ADVANCE REVIEW: Devil’s Reign #1

Daredevil is one of those titles that has always been surprisingly consistent, perhaps the most consistent book in Big Two comics. Although it’s been a book that has featured epic run after epic run from some of the best creators in the industry, part of its past success is that it’s been a relatively self-contained book. Daredevil might feature occasionally in huge crossovers, but usually as a guest-star in large events or as a major player in line-wide events featuring the street-level heroes.

Devil’s Reign represents a significant shift away from that approach, being the first major line-wide Marvel event to center around Daredevil and his story. Part of this is the huge success of Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto’s run on Daredevil, an exceptional run even in a series with numerous memorable runs. That same creative team takes the lead in the Devil’s Reign event, which continues from the events in the ongoing Daredevil title. If you’re a regular reader of that book, then you should have no trouble jumping into this one; Devil’s Reign feels like a new chapter of Daredevil’s story while also telling a grander epic. If you haven’t been reading recent issues of Daredevil, then the story is accessible enough to fill in those gaps, though there will be major changes to adjust to. Devil’s Reign struggles somewhat to balance the two, though generally it manages to be an accessible starting point to the event.

The cover for Devil’s Reign is technically well designed, and this may work for most people. In terms of craftsmanship, Marco Checchetto and Matthew Wilson deliver a solid and eye-catching cover. At the least, it succeeds in highlighting some of the key players in the event, and it also shows how wide-reaching the storyline is in terms of characters. Checchetto and Wilson also succeed in making Wilson Fisk look credible as a villain. Fisk looks menacing and threatening, brought about through good facial characterization, shadow effects, and the eye coloring. While this cover works better than many Big Two covers, it works better at highlighting the cast than in telling the story through the cover. Still, the cover is effective enough for what it does do, and it gets across what it needs to for the reader.

I’ve generally loved Zdarsky’s work on Daredevil up to this point, but I come away with Devil’s Reign with some mixed feelings. The script is generally quite good, building on the longtime feud between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk in a way that we haven’t previously seen. Devil’s Reign takes that to another level, as Kingpin uses his authority as New York City mayor to directly move against the heroes. It’s here where I start having concerns about the story, though currently only minor ones. Devil’s Reign goes in directions that we have seen before in previous event stories, most notably with Civil War and Emperor Doom. We have also seen event stories where the villain achieves political power and uses it as a weapon against the heroes; Norman Osborn being just one prominent past example. In fairness, the script does acknowledge this, and the execution more than makes up for that, using the specter of previous battles to raise the tension for the heroes living in New York. It’s in the execution where the issue shines, working with themes we’ve seen before but in directions that are promising and distinctive. Zdarsky is a writer who I’ve come to respect in recent years, especially where Daredevil is concerned, and I’m willing to give him a chance to see these ideas through. For now, there’s enough that’s compelling that the first issue’s story merits a fair chance if you’re on the fence about it.

It’s good to see Marco Checchetto back on a Chip Zdarsky story, especially after the break he’s taken from Daredevil to work on this series. I wasn’t certain how well the art style would take to a Marvel-wide event; Checchetto’s style on Daredevil is very gritty, realistic, and grounded, and that does not always work on bright and shiny superhero stories. At the same time, I needn’t have worried, as the artwork does all the major characters justice. Most of this story feels largely like a Daredevil story, just on a wider stage, and Checchetto’s approach lends a visual consistency that is needed here. The artwork works especially well for the villains and street-level characters like Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, as the grittier art style brings the most out of those characters. To be honest, based on Checchetto’s work here, I would love to see him to a run on Moon Knight; he has a natural flair for urban vigilante heroes that shines on Moon Knight. The visual storytelling flows well between panels, and Checchetto’s ink art does a good job of establishing the darker mood of this story.

Marcio Menyz may not be a household name among comics readers, but he has been a consistent presence in the Daredevil title, having provided the coloring on that book. It makes perfect sense for Menyz to join Zdarsky and Checchetto on Devil’s Reign as well. Part of the reason this book looks visually consistent with Daredevil is the coloring work by Menyz, some of which has been outstanding on the regular title. Because of this, the visual tone of Devil’s Reign keeps the gritty flavor that have made that book look so good visually. The lighting effects are quite solid here, and big moments have visual impact because of the color choices in those panels. One scene involving Daredevil and Kingpin is striking because of Menyz’s choice of background colors, having each background correspond to each character until they blend together in a powerful confrontation. Menyz by now seems to have established a good working dynamic with Checchetto on the page, and the look of the comic is all the stronger for that.

Typically, lettering in comics tends to work best when it’s invisible and unobtrusive, and that is the case with this book. Clayton Cowles does a good job at managing the space on the page, focusing the dialogue away from the action in each frame. Some panels can be a bit dense, mostly involving explanations for new readers, but the way the text is arranged is easy for the eye to follow. Fonts are well chosen, especially in panels involving TV screens or other background elements, seeming natural and immersive. With setting transitions, the fonts are much more simplistic, but this adds to the quieting effects of the lettering on the page. Sound effects are well done, using the size and placement of fonts to create impact during action sequences. The result is lettering that helps to tell the story, and it works well with the art in presenting the story’s narrative.

If you’re a fan of the ongoing Daredevil series, Devil’s Reign is a must-read, and you should be satisfied with it as a Daredevil story. Fans coming into this without having read that book will struggle somewhat more to catch up, but the story leaves enough there to figure out the basics. I find that Devil’s Reign works best if you think of it as the next chapter in Zdarsky and Checchetto’s run on Daredevil, just one that happens to have wider ramifications for the Marvel heroes. While I do have question marks about the story, I have confidence in this creative team to eventually answer them. For now, I’m intrigued in where they’re going with this mini, and I look forward to seeing the next phase of the Kingpin’s plan against the heroes.

Score: 4.5/5

Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Marcio Menyz
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover: Marco Checchetto and Matthew Wilson

Author Profile

Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).