Daredevil #28
Written by Mark Waid
Pencils & Colors by Javier Rodriguez
Inks by Alvaro Lopez
Letters by VC’s Joe Caramagna
Review by Joey Braccino
Okay. I’m hooked. After reading Mark Waid’s Daredevil for the first time just two weeks ago, I fell in love with the spectacular characterization and perfect blend of Murdock’s trademark guilt/neurosis/angst and Daredevil’s swashbuckling, cavalier superheroism. Daredevil #27 ended a two-year long epic storyline that culminated in Daredevil’s victory over his long-time nemesis, Bullseye. Issue #28 kicks off with the most prominent lingering challenge in Murdock’s life: Foggy’s cancer. The scene is a bit of a downer, but perfectly acclimates readers new and old to the importance of this relationship to the comic.
What follows is a fascinating character study of Matt Murdock’s younger years through the lens of Nate Hackett. Nate shows up in Murdock’s office hoping for representation in a false arrest case. Through flashbacks and narrative, Murdock and Hackett discuss their childhood together, in which the former was intensely bullied by the latter. In true Waid fashion, however, this simple bully-bullied trope is complicated by the trajectories these two men’s lives have taken. The complex nature of their relationship makes the fact that Murdock ultimately takes the case all the more interesting, and the ending of this issue suggests a much larger conflict at play than just a one-and-done “Now We’ll Be Friends” story.
After serving as a regular colorist for the series, Javier Rodriguez takes over pencilling duties for Daredevil for the first time. With pulp-linework reminiscent of series debut penciler Paolo Rivera and series regular Chris Samnee, Rodriguez’ dynamic linework and vibrant colors maintain the bold and fun visual aesthetic of this volume.
Verdict
Great jumping-on point for new readers!!! Waid’s exceptional character-driven storytelling and Rodriguez’ brilliant artwork produce yet another must-read issue of Daredevil!!!
