Marvel Knights: Daredevil
Story by David Mack, art by Joe Quesada, colors by Jimmy Palmiotti. And they wrote, too.

When Marvel decided to go all this-time-with-feeling on four of their regular lines -- Daredevil, The Inhumans, Punisher and Black Panther -- it was hard for a fan of any of these titles (and in my case, three out of four ain't bad) to believe that continuity wouldn't be ruined completely. It was hard not to remember and curse the Heroes Reborn concept of a few years back, which sent several of Marvel's ailing brood spiralling into alternate universes and, in some cases, almost into obscurity.

However, this time, things are looking up. Punisher, helmed by the kick-ass Garth Ennis, is coming along nicely (if a little oddly), The Inhumans has had a very cool invasion story-line happening, and Black Panther -- well, I never could get into Black Panther. And then you have your Man Without Fear. Matt Murdock, attorney-at-law, was blinded as a child when he saved the life of a old man, but cause of toxic waste-y stuff, he had all of his other senses enhanced. Now Matt, a refugee from New York's notorious Hell's Kitchen, seeks to right the wrongs that the law won't allow by donning a tight suit and zipping about the city as Daredevil. Y'know, as you do.

And things for poor ol' DD were looking dicey there for a while. On issues one through eight of the new imprint we had comics' current posterboy, Kevin Smith, at the helm: it was not pretty. Smith took Matt on a weird, gritty, action-packed ride of separation, quasi-parenthood and loss -- and, also, he killed Karen. "Guardian Devil" was a plain dumb story-line -- only cool part, The Black Widow -- that may have shaken up the DD world and all, but still was entirely lacking in enjoyment. I can't tell you how happy I was to have it over and done with.

Then, Issue #9, and wow, this is the goods, baby. The Kingpin, a mysterious new villain-cum-love interest, more Black Widow (when are they just going to get back together already?), and Foggy. Poor Foggy. New DD scribe David Mack sensibly does not mess with the wreck Smith made of things previously, but instead runs with the tale and makes it sparkle. And then in Issue #11, Matt goes on a date! Which may be a little soon, 'cause of Karen and all... but Matt has always had a weakness for the ladies. Matt's date is Maya, a deaf concert pianist (and protegé of one Wilson Fisk), who, when she wants to go all lethal, becomes Echo. Not to be confused with the new Image comic of the same name (at least, I don't think she's a hologrammy-type thing), Echo is the Kingpin's surrogate daughter or somesuch, and she believes entirely in his innocence. She has been told by said nefarious Kingpin that Daredevil killed her father many years ago... of course, he did it himself, but you could hardly expect him to share that. And so, after a lovely date of coffee, dinner, and a movie (Maya: "Now it's that guy looking at the sailboat picture and Stan Lee is there." That kills me.), Matt ends up being attacked by Echo... whom he recognises as Maya.

The art in the current Daredevil has been consistently incredible, and the fight that follows is nothing less than amazing. The art at present is by far the best in DD in a very long time (not since the legend that is John Romita Jr. drew him way back when), and the current lettering philosophy I just love. But what I really wanna discuss is Issue #12. 'Cause, man, that was cool.

In what I can only assume was an attempt to get the good ship DD back on time -- the release dates of the book we will charitably call "erratic" -- something unexpected, and exceedingly clever, was produced. Out of apparent desperation came the best issue of a monthly comic in some time... "Gun Play." Interrupting as it does the "Parts of a Hole" arc that Mack has been playing out so skillfully, artists Quesada and Palmiotti weave an intricate story of related characters, all set to the continuing backdrop of Daredevil's fight with the move-imitating Echo, carried from Issue #11. This is gripping stuff, the smaller world of criminals and cops, of victims and victors, and as Daredevil and his erstwhile date duel it out above, the "little people" that DD has sworn to protect continue to live out their lives; all unknowing, DD helps them do so, even while in the midst of a battle to the death...

And in the final panel, we see a gun -- the gun the Kingpin told Maya had killed her father -- pointed directly at Daredevil's head. Oh, my. Not only is this a great stand alone issue, but it is a great story-advancing issue, as well. Again, fantastic art -- this time from ring-ins, Haynes and Self -- heightens the tale, and the conclusion to this "Parts of a Hole" arc... can it possibly be as good as the books that are leading up to it?

As I'm not without fear, I can only say... I fear not.

-- Rachel Hyland

Marvel Knights: Daredevil, published by Marvel Comics, is currently available through comic retailers and at newsstands.

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