Daredevil #35

Writer Mark Waid Artist Chris Samnee

 

Introduction

 

Daredevil has had an interesting genesis over the past couple of months. Something organic has been building within the title that will soon come to a major boiling point. All the current Marvel Now titles have had a really strange last few months because readers already know what is coming up in the future. Ever since the climax of Daredevil versus Ikari, the Sons Of The Serpent have really been leading towards one a large crescendo that readers are going to experience soon. Fans should rest assured that legendary artist Chris Samnee is now back on the title. The artist has been sorely missed over the last few installments that did not feature the character. Readers should strap in and enjoy this second to last entry of the masked crusader as we know him, the relaunch is sure to feature some Waid and Samnee craziness that is not to be missed by anyone.

 

Writing

 

Daredevil #35 attempts a lot of things and accomplishes mostly all of them. The biggest task this issue has to take on is to build tension towards the next issue in order to really nail the ending. In that sense, this story feels like a logical continuation of everything that has been building to this exact moment in time. The first ten pages really have the gigantic task of foreshadowing, so as to not reveal too much about the endgame but still be very interesting. In that sense this entry into the life of Matt Murdock mostly succeeds, the tale continues to build on the paranoia that has been building since the first issue of this series. The last couple of pages deliver what could be the next silent bomb, ushering in the new phase of this story that fans have been waiting for. The reveal is not shocking but more importantly, it will make the audience strongly desire to pick up the next issue. The brief fight scene before the cliffhanger subverts the tone in an interesting manner that gives a readers a well deserved break in order to be be truly surprised by the last moment contained in this next to last installment. It is also nice that on the cover to #36 the team looks back on volume 3 of Daredevil by listing the years of 2011-2013.

 

Art

 

Samnee makes the triumphant return that many fans have been waiting for in this issue. His style has always perfectly encompassed everything that Waid has been building too in Daredevil. He also has a great knack for taking the big moments that many artists would reserve for an entire page, and condense into a panel. These moments would be where an artist less talented that Samnee would start to decline in quality, yet the artist puts the appropriate attention and care to the scene in order for it to capture attention and stand out from the rest of the pages. The talent draws an interesting to take on a familiar Marvel heroine, and a has a truly impressive splash page as well.

 

Conclusion

Daredevil #35 will successfully have readers biting their nails in anticipation of the next installment. Samnee and Waid have kept readers on their toes and continue to prove why this series is worthy of all the accolades it has been given.