DAREDEVIL #1: Class is in Session

Daredevil is back from Stephanie Phillips, Lee Garbett, Frank Martin, and Ariana Maher! Matt Murdock is feeling a bit old these days as he has given up the courtroom for the classroom. However, the streets of Hell’s Kitchen have always remained constant and full of the unknown, calling for Daredevil’s aid. Unfortunately, Matt soon finds out there is a new danger in town, and it comes with a warning for Matt Murdock and a threat to his life!

Creative Team: Stephanie Phillips (WRITER), Lee Garbett (ART and COVER), Frank Martin (COLORS), Ariana Maher (LETTERS), and Jock (VARIANT COVER).

This is a joint review by Matt of Hops ‘Geek’ News and Megan of Vigilante Vibes Podcast!

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Story:

Matt: I tried to remove as much bias as possible when it comes to how much I love the character of Daredevil, heading into this all-new series. This one has been hyped up for quite a long time and has some power behind it with Phillips finding her Olympic-level stride in terms of storytelling lately, and the run of books she has been on, and of course, the team as a whole. Matt Murdock enters this one in perhaps the most relatable manner possible. He is a professor at Empire State and feels a bit out of touch with the people he teaches, being so much younger than they are. We’ve seen him be a lawyer, mayor, DA, and more; we haven’t seen this side of Murdock yet.

Aside from delivering a fresh new story, we get an interesting new villain who has the ability to see into the future and foretells Matt’s death. That wouldn’t seem very villainous to me except for the fact that the villain loves to take eyeballs, so that may be a bit of an issue. What stood out to me was how Phillips wove Matt’s inner monologue and made it feel as though he was two characters. Expressing how he feels in the suit versus being a regular professor built up the character with where he’s at when we meet him in this new run. To me, doing this doesn’t rush the story from the jump but rather lets the reader ease into this familiar and yet new world we will be playing in. So far, I’m sold and will be attending Matt’s classes for sure!

Megan: I had extremely high hopes for this issue, with how talented Stephanie Phillips is as a writer and how much I love Daredevil as a character, and I can confidently say that I wasn’t disappointed in the least. Stephanie Phillips brings the vibe of Matt Murdock we all know and love with the energy of Daredevil that cannot be ignored. Matt Murdock is now teaching at Empire State University, which puts his past life as a lawyer to use. While his students are learning from him, he’s learning from this new life of his. While he is embarking on this new path, he still has his powerful alter ego working full-time to keep the streets safe. Hell’s Kitchen is his home, and he knows the ins and outs to keep it safe. However, what happens when there’s a new player on the street? Matt may know the ins and outs of the streets, but this new player knows the ins and outs of him.

The Art and Letters:

Matt: I wasn’t too familiar with Lee’s artistic work heading into this run. He quickly put me at ease with the poetic way in which he drew Daredevil moving across the city rooftops and across the panels. It felt a bit like watching a ballet or some sort, as every leap and bound felt meaningful and allowed us to see the city at the same time. A particular panel that I absolutely loved was showing the various suits sequentially through the years. The way Frank captured the colors perfectly and Ariana lettered didn’t make these four mini panels feel cluttered in any way, but made Matt’s history to this point matter in a show-not-tell sort of manner. The details were on point, and everything flowed so well in this issue. It was nice of them to include me in the opening page as a faceless man eating a hot dog (this is in no means serious, I just love hot dogs), seeing citizens with their eyes missing felt personal after all of my eye issues. There were glimpses of the horror in this issue, and I hope we lean a bit more into this grotesque calling card of our villain.

Megan: When you have a banger of a story, having a team of artists that can match that tone is a must, and this team achieves that and more! Lee Garbett, Frank Martin, and Ariana Maher are the superstar team that this story deserves, and their work speaks for itself. Garbett brings a familiar sense to Daredevil that turns into something of its own. Giving us looks of Daredevil at work was nothing short of stunning, with his aerodynamic moves and his powerful fighting style. Just the look alone at Daredevil will get any fan into the excitement. Frank Martin gives this grounded comic and level of vibrancy that only a Daredevil comic could achieve, which highlights the more muted tones. Continuing the fantastic storyline through the dialogue is Ariana Maher, who effortlessly keeps an even tone in the inner dialogue of Matt Murdock, while achieving the excitement of the outside world. The artists really went above and beyond in Daredevil #1, and each page of the comic is proof of that.

Final Thoughts:

Matt: 10/10. Daredevil #1 felt like we were meeting an old friend that we haven’t seen in a while. There were beautiful callbacks to his past while showing us that this is a fresh, new, and exciting take on ol’ Hornhead. This first issue lived up to the hype, and I am so ready for more! The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen is back!

Megan: 10/10. Daredevil #1 was made with the fans in mind. Bringing back one of the most iconic Marvel characters, Stephanie Phillips and the artists knocked this out of the park. Action, excitement, familiarity, and new factors all go into Daredevil #1, making it a perfect comic. If you’re like me, you’ll be waiting very impatiently for the next issue to drop! This comic deserves to be on everyone’s pull list!

Overall Grade: 10/10

What did you think of this issue? Let us know in the comments!