Comic Book Round-up—Daredevil and Echo Four Part Mini-Series (2023)
Writers Taboo and B.Earl, Artist Phil Noto, Letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles
What’s the story?
Working with Elektra, Daredevil is patrolling the streets of Hell’s Kitchen. The ‘pound of flesh’ killer has been leaving victims in the street. Daredevil knows one of the victims, it was a friend of Maya Lopez, otherwise known as Echo.
As Daredevil breaks the news to Echo, they are attacked by a child who is able to manipulate reality around them. Echo distracts the girl and they stop her attack. The girl leads them to an abandoned church.
Investigating the church, Demagoblin rises from the vaults. She has empowered four children to lead the apocalypse and open a gateway to hell. Demagoblin raise the Blind One from Hell and reshape the world.
What’s the significance?
Daredevil and Echo have a history together.
Maya Lopez first appeared in Daredevil #9 in December 1999. To begin with she was just Maya Lopez, the adopted daughter of Kingpin. When Daredevil starts getting too close to undercovering Kingpin’s criminal activities, Kingpin weaponizes Maya against Daredevil and created Echo.
In addition to Echo hunting Daredevil to seek revenge for the death of her father, May and Matt Murdock have a relationship.
There is a brief moment between Daredevil and Echo as he comforts her after telling her about the death of her friend, however this series is more focused on Echo and Daredevil’s ancestors.
The story contains flashbacks to 1835 when Daredevil’s reformed ancestor (he was a criminal but helped found a church) and Echo’s Native American ancestor (Creeping Death) combine forces in an attempt stop the arrival of a terrible evil.
It is no great spoiler to say Echo and Daredevil’s ancestors are not successful, hence Echo and Daredevil have to ensure the Blind One is not allowed to pass through the gateway from hell.
Worth reading?
The four parts of the story are self-contained and provide a satisfying conclusion. There is also a cameo from another Marvel, someone who is used to dealing with demons (hint, it’s not Doctor Strange).
There is some good action and a general sense of urgency. It doesn’t make a particularly valuable contribution to any comic book collector and isn’t directly connected to any other storyline, but it’s worth a read.
It’s the kind of comic worth borrowing from someone else, reading and then giving back.
What’s next?
There aren’t any direct connections with any other story lines. There is a brief appearance of Elektra in her Daredevil costume, but she doesn’t make it past a couple of frames.
The religious elements of the story relate to Daredevil’s restart in Daredevil issue 1 (2023). Echo, on the other hand, lacks a purpose beyond the series. When Daredevil first encounters her she is drinking tea in a very relaxed manner. In her last frame, she is drinking more tea and doesn’t appear to have anywhere to go or anything to do.
Pick up your copy of the collected mini-series Daredevil and Echo (this is a paid affiliate link and as an Amazon Associate I will earn a small income from qualifying purchases, but won’t cost you any more).