Daredevil [2022] #1 - Marvel Comics

DAREDEVIL No. 1, September 2022

Excitedly proclaimed “an all-new era of Daredevil” by its New York City-based publisher, Chip Zdarsky’s storyline for this opening instalment of “The Red Fist Saga” was probably rather positively received by the majority of “Hornheads” in July 2022, as the twenty-page periodical contains a plethora of fascinating plot-threads for them to follow. In fact, it’s arguably difficult to keep track of so many competing narratives, whether it be “Hell’s Kitchen’s guardian devil” departing his stomping ground for the last time, an old law school friend shockingly becoming a seemingly omnipotent villain, or a genuinely scruffy-looking Matt Murdock being repeatedly questioned by a mysterious ‘out-of-shot’ interviewer/interrogator.

Perhaps the most eye-catching scenes though, are those involving your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man - who both webs his way into an altercation between the Man without Fear and Butch Pharris, as well as accompanies the costumed acrobat on a nocturnal rendezvous with Hammerhead’s criminal organisation. Oozing an almost palpable aura of desperately restrained savagery in their conflict with Wilson Fisk's son and the opposing sides' subsequent stand-off, these extremely tense skirmishes are perhaps only slightly marred by the brevity of their actual coverage in the comic book. 

Given much more 'screen time' is a genuinely depressing demise of a man who is cold-bloodedly shot simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and then Robert Goldman’s aforementioned revelation as some all-powerful 'angel' who plans to look out for the blind lawyer. Pencilled by “superstar collaborator Marco Checchetto”, these events undoubtedly come as something of a surprise to the reader and set-up a captivating confrontation between the two former attendees of Columbia University which helps end the publication with a bit of a bang.

Similarly as sense-shattering is this comic’s secondary tale, “The Island”, featuring Elektra Natchios and Stick. Energetically sketched by Rafael De Latorre, and depicting the two martial arts experts initially tackling a heavily-armed contingent of Soviet Special Forces, before they turn upon each other. This ten-pager is debatably perfect in its mixture of adrenalin-fuelled action and tantalising mystery as to just why Murdock plans to build a secret base in the middle of nowhere.

The regular cover art to "DAREDEVIL" #1 by Marco Checchetto & Matthew Wilson