The Death Of Daredevil Begins With Daredevil #609
by Josh Davison
[*Spoilers Ahead!!]
Matt Murdock is in the hospital. He saved a kid from being hit by a truck but was unable to get out of the way in time. The experience almost killed him, but he survives surgery. There is not time for recovery with Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, still the mayor of New York, and Daredevil now realizes that his time on Earth will always be limited. He will do whatever it takes to expose Fisk’s crimes to the public, and he hopes Frank McGee, the Reader, and Cypher can still help him.
It’s hard not to respect the red herring Daredevil #609 gives the reader with the beginning of the first issue of “The Death of Daredevil.” You see Matt Murdock in the hospital from an accident which starkly mirrors the one that gave him his powers and you kind of assume this is a flashforward to the end. However, this is just the beginning of the “death.” It also sets up that this will be a Knightfall-like gauntlet where the death is not a single instance but a series of accidents and personal disasters that bring the hero down low into a possible grave.
Personally, I’m not looking forward to a big dramatic death for the Man Without Fear, but I’m still excited to see what big and bombastic story writer Charles Soule has cooking for the big finale to his Daredevil run.
Between Daredevil and Wolverine, Soule does seem to like to kill heroes.
This is a solid opening salvo for sure. Matt has a near-death experience that reminds him of his mortality, and it has him acting more rashly and recklessly than he has in a long time. Coincidentally, it has him further earning the names “Daredevil” and “the Man Without Fear.”
We also meet a new villain, and it’s one with a pretty wicked visual design.
All told, we aren’t given much to go on as far was what Matt plans to do next to depose Mayor Fisk, and that can leave the reader feeling like little forward progress was made with the plot. That said, it’s still enough of an interesting and outright compelling read so that this feeling isn’t too prevalent.
Phil Noto continues to bring his unique and brilliant artistic eye to Matt Murdock with this issue. The well-textured, well-shadowed, and brightly-colored aesthetic serves Daredevil well, though said colors do feel a little oversaturated when the book flashes back to the accident itself. Those moments aside, this is a unique-looking comic with a fantastic visual style thanks to artist Noto.
Daredevil #609 takes the first tentative steps towards killing Matt Murdock, and it’s an interesting read. The mirrored accident, the new villain, and the new approach to crimefighting for Matt, all add up to an intriguing comic, and artist Phil Noto ensures that the book looks great. This one is definitely worth a read.
Daredevil #609 comes to us from writer Charles Soule, artist Phil Noto, letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles, and cover artist Phil Noto.
