kingpin? Or Bullseye?! Gah! But no. And of course, Defenders Season Two. BUT NO! So many good things yet unrealized!

I realize how insane I sound but really, I am thankful for all the good things we did get versus the good things we could've had. All in all these Marvel shows for Netflix broke a lot of ground and did some amazing things. They also made a few snafu's but so have the Marvel Studios movies. Nobody's perfect. Still, thank you, Netflix. It's been a fun ride. I guess I'll just have to survive off of Castlevania and Stranger Things from now on.

THE VERDICT

With the writing on the wall (the era of Marvel Netflix team-ups is approaching the end) a ton of enthusiasm for Daredevil was sucked right out. But that didn't stop Marvel Television from delivering one helluva finale to Daredevil. This season was great and it's the perfect example/argument for why NOT killing the villains each time is a good thing! Kingpin is so good in this season. The villains are great all around and the maze-like plot is fantastic. Great writing. Great acting. Great action. There is some painful Netflix Bloat here and there but overall this was a great season.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10


For the rest of my ramblings on the Marvel Cinematic Universe check out these other posts below
 
And for more Marvel, DC, and comic book related movies check these out too!
 
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