Tales from The Quarter Bin--Where The Heck Is Dakota North?

You know whom we haven't seen in awhile?

Dakota North, that's whom we haven't seen for awhile.

You'd think Marvel would be able to find work for a former model turned owner of an international private investigations firm (note the locations of her "card" that serves as the series' logo).

Dakota's own 1986 series lasted just 5 issues, but she became a quasi-regular around the Marvel Universe. She became a regular in the early 90s Cage series; T'Challa hired her to bodyguard his girlfriend. She showed up in Power Pack. She was a regular during Ed Brubaker's run on Daredevil, and had a brief cameo during Waid's run.

But as near as I can tell, she hasn't appeared in a Marvel comic in over 4 years. Four years!! (Maybe she's been investigating what happened to thought balloons...?)

It's no big surprise why that's happened--Jessica Jones came along, and sucked all the oxygen out of the "female P.I" corner of the Marvel Universe.

But they're two very different characters, and despite Jessica's seedy crapulance, she's still a super-hero, and all of her cases, including her current run, involve super-heroes.

You'd think that Marvel would have use for a real "street-level" character, a tough P.I. who helps the normals. Especially in an era when they're under increasing scrutiny to feature female characters--and Dakota was created by a woman (Martha Thomases).

Four years, Marvel--time to protect that trademark!!

What the #$%^??--Dakota North

From this week's Daredevil #101

OK, let's see if I've got this right--Dakota North, hard-bitten, rough and tumble PI, thinks it is inappropriate to raise your voice "to a lady?"

I doubt Sam Spade--or even Jim Rockford--ever called their clients a child for yelling at them. And I'm damn sure they never played the gender card.

Seriously, Matt Murdock didn't even use profanity, he just yelled. But apparently Dakota North is so offended by the notion that someone is speaking sharply to her that she goes all demure Southern belle on him. Who knows what other rules she might have for how to treat a lady? "How dare you pull a gun on me, Larry Cranston--do you remember that you're talking to a lady?"

Ed Brubaker, I really expected a lot better from you.