Review: Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky Omnibus Vol. 1

When Chip Zdarsky took over Daredevil in 2019, no one expected it to become one of the character’s most literary runs in the last two decades. Zdarsky had previously written biting comedies for Marvel (Howard the Duck, Jughead) and seemed an unlikely choice for a noir comic. The result has been one of the best things Marvel has published in years, and the first omnibus volume collects half of the run.

The premise

Matt Murdock accidentally kills a man during a street fight in Hell’s Kitchen. It wasn’t his intention, but the man lands badly and breaks his neck. From that moment on, Zdarsky devotes the entire run to the consequences: legal (Matt is a lawyer and believes in the law), psychological (Matt is a practising Catholic and believes in sin), moral (Matt is a superhero and has just killed someone).

It is a radical premise for a Marvel comic. Most superheroes have killed at some point, and the publisher has always treated it as a temporary hiccup: the character has a crisis, talks to a friend, and gets back to work. Zdarsky treats it as a real problem: a wound that won’t heal, a stain that won’t fade, a question that cannot be answered.

The art of Marco Checchetto

If Zdarsky provides the literary side, Marco Checchetto provides the visual side that makes this run truly unique. Checchetto draws a rainy, gothic, grimy Hell’s Kitchen that looks like it’s straight out of a David Fincher film. The nights are genuinely dark, the interiors are smoky, and the characters look chronically exhausted.

It is an aesthetic that very few mainstream Marvel artists can sustain. Checchetto draws every page with a level of detail that suggests he takes his time: in a monthly format, that is a rare editorial gamble.

What’s in Vol. 1

The omnibus collects the first issues of the run, from the opening with the accidental death to the conclusion of the first story arc. It includes:

• The early story arcs where Matt grapples with the legal system and his faith
• The arrival of Wilson Fisk as Mayor of New York (a key moment in the run)
• The crossovers with Elektra
• Editorial material and original covers

There are over 700 pages of comics with a consistent level of quality that is rare in long-running Marvel series.

Who is it for?

This omnibus is not an entry point into Daredevil. It works best if you’ve already read Frank Miller (the visual reference) or Bendis (the earlier noir Daredevil). Zdarsky builds on 40 years of the character’s mythology and expects the reader to be familiar with it.

If you’re coming from the Netflix Daredevil, this is a good next read: the tone is very similar, much darker than the classic Daredevil and with a real moral weight to every decision the protagonist makes.

Weak points

The pace is slower than other modern runs. If you’re looking for fights and action, this isn’t the comic for you. Zdarsky prefers long dialogue, legal arguments, and internal reflections. There is action, but it isn’t the driving force of the story.

The other weak point is the narrative density: it’s 700 pages that demand your attention. It’s not a comic to read in 10 minutes on your way home from work. It’s a coffee-table book.

Verdict

It’s the best Daredevil since Bendis’s run. Nominated for multiple Eisner Awards. Considered by critics and serious readers as one of the character’s most important eras in the 21st century. If you enjoy comics as a form of adult literature, this omnibus is a must-read.

View product details · Vol. 2 available