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Daredevil (1998) (Collected Editions)
Daredevil, Vol. 21: The Devil's Hand
Collects Dark Reign: The List - Daredevil #1, Daredevil #501-507.
Meet Daredevil as you've NEVER seen him before! The cataclysmic events of Return of the King left Matt in the toughest place of his life - and forced him to make the hardest decision he's ever made.
Meet Daredevil as you've NEVER seen him before! The cataclysmic events of Return of the King left Matt in the toughest place of his life - and forced him to make the hardest decision he's ever made.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Andy Diggle
531 books170 followersAndy Diggle is a British comic book writer and former editor of 2000 AD. He is best known for his work on The Losers,Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Adam Strange and Silent Dragon at DC Comics and for his run on Thunderbolts and Daredevil after his move to Marvel.
In 2013 Diggle left writing DC's Action Comics and began working with Dynamite Entertainment, writing a paranormal crime series Uncanny. He is also working on another crime series with his wife titled Control that is set to begin publishing in 2014.
In 2013 Diggle left writing DC's Action Comics and began working with Dynamite Entertainment, writing a paranormal crime series Uncanny. He is also working on another crime series with his wife titled Control that is set to begin publishing in 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 13, 2021
This was a pretty good read!
I like how this ties up with Dark reign and then has Matt taking control of the hand and an attack by Bullseye and then the tenant incident and then showing why the hand maybe needed and then taking up some insane and far out actions like taking down Master Izo and all that drama but what happens when he goes to Japan with white Tiger and meets a new enemy in Bakuto? Also what are their real intentions? Plus the prelude to Shadowland!
Its actually a pretty good volume and just shows the lengths Matt has gone and he thinks maybe the hand is the solution and how it all goes wrong is hinted at here and I like the build up and also the things that are happening with Foggy and Dakota and how Kingpin is involved, slowly amassing his power which sets him for an interesting confrontation with MURDOCK. Its a high no-holds barred contest for sure and the story in Japan while not the most exciting does hint at big things to come for matt and the twist were good.
Its a prelude pretty much and the lead up is exciting to whatever comes next so yeah!
I like how this ties up with Dark reign and then has Matt taking control of the hand and an attack by Bullseye and then the tenant incident and then showing why the hand maybe needed and then taking up some insane and far out actions like taking down Master Izo and all that drama but what happens when he goes to Japan with white Tiger and meets a new enemy in Bakuto? Also what are their real intentions? Plus the prelude to Shadowland!
Its actually a pretty good volume and just shows the lengths Matt has gone and he thinks maybe the hand is the solution and how it all goes wrong is hinted at here and I like the build up and also the things that are happening with Foggy and Dakota and how Kingpin is involved, slowly amassing his power which sets him for an interesting confrontation with MURDOCK. Its a high no-holds barred contest for sure and the story in Japan while not the most exciting does hint at big things to come for matt and the twist were good.
Its a prelude pretty much and the lead up is exciting to whatever comes next so yeah!
June 26, 2015
Wow, this is the really real. To think that Daredevil agrees to lead the Hand. Things must be pretty dire for Daredevil to get in bed with the enemy. Well things are. Hell's Kitchen is looking a lot like the real thing, and Murdock realizes that conventional methods of obtaining justice are doomed to fail. He's willing to take extreme measures, but like Frank Sinatra, he's going to do it "My Way." Beware of best laid plans, Matt.
This was a really good graphic novel. It was very intense, and the artwork was fantastic. The artist has managed to use color and shade to convey the grim world of Daredevil. There are some scenes that feel very grand, with Daredevil, and the Hand bowing at his feet. The action sequences are awesome and fluid. I can't say enough about how much I liked the artwork.
The writing is equally strong. I think that anything with ninjas and katana makes me heart sings, and I feel that the writer I think this is very near to being a five star book. The story had me on the edge of my seat, and while Daredevil can more than take care of himself, he's deep in the lion's den and his enemies are many and employ any tactics necessary to destroy him, those he loves, and seek to dominate and conquer by any means necessary. The tension is off the charts, and I hope that my library has the next volume.
I think if I wasn't being so stingy with fives it would be. It's darn near close.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
This was a really good graphic novel. It was very intense, and the artwork was fantastic. The artist has managed to use color and shade to convey the grim world of Daredevil. There are some scenes that feel very grand, with Daredevil, and the Hand bowing at his feet. The action sequences are awesome and fluid. I can't say enough about how much I liked the artwork.
The writing is equally strong. I think that anything with ninjas and katana makes me heart sings, and I feel that the writer I think this is very near to being a five star book. The story had me on the edge of my seat, and while Daredevil can more than take care of himself, he's deep in the lion's den and his enemies are many and employ any tactics necessary to destroy him, those he loves, and seek to dominate and conquer by any means necessary. The tension is off the charts, and I hope that my library has the next volume.
I think if I wasn't being so stingy with fives it would be. It's darn near close.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
May 23, 2025
Daredevil has taken control of the Hand, and has ambitious plans to make them more a force for good rather than evil. However, things aren't as they appear. And in the next volume, everything comes to a head as we enter Shadowland.
It's hard to believe a book that works so well as a crime noir can shift gears and work just as well as a ninja story, but this book had done it.
It's hard to believe a book that works so well as a crime noir can shift gears and work just as well as a ninja story, but this book had done it.
August 12, 2010
Trace Matt Murdock’s story since Kevin Smith took the reins on the title—through the runs by Brian Michael Bendis and Ed Brubaker—and the narrative reads a little bit like a good old fashioned beat down. The DAREDEVIL writers of recent years simply won’t allow the Man Without Fear to catch his breath.
And Andy Diggle’s first major story arc for our hero is shaping up to ensure that he won’t be getting up any time soon.
Now the head of the ninja organization, The Hand, Daredevil continues to toe the line of his role as a hero in Hell’s Kitchen. That conflict has always been a mainstay of the character: Pit the personal convictions of Matt Murdock against ever more insidious plot developments, and you’ve got great storytelling. Now, though, fans might begin to wonder if they’re witnessing the ultimate destruction of Daredevil, for the last time.
At the time of this writing, rumors are already circulating that by the end of this year, the monthly DAREDEVIL book will be hosted by a new Man Without Fear. Intelligent speculators can point to Danny Rand (Iron Fist) as the next in line to don the costume of Daredevil. What this means for Murdock is anyone’s guess. He could finally be put in prison for the crimes he’s committing as an unregistered vigilante (and anyone reading the monthly title, SHADOWLAND, knows that Murdock will cross lines of morality that he’s never crossed before). He could strap on a backpack and go on a vision quest of sorts to cleanse himself of the corruption he’s currently adopting. Marvel Comics editors might have determined that Murdock, as a character, is so far gone that no ret con will absolve him of the choices he’s made in the past few years, opting it easier to simply kill him off in a dramatic and sacrificial display.
Whatever the future holds for Murdock, “The Devil’s Hand” sets the stage for it, as Murdock at all times seems content to lead The Hand, an organization known for employing cold-blooded killers, in order to use the league of assassins to clean NYC streets, and at all times remains reluctant to admit that he’s actually going to fracture The Hand into pieces. Too often throughout this particular volume, readers are kept guessing as to Murdock’s ultimate “end game.” Does he, in fact, intend to use The Hand as a hero’s tool? Or is he devolving into the killer that The Hand appreciates?
Whatever the answer to this question, only Diggle knows, and the only assurance readers have is that “The Devil’s Hand” is brilliant character development, on par with the trio of writers that have scripted DAREDEVIL since the title was launched under the Marvel Knights banner. The title’s supporting cast, including the Kingpin, Black Tarantula, White Tiger, Lady Bullseye, ‘Hawkeye’ (Bullseye in disguise as a martial law Avenger), and even those old friends left behind at the law firm, are given ample stage time in Diggle’s hands. The strength of Diggle’s writing, though, is that the storytelling is complex enough without failing to develop the ongoing conflicts that these characters bring to the table. Along the way, Diggle plants some significant seeds that will make for a rather seamless transition into the SHADOWLAND mini-series, which intends to shake up the Marvel Universe at the street level. (And spoilers be damned! Anyone reading the monthly mini-series already knows how things will pan out for Bullseye!)
Unfortunately, the artwork for this particular volume is hit and miss, at best. Coming on the heels of Michael Lark’s consistent pencils from month to month, “The Devil’s Hand” employs the line work of no less than three different artists, and their styles are just markedly different enough to not allow fans of graphic storytelling to really get a foothold and appreciate the story alongside the visual aspects of the narrative. Perhaps Marvel will decide upon a singular artist to work alongside Diggle’s writing, but until then, the future success of this series is in anyone’s hands but the fans’.
Luckily, the storytelling itself keeps “The Devil’s Hand” at the top of this critic’s list, and readers can anticipate looking forward to returning to Hell’s Kitchen with the next collection of Daredevil’s adventures, which, frankly, can’t come soon enough as the story of the Man Without Fear continues to reach what could be its bloody, dramatic conclusion.
And Andy Diggle’s first major story arc for our hero is shaping up to ensure that he won’t be getting up any time soon.
Now the head of the ninja organization, The Hand, Daredevil continues to toe the line of his role as a hero in Hell’s Kitchen. That conflict has always been a mainstay of the character: Pit the personal convictions of Matt Murdock against ever more insidious plot developments, and you’ve got great storytelling. Now, though, fans might begin to wonder if they’re witnessing the ultimate destruction of Daredevil, for the last time.
At the time of this writing, rumors are already circulating that by the end of this year, the monthly DAREDEVIL book will be hosted by a new Man Without Fear. Intelligent speculators can point to Danny Rand (Iron Fist) as the next in line to don the costume of Daredevil. What this means for Murdock is anyone’s guess. He could finally be put in prison for the crimes he’s committing as an unregistered vigilante (and anyone reading the monthly title, SHADOWLAND, knows that Murdock will cross lines of morality that he’s never crossed before). He could strap on a backpack and go on a vision quest of sorts to cleanse himself of the corruption he’s currently adopting. Marvel Comics editors might have determined that Murdock, as a character, is so far gone that no ret con will absolve him of the choices he’s made in the past few years, opting it easier to simply kill him off in a dramatic and sacrificial display.
Whatever the future holds for Murdock, “The Devil’s Hand” sets the stage for it, as Murdock at all times seems content to lead The Hand, an organization known for employing cold-blooded killers, in order to use the league of assassins to clean NYC streets, and at all times remains reluctant to admit that he’s actually going to fracture The Hand into pieces. Too often throughout this particular volume, readers are kept guessing as to Murdock’s ultimate “end game.” Does he, in fact, intend to use The Hand as a hero’s tool? Or is he devolving into the killer that The Hand appreciates?
Whatever the answer to this question, only Diggle knows, and the only assurance readers have is that “The Devil’s Hand” is brilliant character development, on par with the trio of writers that have scripted DAREDEVIL since the title was launched under the Marvel Knights banner. The title’s supporting cast, including the Kingpin, Black Tarantula, White Tiger, Lady Bullseye, ‘Hawkeye’ (Bullseye in disguise as a martial law Avenger), and even those old friends left behind at the law firm, are given ample stage time in Diggle’s hands. The strength of Diggle’s writing, though, is that the storytelling is complex enough without failing to develop the ongoing conflicts that these characters bring to the table. Along the way, Diggle plants some significant seeds that will make for a rather seamless transition into the SHADOWLAND mini-series, which intends to shake up the Marvel Universe at the street level. (And spoilers be damned! Anyone reading the monthly mini-series already knows how things will pan out for Bullseye!)
Unfortunately, the artwork for this particular volume is hit and miss, at best. Coming on the heels of Michael Lark’s consistent pencils from month to month, “The Devil’s Hand” employs the line work of no less than three different artists, and their styles are just markedly different enough to not allow fans of graphic storytelling to really get a foothold and appreciate the story alongside the visual aspects of the narrative. Perhaps Marvel will decide upon a singular artist to work alongside Diggle’s writing, but until then, the future success of this series is in anyone’s hands but the fans’.
Luckily, the storytelling itself keeps “The Devil’s Hand” at the top of this critic’s list, and readers can anticipate looking forward to returning to Hell’s Kitchen with the next collection of Daredevil’s adventures, which, frankly, can’t come soon enough as the story of the Man Without Fear continues to reach what could be its bloody, dramatic conclusion.
March 4, 2025
Diggle's run doesn't start off terrible. Having Matt run the Hand, having him use it as a weapon to stop worse acts, having him scheme against them is all fun. But once we get deeper into this run, and more mystical, more "Demon's taking over" it gets worse and worse. The last two issues are a noticeable step down from the 5 prior and it doesn't get better...
April 13, 2013
This book has a way of making me want to like it, but it just refuses to let me. Broken down to its core elements, it's a great story, but it's told so badly. And why are there so many unexplained changes since the last volume. Norman Osbourne is suddenly running the whole city? When did this happen? Why is Bullseye walking around Avengers Tower in Hawkeye's costume? Since when is Jameson Mayor? None of this is explained, the reader is treated like we already understand these things, but this was not the status quo in the previous volume.
Diggle is CHEAP when it comes to using a civillian body count to up the stakes. I'll try not to be spoilous, but lets just say that the innocent bystanders/plot device come out of nowhere just to bite it.
Diggle's dialogue is weak and his characterizations are flat. Everyone's motives seem shaky. I have no objection to a story about Matt giving in to a darker side. I think it's a great idea, but really the narrative here is just plain messy.
Diggle is CHEAP when it comes to using a civillian body count to up the stakes. I'll try not to be spoilous, but lets just say that the innocent bystanders/plot device come out of nowhere just to bite it.
Diggle's dialogue is weak and his characterizations are flat. Everyone's motives seem shaky. I have no objection to a story about Matt giving in to a darker side. I think it's a great idea, but really the narrative here is just plain messy.
January 3, 2011
Fun, fascinating ride through the depths of The Hand for our favourite soul-tortured hero. However, it doesn't take long for the "has Matt turned amoral?" question to be resolved (not how I wanted it to go). And then we (too early I think) start hearing the back channel chatter between the folks behind the curtain, and all mystery is thus dispelled. I prefer the stories (like with Fraction's Iron Fist) where you wonder why things don't seem quite right but it takes much longer to find out what's *really* going on.
Now we have only the suspense of waiting for when Matt will figure out what's up and how he'll deal with the aftermath. And then the inevitable decline back to "everything is normal once again" continuity. Yawn.
I'm desperately hoping Shadowlands takes the mystery/suspense up a notch or ten.
(this feels a lot like how I first viewed Morrison's Batman run, before I saw the full scope of it unfolding.)
Now we have only the suspense of waiting for when Matt will figure out what's up and how he'll deal with the aftermath. And then the inevitable decline back to "everything is normal once again" continuity. Yawn.
I'm desperately hoping Shadowlands takes the mystery/suspense up a notch or ten.
(this feels a lot like how I first viewed Morrison's Batman run, before I saw the full scope of it unfolding.)
July 2, 2012
Hmm. I was warned by the guy that let me borrow all these Daredevil comics that the series goes downhill once Andy Diggle takes over.
The Devil's Hand continues Matt Murdock's brutal, sad story. Matt's the new leader of The Hand, and this arc deals with his leadership there. His plan is to take out The Hand from within, but things never go as planned.
The writing is relatively clunky and the action itself is somewhat cheesy. The art is pretty cool, but there's not enough suspense/drama that I've grown accustomed to. Nevertheless, these few issues were intriguing and I'm curious to see where Diggle is going with Shadowland.
The Devil's Hand continues Matt Murdock's brutal, sad story. Matt's the new leader of The Hand, and this arc deals with his leadership there. His plan is to take out The Hand from within, but things never go as planned.
The writing is relatively clunky and the action itself is somewhat cheesy. The art is pretty cool, but there's not enough suspense/drama that I've grown accustomed to. Nevertheless, these few issues were intriguing and I'm curious to see where Diggle is going with Shadowland.
August 14, 2023
Story was kinda okay- Daredevil now has control of The Hand and he's trying to work them in his favor but he has to deal in cult politics.
But the craziest thing for me was my bestie Marco Checchetto did art in a couple issues??? Ariana what are you doing here!!
His art in the current Daredevil run is my absolute favorite so I felt like I was tripping so hard to see it here, in 2009. Gorgeous art for real and I love that he draws people so pretty. Insane truly because this entire volume felt like it was part of the current Daredevil run, even down to dealing with the hand.
There were a LOT of things that just weren't explained though?? Things that weren't established now or in the last volumes but I'm supposed to know why Jameson is the mayor, Osborn is in charge of whatever HAMMER is, Bullseye in Hawkeye's costume? Go girl !! don't explain anything then.
But the craziest thing for me was my bestie Marco Checchetto did art in a couple issues??? Ariana what are you doing here!!
His art in the current Daredevil run is my absolute favorite so I felt like I was tripping so hard to see it here, in 2009. Gorgeous art for real and I love that he draws people so pretty. Insane truly because this entire volume felt like it was part of the current Daredevil run, even down to dealing with the hand.
There were a LOT of things that just weren't explained though?? Things that weren't established now or in the last volumes but I'm supposed to know why Jameson is the mayor, Osborn is in charge of whatever HAMMER is, Bullseye in Hawkeye's costume? Go girl !! don't explain anything then.
October 21, 2024
The final leadup to shadowland and Matt trying to control the hand while also being manipulated is interesting as ever.
June 12, 2025
Note: This review is for Daredevil by Brubaker & Lark: Ultimate Collection, book 3; Daredevil: The Devil's Hand, Shadowland, and Daredevil: Shadowland
This is one of those longer arcs that starts off great. Brubaker's opening two acts really made me like the Hand... then the last two sections reminded me why I think the Hand is corny. If my star reviews are any indication, you can see how quickly it dives in quality.
Let's start with the negative and work our way backwards towards the good stuff, whilst avoiding as many spoilers as possible. Shadowland made no sense. You could tell the executives came to Diggle and made him do a crossover with all the street level heroes centered on Daredevil. He clearly set up the individual writers for some good stuff, but it didn't go anywhere (looking at you Moon Knight and your glorious 5 pages of screen time). And a few characters popped out of nowhere with no explanation just to be thrown in because the producers said so (Punisher and Wolverine). Worse yet, the character work in the Daredevil tie-in is VERY important to the main story, but is so disjointed and not easy to read, even when jumping between the two in release order of issues. The whole thing was a mess of loosely connected cool scenes and rushed character work with little payoff. Thankfully, it was short. Best part that came out of this was Daredevil's black suit. Loved it!
Now, the set up for Shadowland, Devil's Hand was fine. It had excellent set up in Brubaker, set up Shadowland's story well, and had some fun fight scenes. It also had some great twists along the way. Overall, it was just fun ninja pulp. Also it gave us the leaders of the Hand known as the Fingers, which is simultaneously stupidly hilarious and amazing; which summarizes my thoughts on the Hand as a whole. Sorry, but Ra'as will always be cooler and taken far more seriously.
But, despite the terrible ending and decrease in quality; the first half of this story (which is collected in Brubaker's run (specifically book 3)) was spectacular! They did a great job of actually making the Hand cool (as much as they could), introduced two great characters (Izzo and Lady Bullseye), and did a phenomenal job of balancing different street heroes and making them feel important to the overall story. I loved the buildup to figuring out what the Hand and Izzo wanted. I loved Izzo's drunken shenanigans. I loved Lady Bullseye countering Matt's enhanced senses via cool kungfu bullcrap. I loved Foggy (the friend we all need). I liked Dakota, despite her and Matt making a VERY poor choice together. Plus, Fisk's part in this whole story was great. He is easily my favorite Marvel villain for the insane amount of layers this man has. And that ending (Brubaker's, not Shadowland)! Holy cow, 'twas fire!
So in short, Diggle was pretty clearly screwed by the executives. He had great set up, was going fun places, and once Shadowland is over, he told a great story in Daredevil: Reborn. Still, despite the convoluted mess that was Shadowland; Brubaker's opening makes this story worth the read.
This is one of those longer arcs that starts off great. Brubaker's opening two acts really made me like the Hand... then the last two sections reminded me why I think the Hand is corny. If my star reviews are any indication, you can see how quickly it dives in quality.
Let's start with the negative and work our way backwards towards the good stuff, whilst avoiding as many spoilers as possible. Shadowland made no sense. You could tell the executives came to Diggle and made him do a crossover with all the street level heroes centered on Daredevil. He clearly set up the individual writers for some good stuff, but it didn't go anywhere (looking at you Moon Knight and your glorious 5 pages of screen time). And a few characters popped out of nowhere with no explanation just to be thrown in because the producers said so (Punisher and Wolverine). Worse yet, the character work in the Daredevil tie-in is VERY important to the main story, but is so disjointed and not easy to read, even when jumping between the two in release order of issues. The whole thing was a mess of loosely connected cool scenes and rushed character work with little payoff. Thankfully, it was short. Best part that came out of this was Daredevil's black suit. Loved it!
Now, the set up for Shadowland, Devil's Hand was fine. It had excellent set up in Brubaker, set up Shadowland's story well, and had some fun fight scenes. It also had some great twists along the way. Overall, it was just fun ninja pulp. Also it gave us the leaders of the Hand known as the Fingers, which is simultaneously stupidly hilarious and amazing; which summarizes my thoughts on the Hand as a whole. Sorry, but Ra'as will always be cooler and taken far more seriously.
But, despite the terrible ending and decrease in quality; the first half of this story (which is collected in Brubaker's run (specifically book 3)) was spectacular! They did a great job of actually making the Hand cool (as much as they could), introduced two great characters (Izzo and Lady Bullseye), and did a phenomenal job of balancing different street heroes and making them feel important to the overall story. I loved the buildup to figuring out what the Hand and Izzo wanted. I loved Izzo's drunken shenanigans. I loved Lady Bullseye countering Matt's enhanced senses via cool kungfu bullcrap. I loved Foggy (the friend we all need). I liked Dakota, despite her and Matt making a VERY poor choice together. Plus, Fisk's part in this whole story was great. He is easily my favorite Marvel villain for the insane amount of layers this man has. And that ending (Brubaker's, not Shadowland)! Holy cow, 'twas fire!
So in short, Diggle was pretty clearly screwed by the executives. He had great set up, was going fun places, and once Shadowland is over, he told a great story in Daredevil: Reborn. Still, despite the convoluted mess that was Shadowland; Brubaker's opening makes this story worth the read.
May 12, 2023
The idea of Daredevil trying to take down The Hand from the inside is intriguing, but Diggle doesn't have the skill to keep the story interesting. Tossing Kingpin, Dark Reign era Norman-Osborne, Bullseye, Lady Bullseye, White Tiger, Tarantula, the newish Stick-like guru, and having The Owl and the Hood loom in the background should have me turning every page as quickly as possible to find out which way the story will twist next. But it barely twists at all. Everything is so straightforward and obvious that I found myself turning the pages quickly in hopes of reaching the end faster.
It gets a lot worse when Anthony Johnston joins in on scripting and dialogue. That guy is a an F- Hack. Any slight nuance Diggle had at the beginning of his run disappears as soon as Johnston joins in. Dude must type with his elbows.
It's a shame because the art in this book is a step up from the Brubaker/Lark run, and Lark is very talented. The layouts aren't as exciting as the Maleev/Mack era (though Checchetto's issues are pretty close) but the Tan and De La Torre issues just look stark and perfectly articulate the tone Diggle was aiming for. Diggle may have missed the target, but his artists didn't.
If you're a completist, and you loved the Quesada/Bendis/Brubaker era of Daredevil, this is still probably worth picking up. It's a dip in quality for sure, but it's the same characters, the same continuity, and you can skip pages if you're bored and really not miss much.
It gets a lot worse when Anthony Johnston joins in on scripting and dialogue. That guy is a an F- Hack. Any slight nuance Diggle had at the beginning of his run disappears as soon as Johnston joins in. Dude must type with his elbows.
It's a shame because the art in this book is a step up from the Brubaker/Lark run, and Lark is very talented. The layouts aren't as exciting as the Maleev/Mack era (though Checchetto's issues are pretty close) but the Tan and De La Torre issues just look stark and perfectly articulate the tone Diggle was aiming for. Diggle may have missed the target, but his artists didn't.
If you're a completist, and you loved the Quesada/Bendis/Brubaker era of Daredevil, this is still probably worth picking up. It's a dip in quality for sure, but it's the same characters, the same continuity, and you can skip pages if you're bored and really not miss much.
October 14, 2025
Daredevil has chosen to be the leader of the Hand. During his trials, Bullseye draws him away for a fight and blows up a tenement block right under Daredevil. The latter survives, but the explosion kills over a hundred people. Matt is out for revenge with everything the Hand puts at his disposal. To pass his trial for the Hand's leadership, Matt must kill Izo.
September 27, 2025
Amid Norman Osborn's Dark Reign Matt Murdock passes a series of trials to become the leader of the Hand, the shadowy cabal of ninja assassins that have long been his enemies. With corruption and brutality rife in the law enforcement organisations overseen by Osborn, Daredevil sets out to use the Hand to forcibly instil justice on the streets of New York, aided by Black Tarantula and White Tiger.
Initially I really liked the premise of this book, with Matt taking it upon himself to be the arbiter of justice when the institutions tasked with that role have fallen to Norman Osborn's corruption. There's plenty of mileage in having a character walk the line between hero and tyrant, with Daredevil's previously inviolable moral code beginning to become compromised by the Hand's ruthless brutality.
Unfortunately, as the book went on this all began to feel a little derivative and I realised I'd read the same basic story several times before (the Punisher taking control of the mafia in the 90s or the Star Wars comics where Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma takes control of a Sith cult).
So, there's stuff worth reading here, but be prepared for it to feel overly familiar.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
Initially I really liked the premise of this book, with Matt taking it upon himself to be the arbiter of justice when the institutions tasked with that role have fallen to Norman Osborn's corruption. There's plenty of mileage in having a character walk the line between hero and tyrant, with Daredevil's previously inviolable moral code beginning to become compromised by the Hand's ruthless brutality.
Unfortunately, as the book went on this all began to feel a little derivative and I realised I'd read the same basic story several times before (the Punisher taking control of the mafia in the 90s or the Star Wars comics where Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma takes control of a Sith cult).
So, there's stuff worth reading here, but be prepared for it to feel overly familiar.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
April 6, 2025
Not as strong of a new start as you’d expect
While it is good, it feels like Diggle was kinda dropped into Brubaker's status quo changes without much of an idea of how to play with it. As such, this book is mostly setup that does have some visually interesting moments, the story feels like it’s being dragged out just for the sake of setting up an event where the real stuff will happen.
There’s plot threads that feel kinda forgotten and rushed through, Diggle even plays off one of Brubaker's forgotten plot points with the territory war between The Hood and Mr. Fear but turns out it’s just a red herring for a Kingpin storyline that gets forgotten about halfway through the book. It’s also filled with a lot of cliches and not a lot of new stuff done with them.
The art is what carries it, Billy Tan and Roberto De La Torre both do fantastic work, but I’m more entranced by the early Marco Checchetto artwork here, it looks almost identical to his current style.
Like I said, it’s not a bad book, but it’s not as strong a start I feel it should be after the interesting setup that Brubaker left.
While it is good, it feels like Diggle was kinda dropped into Brubaker's status quo changes without much of an idea of how to play with it. As such, this book is mostly setup that does have some visually interesting moments, the story feels like it’s being dragged out just for the sake of setting up an event where the real stuff will happen.
There’s plot threads that feel kinda forgotten and rushed through, Diggle even plays off one of Brubaker's forgotten plot points with the territory war between The Hood and Mr. Fear but turns out it’s just a red herring for a Kingpin storyline that gets forgotten about halfway through the book. It’s also filled with a lot of cliches and not a lot of new stuff done with them.
The art is what carries it, Billy Tan and Roberto De La Torre both do fantastic work, but I’m more entranced by the early Marco Checchetto artwork here, it looks almost identical to his current style.
Like I said, it’s not a bad book, but it’s not as strong a start I feel it should be after the interesting setup that Brubaker left.
September 9, 2020
The volume The Devil's Hand covers the beginning of writer Andy Diggle's Daredevil run following Ed Brubaker, after Daredevil is given provisional control over the evil ninja cult of the Hand, ostensibly to destroy it from the inside. All of the art is strong and carries the same stylistic tones over from Brubaker's run, and the issues by current Daredevil artist Marco Checchetto are something special. I think it's a testament to the strength of the writing (not to mention the art) that I managed to enjoy some of my least-favorite Daredevil tropes and story elements (most ninja stuff, an "on location in Japan" episode, and DD doing uncharacteristically evil things). Thus far Matt Murdock's descent down the "power corrupts" path is pretty believable. I know by reputation though that things will get much worse, so we'll see if Diggle can can keep me willingly engaged.
January 27, 2023
"The Devil's Hand" collects Dark Reign: The List - Daredevil #1 & Daredevil #501-507.
This was a story I had always been interested in. It is the prelude to the "Shadowland" story.
Daredevil has come up with a brilliant scheme. He's going to take over the Hand and try to reform them. But managing a group like that Hand does not come without cost, as Daredevil struggles to find his moral compass. All is, obviously, not as it seems within the Hand.
While the different factions compete for power, there seems to be a driving force behind them all. The story is rather interesting, though Matt's logic about reforming the Hand is a bit off. The artwork is good, the shadowy deeds of the Hand and the action scenes are pretty good.
An interesting take on Daredevil and a story I wanted to read before embarking on "Shadowland".
This was a story I had always been interested in. It is the prelude to the "Shadowland" story.
Daredevil has come up with a brilliant scheme. He's going to take over the Hand and try to reform them. But managing a group like that Hand does not come without cost, as Daredevil struggles to find his moral compass. All is, obviously, not as it seems within the Hand.
While the different factions compete for power, there seems to be a driving force behind them all. The story is rather interesting, though Matt's logic about reforming the Hand is a bit off. The artwork is good, the shadowy deeds of the Hand and the action scenes are pretty good.
An interesting take on Daredevil and a story I wanted to read before embarking on "Shadowland".
December 1, 2025
Matt Hand'a katılmayı kendi içindeki adalet anlayışı için yaparken Hand'in ne tür bir pislik ve manipülatif bir örgüt olduğunu bilerek bu çukura giriyor. Bu Şeytan'ın Eli 7+1 sayıdan oluşuyor. 500-507 arasına denkmiş. White Tiger (Angela Del Toro) başta Matt'la beraber gözükse de Hand'in büyüsüne girmiş anti karaktere dönüşmüş. Daredevil Hells Kitchen'dan çıkıp Japonya'ya örgütü değiştirmek için gelse de orada Bakuto isimli Güney Amerika şubesinin lideri ile sürtüşmeler çıkar. Adam sözde yenilikçidir ve efendisini öldürerek oraya geçmiştir. White Tiger adamı öldürüp seppuku süsü vermiştir ve saldırıya uğrayan Matt olay yerine geldiğinde şüphelerini dile getirse de oradan ayrılırken Black Tarantula (Carlos LaMuerto)'yı örgütün başına getirmek için oradan ayrılır. Diziyi izleyenlerin okuması gereken bir seridir.
September 3, 2017
Not as immediately gripping as the preceding volumes by Bendis and Brubaker, Andy Diggle's run nevertheless posits a compelling new status quo for Daredevil by putting him at the head of The Hand to reform/destroy them from within. Fascinating time at Marvel, with Norman Osborn leading HAMMER and totalizing the systemic corruption of the MU - no wonder Daredevil can't catch a break.
March 19, 2022
One thing I don’t like about crossover events is that I miss parts of the puzzle when reading a story on its own. So somehow Norman Osborn is ruling the city…this comes out of the blue when reading only the Daredevil stories. In itself, the story is decent, the art looks good, but I miss the more realistic look from the earlier books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2018
DD coby velitel Hand mi prostě nesedí. Diggle se tu snaží sunout Matta do temnoty a moc mu to nejde. Dokážu pochopit jeho otevřenou válku proti justičnímu systému, ale mučení policistů a agentů? Ne... tohle není DD.
March 26, 2025
While it reads well, this arc is a complete betrayal to the character of Matt Murdock and goes against everything he stands for. I really cannot wait to be done with this smudge on an otherwise stellar compilation of Daredevil runs.
August 24, 2017
3.5 stars
August 26, 2020
This is stupid at times but overall a fun time.
August 21, 2021
It's no Bendis, that's for sure. Welcome to exposition-dumps-during-fights-as-dialogue, woohoo. Art in the main series is still rather pretty, though.
September 24, 2021
3.5 rounded down. If this didn't follow Bendis and Brubaker's incredible runs it would really be a perfectly good story, but it does and it's nowhere near those levels.
March 22, 2022
I really don’t like this direction we’re heading…
June 28, 2022
The road to Shadowland is… ok? It’s a super mid story, not good or mad, just mid. The art pushes this to a 3/5 though, Chechetto and de la Torre are so good, great picks for DD’s world.
July 16, 2022
Me, after watching the TV series: haha what if Matt was black sky material and not Elektra
Me after reading this: 🥲
Me after reading this: 🥲
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