Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Chris Samnee
Published by: Marvel
It seems that with Halloween fast approaching (yes there still do exist holidays before Christmas) Mark Waid has been bitten by the spooky bug, as this is one of the creepiest issues of Daredevil we’ve had in a while. Maybe it’s just my crippling fear of children, but the purple man’s children are just so unnerving and I’m absolutely loving them as villains. Their silent approach at the start of the book is just so unsettling, hats off to Chris Samnee for his expert depiction of this scene, he really is in sync with Waid.
Despite the horror included in this issue however Waid still manages to include all the humour and light-heartedness we’ve come to know and love from the series. Seeing Matt, Foggy and Kirsten argue about Matt’s autobiography is just so enjoyable and shows Waid understands the strength of a great supporting cast. While other books may struggle to combine radically different tones Waid manages to blend them together perfectly. Not only this, but he also manages to reach back into the dark depths of previous Daredevil runs and makes it work within his story while still managing to keep things new reader friendly. I truly am amazed how Waid manages to make each issue entertaining in its own right while simultaneously keeping things new reader friendly and ensuring that long-time readers are not forgotten about.
As stated, Samnee is perfectly in sync with Waid and is on top form in this issue. He expertly shows the terrifying march of the purple man’s children ratcheting up the fear and tension and then can make you laugh out loud with his rendition of Foggy’s “disguise” as the human beach ball. His art just looks so perfectly in motion and he is one of the best artists in the business right now.
If you’re not reading this series I can only conclude you hate comics, fun and everything that’s good with the world. If you want to rectify this mistake then you should definitely pick this issue up and see what you’ve been missing. Waid ensures every issue can be a jump on point by both ensuring each issue is quality and is easy to understand. Wais and Samnee are an absolute powerhouse right now, and this issue is a clear example. Don’t miss this one.