REVIEW: ‘Daredevil,’ Issue #3

Daredevil #3 is published by Marvel, written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Rafael De Latorre, colours by Matthew Wilson, and letters by Clayton Cowles. Daredevil has been preparing to leave New York, but things keep getting in the way. In this issue, he pays a visit to Detective Cole North and Luke Cage, trying to recruit them into his crusade against the Hand. He then accompanies Mayor Cage on a mission.

There has been a brilliant structure to these first issues of the new Daredevil run. This is due to the fact that he has been trying to leave New York, desperate to go, and yet the unfinished business is keeping him there. There are both old stories being revisited and new information being revealed. Those plot threads that began in the last series and through Devil’s Reign are still there and rearing their ugly heads again. But there are also events with the Hand that need addressing. Each issue brings something different, introducing new characters or crafting new tensions. The suspense builds in this comic, then fades slightly, before a battle erupts. A new player in the story drastically changes events. Zdarsky is stoking the fires again, beginning multiple lines that will flow parallel in this run.

Zdarasky is also exploring the relationship Daredevil has with certain heroes, which may need clarifying after the events of Devil’s Reign. One of the biggest changes in the Marvel Universe is the fact that Luke Cage is the Mayor of New York. There is tension between the two old friends, stoked by the change in occupation for Cage, but also because of what Murdock wants with him. Luke then becomes the centrepiece of the issue as he has a meeting with an old foe from Daredevil’s last series. More characters make appearances too, and it is great to see them reintegrated within the new story. Daredevil’s difficulty in leaving New York is a really endearing and investing trait. He feels partially responsible for everything and everyone, and he needs to make sure things are in order.

There is a slight change to the art as De Latorre provides all of it, instead of sharing it with Checchetto. The style is one that works excellently for the characters and the world. In his first appearance in Daredevil #3, the title character is in costume but also in a hoodie. The ridiculous nature of the look is captured whilst also adding intrigue. When out of the hoodie, the illustrations of Daredevil are fantastic. The musculature etched underneath his costume and the athletic movements is superb, as are other heroes and fighters involved. Hell’s Kitchen looks peaceful but full of personality. But there are glimpses of imagery that aren’t meant for the stress of New York in the meeting Luke Cage attends. The splendour of this situation is stunning and its implementation purposefully makes it look different and alien.

The colours are gorgeous. The reds on Daredevil’s costumes are bright and vibrant, but it is the blending of tones in the background and the sky that catches the eye. The colours and the techniques used in the meeting Cage has are remarkable and unlike anything else in this issue. The lettering is bold and the font is the same as Daredevil comics usually use.

Daredevil #3 is a bridge between old and new. Old friends and enemies make themselves known as Daredevil is still trying to depart the city, whilst new threats also appear. Everything is related to the history of the characters and their relationships. This is a book that knows when to talk and when to fight, with incredible power emanating from the page when both happen. Daredevil’s attempt to wrap up in New York is revealing more and shows the depth that Zdarsky has generated in his time writing one of the best series currently on sale.

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