DAREDEVIL: ROULETTE - The Devil Disillusioned

An analysis of Frank Miller's Roulette, taking place in the pages of Daredevil #191 and discussing how this dark confrontation between Daredevil and Bullseye serves as Miller's final statement on Daredevil and speaks to the larger arc of disillusionment across his entire comic book career.
PATREON - / mattdraper
TWITTER - / mattdraperyt
#Daredevil
#Darecember
Music:
"Mirage" by Mitch Murder
"Daredevil" OST by John Paesano
Sources:
www.theguardian.com/books/201...
gizmodo.com/frank-miller-slam...

[@MattDraper]

Darecember continues! What do you think of Frank Miller's time on DD? Read the full essay on CBH here: www.comicbookherald.com/daredevil-roulette-the-devil-disillusioned-darecember-2/

[@mikemurdock5632]

DARECEMBER WOOO!!!

[@MutantsInDisguise]

I actually think Frank Miller did a better job with Daredevil than with Batman.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

The common factor on both characters initially was Denny O'Neill, who kept him honest. When Denny was no longer a factor, "the goddamn Batman" came to be.

[@braxtonwages195]

I’m glad you brought up all the fact that Miller’s Daredevil run wasn’t all doom and gloom but could be very funny. Murdock as a character is such a complex guy. I love the various contradictions he exhibits in his life as a hero, a friend, a lover and a human being.

[@galactic85]

Totally! I find it weird that people refer to miller's run as a "grounded, gritty, serious,, noir story." It has some of those elements but it also has turk dressing up in the stilt man armor. Even Miller wasn't afraid to have some fun with the title.

[@sweetchristmas92]

@@galactic85 It honestly feels like the right balance between 80s gritty crime ridden streets mixed with the campiness of that time. Miller brought the best elements of real world themes blended with comic book trope. The 80s run was the most fun, Bendis was the writer who really brought Marvel characters to a more realistic atmosphere.

[@galactic85]

@@sweetchristmas92 completely agree

[@markercrayon457]

@@galactic85 Turk in general was honestly a bit of a running gag lol

[@SuperSilver316]

If Born Again didn’t exist, this would be Miller’s best DD story.

[@sweetchristmas92]

You’re not wrong!

[@Tai112336]

Honestly, I think it still is Miller's best DD story

[@sweetchristmas92]

@@Tai112336 Born Again is the best story, this is the best standalone issue

[@jmedia1102]

@@Tai112336 And his own favorite.

[@sohansahoo4203]

I absolutely agree with u. It really was an introspective issue and was a meta way to show how the landscape of comicbbok industry was changing.

[@TonyTylerDraws]

Probably the premier Daredevil video essayist.

[@zemox2534]

Love this comic. The end is symbolic of the never ending battle between heroes and Villains. Just as Batman is stuck with Joker and Superman with Lex Luthor, Bullseye will always come after Daredevil. Forever. The scenes with the young boy were very uncomfortable because of how real they feel and his fate near the end was chilling.

[@William-Morey-Baker]

feels like KingPin is his main villain that will always be there... but BullsEye works too

[@callmetopgun45]

This is the most powerful story I’ve ever read. It tells the story of a hero in a single issue. It is perfection.

[@cr8torscurse]

As a massive fan of Frank miller's flawed, violent mythos I really appreciate this channel's levelheaded intelligent take on the man and his work, realizing the greatness and both and not demonizing or building up the flaws but rather taking them apart to get a deeper picture. Most wonderful time of the year thanks to you, matt!

[@sweetchristmas92]

This is definitely a grand finale for Frank Miller’s 80’s run, and then he came back years later to write Born Again the greatest Daredevil and just overall best Miller comic ever written. His writing for the character was dark, gritty, but also fun, sometimes funny, romantic, and moralistic tone that worked really well. Miller even brought back Electra and gave Matt Murdock an updated origin story in the man without fear ten years later. Roulette is an all time classic and cemented Daredevil as Miller’s strongest writing.

[@SnapperChannel]

This feels like a really great ending to your discussion on Miller’s time on Daredevil. Focusing on single issues often brings more intrigue than just discussing a years on end story arc. It is often the single issue that defines a character or how the writer thinks about said character and I think here you perfectly capture what makes Miller’s Daredevil run one of the most important comic book run from either Marvel or DC. Not to mention bringing in how this one issue of Daredevil may have had a butterfly effect on Frank Miller’s entire career going forward. Great video once again Matt, can’t wait for more Darecember to come.

[@markhalm9889]

Short version of what happen with Frank Miller: Those Daredevil books were fueled by his apartment repeatedly getting robbed in the 80's and whatever button that was in His brain got snapped off and tossed in the Hudson by 9/11

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Important addendum: it was the year after 9/11 that Lynn Varley, wife and longtime colorist, divorced him. Not sure the sudden dropoff in his work after was a coincidence.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

This video has confirmed in my mind that Frank Miller is a cautionary tale to any aspiring creator. He was friends of Will Eisner, who showed him a way to grow old gracefully. But Miller couldn't pull it off and...he wound up where he did. Oh and Ronin was the second-worst thing Miller ever did.

[@dr.s8972]

Damn bro Ronin wasn't THAT bad. Dark Knight Strikes Again was way worse.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@dr.s8972 Yes, it was, total copout of a story that felt like a cheat from start to finish. Dark Knight Strikes Again just ran eventually off the rails as a story. Ronin never was on those rails in the first place.

[@dr.s8972]

@@johnathonhaney8291 I was a little disappointed by the end of Ronin too. It was kind of a what the fuck choice. But TDKSA is nothing but wtf choices lmao.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@dr.s8972 I could see where the story was aiming for in Dark Knight Strikes Again and the first issue gave me hope (made Atom a badass, which I dug). Second issue, more wobbly. Third, total loss of story coherence. But...it was a fairly straightforward narrative. Ronin was just Madlibs storytelling as done by someone tripping on LSD while suffering from PTSD. Never ONCE did it have its act together.

[@dr.s8972]

@@johnathonhaney8291 idk. Maybe I'm biased from watching Samurai Jack (Ronin minus the stupid) as a kid lol.

[@DocD173]

One of my favorite comicbook stories of all time. The most honest look at the glorified violence of comicbook superheroes and their consequences. Also, the one story I’m most disappointed we didn’t get a live adaptation in a season 4 of the show

[@felixnolasco2683]

My favorite single issue in Daredevil history. Perfectly captures the character in a nutshell.

[@galactic85]

I wouldn't say it "perfectly captures" the character but this issue is definitely a masterpiece. :)

[@pauldareason]

Matt Draper's daredevil videos are actual works of art.

[@uncannydcmarvelous5732]

Let's hope he doesn't get affected by what's happening lately around here...

[@graefx]

I appreciate this isn't just talking about Roulette but reflection and almost reformation of Frank Miller. I never finished DKIII and really should return to it.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

I never will finish that one. To me, it read like an angry, bitter suicide note telling its audience how much its creator hated every one of them. It broke me of ever giving Miller any grace.

[@Bwoodlyy]

This was so good. Roulette is haunting and I forgot I had read it until the start of this video and I felt a spike of terror in the back of my head. Daredevil seriously has the best comics and you do the best videos covering them Matt. Great job.

[@galactic85]

I still remember it but even I got that same spike of terror in the back of my head.

[@DocD173]

This is a pretty great assessment on Frank Miller as a writer as well as his overall disillusionment with heroism, but how do you reconcile this theory with Millers return to DD in Born Again, where it’s clearly a tale of rising idealism and return to heroics after a great fall? …maybe a topic for another video essay? 🤔😉

[@juansanchez209]

Amazing video as usual! I’d love to hear your take on The Death of Captain Marvel (1982). I think there’s some interesting themes about handling grief, accepting reality, and letting a loved one go when their time comes that would make for an interesting video essay.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

That one has a special place in my heart. I lost my first true beloved relative to cancer and that one spoke to the truth of the experience, from denial to acceptance.

[@juansanchez209]

@@johnathonhaney8291 Sorry to hear that. I can definitely relate to that experience. My grandma was the nicest person on the planet, she lit up every room she walked into and cared for everybody around her. She was also one of the healthiest people as well. She never smoked in her life, she never even drank in her life, and she just generally took great care of herself to the point that she still looked like she was in her 40s when she was already well into her 60s. So what cruel irony is it that she developed cancer through a random mutation? Doctors said there was no real underlying cause, and that sometimes these things just happen. I watched her enter her struggle with so much fight in her and so much hope in her, and that’s what made it truly heartbreaking to see her hope leave her eyes as she got worse. After a while it was pretty clear that she had given up and was ready to accept her fate with dignity and pride, but we weren’t ready to let her go. Accepting the situation and letting her pass under her own terms was one of the most profoundly sad experiences I’ve ever had to endure.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@juansanchez209 It was my grandmother too, worked hard her whole life, loved my mom, me and my sister, practically my second mother. Cigarettes are what got her, plus a lot of unhappy things in her life. She died early in my senior year of high school, still haunts.

[@LoganWood121]

Literally my favorite issue of Miller's Daredevil. Absolutely adore it and I was looking forward to possibly seeing this scene in the series.

[@Emike-nc9ew]

Matt drapper and daredevil are like bread and butter.

[@Mrsierramist1]

Didn't know Miller was less hateful now. If nothing else, I appreciate someone that can grow and change.

[@mattkad389]

Fantastic video, Matt. Great start to Darecember!

[@MattDraper]

Thanks! This is actually the second one so make sure to go watch my video on Brubaker's DD.

[@RahulSharma-wq4qy]

My god.... What a story. Absolutely fascinating... utterly marvelous. Wow... Just WOW!

[@comicsatlas7938]

Frank Miller's Daredevil made me definetely fall in love with comics. You're such an inspiration man keep up the excellent job ✌️

[@KalleVilenius]

Always down for more Daredevil!

[@AkiDave]

I’m really glad that this video came out after the first issue of Devils Reign. It feels like a really cool companion piece to that issue.

[@person14876]

Never heard of this daredevil story. Though knowing Matt draper this will be good

[@BenjiDWJ]

A phenomenal analysis as per usual, Matt 😁👍👍 All of your various DD related videos over the years have only reaffirmed that I need to read Miller’s run in it’s entirety as soon as humanly possible. 📚📖 Cheers to you, my man! 🥃🥃

[@dandevrell]

Every video you make is pure gold 💜💜

[@mobyt.3900]

excellent vid, brought back lots of fond memories. a dear friend who's no longer alive turned me on to Miller's daredevil around the time of Roulette and got me on board. I hadn't seen a comic go so deep and personal before, it was amazing. sad about what a kook Miller became but the trajectory shouldn't be so surprising. thanks for another thoughtful episode!

[@billymontgomery4830]

This is Great...Just Great. Amazing Work!

[@mnm25chango2]

Bravo, bravo! Such a good analysis of a great story!

[@logandotson5600]

I have been looking forward to this.

[@VaughnColeman]

YES! Been looking forward to this one!

[@matheuszache7943]

Miller's take on super hero violence is a bleak one for sure but I don't think that The Dark Knight is a reinforcement of this as much as it is an attempt to solve this issue. Hear (or read) me out. Batman starts the story as an aggressive, grumpy guy, and book 1 is as cynical as you can get. But book 2 onwards, Bruce is faced with the problem that he can't outmuscle the Mutant leader, he can't be a thug. He needs to beat him, sure, but he needs to do so while showing the right way to people. Carrie Kelly is somewhat of a Chucky, but a good one at that. She didn't learn the bad lessons from Bruce's troubled mind, she learned mostly the good ones and reminded him of that too. The only time Batman becomes aggressively active is against the Joker, which is shown that he wrestles with the idea to kill him. And by the end of book 3, he doesn't and Joker admits that before taking his own life. Both Year One and Dark Knight Returns I feel like, tell a story about heroes raising people out of apathy to fight for their cause (to quote Nolan's Batman: "People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy"). It is a aggressive, energetic take and I believe it comes from Miller's experience from being mugged in the 80's (or so I was told that happened), but I see his writing of Batman as a way to display his outrage towards urban violence being normalized as everyday thing. That people need to stand up and do something. Batman's return in TKDR doesnt come from a place of blowing off steam or destructive behavior (well a little bit, but he comes through at the end of the book with the "A good life") but most of all from an attempt at doing something since no one else will. In this regard, this is Miller's most optimistic take on heroes imo. Inspiring even at its best.

[@johnpittsii7524]

Thanks for the video Matt. Always ❤ Darecember .

[@LuckyCashews]

Super good video! Good job man!

[@gokiloki620]

Frank Miller may be a complicated person, but you can‘t deny the man had something to say.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Whether it was worth saying, on the other hand...

[@gokiloki620]

@@johnathonhaney8291 fair point

[@Nono-hk3is]

Thank you Matt! Best wishes to you as well.

[@dwaynemuth8775]

Excellent video! DD191 was nice way to end his first run! Anyone coming after Miller has their work cut out for them! Over the years I met Frank 3 times 1979 ,very enthusiastic and creative,Frank showed me photocopies of his pencils on DD163&164+Dc Xmas special Batman! Wow! 1983 with Wolverines1 and ya can start the difference in Miller but he is always nice to me but I can understand the circus of popularity! Finally, Pittsburgh! Frank tore up Wizard magazine etc. I feel the same way as you,Matt, Miller has done some great work and some abrasive shit! Dark Knight 2 and Holy Terror come to mind! Like Icarus,Miller flew a little to high and? Frank is always for me a very creative guy and no one is perfect and I speak with my wallet! I hope he can find his way back to creative work! Thanks again for a damn good review of DD191!

[@marvelkidaj7207]

Excellent video!

[@scatsandwich38]

This was a great issue. Very powerful.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

6:00 Also worth noting: Varley divorced Miller in 2002. While never acknowledged (and frankly, I admit I could be wrong here), I've never been able to shake the suspicion that it was THIS event rather than 9/11 that broke him and his talent.

[@hobbes6392]

I think above all else Miller is a very emotional and reactionary person. Which when someone like that starts to spiral it’s very hard to pull out of. I’m happy the man is doing better now, but he left quite the wake in his spiral

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@hobbes6392 I wasn't sure he wasn't going to survive it, honestly.

[@alexevaldez]

This video reminded me why I love comic books.

[@maliklofton9148]

Phenomenal work

[@davidbjacobs3598]

One of the best one-off stories in comics. When I first read it, it wowed me so much I flipped back to the beginning and read it again.

[@certifiedfanboy]

This comic left me speechless. Great video man

[@themightykahn24]

I lOVE that story!! Thanks Matt!

[@drkmtr9090]

I went to The Midnight concert in LA a few weeks back. The first I ever heard of them was in your “credits” segments that blasted the Sax solo in “Vampires”. Thanks for that. Theyre my favorite band now 💪🏾

[@galactic85]

Dude I same them live a few weeks back ad well after being introduced to them through Matt's videos. They opened with "neon medusa." They're SOOOOO much better live aren't they?

[@jakeshadd1923]

A collaboration that didn't happen enough times, Frank Miller being inked by Terry Austin is absolutely beautiful, in my opinion the best version of Miller's pencils. This issue and What if 35 are the only comics that I know they worked on together.

[@conorcommy544]

Keep up the good work

[@JohnCavalcante.Oficial]

This is my favorite Daredevil story. It was also my first Daredevil story. I read It in a "special" almanac about the Story of Marvel. When i bought the Frank Miller's Daredevil i was surprised when It got to the end, cause i didn't even remember It. This video made me think of more than this story. I don't really like Dark Knight Returns message, as i find it scary and kinda fascist. However, to think that THIS story came right before it, i'm having Second thoughts about TDK. Can you make a vídeo about Daredevil Redeption?

[@chikish]

'Roulette' is the most tension-filled single issue comic that I've read. It was riveting!

[@xxraptorxx8180]

If they adapted this in live action I would burst form pure joy

[@BoyNamedSue4]

This was peak Miller for me. His art started to get to scratchy for me afterwards and obviously it took longer, but his writing eventually went downhill. But here’s where both were at their peak.

[@joshheralal8758]

Frank wrote Year One which I love. It's a shame that he couldn't keep up that level of quality.

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

The absolute master of modern illustration art. The man without bs gave the art movement of this era the idea of 'modeling' by not simply putting line work to effort but the imaginative construction of 3-d movement within the boundaries or bonds. constricting the eye as it tries to capture what is being presented. The simultaneous ability to bring not only shadow, movement and draftsmanship but to integrate the environment as it is a presence influencing the story as well as the mood and atmosphere. I cannot write enough about Frank Frazetta, Jack Kirby, whose vision of environment is notwithstanding utter genius, beyond the scope of what we consider genius, but Miller endowed the architecture of the base city his heroes cohabitated with a characteristics not attune with anything less than visionary. Looking at his work on Daredevil is like walking onto another world, somehow familiar yet drastically strange.

[@AvengerVincent]

I really love seeing someone talk about Frank Miller with more naunce than "he's a racist old boomer has been" or "stewpid ess jay dubs canceling a legend". As life's gotten rougher, I find myself going to his work more and more, and it's interesting to see how his work is basically someone loosing their grip on idealism as time passes. 10/10 Darecember is my favorite time of year

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Interestingly, Miller is actually the kind of guy I would have expected the anti-SJW crowd to praise to the skies. But near as I can tell, even THEY don't want to be near him either. All-Star Batman And Robin might have had a lot to do with it.

[@patrickj.sobkowski2341]

An absolute masterpiece.

[@seanrichardgreen]

Thanks Matt! 😈

[@johnathonhaney8291]

12:15 Personal opinion: the opening chapter of the Martha Washington saga, Give Me Liberty, remains the finest work of Miller's career, a satire on par with the original Robocop film.

[@chrisdaily2077]

Frank Miller is the Robert A. Heinlein of comics.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

I'd compare him to Fritz Lang myself, genuine talent mixed with an abrasive, loathsome human being.

[@TheMiKeYM1KE]

Another great f’n video my dude. I would love to see you do a video on Blade The Vampire Hunter.

[@willie9084]

Incredible stuff you always go above and beyond with the way you present your subject matter,especially comics very different to most video essayists. You mention It briefly but what were your thoughts on golden child? I just got off reading it and I think I kinda love it

[@awwen_lopez]

Daredevil is one of the most emotionaly fragile among all Marvel Heroes. That's what makes him relatable to fans, not to mention. His disability.

[@binxboi7156]

This is my favorite single issue of all time. When I met Miller at my LCS, it was a must that I got mine signed.

[@dandevrell]

Any chance of a Kirby’s Fourth World or The Other History of the DC Universe video? 💜

[@lordxrz6588]

The music transition at the start of the video hit

[@certifiedfanboy]

YEAAAHHH BABYYY LET'S GOOO!!! That's what I'm talking about, this is all about

[@carlocampbell2195]

One of my favorite issues of ALL TIME!!!

[@DaniG._.German]

Netflix should have adapted this storyline. There's no way MCU will work on this dark story.

[@dannygrizz4358]

lets goo Darecember !

[@perfectblue8443]

Brilliant

[@mc88bass96]

Devil's reign out today AND new Darecember??? Christmas has definitely come early

[@armandotorres8962]

"Darecember, the Happiest Time of the Year" These last two vids were freaking sad and depressing. Accurate for Christmas when you think about it.

[@christianmanka3884]

This could have been the perfect finale to daredevil season 4

[@kayanorudog2638]

I’m starting to wonder if this guy is a big Daredevil fan…..

[@MattDraper]

Little bit

[@ginofrancejr555]

Excellent video MILLER IS THE DEFINITIVE DAREDEVIL WRITER

[@mikemurdock5632]

Man this issue was a masterpiece

[@JusRed48]

This is one of the best single issues of comics ever written imo. I just know they're going to adapt this in the MCU eventually. Fantastic story, perfect dialogue and drama, amazing meta commentary on the entire concept of superheroes and their villains.

[@jtthompson0520]

Frank Miller is the Hunter S. Thompson of comics. Harsh truths most people eventually have to look away from.

[@inconspicuouschannel1085]

Another great video! Thoughts on Charlie Cox returning?

[@MattDraper]

Very happy about it!

[@ethinwhite3454]

Man I love daredevil December

[@paulmoore5392]

Easily up there with #116 Return Of The King prologue as my absolute favorite Daredevil issues.

[@ryanoseguera1207]

Now that Kevin Feige confirmed that Charlie Cox would return as DD in the MCU, I can only hope for a scene like this performed by Cox! Even though Season 3 had a "series finale"-esc ending, they can still go in so many directions!

[@alexandrefrauches132]

Personally, I think the next big step for MCU Daredevil would be a adaptation of the Bendis run, where Matt has his secret identity revealed to the public in general, causing his friends to become target of criminals (maybe one of them end up killed or injured) and the whole story could focus on Matt trying to find who exposed him, with the first suspect being Kingpin. The end of this movie or series could have Matt confronting the mysterious villain and, just like Rolette, torturing him to decide if he should killed him or not.

[@ryanoseguera1207]

@@alexandrefrauches132 we need to get you in contact with Kevin Feige!

[@notmyname5591]

Lol like feige would allow ANYTHING serious in the Disney MCU lmao. You guys will be complaining in 2 yrs how they watered DD and any other Netflix marvel characters they bring back and will eventually say you wish they would have just left them alone

[@ryanoseguera1207]

@@notmyname5591 Moon Knight is gonna be the one that decides that for me at least. But fair points nonetheless

[@alexandrefrauches132]

@@notmyname5591 I wouldn't have a problem at all with that. Not only the MCU already proved itself able to have some dark topics before, but also, if he decide to do a more light-hearted take on Daredevil, go ahead! There are many stories that show Daredevil in a more positive and optimistic representation like the Mark Waid run or Daredevil Yellow.

[@Chandasouk]

Does anyone else make guinea pig noises when the Draper uploads a Daredevil video?

[@DiegoReviews]

This is a very powerful story! But…where are the chains?

[@MattDraper]

They're always in my heart

[@DeathAlchemist]

This might be your most evocative video, yet. As for Frank, I do empathize with your mixed feelings towards him as I have the exact same feelings in regards to his work. It's interesting how cynical this story is in comparison to born again. (except his nfts, that is a complete condemnation from me).

[@jetsilveravenger]

The removal of backgrounds in Roulette is really cool and effective for all the reasons mentioned here but man, I wish Miller hadn't decided to overuse it so much later in his career. By The Dark Knight Strikes Again, almost no panels have backgrounds and everything just feels vague and lazy.

[@patrickmoler8025]

This issue makes me think about how I was baffled by why so many other comic book fans were such jerks when I was younger. While many look at such 4 colored characters as symbolic and inspiration, others just look at superheroes as power fantasies.

[@thisguy1640]

Any update on a video on Daredevil Season 3..? Also I'm the 100th comment!

[@bacsilva]

I would point out that "I was going through stuff" only works as an argument when you are not insane to begin with. What was the Mutant Gang in TDKR if not a conservative's views of everything the X-Men represent?

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Nice connection! With that said, it wasn't until around 2002 that I'd argue his sanity truly broke.

[@ginofrancejr555]

You should cover ronin and sin city next

[@rushcap2761]

I thouhgt he was going to know where the bullet was because daredevilpowers

[@TevyaSmolka]

yay daredevil

[@escobargotstacks]

whats the ost at 11:23

[@countdarkmire1759]

What is this song? 11:21

[@fishin4bass2002]

Omg this is my favorite daredevil issue of all time. I really love miller isn’t afraid to call out the media for putting violence into entertainment and how it gives kids ideas to repeat what the see. Too many times we are told that it’s the gun to blame but Frank Miller goes against that narrative. Then again I guess Hollywood and other media has to put the blame on guns otherwise they would have to admit they are responsible for the violence.

[@anj2099]

I love this issue just because of The legendary Terry Austin inks.