Marvel’s Daredevil has needed some time to settle into its new status quo, and while the mysteries of Matt Murdock’s returned secret identity still linger, writer Charles Soule has grown more comfortable with Matt Murdock’s voice as the series progresses. Recent team-ups with Elektra, Deadpool, and Spider-Man elevated the title as Soule brought more fun to his scripts, and a strong line-up of artists has kept the book looking good while maintaining a consistent style throughout. The current arc, “Dark Art,” has shifted away from the superhero team-ups, with the exception of the book’s central partnership between Daredevil and his sidekick Blindspot. But Soule has still managed to keep that sense of fun in the story, even when it involves the lead hero discovering a painting made with the blood of over 100 victims.
These preview pages are split between a new Inhuman getting ambushed by a gang in Brooklyn and Matt and Samuel “Blindspot” Chung investigating the murderous painting, and these two scenes spotlight the vitality of Ron Garney’s artwork on this series. Garney has been on a break since the first arc, and it’s a delight to have him back on this title continuing his bold artistic evolution. Garney has been in the business for decades, but he’s never done work as stylized and atmospheric as his art on Daredevil, and colorist Matt Milla’s minimalist coloring draws extra attention to the quality of Garney’s line. It’s always exciting to see a veteran creator take a fresh approach to their work, and Garney’s art on Daredevil continues to be the main attraction of this new phase of Matt Murdock’s life.