We’re big fans of the Mark Waid/Chris Samnee run of Daredevil – as is everybody else, considering it won Eisners and such – but that acclaimed run is coming to an end after Daredevil #36. However, Waid is ending his time with the character with an Infinite Comics series called Daredevil: Road Warrior, where Matt Murdock leaves the confines of Hell’s Kitchen to travel the country. He’ll be teaming with artist Peter Krause, his partner at Thrillbent.com, and Samnee has contributed this cover.
“Up until now, every time we’ve taken Matt out of New York, it’s been in service of awful, awful things,” Waid said about the story on Marvel.com. “This feels more like the beginning of a grand journey. Which does not discount the eventuality of awful, awful things, of course; no one wants to read a Daredevil story where everything goes smoothly for him.”
Especially since his powers don’t work as well when he’s not in a skyscraper-filled island like Manhattan. “He enjoys the countryside, but he’s adapted so well to the concrete canyons of New York that he finds flatlands to the horizon somewhat disturbing; nothing for his radar sense to bounce off of,” Waid notes. He also mentions that the Infinite Comics format, which he evangelized to me a while back, is great for opening up new ways to depict the way Matt Murdock sees the world in that radar sense.
“Matt’s beginning a whole new chapter in his life following the events of Daredevil #36, and he’s excited but apprehensive at the same time,” Waid says. “You can be a Man Without Fear and still be a little worried about where the next paycheck is coming from. Road Warrior is a coast-to-coast adventure/chase with thrills aplenty.”
That leads to speculation as to whether or not the Nelson/Murdock firm survives Waid’s run, given that Foggy Nelson is fighting cancer at the moment. That’s also why Waid is unable to mention who among DD’s supporting cast might be coming with him on the trip. One would think that it could be a celebratory vacation with best buds Foggy and Matt after Foggy goes into remission… or it could turn out to be a ‘last hurrah’ kind of thing for a guy what knows he’s doomed.
While Waid’s Infinite Comic promises to be really cool, we’re certainly sad to see his run on Daredevil end.
