Marvel will relaunch Daredevil next year, as Stephanie Phillips and Lee Garbett head to Hell’s Kitchen for new stories featuring the introduction of a new villain named Omen. Also, Matt Murdock goes back to school!
“I’m taking on one of my favorite characters with one of my favorite artists, and together we’re exploring Daredevil’s noir sensibilities,” Phillips said. “Lee Garbett brings so much style and emotion to every page, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner to bring this version of Daredevil to life.”
Phillips and Garbett follow writer Saladin Ahmed’s run on the title, who worked with artists Aaron Kuder, Jose Luis and others over the course of 25 issues. Phillips is also the first woman to write the Daredevil ongoing series since Ann Nocenti’s run ended in 1991.
In addition to the new villain, Matt Murdock will also get a new job as a law professor in the series:
Hell’s Kitchen is full of secrets—but no secret stays buried for long! As a fearsome new super villain named OMEN has targeted MATT MURDOCK, it will be his alter-ego DAREDEVIL who takes the hits! BUT BEWARE! This mysterious new player isn’t all that they appear—a secret Daredevil will have to learn quickly as he scrambles to settle into a life and status-quo we’ve NEVER SEEN HIM IN BEFORE!
“I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Stephanie Phillips on Daredevil,” Garbett said. “We came into the project together, with a genuine love of the character and a clear vision for the book. Steph is an incredible writer and has absolutely nailed the tone and heart of Daredevil’s world. Every beat feels authentic and DD at its purest, but we’ve got fresh ideas and some big surprises in store!”
The first issue will arrive in March, with, somewhat appropriately, a “True Believers Blind Bag” program featuring random variant covers. “Marvel’s new Blind Bag program gives fans a chance to purchase the issue in special sealed bags that contain any of the issue’s covers, including rare variant covers exclusive to Blind Bags and hand-drawn, ultra-rare one-of-a-kind sketch covers by surprise contributors.” Blind bag programs are all the rage right now, with Marvel planning the same thing for this December’s Ultimate Endgame #1, while everyone from DC to IDW to Dynamite have gotten in on it in recent months.
Daredevil’s variant cover line-up includes Rose Besch, Daniel Warren Johnson and Joe Quesada:
and then the blind bags will feature additional covers by Dan Panosian, Greg Land, Alex Maleev and more.
Daredevil #1 will arrive in stores March 18.