4 issue test #25 - Daredevil

Well, I really enjoyed the Neflix series, so why not pick up the new comic and see what happens? Let’s see what happens.

Most of my issues with these covers are basically the same as my issues with the interior artwork

We open with Daredevil diving off a bridge to save a guy. The rabble that tossed him off mostly think they both died from the fall. Their leader tells them if it’s not for real ‘Tenfingers’ will have their heads. Daredevil’s senses don’t work as well underwater but he’s able to hear a heartbeat which he uses to locate the hostage and free him. They head back to the surface. After getting the hostage to a safe point he goes up and tries to beat up the thugs. One of them gets a shot to his arm but he hasn’t come alone. His new protégé, Blindspot intervenes, using cloaking tech to help (the irony of someone who can’t see working with someone who can’t be seen isn’t lost on me) leading to the remaining thugs retreating

Daredevil tells Blindspot that he fought well, but wonders why he took so long. His suit requires batteries which took time to acquire. He tells Blindspot to meet him for training tomorrow, he’ll get to sleep when he can beat Daredevil in combat.

We cut the apartment of Foggy Nelson, where the hostage, named Billy has fallen asleep on his sofa. It was the only place Matt could have taken him. Foggy isn’t happy, largely stemming down to whatever Daredevil did to make the world forget his secret (it was made public in Mark Waid’s Daredevil run) only he wasn’t affected. Daredevil said he had to since he and Matt had become worst enemies. Matt needs to live a life, Daredevil needs to take risks. Foggy says this is the last time he’ll help.

We cut to the DAs office, Matt’s new place of work. He hears footsteps and correctly deduces that Ellen King is about to pay him a visit. His office is an elevator shaft (because Health and Safety, what’s that?) Billy has requested an audience with him. Billy says he’s not sure he wants to testify. Matt says he doesn’t care, testifying is his only way of avoiding being charged for his own many crimes. As a snitch he’s unlikely to be favoured in prison. Daredevil protected Billy on Matt’s request, he can tell him to stop.

So with that the head to court. We cut to Chinatown where the leader of the rebels let’s call them reports to Ten Fingers. He tells Samuel, one of his followers, to kill Billy in the Courthouse. And kill the lawyer as well.

I'll grant them this, the black background kinda works here

Issue 2 opens split between a scene at the courthouse where Matt Murdock is making his opening statement and Chinatown, where Tenfingers is giving a speech to his ‘disciples.’ Samuel, plus two others are overlooking the church. In a few hours, Billy Li is going on trial there. As they move in Matt and Ellen discuss Billy’s situation. He’s in the most secure witness room in the courthouse, defended by Two of New York’s Finest. He’s sure he can get the grand jury to issue an indictment.

Mr Hochberg enters the room, talking about how Matt’s client is the city and as DA he’s the one who decides whether they’re serving the client well. By this point Samuel and his other two have taken out the guards and have Billy in their sights. They head down to see Billy, and find he’s missing 6 fingers. He says he’s not going to testify.

Tenfingers is annoyed, they were sent to kill Billy and the Lawyer. Samuel argues that if he did that, it’d be connected back to them. But once the heat’s died down, they can do Murdock when they want and Billy Li won’t testify now he knows they can get to him. Tenfingers can see the logic but an order was an order. Samuel has failed the test. Sam bows to him, saying he’ll do better next time before being asked to depart.

Daredevil and Blindspot are training on a rooftop. Daredevil warns Blindspot not to rely on his powers before managing to remove the mask. Blindspot remarks that this is unfair since no-one else would be able to see him, Daredevil’s next move makes him visible. Blindspot argues Tony Stark does ok in his suit, Daredevil responds that Tony Stark could be dropped naked in a desert and he’d make a new suit from what he has. His brain is his strength.  

Blindspot vents out some frustration. Tenfingers is still out there and he’s still eating away at the neighbourhood. He says he’s heard things about Tenfingers having powers. He gets in their heads and makes them do things they wouldn’t normally do; he implies that Tenfingers has an endgame. He doesn’t want to wait any longer. Daredevil decides to come with.

Tenfingers shows his green energy power with Daredevil and Blindspot watching from above. Daredevil is worried. He jumps down from the rafters and confronts Tenfingers. He stole his power from the Hand, and now the Hand wants it back. Several of its ninjas stand ready.

The fight between Daredevil and Blindspot and the Hand takes place INDOORS, seems the cover artist didn't know that

Daredevil tries to get Tenfingers to get his people to run but he says he’s foreseen their victory. Daredevil ponders, this isn’t his fight but the Hand’s here to kill and under his watch, no-one’s gonna die. They’re tough and just how he says how smart Blindspot is to keep out of the way he jumps in, Daredevil hopes he was paying attention in their training sessions before being knocked back.

One of the Hand’s assassins remarks that Tenfingers was once one of them but betrayed them, he’s marked for death and as are all who stand with him. Daredevil suspects Tenfingers must’ve known this would happen, he was deliberately putting his people in danger. Daredevil is knocked down but manages to knock his way back up. The Hand decide a retreat is in order and use smoke to cover their escape. Tenfingers says this worked out exactly as he had foreseen. Daredevil tries to warn them they have targets on their backs but Tenfingers calls him delusional.

Daredevil finds Blindspot on a rooftop. He tells them he did well, the Hand is a deadly opponent. He asks what the Hand is, Daredevil explains that they’re an ancient Japanese ninja clan who worship a demon who in turn gives them power. Tenfingers stole some of that power, hence the extra fingers (did I forget to mention Tenfingers has ten fingers on each hand, lovely) Daredevil knows the Hand will keep coming and they won’t always be around. As he ponders Tenfingers’ endgame, Blindspot points that most of the people he’s roped into the church don’t know what’s coming, they need to stop it.

Daredevil realises Blindspot was hurt. But he has no papers, can’t get a job or insurance which means there’s no way he can pay for the medical care. He gives Blindspot the number for Linda, a nurse that patches up people like them. He warns him that things have gotten serious.

Next morning the DA chews Matt Murdock out for failing to get a statement and for allowing the tampering of a witness in his own house. He assigns Matt to minor cases indefinitely. Matt remarks that this is not ideal, he traded Kirsten and Foggy’s friendship for a new life, but he’s not making good of it. He’s now on night court duty meaning he can’t be Daredevil at night as well. Ellen tells him he has someone waiting at the office. It’s Tenfingers, who’s here to clear up a misunderstanding, he’s not a villain

By far my favourite cover of the book, although a little surreal with all the clocks in the background

Issue 4 opens with Daredevil taking out some armed guards, he’s in contact with Steve Rogers, former Captain America and soon to retake that mantle because Civil War II is coming. He can smell the materials need to make a bomb. There’s a factory beneath a building filled with ordinary people, making bombs and selling them. It was Daredevil who called Steve, afraid he’s made some massive mistakes in his life.

We cut back to Tenfingers in Matt’s office. He says he was formerly a member of the Hand and did terrible things but he saw the light if you will, he escaped the cult, stealing as much power as he could. He had a vision that he found a great church and everyone who believed in him would be saved. He quotes from various religious texts to try and justify his point. Daredevil doesn’t buy it, but Tenfingers leaves, with some damning words for Mudock.

Daredevil takes out some more thugs as Steve brings the subject to Blindspot. He wonders why Daredevil would pick a sidekick. Daredevil prefers to think of him as an apprentice (as if there’s much difference) but he helped him because he admired what he was doing for Chinatown. Steve agrees, they need more smart kids with the adults getting old. Steve does not know his real name but trusts him (this is something Foggy pointed out in issue 1 which I overlooked - as long as it isn't a deal with Mephisto, I'm game, but given that he's given up his religion, it could be, worryingly)

At the church in Chinatown, Samuel walks in as the church is collecting money, a lot of money. He wants to talk with his mother before the service and he’s allowed to do so, as he and Tenfingers are kissing. He wants to talk to his mother in private.

Daredevil approaches the lab hearing but hears some goons escaping to the roof. They’ve got an explosive wired to kill them but it’ll take down the entire building. Daredevil finds the bomb but when Steve asks how much time is left, he has no idea.

Samuel asks his mother about the Hand. His mother brushes off the question and asks why he’s here. He’s worried but his mother assures she and her, who now has 8 fingers on each hand, will protect them. When he argues that a church shouldn’t ask to kill, she responds that it’s about protecting their community. He points out Blindspot, who she calls an enemy. He reveals that he is Blindspot

Describing the bomb, Steve figures out what type of bomb it is but doesn’t know that Daredevil is blind and can't distinguish between the colours of the wires. Daredevil instead opts for grabbing on of the goons about to escape on the helicopter and forcing him to disarm it.

Sam’s mother knocks off Blindspot's mask, rendering him fully invisible. He says he never wants to see her again either.

Steve gives gratitude before asking why Daredevil called him. Daredevil tries to convince himself to confess but he can’t bring himself to it. Steve’s words about seeing yourself in the mirror may ring in his ears after this one.

Blindspot becomes visible. He showed her this to show her there’s another way. She doesn’t have to be with Tenfingers. The Hand is going to come back, just as he says that, Another Hand assassin arrives.

So that was Daredevil #1-4, what do I think, let’s take a look.

For a start, this is a tightly written story. The threats are clear. The main characters are nicely fleshed out, there’s a few bits here and there with the background characters and Steve Roger’s cameo added to Daredevil’s narrative without feeling forced.

Tenfingers is a good villain, his agendas may be unknown but we’ve seen that he’s able to sway people to his side but is formidable, even taking on a challenge like that hand.

I’m not sure what to make of Daredevil himself. I just hope he didn’t make some deal with the devil to restore his secret identity. Would not be the first time, would it Marvel? OK, I oughta stop with the One More Day jokes but it’s interesting to see Matt work on the other side of the law.

Having his relationship with Foggy at an all-time low gives the chance to focus development away from him. Instead we have Blindspot. He was introduced in a comic called All New All Different Marvel.1 which was an anthology of various prelude issues. I did not pick this up but it doesn’t really matter, we know what we need to know in the main issues. We see that he’s a good kid, albeit a good kid that cut off someone’s fingers. We see that doesn’t like to kill and that he cares deeply for his mother. Both good traits for his hero’s journey. Having Daredevil mentor him was a stroke of genius by the writers given that, as Daredevil points out, they share a lot in common.

Unfortunately, my list of praises run out when it comes to the artwork. I realise not everyone will agree, this is another heavily stylised piece but just cut it out with the colour filters. You can make a town look gritty without putting anything under a black filter, or a red filter. I get having filters to simulate Daredevil’s radar sense but there’s a panel where Daredevil uses it and it looks completely different to the other panels.

I’m sorry, this art goes damn close to outright ruining this title for me, it’s that bad.

Ratings:

#1 6/10

#2 6/10

#3 6/10

#4 6/10

Overall 6/10

Recommendation: *sighs* this is Black Canary all over again. I’ll admit though, I like this story a little more than Black Canary. Is it enough for me to keep on reading it? Unfortunately, whilst I can hope that a story will get better, this art won’t. I won’t be continuing to pick this up and I cannot recommend it.

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Images used in this review are from Daredevil and belong to their respective owners. All images in this review are subject to fair use.