Matt Murdock has just started his law professorship, but he could already use a vacation. Writer Stephanie Phillips and artist Lee Garbett have pitted our hero against Omen, a violent new opponent that threatens the man behind the mask. The situation is heating up in Hell’s Kitchen, and it’s going to take all of Matt’s expertise to escape the fire.
Title: Daredevil #3
Creative Team: Stephanie Phillips (Writer), Lee Garbett (Artist), Frank Martin (Colors), and Ariana Maher (Letters)
Characters: Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Detective Dominic Forte, Officer Callahan
Villain: The Omen
Format: Ongoing Series
Our Rating: 8.5/10 Stars
Spider-Man Helps Matt Focus As He Plays Detective
Matt’s radar sense went haywire at the end of last issue, flooding him with sensory information before Spider-Man swung in to save the day. It’s not long before the wall-crawler talks Matt down, getting him to finally cut through the noise. The friendship between these street-level heroes has always been one of Marvel’s best dynamics, and Phillips wisely leans into that. They understand each other in a way other heroes can’t. Matt may be from Hell’s Kitchen and Peter from Queens, but they’re both proud New Yorkers through and through.
The officers investigating Omen’s murders have fingered Matt as a prime suspect, confronting him in his office. They want to bring him in for questioning, but Matt isn’t your average perp. He’s a successful defense attorney and soon sends the officers on their way. However, they left him with one clue. The murderer reads the paper. Matt uses this knowledge to put an ad in the Daily Bugle, leading the killer directly to him. It’s a clever bit of intuition that builds on Matt’s background as a lawyer.
How Does This Creative Team Elevate Omen?
Daredevil soon finds himself face to face with Omen in an abandoned warehouse. Garbett makes sure their battle is cramped and intense. Panels blend into each other as fists fly and Omen’s staff collides against Daredevil’s head. Letterer Ariana Maher makes you feel each blow with sickening WHAKS and KRAKS, as colorist Frank Martin continues to wrap the Man Without Fear in darkened shadows, reinforcing his devil motif.
Garbett does his best work on a shocking final splash page, revealing the villain’s deformed face. Blood-red scars cut through Omen’s cheeks and forehead, as missing lips and drooping eyelids complete the terror. Martin paints the killer’s irises stark white, contrasting against their jet-black hair and purplish skin. It’s a chilling design that embeds itself into your psyche and leaves you wanting answers.
Why Omen Differs From Other Villains
The hook that the villain’s after Matt Murdock, not Daredevil, is an interesting one. This makes Matt more vulnerable, as he won’t always be ready for a fight. Now he has to be on guard at all times, a situation he’s normally not used to. So far he’s managed to confront Omen while in costume, but it won’t be long until the villain finds him in his everyday life. Our hero had better be ready when that day comes.
Verdict: Should you read Daredevil #3?
Phillips and Garbett shine by putting the man behind the mask front and center. We see Matt deal with a malfunctioning radar sense, cops who suspect him of murder, and a villain who’s targeting him, not his alter-ego. This forces his twin lives together in a way that makes him more unprotected than ever. Daredevil can’t win this fight alone. It’s time for Matt Murdock to enter the ring.
‘Daredevil’ #3 Review: Spider-Man Team-Up and Omen Face Reveal
Phillips and Garbett shine by putting the man behind the mask front and center. We see Matt deal with a malfunctioning radar sense, cops who suspect him of murder, and a villain who’s targeting him, not his alter-ego. This forces his twin lives together in a way that makes him more unprotected than ever. Daredevil can’t win this fight alone. It’s time for Matt Murdock to enter the ring.
