Written by:m Chip Zdarsky
Art by: Manuel Garcia
Colors by: Matthew Wilson
Letters by: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover art by: Marco Checchetto, Matthew Wilson
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: March 29, 2023

Daredevil #9 finds Matt Murdock and Elektra licking their wounds after their battle against the Fist, but the war may be won if destroying the Lunate Talisman will erase the Fist’s zombie army.

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Is It Good?

Whoa! Daredevil #9 is the type of game-changing issue Daredevil fans have been waiting for. Up to now, Chip Zdarsky has spent an inordinate amount of time getting Daredevil to build his army and recruit criminals ripe for rehabilitation, leading up to a rushed fight against the Fist of the Beast (The Punisher), which ended in a pseudo stalemate.

Now, Daredevil and his army heal, but the war decides to come to their doorstep to press the advantage, and the results are devastating.

Do Elektra and Stick succeed in destroying the Lunate Laisman to break the Fist’s ability to control zombies? Yes, and the breakage does a lot more damage than anyone suspected. Without spoiling it, there are many more zombies running around than the story lets on.

When things couldn’t get any worse, they get worse as a new group of players shows up to take Daredevil down. This is the kind of swing-for-the-fences storytelling Zdarsky should have been delivering since the beginning. It’s amazing how much of a difference a single issue can make when a writer stops farting around and makes bold moves in the story.

In terms of character work, Zdarsky is also pushing Daredevil to the breaking point, which is an interesting development for the character’s future. Will Matt become a Punisher of another color? Is there a line beyond which there is no returning? How long can Matt hold on to his Catholic guilt before it turns into something else, good or bad? These are all fascinating questions, and I can’t wait to see how Zdarsky answers them.

The art from Garcia, Wilson, and Cowles is excellent. The series hasn’t suffered in the least from recent artist handoffs, so if you like your Daredevil comics rough and gritty, this art team delivers.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Final Thoughts:

Daredevil #9 surprises readers with a cooldown issue after the big battle against The Punisher that immediately flips into a game-changer. The surprises are… surprising, and the stakes escalate significantly.

8.5/10