As I wrote two weeks back, so it has come to pass.
Andy Diggle is officially taking over as writer of Daredevil. Additionally, he has sign an exclusive contract with Marvel. He recently talked about his plans for the series and a couple of other projects on the horizon including a Hawkeye mini-series (remember when that guy wasn’t dead? Now he gets all the attention!).
Wraparound cover to Daredevil #500, Brubaker's last
Marvel.com: When Brubaker took over, the hand off between he and Bendis’ runs felt pretty seamless not so much because they coordinated story points as Ed just picked up the ball where Brian left it and said, “OK, now we’re going all the way over here…to prison!” What’s been your plan on where to take things up from Ed and Michael’s run?
Andy Diggle: Brian’s run ended with a fantastic cliffhanger—namely, Matt Murdock exposed and in prison—and Ed’s been gracious enough to leave me with an equally provocative starting-point for my run. Obviously, I don’t want to spoil it, but let’s juts say it’s a pretty challenging set-up that cuts to the core of what defines Matt Murdock, and Daredevil, as a character. It’s pretty crazy! It’s gonna get people talking, no question.
Marvel.com: What is your first issue of the book, and what can you say if anything about the story you’ve got planned?
Andy Diggle: My understanding is that issue #500 will be Ed’s last. As for the specifics, I’m sworn to secrecy! But the challenge for me will be telling a story that’s distinctly DAREDEVIL yet still feels fresh and new, without simply re-treading what’s gone before. Staying true to the character and the spirit of the series, while still being able to shake things up and subvert expectations. That’s always a fine line to navigate. But like I say, Ed’s leaving me with a hell of a cliffhanger, and exploring the ramifications of that new status-quo is going to take us to some very dark and interesting places.
Diggle also spoke to Newsarama’s Matt Brady and hinted that the artist for his run has been chosen but is a closely guarded secret. Could it be Jock?
He also discusses his favorite DD story.
NRAMA: What era of Daredevil really sings to you? Who wrote the stories that you’re looking at as the bar you’re trying to live up to?
AD: Predictably, it has to be the Frank Miller stuff. If I had to choose one story in particular it would have to be Elektra Lives Again. What an amazing book. Just beautiful, heartbreaking, and technically brilliant. I love the use of Catholic imagery there; the fact that Matt’s this haunted character, always running to try and catch something just out of his reach; and I love the fact that it’s so terse, so visually driven, with almost no exposition. I think the character’s physicality really lends itself to that kind of visual storytelling. You don’t need pages of dialogue to show Matt’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders; you can see it. We get it.
So you may be asking yourself why is Daredevil such a big deal? Also, why is Diggle such a big deal?
As for the character, he is another of Stan Lee’s success stories that started off slow then exploded later in its run and became a cult hit (much like the Uncanny X-Men).
As for Diggle, Marvel has been attracting some of the best and brightest that the comics scene has to offer and Diggle is no slouch in either department. His Thunderbolts issues have already earned him high accolades and I think we are going to see him develop into one of the stars of what has become the new Marvel Bullpen.
In just a few months we’ll see. If you are thinking of picking up the series but do not live near a comic shop, just subscribe via Marvel directly or just sign up for their digital comic service and obtain access to their entire catalog.
