REVIEW: ‘Daredevil,’ Issue #13

Daredevil #13 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Marco Checchetto, colors by Matthew Wilson, and letters by Clayton Cowles. Daredevil is in Hell, the land of the Beast, in order to save those that died for him, but he will find out the true rulers of The Hand.

This comic takes a step beyond anything a Daredevil comic has ever attempted before. It’s a comic that has dealt with The Hand and the Beast in previous runs, but not like this. The world of Daredevil has gone from the streets of Hell’s Kitchen to Hell. Actual Hell. there is a real end-of-days feeling to the comic, with fights that mean something close to biblical. Fighting with the Hand and The Fist, this lifts the lid on all of it. There is something pure and truly heroic to this issue, boiling down to true friendship and sacrifice. The fighting is intense and bewildering, but there is a clear mission underway and that is never deviated from. The comic rapidly increases in scale before reaching something almost unbelievable and ending with a beat that seems final.

There must be something quite affirming for a character like Daredevil. He’s spent all his life praying and believing in Hell, and now he is actually coming up against demons. Those creatures he faces are horrifying, and the intellect of Matt Murdock is quick enough to recognise when he is being toyed with. It is also really rewarding after many issues of a Daredevil with clouded judgment to see him with clear, clever thoughts. This issue displays many of the reasons why he is my favourite hero. He is driven and unflinching towards anything he comes up against. The enemies he faces in Daredevil #13 are among the most extreme he’s ever faced, but he doesn’t care.

The art is fantastic but terrifying. I don’t think anyone was prepared for what this issue turns into. There are demons and creatures early in the comic, and they are twisted. They use Matt’s family and friends as manipulations. And whilst they are freaky, they are nothing compared to what is coming. It introduces horrifying, disturbing designs that would make creatures in a Ghost Rider comic baulk at. Each one is entirely different to the other, invoking their own primal fear. They are massive and completely unexpected.

The colors deserve special mention. Hell itself is what you would expect, filled with yellows and reds to create the sensation of constant burning. But the really striking part is Daredevil’s costume during the whole comic. He’s had other colors in his suit before, but not white. It is pretty and serene, giving him a different presence on the panel than his red suit does. The lettering is the standard font used for Daredevil comics and is always easy to read.

Daredevil #13 is something truly unexpected. The journey into Hell to face the Beast meant that Murdock was going to come up against something big or monstrous. But the designs shine and the reveal answers a question no one was even asking, putting an entirely different slant on the situation. This entire comic transcends what I thought Daredevil comics were capable of whilst still feeling true to not just Zdarsky’s run, but the character as a whole. It’s mindblowing, but enough foundations had been laid to feel earned.

Daredevil #13 is available where comics are sold.