Marvel NOW!: Daredevil #1 Review

This is an ‘All-New Marvel NOW!’ book that is worth your time and money. Daredevil #1 accomplishes quite a bit: establishes Matt Murdock in a new environment, explains an origin in a concise and visual way, a chase scene that accurately depicts the extent of his abilities and intelligence, and leaves the reader with a cliffhanger ending that serves as a reason to pick up the next issue.

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

Murdock is no longer in Hell’s Kitchen in New York. He now finds himself in San Francisco, California where he apparently has been aiding the local police, particularly their forensics department. The writing team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee make it apparent why Murdock is such a valuable asset: his ability to perceive things that others simply can’t breaks open a lot of investigations.

There is a two-page summary that does an excellent job of explaining Daredevil’s origin with supporting visuals. The layout of those pages is fantastic, and it allows the reader a glimpse of how Murdock perceives the world around him. Javier Rodriguez’ use of colors, both vibrant and dark, is laudable throughout the entire book.

The chase sequence that comprises a good portion of the book helps establish Murdock’s relationship with Kirsten McDuffie, Daredevil’s eyes as he navigates San Francisco, as well as his partner at their legal firm. Lastly, the reader is left with an interesting cliffhanger that while slightly cliché, is not worth completely spoiling here.

Overall, Daredevil #1 is pretty much everything a reader can realistically expect from a relaunched title. The writing supports the narrative, which isn’t always the case, and I actually enjoy the pencils and colors. It’s a very good starting point that provides the origin for new readers and a concise glimpse of Daredevil’s abilities, while also expanding on what seems to be a past event that hasn’t yet been developed.