He glides through the dark back streets of New York, stalking criminals in their deepest lairs. He is one with the night, he is a part of the city, he is feared by those who would harm others. He knows no fear, and his ultimate cause is justice. He is the Daredevil, and he's one of the best there is.

It is seldom that an individual can singly generate the excitement and inspiration necessary to pull a comic out of mediocrity, but Frank Miller has done just that, pulling Daredevil out of the doldrums of bi-monthly circulation and general apathy into one of the most unique and successful titles in the Marvel line. Having grasped the finer points of graphic storytelling in two short years, Miller has updated and embellished the entire mythos of Daredevil since taking over as penciller with #158. By issue #167, he was writing the title as well, giving DD a new look and exciting direction, the first for the hero in a long, long time. The popularity for the comic grew so that it became monthly again with #171, and there seems to be no stopping Miller's creativity in style and story.

Miller's stories deal with the realities of life in New York. More than any other Super-Hero, DD is a product and a protector of the people of the city. His villians are those of the real New York; hustlers and drug-dealers, muggers and thieves. There are no take-over-the-world types, but earthier, grimier, and closer to reality. Miller writes of love, and violence, and death. It's not always pretty, and not always squeeky clean right-or-wrong. DD is part of all that under Miller's guidance, as much a part of New York as Tarzan is of the jungle.

The supporting characters in Daredevil have benefitted from Miller's hand as well. They are diverse, complex, and are portrayed as unique individuals. Foggy Nelson has excaped his bumbling buffoon image, partially at least, and comes off as a lot truer because of it. He may be a clutz, Miller tells us, but he has a good business sense and an insight to the law that benefits the partnership of Nelson and Murdock as much as Matt Murdock's courtroom flair. Heather Glenn has grown from her soap-opera image to a woman of depth and emotion. We can understand why Matt cares for her, even if she isn't a perfect woman. There are other characters that support the stories well, and benefit from appearances. It seems that even the most stolid supporting characters of the Marvel line become more three-dimensional with Miller writing them. J.J.Jameson is the best case in point; he was changed from a blustering cliche of a man to a responsible journalist with a predilection against Super-Heroes.

Miller has clarified serveral hazy areas of DD/Murdock's past, as well as introducing new facets that help fill in his life and give DD a sense of growth. Elektra is the most obvious and exciting of these innovations, offering a completely different relationship for Daredevil to cope with. All of these new aspects strengthen DD's character, giving him a special personality, making him a real person to the reader.

The realism of Daredevil most completely surfaces with the violence of the stories. Some of the deadliest villians ever in comics are incorporated into the plots. Bullseye, an insane assassin, Elektra, the mercenary DD once loved, and Kingpin, the ruthless crimelord are portrayed in a bright, precise light. The comic is violent, graphically so, but with such a grace and eloquence that we are both horrified and enticed by it.

Miller again has shown innovation by avoiding the "villian-of-the-month" type of stories that appear in most comics. The antagonists reoccur often, and DD's rogues gallery is a compact but deadly group. They are so carefully characterized, and the stories are so diversely crafted that they do not become boring even with constant reappearances. It's amazing that so much is in a single comic; heroic action, complete side-plots, and villian characterizations flow so well that the comic often seems twice the length as other titles, simply because so much gets said so well in each issue.

Daredevil is truly "The Man Without Fear" now. He has faced foes many times his own power with courage and conviction. His battle with the Hulk put him on the verge of death. Again and again he has faced near-impossible odds, supported only by his sense of justice. These tight-rope dances with death emphasize that DD isn't an omnipotent hero. Here is a man with no more power than a well-trained athlete, risking his life for what he believes is right.

Miller's graphic style is something very different to modern comics, even experimental. His innovations in storytelling have been surprisingly successful in providing mood while giving each page a crisp, fresh appearance. Only Jim Steranko and Marshall Rogers before have been this successful in giving a comic a definite graphic design without sacrificing storytelling. It's art for artists, but readers aren't disappointed in the bargain.

For a two-year professional, Frank Miller is amazing, and he is improving with each issue. In his graphic design, Miller on occasion suspends reality, and the scenes at times do not completely ring true. Some of the figure drawing is tight and stiff; action scenes sometimes appear to be poses. Taken as a whole, however, these weaknesses often support the story, and with each issue, Miller pulls off his concepts with greater skill.

Klaus Janson's inks are perfect for Miller's pencils. His bold lines, sharp contrasts and double lighting techniques have made a substantial contribution to the acceptance of the style of the title.

In a word; Daredevil has never looked better than under the guidance of Frank Miller. His ability didn't come right away for him. He had to work to develop his techniques and his steady improvements have been evident with each new story. It's exciting to see a relative newcomer do so well, and to show such enthusiasm for his work.

Many people have complained that Daredevil has become too violent since Frank Miller has taken over. There's no question that DD has become more gritty, showing the dark side of crime in the city with a realism that's never been approached before. But to those who argue that DD passes the realm of good taste in its representation of violence, I have to say "Bull."

As far as I'm concerned, you can treat comics like television. If something on TV offends you, it's simple; you just don't watch that program. The same goes for comics; if you don't like a title, don't read it. There are enough Marvel comics around to suit any taste, so those who aren't happy with a violent Daredevil have a lot of other options open to them.

On the other hand, the violent aspect of DD is part of a new breath of life for a title that a short while ago was bi-monthly and selling poorly. Frank Miller's storylines are crisp, action-packed and interesting. They portray a realistic side of crime and law-enforcement; dramatic and overblown perhaps, but still realistic. Granted, Elektra is a very violent character, and Miller shows this side of her quite graphically. But, as in any other type of media, violence equals excitement, and the excitement generated in DD makes it well worth reading in this age of expensive comics.

Frank Miller, in my opinion, is one of the top three artists at Marvel today. If a graphic sort of violence is needed in DD to get the storyline across, at least Miller does it well. And undoubtedly, by adding realistic violence to the Daredevil storyline, he has become a vastly improved character.