It’s an exciting time for Daredevil fans, with the much-anticipated continuation of the live-action Netflix series coming to Disney+ as "Daredevil: Born Again." Meanwhile, Marvel Comics is set to launch an intriguing new miniseries, "Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell," crafted by the dynamic duo of Charles Soule and Steve McNiven, who previously worked together on "Death of Wolverine." This new series draws inspiration from the iconic "The Dark Knight Returns," presenting a fascinating take on what happens when Daredevil, or Matt Murdock, steps back into the fray.
IGN had the opportunity to discuss with Charles Soule via email to delve into the details of this upcoming series and his thoughts on the adaptation of his past Daredevil work in "Born Again." Before diving into the interview, take a look at 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 Dark Knight Returns" serves as a clear point of comparison for "Cold Day in Hell." The story is set in a future where Matt Murdock has lost his powers and is dealing with the challenges of aging and the lingering effects of his tumultuous past. Soule shares that in this future Marvel Universe, superheroes are a thing of the past, and Matt is among those who have retired. "Matt's older, for sure," Soule explains. "We don't get specific with it, but the idea is that he left super hero life behind many years ago. Not just him, either - in the world of Cold Day In Hell, super heroes 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 super hero 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 theme of an aging superhero returning to action is not new to comics. It has been explored in various Marvel titles such as "The End" series and "Old Man Logan." Soule elaborates on why this narrative trope is so compelling: "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 super hero 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 explains that "Cold Day In Hell" takes place in a unique corner of the Marvel Universe where recent catastrophic events have left a lasting impact on the characters and the storyline. This setting allows Soule and McNiven to introduce new elements while staying true to iconic Marvel lore. "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 tackled the theme of a hero confronting mortality; they previously did so in "Death of Wolverine." When asked if "Cold Day in Hell" could be seen as a companion piece to "Death of Wolverine," 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 intriguing aspects of stories like "Cold Day in Hell" is exploring how the hero's allies and enemies have evolved over time. While Soule is tight-lipped about the specific roles of Daredevil's supporting cast and villains, he hints at major surprises in store for readers. "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 alongside the "Born Again" show, it's evident that Marvel aims to leverage the excitement surrounding Daredevil. When asked if "Cold Day in Hell" could serve as an entry point for new readers, Soule affirmed, "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."
Regarding "Born Again," Soule confirmed that the series draws inspiration from his 2015-2018 run on the Daredevil comics, including elements like Wilson Fisk becoming mayor of New York City and the villain Muse. "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," Soule shares. "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 on Marvel's upcoming projects, explore what to expect from Marvel in 2025 and see our most anticipated comics of 2025.
