Daredevil

• 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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• Title: Daredevil: Dark Nights #8 (of 8)
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti
• Artist: Thony Silas

The final arc of the eight-issue anthology mini-series comes to a close as Daredevil sets out to save Misty Knight from her Cuban drug lord ex-boyfriend. It also offers a flashback of the series of events leading up to Knight loosing her arm and requiring a bionic replacement.

Separated for most of the issue, Daredevil: Dark Nights #8 doesn’t offer much in the way of banter between the two heroes. And although she gets to do a little butt-kicking in the final few panels (including saving Daredevil from Carmen Averez), I’m a little disappointed that Misty Knight spends so much of the final issue of the series as the damsel in distress.

Daredevil: Dark Nights may not have delivered great stories over its eight-issue run, but the adventures of Matt Murdock had their moments and I’m sorry to see the series coming to an end as Marvel gears up to a big February relaunch of several of their core titles (including Daredevil). For fans.

[Marvel, $3.99]