DAREDEVIL & PUNISHER: The Devil’s Trigger #1-

“The System is Flawed” Creative Team – Jimmy Palmiotti, Tommaso Bianchi, Bryan Valenza, VC’s Joe Sabino

“Mini Marvels: The Dare” Creative Team – Chris Giarrusso, Philip Tan, Sebastian Cheng

Published by Marvel Comics

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The Story

This comic is reviewed by both Megan from the Vigilante Vibes Podcast and Matt from the Hops “Geek” News podcast!

Matt – I love and cannot ever get enough of the dynamic between Matt Murdock and Frank Castle. They are two sides of an extreme spectrum, both with ideologies that could not be further apart. Matt is a man of the law by day, and sometimes that means representing the worst that New York has to offer, all the while Frank is a man possessed by doing what nobody else will and cleaning up the streets in a violent manner. Seeing Matt pushed to his limits in this first issue really set the tone for what we can expect as this story progresses.

Megan – In the epic rivalry between Daredevil and the Punisher, the line between morally good and lawfully good gets more and more gray. In Daredevil & Punisher: The Devil’s Trigger #1, Matt Murdock and his law firm are representing the Gnucci family, a notorious crime family. Well, Matt represents what’s left of the Gnucci family. Each member of the Gnucci family has a target of their head by the Punisher, and he’s down to last child of Ma Gnucci, Dino Gnucci.

Matt, AKA Daredevil, must do what he can to stop the killing of Dino, which includes going against the Punisher himself. Frank Castle, AKA the Punisher, is adamant that what he’s doing is the morally right thing to do, as they’re a crime family with a rap sheet as long as his kill list. So, the Punisher will do what he can to prove to Daredevil that he’s on the wrong side of this by trying to handle things the legal and lawful way.

Daredevil & Punisher: The Devil’s Trigger #1 comes with another story, a short story that is a completely different tone that features Daredevil, the Punisher, Black Panther, and Kingpin called “Mini Marvels: The Dare“. It’s fun, it’s adorable, and I want so much more of it.

The Writing

Matt – Jimmy nails the dynamic between these two so perfectly. Daredevil has his morality and is so set in his ways, and to see this put to the test was incredible. Meanwhile, Frank is written perfectly as every turn and twist showed off his ability to think and plan. These are two characters that know one another so well, and Jimmy really highlights this.

Megan – In the main story of Daredevil and the Punisher, the writer, Jimmy Palmiotti, perfectly captured the tension between the main characters, showing their classic rivalry. With Daredevil so set in his ways to handle the villains by the book, and Punisher handling them the old fashion way that he has always felt was right, there’s a perfect juxtaposition of their morals. I found Palmiotti’s writing to be perfectly paced, while keeping you on the edge of your seat with excitement. I can’t wait to see what’s next in the second issue!

The Art

Matt – There is a lot of grit that the art team brings as they make NYC feel alive and grimy, which, in my opinion, helps to bring to life this good vs evil story. There is a real old-school feeling that they bring to both Matt’s Daredevil suit and Frank’s Punisher attire. Something that stood out is how fluidly they made Daredevil move as he leaps from rooftop to rooftop and in the fight these two share. You don’t need to see Matt’s eyes to feel the anguish he is going through as he is faced with a choice. The final page of this issue is breathtaking and one I was not expecting. While I knew this story felt like a blast from the past, seeing not only Frank’s face drawn in the background of NYC, but also the Twin Towers standing all really hit powerfully on this final page. It truly makes you feel as though something massive is looming on the horizon.

Megan – The artists of Daredevil & Punisher: The Devil’s Trigger #1, the artists went above and beyond to bring artwork that brought the thrilling story to life. Tommaso Bianchi’s artwork throughout the comic is excellently detailed, and brings a new depth to the story. Accompanying Bianchi is Bryan Valenza, who lends his coloring talents for the comic. Valenza perfectly nails the grittiness of a Daredevil or Punisher comic with his use of the darker and muted tones.

All of the artwork is wrapped in a perfect bow with the letterings talents of Joe Sabino, who makes you feel the words uttered by the characters. You can feel the calmness of Daredevil’s inner dialogue, or the unhinged energy of the villains throughout the comic. All together, the artists showed up and showed out in the best possible way.

Final Thoughts

Matt – 10/10 dime piece and instant classic in the making. Daredevil & Punisher #1 has all the makings of an instant classic story between these two familiar characters. It is a game of cat and mouse, pushing Matt to his limit and testing him to the extremes. This is a run that cannot be missed.

Megan – 10/10. If you’re a fan of Daredevil or the Punisher, then this comic is for you. Continuing their legendary rivalry, the creative team made this feel fresh while having that classic feeling of reading a Daredevil versus Punisher comic.

Overall Grade -10/10

Let us know what you thought of Daredevil & Punisher #1 in the comments below!