REVIEW: ‘Daredevil,’ Issue #12

Daredevil #12 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Marco Checchetto, colors by Matt Wilson, and letters by Clayton Cowles. After Daredevil freed Elektra and the rest of the prisoners that were captured when his army fell, he comes up with a drastic and lethal plan.

This issue brings a lot of peace to it. It comes after a lot has happened, yet how it opens leads to a feeling of serenity. Daredevil greets an old friend that has not been seen in a long time, another figure that some might think Zdarsky might have forgotten about. But all this meditative tone does is make the shock of the twist even harder. Matt’s plan is a surprise but he is interrupted from enacting it by someone close to him. But even that, and the fight after, isn’t as rough or as brutal as some of the other set-pieces in this series. Daredevil #12 is more like a dance or a dream sequence. It’s an acceptance of fate. This leads to more surprises when you realise the true plan all along, and just how out of left field it is. It’s an elevation to another level. And the true result will be hidden beyond the end of this issue.

I really adore the script for this issue. Daredevil has been angry, depleted, and distraught for the last several issues, irrational, and lost in the chaos. But in this issue, his kindness resurfaces. The first encounter is so sweet and heartwarming, as Matt talks to a friend with warmth for the first time in a long time. Then one of the people he has loved more than anything shows up and the adoration that comes through the narration is gorgeous and loving. It presents them through poetry and with a really artistic expression. This contrasts quite nicely given they are being harsh and angry in their dialogue

The art is fantastic. Checchetto’s art style humanises characters because of how intensely realistic his art is. The setting itself is so picturesque and stunning. It’s like the finale of a martial arts movie. There is a transition from this gentle, lovely first scene to a burning, harsh atmosphere in the space of a page when Elektra enters. Their battle is graceful and balletic, not violent and malicious. There is a great montage that phases between the past and present, highlighting the length of time that these two have been dancing.

The colors are glorious, changing in phases. To start, there is an autumnal glow to the trees, which slowly becomes a smoldering red blaze that turns much into shadows. This is one of the most intense moments of the issue. Wilson’s execution blend of red and black is jaw-dropping, especially when you throw Elektra and Daredevil into the mix as well. The palette changes twice again after that, always bringing something new to the page. The lettering is the standard font that Cowles has used in Daredevil for years, and it has been consistently brilliant.

Daredevil #12 is a poetic masterpiece. There are times when a book stands out for its literary brilliance or its artistic excellence. This issue has both. Every creator involved is phenomenal at what they do, bringing a book that reads and looks unlike any other. Whilst there is a fight, this issue is a love story, a testimony to the more positive side of Daredevil. And for a character so steeped in darkness, that light can be blissful before it fades again.

Daredevil #12 is available where comics are sold.