It's an exciting time for fans of the Man Without Fear. With the eagerly anticipated continuation of the live-action series, *Daredevil: Born Again*, set to debut on Disney+, and a brand-new comic miniseries titled *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell* hitting the shelves, there's plenty to look forward to. This new comic venture reunites the dynamic duo of writer Charles Soule and artist Steve McNiven, who previously collaborated on the impactful *Death of Wolverine*. The premise for *Cold Day in Hell* is intriguing: what if Daredevil had his own version of *The Dark Knight Returns*?
IGN had the opportunity to delve into this concept with Soule via email, exploring what this means for Matt Murdock. Before diving into the details, feast your eyes on an exclusive preview of *Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1* in the slideshow gallery below. Then, read on to discover more about the series and Soule's insights into how his past work on Daredevil is influencing the upcoming *Born Again* series.
Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1 Preview Gallery
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The comparison to *The Dark Knight Returns* is apt for *Cold Day in Hell*. Instead of the present-day Marvel Universe, this series is set in a future where Matt Murdock has lost his powers and is struggling with the challenges of aging and the lingering effects of his tumultuous past. Soule shared that Matt isn't the only hero who has retired in this future Marvel Universe, but something inevitably draws him back into action.
"Matt's older, for sure," Soule told IGN. "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 isn't new, having been explored in numerous Marvel stories, such as *The End* series and *Old Man Logan*. Soule explained that this narrative approach offers a unique way to redefine familiar characters.
"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," Soule said. "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 added, "*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 tackled a story about a Marvel hero facing mortality. Their previous collaboration, *Death of Wolverine*, also explored this theme. When asked if *Cold Day in Hell* could be seen as a companion piece to *Death of Wolverine*, Soule responded thoughtfully.
"I think everything we do together is in some ways a companion piece to everything we've done," Soule said. "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 witnessing how the hero's allies and adversaries have evolved over time. Just as *The Dark Knight Returns* showed the Joker in a catatonic state and Superman as a government puppet, *Cold Day in Hell* promises some surprising developments for Daredevil's supporting cast and villains. While Soule was cautious about revealing too much, he teased that readers can expect major surprises.
Soule hinted, "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 clear Marvel is aiming to leverage the excitement surrounding the series. When asked if *Cold Day in Hell* could serve as a gateway into Daredevil comics, despite its futuristic setting and reliance on existing continuity, Soule was optimistic.
Soule said, "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 *Born Again*, it's evident that the show draws inspiration from Soule's 2015-2018 run on the series. Both the comic and the show feature Wilson Fisk as the mayor of New York City and the villain Muse. Soule confirmed that his run's influence extends beyond these elements, impacting the show in unexpected ways.
"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 said. "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* will be released on April 2, 2025.
For more on what's coming from Marvel Comics, check out what to expect from Marvel in 2025 and see our most anticipated comics of 2025.
