Daredevil and the Punisher are officially at war in the Marvel Universe.
In the latest Daredevil run by writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Marco Checchetto, Daredevils Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios have formed The Fist, a ninja organization meant to stop its evil rival, The Hand, currently led by the Punisher/Frank Castle. To build up The Fist's ranks, Matt and Elektra freed a number of supervillains incarcerated in the Myrmidon prison, including Buck Cashman/Bullet, who eventually left the Fist to be reunited with his son. However, Castle and The Hand captured both Bullet and his son to lure Matt and The Fist into a trap, so in Daredevil #8, the first battle in the war between Daredevil, Punisher and their respective armies begins.
DAREDEVIL #8
- CHIP ZDARSKY (W) • MARCO CHECCHETTO (A/C)
- Variant Cover by AKA • Stormbreakers Variant Cover by ELENA CASAGRANDE
- Planet of the Apes Variant Cover by TERRY DODSON
- At last…WAR!
- 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
A preview for the upcoming issue by Zdarsky and Checchetto shows The Fist and The Hand clashing on the battlefield, the former wearing red uniforms and the latter black. The Punisher rides into the fight on a fire-breathing dragon, which he jumps off to meet Matt in single combat -- one wielding dual swords, the other a sharpened bo staff. Matt's inner dialogue discusses how he "thought all of God's creatures could be saved," but he ultimately decides that both The Hand and Punisher need to be sent straight to Hell.
Daredevil and Punisher Both Have Superpowers Now
Depending on when Daredevil #8 takes place in relation to Marvel's ongoing Punisher series, both Punisher and Daredevil have superpowered upgrades. After completing a ritual to forge The Fist and marry Elektra, Matt's heightened Daredevil senses have been enhanced to the point where he can sense farther, deeper and with even more clarity, such as being able to know exactly where multiple bombs scattered across one building are and how to diffuse them from afar. In Punisher, as The Hand's "Fist of the Beast," Frank has amassed the "Five Gifts of the Beast," including flight, his own heightened senses, super strength, a healing factor and hellfire abilities.
Punisher Must Fight Daredevil and Other Marvel Heroes
As of writing, Daredevil's appearances in Punisher -- written by Jason Aaron with art by Jesus Saiz and Paul Azaceta -- suggest that Matt hasn't yet become the leader of The Fist during the series' events, being that he doesn't wear his King Daredevil attire and instead turns to heroes like Wolverine to stop the Punisher. Though the battle may be between Daredevil and Punisher in the former's solo series, in Castle's own title, he is about to face the assembled heroes Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Captain America, Black Widow and Moon Knight, as teased by the end of Punisher #9. How the conflicts in both Daredevil and Punisher will shake out remains to be seen.
Along with Zdarsky writing and Checchetto on interiors, Daredevil #8 is colored by Matthew Wilson and Erick Arciniega, lettered by VC's Clayton Cowles, and features main cover art by Checchetto and Wilson. Variant cover artwork for the issue is contributed to by Aka, Elena Casagrande, Jordie Bellaire, Terry and Rachel Dodson. The issue goes on sale Feb. 8 from Marvel Comics.
Source: Marvel