It’s been a while since I’ve checked in on Daredevil, and I’m unsure what may have happened in since I initially dropped the book. However, we’ll address those changes as they present themselves, but now, let’s jump on in and explore this issue, written by Charles Soule and illustrated by Ron Garney.
Note: Spoilers contained in summary.
Summary: Daredevil #1
We open with Daredevil jumping off a bridge to save a crook whose cronies have betrayed him. The crooks are part of a group lead by a mysterious figure known as Tenfingers, and each member seems to be missing fingers. While Matt’s radar powers are weakened underwater, he does manage to find the victim.
Soon after, Daredevil takes down the Tenfingers thugs, noting that despite their appearance, they are actually formidable fighters. Matt holds his own, but is simply outnumbered until another hero known as Blindspot with the ability to become invisible.
Matt takes the man he saved (named Billy) back to his apartment, something Foggy greatly disapproves of. It is here that it is implied that something has happened that has caused the world at large to forget that Matt Murdock which, if true, undoes the all the good that was accomplished by Daredevil #36, but we’ll discuss that when we wrap up.
The next morning, Billy arrives in Matt Murdock’s office looking for protection, despite the fear that Tenfingers will kill him. And so our comic ends with Tenfingers, revealed to, in fact, has twenty fingers, putting a death mark on both Billy and Murdock.
What Works
I like Daredevil’s new costume, the Black and Red really works and is the only color that appears to work in the comic. Tenfingers and his gang are interesting despite what little is revealed about them. And finally, Blindspot was an interesting addition to Daredevil’s team.
What Doesn’t Work
The first thing I noticed about this comic is the washed out color scheme. It’s unpleasant to look at. Also, I do not appreciate the fact that Daredevil’s secret identity is no longer public knowledge. Back when it was, it was a great character moment and opened the door for many interesting possibilities further down the line. Now, as is so often the case with comics, we seem to have pushed the giant reset button and undone it all.
Overall Rating: 2.5/5
This issue isn’t bad, it’s just average and can benefit from a different artist and a more diverse color palette.
Did you read Daredevil #1? Let me know what you thought about it in the comments section below!