WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Daredevil #23 by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Marcio Menyz, & VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now
The Kingpin of New York City has always been a powerful position, with the people controlling the criminal underworld even willing to come together if someone powerful enough takes on that role.
Now, it looks like there's a new Kingpin on the board. Isabelle Libris has been named the next Kingpin by Wilson Fisk, but she might have some real competition.
Daredevil has introduced a surprisingly stealthy member of the criminal underworld that not even Daredevil has been doing well over his years of trying to protect Hell's Kitchen. The Libris Crime Family is a particularly clever and quiet off-shoot of the Maggia Crime Syndicate. Long allied with Wilson Fisk, the Libris family has long avoided any high-profile arrests by taking particular care in their control of Hell's Kitchen without attracting the attention of the police or heroes like Daredevil. Led by the matriarch of the family, Isabelle Libris, Matt Murdock has recently found himself increasingly drawn into the family -- particularly when he and Isabelle's daughter-in-law, Mindy, began having an affair.
After the Owl's attempt to control Hell's Kitchen were undone by Daredevil and Kingpin -- but not before the Owl murdered Libris' son -- Libris has been given a much larger seat at the table. In fact, while meeting with the various other crime lords of New York City, Wilson Fisk announces that Libris will effectively replace him as Kingpin of New York, and that she'll receive his support. Although Daredevil and Spider-Man make it very clear that they'll be working to bring down these criminal families, including the Libris Family, it's a huge step up for Isabelle Libris, and gives Kingpin a major ally even as he works legitimately as the Mayor of New York.
However, it's not one that she's gained uncontested. There have actually been a number of people itching to establishing power in New York's criminal underworld, each of whom could introduce their own complications to her plans. Butch, the mysterious and illegitimate son of Wilson Fisk, is currently working with Daredevil's shifty brother Mike Murdock, with the pair having plans to establish a level of control. Mike Murdock has a particular enemy in the Hood, who had his Nord Stones stolen from him by Michael before he could sue them in his own plans to assume control of the city. Ultimatum -- secretly the Miles Morales of Earth-616 and an old confidant and friend of Wilson Fisk -- has also been making moves against his heroic counterpart, trying to gain a foothold in Brooklyn.
All of these power players are confident, clever, and crafty in their own right. While Libris might have the open support of the former Kingpin, she might be looking at a very dangerous crime war on her hands, especially with wild-cards like Typhoid Mary and Daredevil only complicating things.