Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell

The blind lawyer turned vigilante superhero fights his final battle in this potent Daredevil tale from returning series writer Soule (One Billion Genies) and artist McNiven (Old Man Logan). In a bleak future beyond the current Marvel universe, an elderly Matt Murdock has lost his extrasensory crime-fighting powers (“just an average Joe,” he calls himself), and the rest of the superheroes are dead, gone, or depowered. Then Murdock’s otherworldly radar skills are accidentally reactivated by a dirty bomb. Tasked by a dying Captain America with rescuing Tyra, a mysterious new mutant whose name and brilliant powers hint she might be the daughter of Daredevil allies Cloak and Dagger, Daredevil races against the clock to stop his old enemy Bullseye as his powers begin to fade again. Soule’s narrative is peppered with guest appearances by former Marvel heroes including Elektra and Punisher, and the stark, swift story suits Murdock’s acutely painful and personal crusade. McNiven’s art recalls Frank Miller’s notable run on the series, blending the energetic stunts of Miller’s 1980s comics with his scratchy inks in The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Marvel has produced several speculative “last story” tales for its heroes; this proves one of the best yet. (Feb.)