Daredevil

• Title: Daredevil #2
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Waid
• Artist: Chris Samnee

After the last issue offered readers a glimpse of things to come in Matt Murdock‘s life down the line, Daredevil #2 returns to the present and the newly-relocated hero/lawyer to San Fransisco alongside his new law partner Kristen McDuffie. We don’t get any more information on Foggy Nelson (other than the fact the world appears to believe he is dead), but the new version of the title does offer Daredevil with an opportunity to do something rather unusual – go up against another blind vigilante.

Pulling the Shroud out of half-forgotten Marvel mothballs, writer Mark Waid and Chris Samnee dust the vigilante off first as a rival for Daredevil, but later the character is be revealed as the new (sorta ridiculous) kingpin of crime in the city.

A poor man’s Daredevil in several respects, the Shroud is an interesting first choice to pit against the hero, although it does make me wonder how far Waid and Samnee will have to scrape the bottom of the Marvel barrel for West Coast threats going forward. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Daredevil #1
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Waid
• Artist: Chris Samnee

Picking up from the events of the last series’ final issue, Matt Murdock has publicly outted himself as Daredevil, was disbarred in New York, and has moved across the country to San Francisco with his kinda sorta girlfriend Kristen McDuffie.

Bringing over the same creative team from the last series (making a renumbering even less necessary), Murdock’s new situation allows the drama queen to publicly share his unique abilities with the local police. However, the hero does find jumping from building to building much more difficult in California than in the middle of Hell’s Kitchen.

Daredevil #1 sets up the new series with McDuffie helping Murdock in both the courtroom and as an extra pair of eyes on the unfamiliar streets as the vigilante attempts to save a kidnapped girl who terrorists plan to use as a living bomb. My only real complaint with the issue how hard it works to stay away from the subject of Foggy Nelson before the inevitable tease of the outcome of his cancer treatment. And no, I’m not buying Waid and Samnee killed him off-panel. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Daredevil #36
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Waid
• Artist: Chris Samnee

With the final issue before yet another relaunch, writer Mark Waid and Chris Samnee send Daredevil out in style with Matt Murdock‘s public admission in a court of law to his radar sense, his vigilante activities, and why he enjoys parading around in red tights. Daredevil #36 feels a little rushed as it deals with Murdock’s big shocker while also tying up the loose ends of the Sons of the Serpent, Foggy‘s life-threatening illness, Matt’s relationship with Kristen McDuffie, and setting up the new monthly title featuring Murdock and Nelson in San Fransisco.

Before its over Daredevil will get to kick a little ass and kiss the girl, but Nelson and Murdock will both be disbarred (setting up more obstacles to their possible return to New York sometime down the line). As to McDuffie, it’s left unsaid whether or not she will be accompanying the partners out west or if this is (for now) the end of Matt and Kristen’s story.

The final issue does its best to justify an unnecessary renumbering and reboot next month while providing a milestone in both of Murdock’s chosen professions. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]

• Title: Daredevil #35
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Mark Waid
• Artist: Chris Samnee

With the penultimate issue of this version of Mark Waid’s run on Daredevil before Marvel reboots the title along with most, but not all, of the Marvel NOW! titles in favor of yet another new numbering scheme that may or may not last a full year or two, the writer sets up the pieces for major shifts for Matt Murdock both in the courtroom and while donning his red tights.

Blackmailed by the Sons of the Serpent (who have a full portfolio on Murdock’s night-time activities and a complete profile highlighting Daredevil’s weaknesses) to represent a member of their organization who is actually innocent of the crime he’s been accused of, Daredevil calls on the help of Elektra to help him work out his options (and punch bad guys). Stuck in a no-win situation, Murdock does what he does best – improvise.

The move Waid makes here is certainly bold, but it’s also a genie that’s going to be hard to ever put back in the bottle should Marvel find an outed Matt Murdock problematic to deal with.

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