Daredevil may be dead in Matt Murdock’s mind, but the spirit lives on in his actions. Maybe Daredevil isn’t as dead as he thought. Spoilers for Daredevil #15 follow.
Once again, Daredevil continues to shine. Every issue grows on the previous one in organic ways that are intricate and smart. It’s not like previous plot developments and character motivations are simply forgotten about but affect the story in new ways. This run on Daredevil has at times been similar to other runs, yet it continues to forge its own path.
One of the things about this run that shouldn’t work, yet does, is its reluctance to use Daredevil at all. The horns haven’t been seen since early on and will more than likely not be making a return soon. This really shouldn’t work at all, given that the title is Daredevil, but it grows the character of Matt Murdock. By eschewing the name of Daredevil, he’s able to see who he truly is at his heart. And, at his heart, Matt is Daredevil even if he refuses to use the name and costume. His actions prove he’s as much Daredevil as he’s ever been, which Elektra points out. His confidence has returned, and it makes his lowest points resonate even more. So, even though he says he’s no longer Daredevil, at his heart, Matt still is.
As for the Kingpin though, he’s lower than he’s ever been. He’s tried to leave behind his nature as the Kingpin and just be Wilson Fisk. However, this has caused nothing but anguish. Anguish at his lack of power. Anguish from his actions. And above all else, anguish from the contempt that others feel for him. It shouldn’t but this issue really allows you to feel sorry for Fisk, especially as he’s getting beaten to a pulp and thrown out a window. He’s a criminal who’s unfit for the office he holds and yet, you feel empathy for him.
While this issue does have these solid character moments though, the plot doesn’t really feel whole yet. There’s a glimpse of the bigger picture given in this issue, but how we got there seems relatively quick and hasn’t allowed for decent set-up for the new villains, the Stromwyn siblings. They’re basically evil businesspeople with no real motivation so far other than greed and power. It’s a bit too real world so far and doesn’t make them all that compelling.
Marco Checchetto and Francesco Mobili share art duties in this issue and they work well together. Checchetto handles the Daredevil portions while Mobili handles the Kingpin portions. Their styles are different enough from each which provides a solid divide between stories. But, they’re similar enough to each other that the flow of the issue is never lost. This is apparent when the two share pages, with one half being Kingpin focused and the other Daredevil focused. If styles are drastically different from one another, this wouldn’t work, but it does in this issue.
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