Saladin Ahmed’s run on Daredevil hits a new stride in issue #20, launching a fresh story arc that leans into horror and personal torment. The issue opens not with a punch but with a nightmare that leads us into the self-inflicted torment Matt Murdock has put upon himself. The opening is a great way to show what has come from the previous arc and sets the tone for Ahmed’s handling of Murdock. We are also seeing a new art style in the series, with José Luis Soares joining the team. So how will this new chapter help Murdock move away from what he endured, build a new life, and deal with his guilt?
Marvel
Ahmed has steadily been building a unique take on Daredevil that doesn’t shy away from faith, temptation, and moral failure. Here, we see Matt as a man haunted not just by nightmares of Bullseye’s death but by his growing dissonance between action and belief. The dream sequence is a tremendous inner look at Murdock as we see how he is now viewing the events of issue #19 versus how it went down. I enjoy seeing Matt Murdock slipping—his loss of faith, desires, and guilt. His renewed relationship with Nyla Skin is raw and intimate, yet something is off. It’s a moment of vulnerability that reveals Ahmed’s sharp handle on the duality of Daredevil—sinner and saint, crusader and trespasser. It is very real that Murdock is acting like a “cafeteria Catholic,” picking and choosing when his faith applies and ignoring it when it doesn’t. That admission hits more profoundly than any billy club.
Marvel
Nyla Skin is a welcoming return. She was first introduced decades ago; her reintroduction respects continuity while opening new doors. Her connection to Matt feels authentic, and her presence pulls him further into morally gray waters. Their scenes pulse with emotional weight, which will serve nicely for the upcoming relationship drama and this new threat. This latest threat is a bizarre, plant-based internal invader shrouded in mystery. You can see it moving around the building, something unnatural growing within the apartments and the people; now, those upcoming covers make sense. The “from the inside out” threat plays nicely with the arc’s inner infection and spiritual themes.
Artist José Luis Soares joins the book, and his debut is stylish. Soares captures that signature Daredevil mood—traveling across rooftops, character emotion, and flowing action. His panels are sharp, his expressions hit, and when the armored Daredevil suit reappears, it lands with complete reverence to its era, making it another welcomed return. This comic looks wonderful, standing tall next to the visual legacy of Kuder, Checchetto, and Garney. Soares adds a layer of freshness while bringing in horror with the plant tendrils. This issue builds slowly but leaves you unsettled and intrigued in the best way. It’s not just about fists and rooftops but also guilt and infection. Saladin Ahmed and José Luis Soares aren’t afraid to dig into Daredevil’s contradictions and keep them simmering. This new arc seems to promise a mystery, such as seeing if Matt Murdock can cleanse the kitchen without further staining his soul.
Daredevil #20 kicks off a haunting new arc as Matt Murdock battles guilt, temptation, and a mysterious plant-based threat infecting Hell’s Kitchen. Ahmed dives deep into faith and failure, while José Luis Soares brings a stylish, eerie vibe to the visuals. The physical and spiritual threats come at Daredevil from the inside, making for an interesting read as Murdock challenges his faith and guilt. The past will also resurface in Nyla Skin and the armored costume, so how much will they hurt and/or help? Wounds are closing, but mysteries are forming that seem very promising.
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