Daredevil by Charles Soule Omnibus

Daredevil: Back in Black #1-8

by Charles Soule (Writer), Phil Noto (Cover Art), Ron Garney (Illustrator)

Charles Soule joins the pantheon of legendary writers who have put Daredevil through hell! Soule and visionary artist Ron Garney bring DD back to the Kitchen with a fresh new look — but the Man Without Fear has his hands full with crime lord Tenfingers…and a new protégé, Blindspot! Elektra has a score to settle, the Punisher takes aim at a client, deadly serial killer Muse paints the town blood red, and Matt Murdock’s secrets are about to come back to bite him in a huge way. He has a plan — and he’ll take it all the way to the Supreme Court! But will Daredevil’s world be brought crashing down when Wilson Fisk becomes the mayor of New York City?

COLLECTING: Daredevil (2015) 1-28, 595-612; Daredevil Annual (2016) 1; Daredevil/Punisher: Seventh Circle (2016) 1-4; material from All-New, All-Different Point One (2015) 1

Genres: Marvel, Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

1216 pages, Hardcover

First published November 28, 2018

About the author

Charles Soule is a #1 New York Times-bestselling novelist, comics author, screenwriter, musician, and lapsed attorney. He has written some of the most prominent stories of the last decade for Marvel, DC and Lucasfilm in addition to his own work, such as his comics Curse Words, Letter 44 and Undiscovered Country, and his original novels Light of the Jedi, The Endless Vessel, The Oracle Year and Anyone. He lives in New York.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now read all of the major Daredevil stories. Frank Miller, Nocenti, Bendis, Brubaker, Diggle, Waid, Zdarsky and now Charles Soule. I came say, Murdock has had some great runs over the years and this one fits right in there. Solid stuff. In the beginning we get the introduction of the new character, Blindspot. Thought he was cool. A Chinese immigrant who developed his own invisibility suit and gets into crime fighting and DD takes him under his wing. This book has several crazy tales. From the hand coming back, Spidey and DD getting into an adventure overseas, Blindspot and DD trying to get a criminal on a plane to a jail in Texas with the Punisher trying to kill said criminal, and the appearance of Muse who is in the new DD show, Born Again. I wish we got more of him as he seemed like he had some kind of powers but we never get to know what kind exactly. I like Matt teaming up with Reader and McGee of the Inhumans also. In Waid’s run, everyone knew Matt was Daredevil. Here, Soule does a cool story beat that has everybody forgetting that info. The art was pretty good for the most part with Ron Garney doing a lot and Phil Noto doing the last arc. Unfortunately, towards the middle, the art did get a little sloppy. The whole Fisk becoming Mayor story was a nice touch. Soule got in his creative bag through that arc which lead to one of my favorite action sequences in this book. Plus I love what Soule did with the final arc to close this book out. All in all, this ends up being another great Daredevil run to add the the plethora he already has. Now on the watch Born Again.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m back at it with my favorite superhero Daredevil. This omnibus collects the entirety of lawyer-turned-comic-book-writer Charles Soule’s tenure as the lead writer, returning Matthew Murdock not just to New York but to the dark grittiness that Mark Waid had mostly abandoned in his fan favorite tenure writing Daredevil. I loved the Waid run so Soule had a lot to live up to for his own run.

Things start in media res and rather abruptly at that, with no explanation as to why everyone now has forgotten that Matt Murdock is Daredevil, a critical piece of DD’s mythos since Brian Michael Bendis’ iconic run. After 15+ issues Soule does give an explanation as to why it happened, how it drove away Kirsten Macduffie (the only one of Matt’s love interests besides Karen or Elektra I care about), etc. Soule does this via the Purple Man’s children which I’m fine with as they’re from the Waid run. This leads to a great issue in this arc where Purple Man is inside Matt’s head and his subconscious/different iterations of DD over the years interact with Matt and Purple Man in order to find a way to defeat him. This then leads to the solution to Matt’s identity being known/have him break things off with Kirsten. It’s a sloppy solution IMO to revert the status quo. In general I’d say that’s my problem with Soule’s run (at least in the 1st half), he creates some interesting story beats, like Elektra seemingly having a daughter, only to resolve the plot thread either almost immediately or with solutions built around some weird logic.

It takes until the omnibus’ 4th volume, wherein one of my new favorite DD villains Muse is introduced, for things in the omnibus to pick up. There isn’t anything too original about Muse as the serial killer artist character archetype has been done before but Soule does a good job at making him a creepy foe. Besides Muse, the later half of the run is when things get better. There’s an extended battle between The Hand and the New York street heroes that’s very superhero action-y but it's entertaining. I rather preferred the arc about Matt’s attempts to make superheroes with secret identities legally eligible to provide testimony in court without giving up their anonymity.

The best part of Soule’s run though would have to be the Mayor Fisk storyline. A New York City businessman with known criminal acts to his name running for office and winning despite the odds isn’t exactly a subtle allegory but it's a superhero comic. Mayor Kingpin is a frightening concept that Soule runs with, as well as throwing a curveball in how it impacts Matt, namely Matt getting selected by Fisk to be his deputy Mayor. It’s an interesting dilemma for Matt/DD and Soule does run with the deputy mayor angle for a while. And then it ends, and the run ends with a weird storyline about Matt’s fictional twin Mike becoming real. At that point it felt like Soule was trying to get back into Waid’s lighthearted content. And then it all ends with an extended dying dream Matt has before, just kidding, he pulls through. At that point my interest in Soule’s run had ended.

A few other moments/ideas about Soule’s Daredevil work I want to address:
- Besides Muse, Soule’s biggest contribution to DD’s ensemble is “Blindspot”, a protege that’s the Robin/Nightwing/Red Hood to Daredevil’s Batman, only with an invisibility suit and serving as a commentary on the immigrant experience. I know some people don’t like Blindspot, yet I’m truly ambivalent about the character. At worst, I do think his story had traces of orientalism/Yellow Peril (although Daredevil’s mythos has always had traces of both since Frank Miller created The Hand).

- The new(?) villains sans Muse are kind of stupid (10 Fingers has 10 fingers and needs a special gun for that, The Clip are guys with guns/gun Code Names, etc). The Vigil is kind of interesting I suppose but he’s part of the dying dream so I don’t know yet if he comes back.

- Matt verbally and literally spars with the US Supreme Court at one point (living every politically-aware American’s dream I guess)

- Besides the main Daredevil series, Soule worked on 2 DD related miniseries, one with him coming to blows with The Punisher over a prisoner and the other about tracking down a resurrected Wolverine. The Wolverine one wasn’t the best (not even included in this volume but I read it anyway) but it was interesting seeing Matt form a little eclectic team to find Logan. The Punisher one on the other hand? I’m sorry but it is one of the most generic Daredevil vs Punisher stories out there, it really did nothing to break new ground on their dynamic.

- Soule uses a lot of artists throughout the run. I’d say my favorite was Phil Noto, liked the realistic appearances and the water color style he used

So yeah, Charles Soule doesn’t reach the same heights as Brian Michael Bendis or Mark Waid did with their tenures on Daredevil. It is a shame because Soule brings a lot of good things to the character and the mythos, even if he doesn’t stick the landing with most. Ultimately Soule’s time on Daredevil wasn’t horrible, and was entertaining, it was just fine. That said, I do love the final words Soule leaves Daredevil fans with about The Man Without Fear:

“I cannot see the Light. So I will be the Light. I am Daredevil.”

[Joakim Ax · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had my doubt for a couple of issues in the beginning if this would be the first mediocre DD run. Not counting Shadowland...

Boy was I wrong!

Charles Soule captures the voice and thought of Matt Murdock like his predecessors!

[TheMadReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a 3.5 for me. The only reason I’m giving it a 4 is because Mark Waid’s run was atrocious to me. I liked the elements of law presented in these stories however, the end of this omnibus was a bit confusing. Mike Murdock? Some of the villains introduced by Charles were interesting, Muse reminded me of Kevin Spacey in Se7en but 10 fingers and The Beast were just meh. Blindspot is a cool Robin…the immigrant edition.

Yea this wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t great. However, so much better than Waid so it’s a win for me.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[R. Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

That final arc had me in TEARS. Really had me feeling emotionally how Matt was feeling physically (that being hit by a semi). So good though. Also I am a blindspot fan and nothing will change that

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daredevil by Charles Soule.

Its been a while since i read some straight up superhero stuff and Daredevil always does the trick. This is they Marvel character with the best runs, the Batman from Marvel, and always good. I have not read to many comics form Soule, but i read one of his books, which really was a excellent one ! After a much lighter run from Mark Waid, its back again with some more darker, but also outgoing stuff. A villian with 10 Fingers on each hand and a creep who makes paintings from his victims, sounds good. And Matt also has to deal with his outing as Daredevil and something he did to cover that up. Its also back to full on lawyer stuff, and it was cool to find out Charles Soule himself was an actual lawyer, so he knows all the
procedures. The artwork is good and it changes quite often, but all looks very solid. I enjoyed this one for sure, as DD is one of my favorite characters in comics.

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to give Charles Soule a major shoutout for having one of the most creative daredevil runs in the last twenty years. The villains are (mostly) new and connect with daredevil or matt in the same way the classic villains did.

Muse was awesome- the kingpin stuff is creative and adds a new twist to their relationship. This is a great run, and if you like the character you have to read it.

My biggest complaint is the story moves at an awkward pace in certain issues- I felt like the flow of stories in the beginning was more stilted, but it picks up toward the middle, although some of those same issues pop up toward the end.

Think positive though, if I could find this at a decent price from a local bookstore I’d be all over it!

[Christian Oliverio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soule takes Daredevil back to form in probably the best Hand story arc I've read along with a awesome new villain. All the complications from Bendis' run onward has conveniently been removed, making this a good launch point for new readers.

The first half starts off good, but not astounding. Daredevil gets a sidekick and they team up to defend Chinatown from a ninja cult. If you like the Hand and Kung Fu treachery arcs, this was pretty solid. If you think the Hand is the worst part of Daredevil mythos (like me), this was a pretty passible story.

The Punisher crossover was also solid, but still felt pretty basic. Nothing was bad, but other blew me away either. Although it is always a pleasure seeing Frank and Matt team-up while also fighting each other.

We are introduced to a new villain who uses his victims' to create street art. He felt like a Batman villain in the best way possible. What I really liked is how "Muse" doesn't even get a full backstory and we still don't fully know how he works after this run is over. An excellent entry to Daredevil's rogues gallery that isn't pulled from Spider-Man.

Another standout story is learning how Daredevil got his secret identity back. Despite the 'comic stupidness' of it, I still enjoyed this story as the characters were all done really well. This is probably the only part you would need to have read prior stories to fully grasp.

Yet, the strongest part of this was easily the second half whenever all of the various plotlines come together in a mega arc entitled "Mayor Fisk." Yeah, that's all I need to say and you can see how banger it is. Fisk returns and is awesome. The Hand pops up and is actually interesting this time around. Muse plays a part in his creepy glory. Foggy and Matt's friendship is done splendidly. We also get the most fire Daredevil monologue, which culminated with this awesome line "I cannot see the light, so I must be the light." Chef's kiss gold! This was the clear culmination of the story and great... but then the truly 'weird' stuff comes.

You know Mike? Matt's fake twin brother? Somehow he comes to life through the stupidest of shenanigans. Luckily, this character arc was great. Unfortunately, it leads directly into the last arc "The Death of Daredevil" which was actually [spoilers]... so yeah. Despite it being the perfect circumstances for him to die, everything after the opening sequence was pointless.

Overall, a solid run with only a few hiccups. Definitely set the next guy up for some banger stories.

[Kya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Murdock is such a baddie 😫

[Geekaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Als ehemaliger Anwalt lässt Charles Soules in seinem DD Run seine Erfahrung im Bereich des amerikanischen Justizsystems deutlich einfließen. Matt Murdock ist nicht mehr als Strafverteidiger, sondern als Staatsanwalt tätig. Und dies stellt ihn vor ganz neue Herausforderungen, aber auch Möglichkeiten.
Als Daredevil nimmt er sich der Aufgabe an, einen jungen Vigilant als seinen Zögling auszubilden, was unweigerlich zu Auseinandersetzungen mit neuen, aber auch bekannten Gegenspielern führt.

Soules Run integriert sich gut in die bodenständigeren Gesichten der sogenannten „streetlevel“ Helden, wie Luke Cage, Iron Fist oder Misty Knight. Dabei nimmt sich Soule aber auch die Freiheit hier und da Ausflüge in die fantastischeren Ecken des Marvel Universums zu machen. So sind beispielsweise auch die Inhumans immer wieder Thema des Runs. Dies wäre für DD vielleicht nicht unbedingt erforderlich, dient aber der Verankerung im generellen Marvel Kosmos und spielt etwas mit den Möglichkeiten.
Der berufliche Perspektivenwechsel von Matt ist interessant und gut erzählt. Soules beruflichen Erfahrungen in der Justiz ist natürlich eine perfekte Grundlage für seinen Run.
Das Crossover „Seventh Circle“ mit dem Punisher ist storytechnisch zwar nichts neues, bietet aber herausragende non-stop Action.
Auch die neuen Figuren sind eine Bereicherung und bieten einen frischen Ansatz. Etwas Schade ist nur, dass man dann letzten Endes doch wieder auf gewohntes zurückgreift. Wobei zumindest auch hier ein etwas neuer Weg beschritten wird.

Ron Garney, als Hauptzeichner, hat einen kräftigen Strich. Seine Zeichnungen wirken grob, fast etwas skizzenhaft. Dieser raue Eindruck passt perfekt in das DD Setting.
Auch die anderen Künstler überzeugen durchweg. Ausfälle gibt es keine. Insgesamt wird ein eher realistischer Look angestrebt.
Die Farben sind deckend und erzeugen eine ernste, zur Handlung passende Tonalität.


Fazit: Insgesamt ein unterhaltsamer und sehr guter Run. Der ernstere Ansatz nach Waids Run sagt mir persönlich zu (was aber nicht als Kritik an Waids DD zu sehen ist). Auch optisch passt das alles sehr gut und gerade Garney prägt den Look des Runs. Es ist einfach erstaunlich und schön zu sehen, welche Qualität DD über die Jahre hält.

[Evan Dossey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a Daredevil fan for a long time and read most of the character's quintessential runs. I actually became a fan right when Brubaker took over, but my familiarity started during Jr. High School when Kevin Smith's "Guardian Devil" was recent & well-regarded (has not aged well!). Back in College I was acquainted with Mark Waid right around the time he took over the title and really enjoyed seeing him bring a little bit of energy back to the character. During his run, it always felt clear the heir apparent was Charles Soule. When his run was announced, it seemed like a no-brainer. I subscribed immediately and read the first 7 issues and then..

Decided I'd wait for it to be collected in hardcovers.

Which took another 6 years for some godforsaken reason.

So I've finally read Soule's run, and I'm actually really happy with it. It doesn't seem to have the same reputation as Waid or Bendis or Brubaker (let's not even mention Miller, whose work in the 80s defines the book). Nocenti and others defined Daredevil in smaller ways, but I wouldn't say Soule is a lesser presence on the books.

I think his high points are really high - Supreme, Muse, Mayor Fisk. I love the inclusion of Blindspot, but think there was a lot to be done with him as a blind character that gets kind of skipped over. I wish there was more fallout centered on Murdock's court case. The solution to how his identity went back into the bottle after Bendis / Brubaker / Waid was a little dissatisfying but narratively necessary to not make him seem like a complete dickhead (just an average dickhead).

Truthfully though, I really loved Soule's take on the character and his relationship with the law. This is a very large Omnibus (I had expected there to be two, but frankly don't see where it would've made sense to split), but I read it in two sittings because I couldn't put it down. Maybe it won't be considered definitive, but it's a great Daredevil run nonetheless.

[Shelby Fielding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvel and DC comics, especially the honest-to-god comic book stories ones, are best when there is a through-line or some gravity at the center of its pulp. Superman is best when he's fighting something he can't punch his way through. Spider-Man is best when he begins to question if its worth fighting the good fight. The same goes for Daredevil as the gravitational orbit a duly elected Mayor Wilson Fisk gives each story an urgency. Whether its a rampaging serial killer or a legal fight in the hollowed halls of the Supreme Court, each narrative arc in this 46-issue omnibus feels purposeful and tightly wrought as Soule grasps at the soul of a character who has endured the darkness but somehow still manages to be the light. The art is predominantly great, but I do think Sprouse and Landini really struggle from the juxtaposition of Garney's finely tuned, visceral artwork and clever staging. Not to mention, Noto's phenomenal lucid art achieved in the final few issues. Narratively, Soule is fantastic throughout. However, there is this hesitancy for intimacy, a trait familiar to Daredevil comics. Instead, in Soule's run, he primarily wields the Man Without Fear as a hero or a knife slicing through corruption. The internal conflicts and intimate drama is mechanical, a problem to solve to solve the problem currently punching him in the face. There are definitely times within the run where that's not the case, where there's a greater impact in conquering an emotional battle rather than a physical one, but Soule shies away from letting it take centerstage in his run for one reason or another. It's a shame too, because its a facet of the character Soule seems to have a knack for.

[Ross Cudmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daredevil is back in New York. Comics are famous for reverting to status quo and after years of Matt Murduck being outed as Daredevil, the genie is back in the bottle.

I do like that even when reverting to the status quo, Soule shakes things up. No longer a public defendant, Matt is now a prosecutor and he and Foggy aren't on good terms.

A long of great additions to the world of Daredevil. Blindspot is Daredevil's new protege. He's an illegal immigrant living in Chinatown. I thought his background was an interesting starting point and generally enjoyed his inclusion in the story, and the responsibility he created for Matt. Engaging a bit with real world issues helped give the story some depth.

Soule also added one of the best new villians, Muse. Creepy and threatening, Muse was a real highlight.

And that's not all, Wilson Fisk is mayor! And he's clamping down on vigilantes.

All in all I thought the stories in this omnibus were really exciting. Returning to the Daredevil status quo while bringing a lot of new ideas to the table.

I thought the final story arc felt very rushed. That is until I got to the final issue and discovered it was a fake out. I generally don't like story reveals where "it was all a dream" but this was one of the few times I found it satisfying.

[AC Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might not be the flashiest Marvel comic I've read, and the stakes are relatively small (often down to the soul of a single person), but it's such a consistently good, meticulously planned run from start to finish. A lot of runs, even in the later ages of Marvel, tend to be loosely structured and scattershot due to the episodic nature of comic releases - here every arc has its place, and serves both as an isolated chapter, and a part of the whole story. Every fundamental aspect of Daredevil's character - Blindness, Law, Catholicism, East Asian influences, NYC, Guilt, Recklessness/Fearlessness - is thoroughly explored and utilized in both text and art. All the artists throughout the run are excellent, and even though there are many very distinct styles, they work in concert to create a bigger picture. The fact that it is written by someone with actual experience in law, and as a visceral reaction to Trump's first term, adds a lot of extra sauce to an already great story. The best street-level Marvel I've read, and a very high bar to clear.

This is the run that Disney+'s Daredevil reboot is largely based on, but somehow I doubt that the climactic fight of *checks notes* undead demon ninjas vs flying lazer-shooting catholic mecha knights is going to make it to TV.

[Randy Lander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spent my evening reading this giant tome, which was like 90% rereading since I read these when they originally came out, and...

Man, Charles Soule's Daredevil run was weird as shit. Not bad necessarily, but weirder than I remembered. I remembered the invisible protege Blindspot, the serial killer Muse... I had forgotten that Soule was part of Marvel's "make fetch happen" project with the Inhumans so there are some weird (but not unwelcome) Inhumans characters playing prominent roles.

But I'd forgotten that he was the one who gave us the explanation for how nobody remembered Daredevil's identity anymore, and while it worked, it's... weird. There's a whole story arc involving Matt taking a case about superhero law to the Supreme Court, and it makes sense, given Soule's background in law, but it's... weird.

Ninjas invade New York City and it's not even the second or third weirdest thing that happens in the book. And he made a lot of changes that Chip Zdarsky ran with, including making Kingpin Mayor of New York and reintroducing Mike Murdock, and the way that dude comes about is also... super weird.

Anyway, not bad... not as good as the Bendis, Brubaker, Waid, or Zdarsky runs, but solid. And weird as shit.

[Matthew Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good run, coming at just the right time when the lighter tone of the Mark Waid/Chris Samnee run seemed to be wearing thin.

While this book does make a controversial retcon, knowing that it is followed up on in the following Zdarsky run makes the change less annoying.

The stories and art are solid, with Daredevil’s return to Hell’s Kitchen being most welcome. It’s also a nice break from Daredevil’s regular supporting cast, with a young vigilante named Blindspot taking Foggy’s place for most of the series as Matt’s confidante.

As mentioned the run is solid, but I will note the run’s two new characters, Muse and Blindspot, don’t have the most interesting endings, Blindspot in particular seems to be set aside and I do hope he returns one day as I like the character and want to see more done with him.

I will say the Punisher/Daredevil limited series collected in this omni isn’t that interesting compared to other encounters between the characters and can be skipped.

Overall this is a fun run and a nice change from the fantastic Waid run bringing Matt back to his roots without being overly edgy or dark.

For any other character this would be Top Tier writing. Alas for Daredevil, it’s just really good, which says a lot.

[Kyle Spishock · Rating 3 out of 5]

A typical 2010s Marvel run: the narrative peaks about halfway through the creative team runs out of ideas by the narratives end.

Here is what this omnibus contains:

- The introduction of Blind Spot, the guardian of Chinatown and DD��s sidekick vs the Ten Fingers Cult.
- The Disney Plus Muse storyline, who eventually blinds Blind Spot (fitting).
- Purple Man’s growing influence uniting all of his children. The antagonist tricks Elektra into thinking she has a lost child. He controls DD in one of the better chapters at a bar surrounded by his different versions. The kids think it’ll help Matt by making the world forget his true identity.
-Blind Spot returns essentially selling Matt Murdock’s soul to the Beast in exchange for his sight back.
- Wilson Fisk is elected mayor and after getting attacked by The Hand, Matt takes over as replacement mayor.
- The city nearly loses to the Beast belching out green mind control gas (dumb). He is killed by DD wielding a sword (dumber).
- Mike Murdock is the brazen and bold made up twin of Matt Murdock. Turns out the character and conclusion is hallucinated after DD’s stupid death after being hit by a car (dumbest).

[Declan O'Keeffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caveat for this review: Charles Soule is my favourite writer currently. I love his Star Wars work, and I've read all of his indie work (novels included). I've wanted to read this run for a while, but it's taken a while to get to it.

I've finally read it after reading the entire Essential Daredevil run (who has become my favourite Marvel hero) having already read the following run by Zdarsky last year or so.

This run comes with a lot of prior baggage for me, knowing some of the things to expect from it and knowing a lot of it inspires the upcoming Daredevil born again show that I'm really excited about.

All that being said, I quite enjoy this omnibus. The art doesn't always hit for me, and not all the arcs land. But the essential arcs with Muse and Mayor Fisk mostly stand up to the hype.

As I say, not everything lands for me. It's a slow build-up to when it gets good. But I would absolutely say that this is an essential modern Daredevil run, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed after waiting to read it for so long.

[Joshua]

Waid and Samnee’s Daredevil run was one of the first big books for me when I got into comics and so Soule’s Daredevil run was one of the first times I stuck with a book I loved from one era into the next. I was on and off with this book when it came out month to month but here, collected in one volume, it really did shine. It definitely chafes against my own taste along the way but darn it there’s two or three real jaw dropping little moments across the course of this run, which is certainly a trait of a great Daredevil run. Beyond all that, I think this is also probably my favorite popular culture response to the 2016 election and this book brings me back to that time and makes me think about this time in a really potent way.

The greatest compliment I can pay to this book is that it just worked out that I read it alongside The Power Broker and found it to be an appropriate companion to that opus.

[Neon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional read from start to finish with a fantastic balance between courtroom drama and superhero action. Not just a look at the life of a superhero but a stressful in depth look into the moral battles going on in head of a man just trying to be a good person and make a difference. Filled with pain and metal suffering leading up to a jaw dropping conclusion. Stakes are high, the tension sharp and the twists/turns shocking making this one of the best marvel omnibuses I've read to date 👌🏻

[marisdreaming · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give a... 3,5? There were very interesting points in this run, I enjoyed the law-centered plots. I loved Matt as the Mayor.
What I couldn't love is the art. The style most of the chapters are in doesn't agree with me, and the fact that it sometimes changes from one chapter to the other doesn't exactly help. I liked Mayor Murdock's style.
In general, I enjoyed the second half of the run way more than the first one.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, which Goodreads doesn’t allow. My least favorite Daredevil run since the Bendis era (not counting the current Ahmed run, which I can’t assess yet.) But also, all these runs are so spectacular that being my least favorite isn’t an insult. This has some of the boldest and most interesting ideas, but it just never quite lands like I hope it will.

[Thomas Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stylistically, this feels like it exists at the midpoint between Bendis’s more grounded, crime-focused run and Waid’s more classic superhero stuff. Some really cool stuff over the course of this (Ron Garney’s art is really unique (in a good way!)), but also crazy that the grand finale of this is an “it was all a dream” story.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best Daredevil runs ever. Charles Soule gets Daredevil. If you have read Miller’s, Bendis’, and Brubaker’s runs then you be happy to know that Soule’s take is standing side by side with those outstanding runs. Recommend for any Daredevil fan out there!

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was awesome! One of the best comics I’ve ever read. Granted, I was already a big fan of Daredevil, but still found something to like in almost every arc. And the great writing was matched with great art all throughout. Strong recommend!

[Brendan Leipelt · Rating 2 out of 5]

forgettable

[boofykins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t rate this above Bendis/Maleev or Brubaker/Lark but I also can’t in good conscious rate this below five stars. Yet another great Daredevil run.

[Francisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started up a lil meh but by issue 10 or so I was really engaged. Up there with Brubaker's and Waid's for my fave Daredevil runs.

[Fazun · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5