This week, as a result of the comics which were released, I finally got around to reading a brace of comics which had been sitting on the side for a couple of months, combining their read with that of their final issue.
Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1-3 is a mini-series by Charles Soule, Steve McNiven and Dean White that follows the Man Without Fear in a seemingly Dystopian future where his powers are no more. Now a regular blind man, Matt Murdock has ceased being both Lawyer and Vigilante to help the needy of Hell's Kitchen in a post-war, hero-less world. However, when a terrorist attack result in a radioactive explosion, Matt is caught in the blast and, with it, his powers are returned. Now, Daredevil is back as he hunts those responsible for the attack and the girl they took who may hold the key to the return of heroes.
This was a comic which I came across by accident, when I just happened to see the first two issues sitting on my LCS' shelf just after the release of Issue two. Having always been a fan of both Daredevil and Charles Soule (both his work generally and his Daredevil run), I decided that a three issue story was worth picking up, especially with it being two issues deep at the time.
And, to start, it certainly seemed like my faith was being rewarded. Soule presented us with a character and a world very different to what we know, both of which have been through a life of pain, suffering and loss. Soule's characterisation of Murdock is certainly something a lot calmer and less angst-ridden that his past rendition. The character is characterised as a priest in story and it certainly makes sense: the former Man without Fear, feels much kinder and introspective while also more leaning on his Catholicism when giving his outlook on the world.
However, it is the action and, in particular the mystery which Soule presents which really intrigues me. We are thrown into this story with so little context; a broken New York, a war, no more heroes, some unknown enemy, even characters having lost their powers, all of these facts are given with almost no context like they've happened and now we move on, but it is still questions which flood my mind. Then more continue to join them with the beginning of the main story as the explosion occurs are Matt returns to duty.
Meanwhile, the art from McNiven and White perfectly matches this world and story which Soule creates. The last McNiven title I remember reading was Marvel's original Civil War, which was visually clean and stylised series while Dean White's name is one I haven't seen since Black Science and his deep colour palette. So, to see the pair of them come together to produce this series' artwork, a rough, broken, cold style that makes me think of Spread (amongst other brutal looks) is really a change that I was not expecting. Of course, my surprise doesn't change the fact that their combined work exemplifies the world perfectly, with the image of the elderly Matt in his tattered Daredevil costume being a truly creepily great visual.
Unfortunately, as the series wore on, I have found my interest to wane as the the pacing seemed to slow down tremendously, while the questions about the immediate threat, as well as the larger world, are not really provided answers. Further to this, there seems to be a plot hole involving the child macguffin between issues 1 and 2, which throws me off. Also, the revelation of the villains identity didn't seem to be revealed except in the second issue's recap page, which I thought a little annoying that his identity wasn't easier to figure out.
By the end, the story concludes in a very inconclusive way. That said, this was Matt's story and with it over, I guess what happens afterwards is kind of moot. At the end of the day, this was the story of a soldier of God being called upon one last time to shepherd in a new era that he never sees. Will it succeed? Will it fail? I guess all Matt can do is hope and trust in God's plan (a reoccurring theme of the story).
All in all, this was a read somewhere between ok and good. I certainly wish more had been revealed about the world it was set in to give the objectives greater weight, but it was still an enjoyable read. I just don't know if it's one that I'll end up returning to.
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