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Daredevil #3
- Writer:
- Chip Zdarsky
- Artist:
- Rafael De Latorre
- Letterer:
- VC's Clayton Cowles
- Cover Artist:
- Marco Checchetto, Matthew Wilson
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-09-14
- Colorist:
- Matthew Wilson
Everyone thinks that Matthew Murdock is dead, but Daredevil is alive and well and more aggressive than ever. The blind hero is determined to hunt down the murderous cult of ninjas, the Hand, but he has to leave New York, still overrun by crime and corruption, behind. Although he's confident in his friend Luke Cage's ability to hold his own as mayor, Daredevil still has his doubts -- and those doubts may very well be justified.
Written by Chip Zdarsky, drawn by Rafael De Latorre, with colors by Matthew Wilson and letters by VC'S Clayton Cowles, Daredevil #3 continues the Red Fist Saga as the Man Without Fear and Elektra prepare to lead the Fist into battle against the hand. But no matter where he is, trouble is never far for Matt Murdock -- the army of the Hand is already onto him.
Daredevil #3 shows readers a more vulnerable side of Matt Murdock. He is a man of faith, all too aware of how extreme he becomes when he is Daredevil, fighting against foes without rules. The issue opens with Daredevil confiding in Cole North, admitting that he serves as a moral compass, a good man unwilling to cross lines that Matt knows he does himself. While he's by no means overwhelmed, Daredevil's unsettled emotional state leaves him more open to attack than normal. He's confronted, outmaneuvered, and paralyzed by the Hand's assassin, Aka, who shares the painful revelation that the Hand's leader is none other than his friend, Frank Castle, the Punisher.
He continues to play the role of Guardian Devil as he watches over his closest friends, especially Luke Cage, as he deals with the formidable and corrupt Stromwyns. As fun as it is to see Daredevil dispatching assassins, Luke Cage steals the show with every scene he's in. As the Mayor, the odds are stacked against him -- especially with his wife under threat of the Purple Man. Seeing him successfully confront the Stromwyns without breaking a sweat is satisfying and an apt reminder to everyone, even Daredevil, that he's a force to be reckoned with.
Daredevil #3 is a dark chapter in the hero's life, and Rafael De Latorre's drearily elegant art style captures the impending doom and gloom quite nicely. There are some gloriously dismal scenes here, hearkening to the darkest of film noirs -- hooded figures in the pouring rain, flickering streetlights, rooftop brawls in the moonlight, and dimly-lit rooms. Similarly, Matthew Wilson's colors are dark and toned down, so much so that even pages taking place in broad daylight look downright cheerless. This suits the dark, moody narrative. Oddly enough, the most uncomfortable scenes in Daredevil #3 are rendered in bright, cheery, and wholly unnatural hues, mainly in the tense scene in which Luke Cage is trapped in an uncomfortable conference with the Stromwyns or washes of red when Daredevil harnesses his extrasensory powers.
With a deep sense of dread in the air, Daredevil #3 has the Man Without Fear having his faith in himself and his confidence shaken, preparing him for the potentially heartwrenching battle he must enter that will endanger his newfound love and partner and his closest friends, even the one working for his enemy.