Daredevil: Dark Nights #1 – What Makes Some a Hero?

I haven’t read a lot of Daredevil, so it seemed like the start of Dark Nights might be an interesting place to pick up. Boy, am I glad the guys over at Astro-Zombies recommended this one; it’s easily one of the best books I’ve read since the start of Hawkeye. Once again, Marvel is able to take an entirely different angle on what a “super hero” book should be and turn it into something special. It’s doesn’t matter if you’re a Daredevil fan or not; if you love good story telling, you need to pick this one up.

Daredevil: Dark Nights #1 is the perfect introduction to the character for people who aren’t familiar with him. Without delving into another retelling of a hero’s back-story, this issue let’s us get to know Daredevil without needing to redo another origin. We learn who he is, where he comes from, and even a little of what makes him tick. All of this is accomplished because Matt Murdock, Daredevil himself, is relearning who he is after a mugging scrambled his memory a bit. Alongside that story, another rather tragic and touching story unfold about family, sacrifice and love. Not the romantic kind of love, but that selfless kind of love that’s willing to look out for the good of others. It’s really quite a moving tale, and when the threads of these two finally weave together, it makes for a powerful and moving story that’s not just another “hero stops the bad guy from trying to rule the world” type scenario. This story hits closer to home, feels more grounded, feels like it could actually happen; and because of that, it draws the reader right in.

Interestingly enough, there are several quotations right from the Bible in this issue. Rarely does the Bible and pop-culture intersect, and even rarer is when it’s done respectfully and intelligently. The scriptures quoted add a lot of context to the story…if one is familiar with where in the Bible the quotes come from and the context in which they’re found. I was truly impressed with how these Biblical insights were used as they subtly raise the question of, “What makes someone a hero?” Is it their courage, their strength, their selflessness, their goodness? Yes, it’s all those things and more; but where do those things come from? Where do the makings of a hero come from? Perhaps, whether we realize it or not, whether they realize it or not, the makings of hero don’t “come from within,” but arise because someone innately and intuitively realize there’s Something greater in this world; something True, something Good. Perhaps for some they don’t realize it has a name that is a Being, that it is the source of Good, Righteousness, and Truth. Daredevil is one of the few characters that may be closer to realizing that than others, although he’s not quite there yet. However, the scriptures intermingled with this story suggest he’s not far off.

If you’re looking for just some solid, good reading, you can’t go wrong with Daredevil: Dark Nights. It’s compelling, it’s poignant, it’s thoughtful, and it’s moving. This is a comic book at their absolute best; entertaining and yet thought-provoking. Emotional and challenging. Really, I can’t recommend it enough, just go read it already!

Score: 7 of 7

A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com.