Matt’s still sitting in jail while Elektra is struggling with what it means to be Daredevil. Yet, neither of them could have expected what is heading their way. Your Major Spoilers review of Daredevil #26 awaits!
DAREDEVIL #26
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artists: Marco Checchetto & Mike Hawthorne
Colorist: Marcio Menyz
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Editor: Devin Lewis
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 27th, 2021
Previously in Daredevil: Matt has been sentenced to two years in prison for accidentally killing a man while doing his vigilante thing; in his absence, Elektra has taken over the mantle of Daredevil.
BAD SECOND DAY ON THE JOB
Daredevil #26 opens up with Matt sitting in prison listening in on the conversations around him. He’s then confronted by a fellow inmate who takes it upon himself to inform Matt of how different his situation is from the rest of the people in prison. Out in Hell’s Kitchen Elektra is in the middle of scaring an arms dealer half to death when she’s interrupted by a giant symbiote dragon descending on her corner of the city. Elsewhere, Wilson Fisk and Typhoid Mary are attending a gala of some sort when they too are interrupted by symbiotes. Mary tries to fight them off but is eventually consumed. Back in prison, Matt is startled from his bed by the arrival of, you guessed it, more symbiotes who start taking over the guards and prisoners. In Hell’s Kitchen Elektra finds herself now protecting a young woman whose mother has been taken by the symbiotes. Back in prison, Matt manages to make it out of his cell to join the fight.
WE NOW INTERRUPT YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAREDEVIL
Big crossover events are just a thing in comics that will probably never go away. Sometimes they’re actually good and some of their best chapters are the tie-ins. What will never not be frustrating is when a big crossover event unceremoniously inserts itself into an ongoing series, interrupting an ongoing plot that was getting interesting. The plot twist of Elektra as Daredevil barely had time to settle in before it was conscripted into the King In Black event and as a result this issue suffered for it. The entire issue is filled with these little tidbits of interesting story, like Matt being lectured about the reality of his choice to go to prison as opposed to the others there, Elektra fighting with her own sense of justice to appease Matt’s, Typhoid Mary and Wesley’s antagonism towards each other. Yet each one of these was then tossed away for lackluster fights with symbiotes. Even the big twist at the end of this book, sort of just happens. There’s not much lead up to it at all.
THE BOTTOM LINE: DONE DIRTY BY THE EVENT
Daredevil #26 comes across as a full issue used just to get Matt into a certain position at the very end that probably could’ve been done in a page in a different King In Black related book. In doing this a lot of storylines with promise were tossed out. Not to be completely down on this issue, the book still looks good as ever and the tweaks made to the various characters’ outfits are all on point especially Typhoid Mary’s new business suit look. 2.5 out of 5 stars.
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Daredevil #26
Daredevil #26 just doesn’t work. It’s main plotlines are all dropped to service the King In Black event, but the events related to that aren’t especially good or interesting.
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Writing4
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Art8
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Coloring7
At a young age, Jonathan was dragged to a small town in Wisconsin. A small town in Wisconsin that just so happened to have a comic book shop. Faced with a decision to either spend the humid summers and bitter winters traipsing through the pine trees or in climate controlled comfort with tales of adventure, horror, and romance, he chose the latter. Jonathan can often be found playing video games, board games, reading comics and wincing as his “to watch” list grows wildly out of control.
4 Comments
Jonathan, your conclusion reminds me of being pissed back in the day when Secret Wars II tie-ins messed up some John Byrne story lines I was really enjoying.
It’s amazing how little these tie ins work. They often don’t make the event any better or worse, they don’t work on their own, and they don’t benefit the storyline they interrupt.
Is the story over or is it going to circle back to where it as? I’m debating whether I should pick this up.
The King in Black stuff is definitely not over at the end of this issue. So unless it gets resolved in another title, I imagine there will be more of it in DD #27.