Daredevil #1
Recap
***WARNING: This review contains major spoilers!***
Matt has recovered sufficiently to don the horns, but he’s not 100%. He’s up to his usual patrols, investigations, and…warm-comfort finding missions. Lately he’s been ruminating about how Father Cathal helped him, before and after the death of Battling Jack.
While on patrol, Daredevil tries to stop a robbery, only to get beat up, nearly shot, and failed to stop the store from catching fire. He was also, uncharacteristically, seen by police at the scene. Later Matt remembers confessing to the father that he was a vigilante, and the aged priest warned Matt that seeking justice is different than chasing violence like an addict.
Meanwhile, Mayor Fisk has a new, competent, anti-vigilante pair of boots on the ground in the form of Detective Cole North. An exhausted Matt sleeps as North investigates the robbery, and Fisk watches the news announce that one of the robbers has died from their injuries.
Review
Art: Checchetto and Gho are off to a great start here, it’s very much what I like to see in a comic book. I know some artists get defensive when people complain about “weird faces”, but it’s that “weird face” that takes the essential, visual, emotional information and “weirds it up”. There’s none of that here; every face, fight-scene and panel are excellently crafted and executed.
Writing: With the recent Man Without Fear mini as a springboard, Zdarsky had free-reign to take Matt wherever he wanted, and he stuck to the roots of what makes Daredevil great. Looking for company in a bar as he investigates a scumbag that escaped justice, prowling the rooftops and flashing back to his childhood, complete with revisiting his Catholic roots. We’re looking at classic Daredevil in a contemporary setting, one that can’t tolerate Matt being at less than his best, and boy isn’t he. I love Daredevil, and it’s awesome to have new, great Daredevil to read.
Final Thoughts
Part one of Daredevil: Know Fear hits the ground running, taking advantage of the momentum granted by the 5 part mini that preceded it, and I couldn’t be happier. Welcome to another excellent age of Daredevil.
Daredevil #1: Strong at the Broken Places
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 8/108/10
