Noteworthy Issues: Daredevil #22 (September, 2020)

Alright, after a disappointing filler issue from yesterday’s review slot and a bit of an improvement on a series I’ve found disappointing for the day before that, what’s up with a series I really like?  How does a superhero go on trial for accidental murder?

Issue:  Daredevil #22, September 2020

Writer:  Chip Zdarsky

Artist:  Francesco Mobili

The Plot:  Kingpin plots against costumed heroes while Daredevil goes to Iron Man for help.

Commentary:  Much of this issue shows how Daredevil wants to protect the neighborhood while he’s on trial and possibly locked up in prison.  Thanks to some quick thinking by Foggy using actual Marvel Universe legal precedent, Matt Murdock can go on trial for his accidental murder of a random street criminal without giving his real name and identity out.  Matt, as a lawyer, can see how well the case is playing out, and even as it seems to be playing in his favor, Matt feels better because the law can rule on whether he committed murder or not.

Meanwhile, there’s Wilson Fisk, using this case as a way of bringing down legal hammers on superheroes in general.  That’s been going on for this entire run, but with one hero going on trial, he can now point fingers at others.

But there’s still the issue of Hell’s Kitchen.  Matt knows if he goes away long enough, other people in the neighborhood will try to be the next Daredevil, and that’s dangerous.  The Stormwyns are looking to buy the neighborhood and gentrify it to the detriment of the people already living there.  Does Matt know anyone who might be able to fix that on his own?  Well, Iron Man could.

I really liked the scene between Matt and Tony.  Matt has a proposition for Tony to save the neighborhood in ways that don’t amount to flying in and blasting bad guys.  The problem is Tony isn’t so sure about it.  It involves using his money, and the thing is, I’m not sure Tony could use his money to do that if he wanted to.  I’ve learned enough about billionaires and their assets in the past few years to realize Tony probably doesn’t have a few billion dollars lying around and ready for him to spend at the drop of a hat when there’s no chance of profit in it.  He may want to, but it’s not something he can just do.  Matt may not get that, but Tony does.

And he doesn’t say one way or the other, but there’s an implication of something else.

Anyway, love this series no matter what Iron Man does or doesn’t do for Daredevil.

Grade:  A-