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 ;)
Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, but none of these decisions are ones that are done without thought. Marvel needs to make money, I need to tell my story, I want to keep Marco as our artist. Those are all factors into numberings and events.
We considered continuing "Daredevil" alongside Devil's Reign and picking it up after, but that would have been six issues of Elektra on her adventure when the story called for three, all with sales dropping off because "the real Daredevil" was over in Devil's Reign. I'll never pad a story out to make it fit the schedule so that was off the table. If we'd done that, I'd probably have lost Marco on art with Daredevil 40 (or 43, or whatever number it would be), because the financials wouldn't have worked to keep him.
I get the frustration, but believe me when I say I'm telling the story I want to tell. The numbers on the front of the comic are just a way to let people know the order of things (I do wish we'd have volume numbers on the covers though!). If the fact that Woman Without Fear #1 wasn't called Daredevil #37 derailed your enjoyment of the story I don't know what to tell you. I do my best on the stories, which is the element I can control.
Thank you for the thoughtful and generous reply! It's very much appreciated, and getting a small glimpse into the financial considerations beyond "more money for Marvel" (ie Marco on art) is very illuminating.
To be clear, I don't think you're "selling out" or in any way compromising your storytelling vision, and I'm not naive about the constraints of corporate comics. Hell, I think your King in Black tie-ins are a masterclass of the form (i.e. the event tie in "interrupting" the main series story) that are very, very difficult to do well. Devil's Reign just ended up not resonating for me, and thus felt emblematic of my broad industry frustrations. If I'd liked it more, I'd probably be praising you for masterfully navigating the nature of the event comic.
Anyways I look forward to Daredevils: Number One Squared and again thank your for detailed and insightful response.
Questions! Are you going to unblind Matt? Will Dr. Strange mess with people remembering Matt/Mike Murdoch is dead? Will either DD wear shoulder pads and body armor stolen from a junior league Canadian hockey team? Will Luke Cage be tough on crime or just tough on himself? Will the Daughters of the Dragon and Sons of the Tiger meet the Purple Children???
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!)
Oh nice! Glad you liked them!
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 ;)
Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, but none of these decisions are ones that are done without thought. Marvel needs to make money, I need to tell my story, I want to keep Marco as our artist. Those are all factors into numberings and events.
We considered continuing "Daredevil" alongside Devil's Reign and picking it up after, but that would have been six issues of Elektra on her adventure when the story called for three, all with sales dropping off because "the real Daredevil" was over in Devil's Reign. I'll never pad a story out to make it fit the schedule so that was off the table. If we'd done that, I'd probably have lost Marco on art with Daredevil 40 (or 43, or whatever number it would be), because the financials wouldn't have worked to keep him.
I get the frustration, but believe me when I say I'm telling the story I want to tell. The numbers on the front of the comic are just a way to let people know the order of things (I do wish we'd have volume numbers on the covers though!). If the fact that Woman Without Fear #1 wasn't called Daredevil #37 derailed your enjoyment of the story I don't know what to tell you. I do my best on the stories, which is the element I can control.
Thank you for the thoughtful and generous reply! It's very much appreciated, and getting a small glimpse into the financial considerations beyond "more money for Marvel" (ie Marco on art) is very illuminating.
To be clear, I don't think you're "selling out" or in any way compromising your storytelling vision, and I'm not naive about the constraints of corporate comics. Hell, I think your King in Black tie-ins are a masterclass of the form (i.e. the event tie in "interrupting" the main series story) that are very, very difficult to do well. Devil's Reign just ended up not resonating for me, and thus felt emblematic of my broad industry frustrations. If I'd liked it more, I'd probably be praising you for masterfully navigating the nature of the event comic.
Anyways I look forward to Daredevils: Number One Squared and again thank your for detailed and insightful response.
Questions! Are you going to unblind Matt? Will Dr. Strange mess with people remembering Matt/Mike Murdoch is dead? Will either DD wear shoulder pads and body armor stolen from a junior league Canadian hockey team? Will Luke Cage be tough on crime or just tough on himself? Will the Daughters of the Dragon and Sons of the Tiger meet the Purple Children???
I get the irony but I'm asking anyway: Do you get sick of answering questions?
haha no, but I DEFINITELY need to start those AMAs with an FAQ section
I finally got around to reading your first Howard the Duck trade and I can't say enough great things about it.
The callback to the poor Skrull/cows in FF#2 was genius. Now I'm desperately searching local LCSs for your other Howard books. Keep up the great work.