Frank Miller gave us the fall of attorney Matt Murdock and his heroic alter ego, Daredevil, at the hands of the Kingpin. Now, D.G. Chichester gives Daredevil his revenge.

The Fall of the Kingpin is Miller's Born Again in reverse; where the Kingpin once played Murdock's life like a master puppeteer, destroying pieces along the way, Murdock now has his chance to do the same in return.

The Kingpin, with his hands in every dirty pie in New York City, has further to fall. And he lands much harder.

Daredevil begins by exposing Kingpin's sole vulnerability: Vanessa, his lost love. Next, Daredevil removes from the field the Kingpin's right hand and lover, Typhoid Mary -- with a cunning strategy that is a bit heartbreaking to see. From there, the red-garbed hero begins dismantling the Kingpin's empire bit by bit, using a cadre of international terrorists and the country's top espionage unit as foils in his plan.

There's a great deal of cleverness in the plot and it's a pleasure to watch it unfold. Anyone who has read stories in which the Kingpin holds evil sway -- usually vs. Daredevil or his other heroic nemesis, Spider-Man -- will read the tale with a certain degree of glee. Of course, we know the Kingpin will be back eventually -- Marvel never lets a good hero or villain disappear for long, even if it means returning from the grave -- but it's nice to see it happen nonetheless.

The art, drawn by Lee Weeks and colored by Al Williamson, is good but not exceptional. It's standard comic-book fare.

[ by Tom Knapp ]