This surreal original graphic novel from 1986 pairs off Frank Miller with artist Bill Sienkiewicz. In terms of its visual and narrative style, Love and War is unquestionably Millers most unique Daredevil story. But it also features some top-notch character moments involving Kingpin and Daredevil, despite the fact that the two never physically cross paths in the story. The graphic novel shows the Kingpin at his most desperate. He kidnaps the blind wife of a famous doctor and forces the man to cure his amnesiac, mentally unstable wife, Vanessa. And, since Kingpin is a bad man who (admittedly) gets everything he wants, he expects his underworld tactics to produce a happy ending for he and Vanessa. Despite his corrupt efforts, Kingpin cannot connect with Vanessa. And, after Daredevil rescues the doctors wife from Fisks goons, Kingpin no longer has any leverage to continue the arrangement. The graphic novel is one of those rare instances where the Kingpin is left sad and alone, while Daredevils life continues without crisis.
Mark is a professional writer living in Brooklyn and is the founder of the Chasing Amazing Blog, which documents his quest to collect every issue of Amazing Spider-Man, and the Superior Spider-Talk podcast. He also pens the "Gimmick or Good?" column at Comics Should Be Good blog.
