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

It’s an exhilarating time to be a fan of Daredevil. The beloved character is not only continuing his journey on screen with the highly anticipated "Daredevil: Born Again" on Disney+, but he's also making waves in the comic world with the new miniseries, "Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell." This series marks a thrilling reunion between writer Charles Soule and artist Steve McNiven, the duo behind "Death of Wolverine." With a compelling premise that echoes the iconic "The Dark Knight Returns," "Cold Day in Hell" promises to redefine Daredevil for fans and newcomers alike.

IGN had the opportunity to delve into the details with Soule via email, exploring what this new venture means for Matt Murdock. Before diving into the interview, take a moment to enjoy an exclusive preview of "Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1" in the gallery below.

Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1 Preview Gallery

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Drawing inspiration from "The Dark Knight Returns," "Cold Day in Hell" transports readers to a future where Matt Murdock, now older and stripped of his powers, confronts the ghosts of his past. In this dystopian Marvel Universe, superheroes are relics of a bygone era, and Matt has long retired from his Daredevil persona. As Soule explains, Matt’s powers, derived from a radioactive accident, have faded over time, leaving him an ordinary man with an extraordinary history. Yet, something will inevitably draw him back into the fray.

Soule shared, “Matt's older, for sure. 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 trope of an aging superhero returning to action is a familiar one in comics, from "The Dark Knight Returns" to "Old Man Logan." Soule highlights the allure of this narrative, noting, “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 further elaborated, “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.”

This isn't the first time Soule and McNiven have explored themes of mortality with a Marvel hero, having previously collaborated on "Death of Wolverine." When asked if "Cold Day in Hell" could be seen as a companion piece to that work, Soule responded, “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 joys of such stories is witnessing the evolution of a hero's supporting cast and adversaries. In "The Dark Knight Returns," iconic characters like the Joker and Superman take on new roles. Soule hinted at similar transformations for Daredevil's world, teasing, “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 the release of "Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1" timed to coincide with the "Born Again" show, it's clear Marvel aims to leverage the excitement around Daredevil. Soule believes the series serves as an excellent entry point into the Daredevil comics, stating, “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.”

As for "Born Again," Soule's influence is evident. The series draws inspiration from his 2015-2018 run, particularly with elements like Wilson Fisk's mayoralty and the villain Muse. Having seen the entire season, Soule confirmed, “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 set to release on April 2, 2025. For more insights into what Marvel has in store, explore what to expect from Marvel in 2025 and discover our most anticipated comics of 2025.