Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Marco Checchetto, Mattia Iacono, and VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 4, 2020

Daredevil is my favorite comic book right now. I think that Chip Zdarsky is, as the kids say, killing it, and when an issue comes out, I’m sure I will, at least, like it. Things have been percolating, and pretty soon it’s all going to boil over. Is this the issue when it happens? Let’s find out…

The issue opens with the cops, now hot to trot in Hell’s Kitchen, trying to find Owsley, but instead finding big trouble. To be honest, the trouble finds them, but it’s all semantics, and does it matter when Crossbones and the crew from the last issue’s cliffhanger are ripping through the Kitchen? Damn, right, it matters!!! It’s a crazy way to start the issue and let me welcome Marco Checchetto back to this book…I missed you, buddy!

We head off to see Cole and Matt break through a blockade to try to help, what appears to be the Daredevil impersonator from back in issue #12 suiting up and the Kitchen getting shot to smithereens. Pretty soon, we see another one of the Daredevil cosplayers from early in the series, and while I’m getting a Sparticus vibe here, that’s just going to get people killed with the likes of Bullseye running around. While all this is going down, Owlsley is fiddling, dancing, grinning…while the Kitchen burns. Man, I hate him so much!

Also, I’m not too fond of the Stromwyns, and if it wasn’t obvious they were involved before, the lack of any media response or social media uproar shows their hand in all of this. No social media uproar? Maybe I don’t hate them as much as I thought!

Back with Matt, the whole Sparticus thing I was worried about kind of comes true and watching the people of Hell’s Kitchen rise to protect their own using the Daredevil as their banner might make Matt proud, if people weren’t dying because of him. It’s a hard-hitting way to get Matt back in the costume, which we all knew was happening eventually.

As the issue comes to an end, Chip Zdarsky throws a zinger at fans with two classic characters showing up, one that was expected and another that was hinted at and is an awesome surprise!

Chip Zdarsky does it again. He weaves in and out of his numerous plot threads with ease, and by the end of the issue, you feel like you’ve been through a war yourself. I am so glad Marco Checchetto is back on art, and while this issue doesn’t tie up any of the loose ends, it was such a great read and ended with a double whammy that has me excited for the #20 already.

Final Thoughts:

Daredevil #19 is a balls to the wall action-fest that has a little bit of everything. Marco Checchetto’s art is superb, there are lots of classic villains running around, and in the end, the people of Hell’s Kitchen inspire Matt like they always do…but at what cost?!? The craziness looks like it’s just getting started, and it’s a shock to me more people aren’t reading this book. If you’re not, start right now and thank me later!

9.3/10