Daredevil #1
Waid, Samnee, Rodriguez
SPOILER ALERT!
I will most certainly be SPOILING!
The relaunch of Daredevil through Marvel Now has big shoes to fill. I’d say from as early as page #2, it is doing a fantastic job. The issue begins by establishing a few core points for the series; Matt Murdock is on good terms with the police in his new city, his powers of observation are far more intense than I have ever personally read about, and he is no longer in New York. Upon processing the huge amount of clues that Daredevil is able to glean from the evidence, our fearless hero is given a possible location, and quickly switches to his red costume.
As in most relaunch titles, there is a bit of back story that goes into the first issue. Because of the brief nature of the summary, a lot of story gets glossed over. To be honest, I was shocked that no one mentioned the Shadowlands event.
After the exposition, we join Daredevil after he has retrieved the girl who has been kidnapped, whose evidence he was pouring over on the first few pages. The best parts of this chase scene are all his odd fumbling moments. Daredevil had years to learn every minute detail of New York, but he dwells in San Francisco now. One of his mistakes is the addition of a support team in the form of Kirsten McDuffie. Having her to guide him on his chase helps with logistics, but deafens one of his ears, creating vulnerability.
Matt has a new discipline and can focus through stimuli, saving the girl through a flock of birds that throws his sonar into chaos. This event actually is a precursor to Matt realizing that the girl is wearing no watch, which was the sound he thought he had focused on. As it turned out, it was a bomb inside the girl he was saving. In a frenzy he sprints towards a hospital, specifically a hospital with an elevator. As he slides home into the elevator, cutting off the bombs radio transmitter from the detonator the kidnappers carry, Matt makes a statement that really put the extent of his super senses into perspective.
“…But take it from someone who can sometimes feel radio waves pepper his skin like raindrops…”
Wow.
With the girl safe and the villains in custody, we get to meet Matt’s new law partner and the Deputy Mayor without the looming threat of the kidnapping over their heads. They mention Matt’s old partner, Foggy. A partner…that may not be so dead after all.
I was on the fence about getting this new Daredevil series because, like most beloved characters, writers both talented and disappointing have gotten a hold of him numerous times in the past. Like the new Hulk series, Daredevil brings flaws to the forefront, while reminding readers of just how powerful the protagonist really is. The comedy is down to earth and refreshing, only showing up when it isn’t a distraction to what is really important on the glossies in front of the reader. I think we will be enjoying this new Daredevil for a long time.
My rating 4.5 / 5
sounds like waid’s still got it.
nice review 🙂