One Wins. One Dies. Daredevil #181

Frank Miller and Klaus Janson's Daredevil #181 gave Marvel one of its most shocking deaths and one of its greatest single comics.

"Bullseye vs. Elektra. One wins. One dies." In 1982, Daredevil #181 delivered on that cover blurb with a story readers never forgot. Here's how a young cartoonist steeped in Will Eisner and Raymond Chandler built to that moment over 16 months, and why the issue still works on nearly every level. (Marvel's own 2001 poll of the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time ranked it #21.)

If you enjoy it, please like and subscribe, and leave a comment letting me know what you think. Where were you when Elektra died?

0:00 Intro

0:30 Chapter 1: The Legend Is True

1:34 Chapter 2: From Colan to Miller

4:40 Chapter 3: Bullseye in the Cage

6:24 Chapter 4: The Net Tightens

7:50 Chapter 5: One Wins. One Dies.

9:08 Chapter 6: The High Wire

11:26 Chapter 7: Why It Still Matters

13:12 Credits

Story discussed:

Daredevil #181, "Last Hand" (Marvel, April 1982). Story: Frank Miller. Finished art: Klaus Janson. Letters: Joe Rosen. Editor: Denny O'Neil.

Also discussed:

Daredevil #158 (May 1979), #164 (May 1980, written by the late Roger McKenzie), #168 (Jan. 1981), #169 (March 1981), #227 (Feb. 1986)

Ronin #1 (DC, July 1983)

Will Eisner's The Spirit ("Life Below"; Sand Saref; The Spirit #52, Kitchen Sink)

Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely (Pocket Books edition)

Frank Miller fan art from Fan's Zine (#1, March 1972) and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (Dec. 1974)

Excerpts from Frank Miller, Push the Wall: My Life, Writing, Drawing and the Art of Storytelling.

Music: "Take Off and Shoot a Zero" by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/stuntisland/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

Comic art © Marvel and respective rights holders. Used for commentary and criticism.

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