WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Daredevil #19, by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Mattia Iacono and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
In the world of Daredevil, Wilson Fisk has been reduced a mere shell of the Kingpin he once was. He retired and left the seedy underworld behind to become Mayor of New York City. As a politician, he felt he could amass wealth and power the mostly-legal way. But now, Fisk has learned that he's nowhere near the true power of the elites that he desperately wants.
And in Daredevil #19, Fisk is broken in every way when he learns that he's not the real Kingpin of the Marvel Universe. Despite his life in crime, he's nothing but a mere blip on the radar of Marvel's true power brokers.
Marvel's real Kingpin is America's most powerful family, the Stromwyns. Fisk thought he made headway with them but soured that relationship when he killed one of the inner-circle, a businessman named Tyler. Although they didn't care for the petulant Tyler, the fact that Fisk did it without asking and brought the police into their home was too much for them.
That's why their special forces took Fisk apart in their New York office and tossed him out the building and onto a car that left him badly wounded. Even when Matt Murdock visited him in the hospital, Fisk lacked the fire of old because he understands what true power is -- and that he doesn't have it. He doesn't even sell his attackers out because he's truly afraid for the first time. Still, it's the kind of power he dreams of and the Stromwyn siblings, Una and Quinn, make it clear Fisk's criminal empire is child's play. Mayors are nothing compared to presidents and governments, and to them, Fisk was always a child playing in a sandbox. After running afoul of the Stormwyns, Fisk accepts that he never was in the big leagues and is stunned as repercussions keep coming.
The Stromwyns have decided that Hell's Kitchen needs to be purged of vigilantes and police who can't be bought off. The Stormwyns hire Bullseye -- who's sporting a new costume-- and a unique team of killers to destroy Hell's Kitchen. This serves as their stark reminder to Fisk, Daredevil loyalists and any other would-be Kingpins that they truly run the Marvel Universe. They even humble Fisk with the knowledge that the Kingpin is a symbol that was manufactured for peasants and petty criminals to strive towards. And no matter what he thought he had, Fisk feels insignificant.
As Fisk watches his city burn, Wesley tries to lift his dejected boss' spirits, but the Stormwyns have silenced media coverage of the chaos and cut off any hope of government relief. Now, Fisk has to sit with the knowledge that his criminal attitude and greed doomed everyone. This is a totally broken, aimless Fisk who's been defeated in a way that Daredevil's beatdowns never could by themselves Mentally, he's shattered, and feels inferior and powerless. Even betrayed by mercenaries like Bullseye who once worked for him, Fisk is as low as he's ever been.
While Fisk wants to rule his world with an iron fist, the former Kingpin genuinely loves his city, which could offer him a way out of this tragedy. Since Matt Murdock has embraced his Daredevil identity and the vigilantes he's inspired, Fisk may even team up with his old rival. Now, Fisk can see who really cares for Hell's Kitchen and who doesn't. but he might not have enough time to put the flames out before Hell's Kitchen burns to the ground.