Daredevil 601: Don't Throw Away Your Shot

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Mayor Murdock

Charles Soule - Writer, Mike Henderson - Artist, Matt Milla - Color Artist, VC's Clayton Cowles, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story & Jordie Bellaire - Main Cover Artists, Annalise Bissa & Tom Groneman - Assistant Editors, Devin Lewis & Jordan D. White - Editors, Nick Lowe - Executive Editor, C.B. Cebulski - Editor in Chief, Joe Quesada - Chief Creative Officer, Dan Buckley - President, Alan Fine - Exec. Producer

Initial Reactions

This issue picks up right where the big issue 600 left off.  We get more Murdock than we do Daredevil, but both story lines kept my attention.  I like the political drama involved, but I understand if people miss the acrobatic action that we are used to from Daredevil. The issue lays some enticing plot threads down and I'm excited to see what Soule has planned!

The Story

The issue begins with Daredevil in the back of a police van after the events of the last issue.  Mayor Fisk has been shot full of arrows by the Hand, and the search for Matt Murdock is on.  Due to some obscure law, the Deputy Mayor is next in line if the Mayor is incapacitated.  Obviously, it will be hard to locate Murdock with his alter ego stuck in the back of a van.  Daredevil tries to escape his cuffs, but it is apparently specially designed for super-powered people.  He senses two people outside the van, and he assumes they are police.  When he makes his appeal, a sword comes through door.  He is being guarded by ninjas.  He is able to escape the van thanks to some acrobatic heroics which go on for 3 pages.  These are vintage Daredevil, and really fun to look at.

The scene shifts to City Hall where Fisk's advisor Wesley is pleading not to let Murdock assume office.  Despite his complaints, everyone else seems willing to allow Matt to become Mayor.  Wesley's appeal is centered around Fisk would never trust him to lead the city with his vision.  When he gets his debrief of the situation, Murdock provides his cabinet with a brief history of the Hand and their mission, which is taking out soldiers first.  We see that Fisk is in critical condition with all of the arrows in his body.  He is not going to be re-assuming office anytime soon.

The commissioner is worried about being over-powered by the Hand and is wondering what the plan is going to be.  Matt's plan is to release his super-powered friends from Ryker's Island and enlist their services.  Wesley is enraged by this decision, and lays into Matt, even threatening a lawsuit.  Murdock just laughs that off, knowing his skills in the courtroom.  Murdock fires Wesley, and offers the same fate to anyone else in the cabinet who isn't going to respect him.  Everyone else stays.

The final scene is in the Temple of the Beast, where he is told that New York has chosen their enemy Matthew Murdock to be their leader.

Final Thoughts

I like what is set up in this issue. While clearly not Matt's plan, he was granted a great opportunity to guide his city through the upcoming trials that will come at the blades of the Hand.  He wastes no time enacting his vision, which includes using his super-powered friends to take on the ninjas.  It can serve as a lesson to us to not hesitate when you get your opportunity to shine.  You have been given some amazing gifts and a unique calling to serve your neighbors and  ultimately your God.  Don't let them go to waste, you are an important part of God's plan!

What did you think of this issue?  I would love to talk about it with you.  You can comment below, or find me @behindthecapes on Twitter, or by liking the Behind the Capes Facebook page.  Also, something new, Behind the Capes has a group called Behind the Capes' Nerd Out Round Table, where we talk about a bunch of geeky stuff.  It is technically a closed group, but anyone can join if they agree to the simple rules laid out in the group.  I would love for this group to grow!