Kurt Busiek said this particular issue hooked him on comics (per several tweets a few years ago). I've always been interested in works that inspire comic professionals, works which spur the churning, restless will to create. Naturally, I had to procure a copy of this venerated ish.
Daredevil #120 is a pure joy. Part of Tony Isabella's all too brief run on DD (lasting from issues #119 to #124), this issue features a wonderful, playful dynamic between our boy in red Matt Murdock, and the ravenous, ravishing Natasha Romanova, known famously by Yanks and Russkies alike by her plume de (former) villain: Black Widow.
Dig the cover! Gil Kane certainly had a knack for creating energetic pieces, and he delivers the goods with this particular work. Hey, easy on the hair, Gil!
The cover must have struck a heckuva chord with artist/writer extraordinaire, Erik Larsen, as he created a homage to this issue for the cover of Savage Dragon #260. Out of all comicdom's iconic covers, for Erik to pay tribute to this relatively obscure issue is a bit bizarre. I suspect there's an interesting story behind Erik's peculiar pick...
The comic itself was penciled by bombastic Bobby Brown. I enjoyed his work on the Avengers but like his art on Daredevil even more. Vince Colletta does a good job on inks, too.
I've always had a soft spot for B-list villains (which are abound aplenty in Tony's Daredevil run), and El Jaguar can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with merry Marvel's lovable and quirky quorum of lesser scoundrels (the Crusher, Mentallo, Jackhammer, Blackwing, and Silvermane all rear their heads during Isabella's run).
I feel this issue was the high point of the run as the beats between characters, namely Daredevil and Black Widow, never quite reached the zenith as they did in ish 120. Tony Isabella has a knack for flowing and hip dialogue, and the issue swash buckles along at a perfect pace courtesy of Mr. Brown. Like many runs, the issue benefits from being in the middle of the arc, tension and mystery are held taut throughout the issue and we can't yet be disappointed by a less than satisfying payoff.
The whole Tony Isabella/Bob Brown run is definitely worth picking up. However, when one delicately turns the cover of Daredevil #120, there is a certain magic in the musky bouquet of aged ink and paper bestowed by the presses during the winter of '74.
*** POST SCRIPT 9/29/2023 ***
To my shock and unbounded glee, Kurt Busiek retweeted this blog and also commented with a correction! I can't believe it, but the proof is in the pudding (see below). Thank you so much, Kurt!
