PC POST #45: The Omega Effect Part 3 Review (Daredevil #11)

By @Neil4LOST

WRITERS: Mark Waid

ARTIST: Marco Checchetto

COLOR ARTIST: Matt Hollingsworth

LETTERS: VC’s Joe Caramagna

COVER: Marcos Martin

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Ellie Pyle

EDITOR: Stephen Wacker

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Axel Alonso

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Joe Quesada

PUBLISHER: Dan Buckley

EXEC. PRODUCER: Alan Fine

Release Date: April 25^th, 2012

Published monthly by Marvel Worldwide, INC.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Price – $2.99

(32 Pages, single-issue, color)

INTRODUCTION: (From page 1)

A long time ago, I met a man named Frank Castle. We never got along. It wasn’t his goals I objected to…he and I both fought crime and criminals, we had that in common…but as you would expect from a man called “The Punisher,” his methods tended toward the despicably violent.

Despite a bitter enmity, circumstances have forced us into a temporary alliance. Spider-Man…Frank…his new accomplice, Cole and I are working an elaborate sting on the strict condition that Frank forgo killing just for tonight. It eats me alive that one night’s the best I can bargain for. Once, years ago, I went all-out to pull Frank back from the edge before he went over. I was too late.

But sometimes…just sometimes…you get a second chance.

WRITING:

Mark Waid is back in his own book “Daredevil”. Waid has worked collaboratively with Greg Rucka over the course of the last few months to finally be able to release the much anticipated crossover event titled “The Omega Effect”; which involved Avenging Spider-Man, The Punisher and Daredevil books.

In Daredevil #11, Waid has the responsibility of wrapping of the crossover with a compelling story about second chances. That seems to be the strongest theme in this book. Waid explores this theme thoroughly with Daredevil and Rachel Cole-Alves. The concept works well but it somehow felt like it was at the expense of the larger characters that the crossover highly touted. Waid and Rucka worked diligently to tell a story involving these beloved characters but by the end of it all there seemed to be little actual resolution. This was somewhat of a disappointment to me personally but I have a strong feeling that it told in this way to allow for future freedoms within the respective titles for Spider-Man, Punisher and Daredevil.

Rating – “B”

ARTWORK:

Checchetto finished up his work on the Omega Effect in an extremely strong fashion. He draws a young Frank during the early days of his conflicts with Daredevil and this issue provides for the most action yet in the crossover. Checchetto does a fantastic job at creating tension with the action sequences and in the quietter more dialogue driven scenes.

I was very satisfied with each page of not only this issue but also the whole Omega Effect crossover. Marco has outdone himself once again!

Rating – “A+”

STORY:

(Warning: Possible Spoilers)

The story boils down to a standoff between Rachel Cole-Alves and Daredevil after Rachel betrayed DD last issue. (See Punisher #10) This confrontation, which has heavy dialogue, centers around DD trying to convince Cole-Alves that she needs to give the Omega Drive back and to change her ways before it is too late. DD argues that there is no valid reason to live a life of vengeance that is filled with murder. He explains that every super-hero has struggled through some sort of loss and that she is no different in that regards.

Rachel seems to listen to DD to the point of returning the Omega Drive but she doesn’t seem fully convinced by the end that she shouldn’t walk down the same path that Frank has walked down. This was somewhat confusing to me as a reader as to why there would have been such a dichotomy with her character in her interactions with DD.

Ultimately DD gets the drive back and now he is back to square one. He has a device with powerful information that he could be hunted down for. Where will this lead?

I do feel that Punisher’s involvement in this whole story was less than satisfactory as a long-time  fan. Not only did I feel like Frank’s interactions with DD and Spidey weren’t consistent with his character I also struggled with the aspect that Frank had no plan to get around DD and Spidey’s wishes to not take life. Not saying that there isn’t a long-term possibility of where this all will lead to but it just seemed odd to me.

Lastly, I do understand that with crossovers of this nature you have to be terribly careful. I do feel that Rucka and Waid did a very good job at being sensitive to fans of these individual series without alienating them. I do however, wish there would have been some kind of fallout from this series that would be more apparent. I do know from Rucka’s run that a lot of things have become somewhat of a slow-burn, which may be what is happening right before our eyes.

Rating – “C+“

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE:

This issue had tons of action and even some tense and more quiet dialogue scenes. That entertained me tons! I was also anxiously anticipated the last few pages as I had no idea where this all was leading to. The book goes by fast with all the action and if you are a fan of Spider-Man, Daredevil or the Punisher then you are in for a treat.

Rating – “A”

OVERAL RATING OF ISSUE:  “B+”

OMEGA EFFECT CROSSOVER RATING: "B+"