Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1 was a reminder that comics is an artist’s game, and we just live in it. With a story by Charles Soule, Steve McNiven took the reins, laying out the art in epic fashion with incredible detail and exciting layouts. A feast for the eyes, Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #2 continues that trend while further cementing Matt Murdock’s strange but revitalizing return as a hero after years without his powers. But does he have enough time to complete Steve Rogers’ mission?
That’s the crux of this issue, as Daredevil learns early on that his powers are fading and even blip out at times. It seems Soule and McNiven want to make this final mission extra hard for Daredevil, as a radioactive girl needs saving from Bullseye. That’s right, the supervillain is back and up to something, but what exactly isn’t clear at the start of the issue.
What makes Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #2 work isn’t just the deep mystery and plot, but the honing in on moments, emotions, and a growing despair that Daredevil may not have enough juice to do the right thing. A hero who gave up the suit and life because of a loss of powers, but maybe something more, he’s got one last chance to see if he’s still got it.
This issue is as visually rich as the first, with even the smallest panels packed with detail. McNiven’s Daredevil design is badass, with stitching going every which way as if the man is barely held together. It’s also a nice touch that Daredevil is super skinny, which matches his age. He may have his powers back, but he’s a frail 90-something who isn’t getting any extra muscle.
Love this art.
Credit: Marvel
Fans of Daredevil’s deep bench will enjoy the callbacks and familiar faces that pop up in this issue. It seems Matt gave up on them, and maybe they gave up on Matt.
As far as the larger plot, it’s safe to say you’ll probably guess what is going on with the mysterious radioactive girl. It’s fairly easy to guess why Bullseye wants her, but thankfully, it’s through Daredevil’s captions that we’re mostly drawn into the story. Soule does a great job with these, even if the plot is thin.
While the story in Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #2 doesn’t break new ground, the issue thrives on its emotional core, exquisite artwork, and the haunting idea of a hero barely holding himself together, making it a worthy chapter in Matt Murdock’s twilight saga.
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