DeeDee-DAY
He's back! And as Catholic guilty as ever!
Tomorrow DAREDEVIL #1 comes out. And just like last time, it’s myself and the amazing and beautiful Marco launching it (though now we’re joined by colourist extraordinaire Matt Wilson!). It’s the beginning of a big swing from us as we push the title into strange new places post-Devil’s Reign and it’s something we’ve been planning since … man, almost the beginning?
Working on corporate comics is a strange beast. Most of us go in hoping to tell a larger story, but we plan for five issues, maybe ten. When I started writing the book in 2019 I had a concrete plan for twenty issues. Any less wouldn’t have worked. It was a bit of a gamble that we wouldn’t be prematurely cancelled, but when I saw Marco’s art on the page I knew we’d get that twenty and maybe even more.
At around the ten issue mark I opened up my notebook, which had my scribblings for the rest of the story, and got to work. That turned into Elektra as Daredevil, the fall of Wilson Fisk, the life and death of Mike Murdock. And what we’re now starting: The Red Fist Saga.
When Marvel started collecting our run into hardcovers, I told them that the entire run has a title that should stay the same from volume to volume. It’s DAREDEVIL: TO HEAVEN THROUGH HELL, one long story. A novel. A … graphic novel???
This is us in the back half of that graphic novel. And we hope you like it.
Also, can I just say? My heart just swelled seeing this DD variant by the best to ever do it: John Romita and John Romita Jr.!
Okay! Because it’s DAREDEVIL DAY, I’m doing an AMA over on the Daredevil subreddit! And look! They used a photo from when I was “young”!!!
The AMA is happening at THIS link and it’s open now for your Daredevil questions! If you ask me non-Daredevil-related questions, God help you!!!!
And that’s all for today! Daredevil! That’s it! But I also wanted to share this great review of a park I went to, which sums up online reviews so perfectly I could scream
Love,
Chip!
I picked up Daredevil #1 this morning. (Actually, I picked up two copies - one to read and one to send in for your signing). I love the new storyline and am looking forward to seeing where you take the new Dynamic Duo. On a related note, I picked up the first issue of Public Domain last week and I loved it! (I am a new Substack subscriber, so this is my first experience with Public Domain). I love super hero comics, but it is refreshing to follow a title that is a very different genre. Thanks for all you do. Looking forward to the signing (I am sending in a handful of issues tomorrow!)
I put this on the reddit, but realized I can post/ask here as well as a paying subscriber, so here's my best/worst "I'd like to speak to your manager!" gripe:
Hey Chip! In your newsletter announcing the new number 1, you wrote "We’re back! A.K.A. we never really went away! We didn’t want to publish Daredevil while Devil’s Reign was happening so the big decision was: do we come back after being off the shelf for six months with issue 37? Or do we relaunch with a shiny new NUMBER ONE? Number one it is!"
What I don't understand is why "Daredevil: Woman Without Fear" couldn't have been part of the continuing series, meaning this back half of the big story launches as Daredevil #40. Or, for that matter, why Devil's Reign needed to be an "event" instead of just part of the main Daredevil story.
Heck, if it did have to be a big event and a relaunch, why not title it "Daredevils" to distinguish it from other volumes? It would also highlight that both Elektra and Matt are the "real" Daredevil.
I guess I'm just a bit bummed out that your run, which felt like a really exciting and fresh take on DD, pivoted to some of the most frustrating elements of cape comics ("New Number 1!" "Earth shattering event!" "Things will never be the same!") in a way that, for me anyways, derailed the main story and didn't land emotionally, at least for me.
That said, totally excited for the big summer crossover for Public Domain ;)