"Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell - Matt Murdock's Dark Knight Returns Moment"

It's an exciting time for fans of the Man Without Fear. With the much-anticipated continuation of the live-action series on Disney+ titled *Daredevil: Born Again*, and the launch of a new comic book miniseries, *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell*, there's plenty to get excited about. The new comic, penned by Charles Soule and illustrated by Steve McNiven, is drawing comparisons to the iconic *The Dark Knight Returns*. IGN had the chance to delve into what this means for Matt Murdock with Soule himself. First, take a look at an exclusive preview of *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1* in the slideshow gallery below, and then dive deeper into the series and Soule's reflections on his past work being adapted for the screen.

Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1 Preview Gallery

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*Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell* draws inspiration from *The Dark Knight Returns*, but sets itself apart by taking place in a future where Matt Murdock has lost his powers and is dealing with the challenges of aging and his haunted past. Soule shares that Matt isn't the only hero who has stepped away from the superhero life in this future Marvel Universe. "Matt's older, for sure," Soule explains. "We don't get specific with it, but the idea is that he left superhero life behind many years ago. Not just him, either - in the world of *Cold Day In Hell*, superheroes are long gone, at least in comparison to the way they operate in the present-day Marvel Universe. The reason for Matt leaving Daredevil behind is actually pretty simple, if you're using superhero logic. As we all know, Matt got his powers by being accidentally dosed with radioactive goop. Radioactivity fades with time, and in this story, the idea is that over time Matt's powers faded away too. He's still got all his combat training, but he hasn't used it for a very long time. He is, to put it pretty plainly, an ordinary older man with an extraordinary past that he's worked quite hard to move beyond. At least, that's our status quo as we begin."

The aging superhero narrative isn't new, having been explored in various Marvel titles like *The End* series and *Old Man Logan*. Soule reflects on why this trope resonates so well: "For me, the tonal switcheroo you get when you show familiar characters at unfamiliar points in their lives can be a really potent way to define them in new ways for readers. It also lets you define them more clearly. What parts of Matt Murdock persist when his ability to be a superhero in the traditional sense vanishes? He's clearly not Daredevil when we begin - does he need to be? Stories like this give you the best of both worlds - they can let you strip the hero down to their bare essentials while also letting you come up with a lot of fun ideas that are outside the regular continuity in some ways."

Soule adds, "*Cold Day In Hell* takes place in its own corner of the Marvel Universe where terrible things have happened in the somewhat recent past, the after-effects of which resonate through the lives of the characters and the story. So, Steve and I get to make up a bunch of cool new things that use iconic Marvel elements, while also putting our own spin on all of them. That is... what many of these stories do, and of course I think Steve and I were both inspired by other brilliant variations on this theme."

Soule and McNiven have previously worked together on *Death of Wolverine*, which also dealt with a hero confronting their mortality. Asked if *Cold Day in Hell* serves as a companion piece to *Death of Wolverine*, Soule responds, "I think everything we do together is in some ways a companion piece to everything we've done. I've been truly fortunate to work with Steve as much as I have. From the Wolverine stories, to *Uncanny Inhumans*, to *Star Wars*, and now *Daredevil*, I think everything we've done is an evolution of our ability to work together, and our friendship outside the comics. I have immense trust in Steve's ability to just, you know, do amazing things on the page, and I think he feels the same way about my scripts, hopefully. This book was extremely collaborative in a way that was a bit of an experiment for us, a back and forth discussion as scripts and inks and dialogue and colors came in throughout, and I think people are going to see that on the page. Steve called it 'jazz' at one point, and I don't think that's so far off. I'm really proud of all the work I've done with Steve, but this one really stands out."

One of the most intriguing aspects of stories like *Cold Day in Hell* is seeing how the supporting cast and villains have aged. While Soule keeps details under wraps, he hints at major surprises in store for fans: "Don't want to say more than that, though - that stuff is part of what I think people are going to tune in for."

With *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1* set to release around the same time as *Daredevil: Born Again*, Marvel seems poised to leverage the excitement around the show. When asked if the new series serves as a good entry point into Daredevil comics, Soule is optimistic: "I think so! It's designed as a story people can pick up and enjoy if they know the most basic things about Daredevil and his past - blind, Catholic lawyer who had super-senses and ninja training at one time, but now he doesn't. It probably helps if you know a bit about some of the key adversaries and allies in Matt Murdock's orbit, but you don't have to."

Turning to *Daredevil: Born Again*, it's evident that the series draws inspiration from Soule's 2015-2018 run on the comic, particularly with Wilson Fisk's mayoral campaign and the villain Muse. Soule confirms the influence: "I've been fortunate enough to see the entire season of *Daredevil: Born Again*, and can confirm that the work I did with Ron Garney and my other amazing collaborators during my *Daredevil* run in the comics is all over the show. Mayor Fisk and Muse, yep, but other elements too, particularly just the thematic things we were playing with back in 2015-2018. As far as how it felt? It felt amazing. The thought that these ideas will be reaching that many people, when I can still remember writing them down in my red *Daredevil* notebook almost a decade ago now as things that might be cool... what a wonderful thing. I think fans will really enjoy the show."

*Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1* is slated for release on April 2, 2025. For more on what's coming from Marvel Comics, explore what to expect from Marvel in 2025 and see our most anticipated comics of 2025.