Daredevil #1

   I admit I had a pang of regret when I heard that the Daredevil run by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee was coming to an end.

    But it was a short-lived pang, as news quickly spread that the same team would be handling the "new" Daredevil (well, it's a new issue #1, at least).

   Matt Murdock has once again relocated to San Francisco (he and the Black Widow moved there for a while in the early '70s, I believe), where he's establishing himself as an attorney - and a super-hero (with little concern about the secret identity thing, apparently).

   His first case is a tough one - a little girl has been captured, and even if he manages to rescue her from the kidnappers, she still might lose her life.

   The art is a pure delight. Samnee creates several full-page splashes that would be amazing works of art as stand-alone posters - that, and the high-speed, high-energy story elevates this comic to new heights.

   Waid's story is the perfect complement to the art, loading in emotional impact, action, adventure, humor and a smart script. (I love it when heroes have to use their brains to solve a problem - we just don't see enough of that these days.)

   It's no wonder this comic is one of Marvel's best - it's a great example of a comic living up to its full potential.

   This year marks the 50th Anniversary for ol' Hornhead - glad to see Marvel's doing him up right.

Grade: A

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