The rivalry between Matt Murdoch and Frank Castle has played out over many classic tales, but what if we never got the full story? Your Major Spoilers review of Daredevil and The Punisher: Devil’s Trigger #1 awaits!

DAREDEVIL AND THE PUNISHER: DEVIL’S TRIGGER #1

Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: Tommaso Bianchi
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Editor: Devin Lewis
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: November 26th, 2025

Previously in Daredevil and The Punisher: Devil’s Trigger: The Gnucci crime family has become the latest target in The Punisher’s crusade against crime. The same family has hired Matt Murdoch as their legal representation for an upcoming case involving one of their members.

PULL THE TRIGGER?

Daredevil and The Punisher: Devil’s Trigger #1 starts off with Daredevil tied up and hanging from a ceiling. As he struggles to free himself, he thinks back to how he got there. Days prior, Matt Murdoch is visited by a representative of the Gnucci Family who tells him that The Punisher has been gunning for the family and that everyone connected might be at risk. Matt realizes that Dino Gnucci, who’s awaiting trial, might be next on The Punisher’s list. He visits Dino as Daredevil and warns him to watch out and stay hidden until his court date. The first day of the trial awaits and Matt senses that Frank Castle is there and goes to confront him, after a brief fight Daredevil finds himself trapped by The Punisher and forced to make a terrible decision to uphold his belief in justice and the legal system. Afterwards, Daredevil is strung up and forced to overhear a mysterious meeting that will further push the boundaries of his convictions.

WAITING ON THE FRESH TAKE

The rivalry between Daredevil and The Punisher was once an engaging and nuanced presence in the Marvel Universe, but at this point in time, it really has become a one-note sort of thing: Is Matt’s approach to justice viable, considering the flaws in the system, and do those flaws justify The Punisher’s tactics? In Daredevil and The Punisher: Devil’s Trigger #1, this debate isn’t given any new life or depth; in fact, most of the events in this are rehashing a famous Garth Ennis-penned Punisher story. If you’ve read that story or seen season 2 of the Daredevil Netflix series, you pretty much know exactly how this issue is going to play out. Now, there are some new wrinkles thrown in here to create a reason for this to be more than a single-issue title. But the meeting towards the end of the issue that Matt listens in on doesn’t feel like a natural progression of the story, and its implication is so unapparent that it requires a blunt explanation delivered via inner monologue to deliver the message. That’s not to say that this is a poorly written story. If this is a reader’s first foray into this rivalry, there’s a nice little framework of a morality debate to be found here. But it plays out so quickly and without exploration that it comes across as unnecessary.

NOT CAPTURING THE TIME PERIOD EFFECTIVELY

It’s not readily apparent that this is a throwback story just by looking at this issue. In fact, it takes a Twin Towers before it’s jump scare before it’s clear that this isn’t a contemporary story. The lack of any other visual clues to indicate the time period comes across as a missed opportunity that could’ve given this comic more of an identity. The art we do get is fine, though. It has all the grittiness and varying detail that were hallmarks of both The Punisher and Daredevil titles from the late 80s and the post-Marvel Knights era. It’s a good look that gives gravity to some of the violence in a way that the writing doesn’t.

BOTTOM LINE: NOTHING HERE TO JUSTIFY ITS EXISTENCE

When certain characters have been around for decades, like the two leads in this issue have been, it’s not unexpected that certain plots will emerge over and over. But this takes things a step further by being a retelling of a classic story, which doesn’t add nearly enough to make it worth a read on its own. Of course, time will tell as this series plays out, but all Daredevil and The Punisher: Devil’s Trigger #1 does is tell a story that’s been better told in a few different places. 2 out of 5 stars.

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