Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell Gives Matt Murdock the Dark Knight Returns Treatment

It's an exciting time for Daredevil enthusiasts as the beloved character experiences a resurgence across both television and comics. The much-anticipated live-action continuation, *Daredevil: Born Again*, is set to premiere on Disney+, bringing fans back into the gritty world of Matt Murdock. On the comic book front, Marvel is launching a thrilling new miniseries, *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell*, which reunites the creative talents of writer Charles Soule and artist Steve McNiven, previously acclaimed for their work on *Death of Wolverine*. This series promises a unique twist, drawing parallels to the iconic *The Dark Knight Returns* by envisioning a future where Daredevil, akin to Batman, returns to action.

IGN had the opportunity to delve into the details with Soule via email, exploring the inspirations and themes of *Cold Day in Hell*. Before diving into the interview, feast your eyes on an exclusive preview of *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1* in the slideshow gallery below.

Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1 Preview Gallery

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The premise of *Cold Day in Hell* is set in a future Marvel Universe where Matt Murdock has lost his powers and is contending with the trials of aging and the haunting memories of his past. Soule elaborates, "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 not new, having been explored in various Marvel titles such as *The End* series and *Old Man Logan*. Soule explains the appeal of this narrative, saying, "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 continues, "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 collaboration between Soule and McNiven exploring themes of mortality in superheroes, having previously worked together on *Death of Wolverine*. Soule reflects on their ongoing partnership, "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."

A significant aspect of stories like *Cold Day in Hell* is the evolution of the hero's allies and adversaries over time. While Soule remains tight-lipped about specific details, he teases, "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 *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1* set to release on April 2, 2025, it's evident that Marvel is leveraging the excitement around the *Born Again* series. When asked if *Cold Day in Hell* serves as a gateway for new readers, Soule assures, "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."

Turning to *Daredevil: Born Again*, Soule's previous run on the comic series from 2015-2018 seems to have influenced the show, particularly with elements like Wilson Fisk becoming mayor and the introduction of the villain Muse. Soule confirms, "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 slated for release on April 2, 2025. For more insights into Marvel's upcoming projects, explore what to expect from Marvel in 2025 and discover our most anticipated comics of 2025.