In this review of Daredevil #3, Matt Murdock continues to unravel the mystery of Omen after learning a new technique from Spider-Man.
DAREDEVIL #3
Written by: Stephanie Phillips
Art and Main Cover: Lee Garbett
Variant Covers: Netho Diaz, Alexander Lozano
Page Count: 24 pages
Release Date: 6/10/26
This review contains spoilers
Daredevil #3 picks up where we left off last issue, as Spider-Man scoops up Daredevil to calm him down. Suffering from anxiety and sensory overload which forces him to hear everything at once, Peter is a much needed save for Matt. Spidey tells Matt how he’s experienced in this situation, and trains him to focus on a singular pattern/rhythm. Matt learns by honing in on Spider-Man’s web shooters, learning their flow.
Elsewhere, Omen claims another victim. A civilian loses his life as Omen slices him in a dark alleyway, gouging his eyes out while declaring him a sacrifice. The grim scene is soon picked up by Detectives Callahan and Forte, who decide to pay a visit to Professor Matt Murdock’s office at ESU after the last issue revealed a shrine dedicated to him.
Matt is informed of the shrine containing newspaper clippings of himself, but is not named a suspect. Still, he’s asked to come down to the police station for his own safety, but Matt refuses. Needing a lawyer for any potential involvement in the future, he awaits Foggy Nelson’s return from Miami. In the meanwhile, Matt decides to pay a visit to the Daily Bugle and have Ben Urich place an ad for Matt Murdock’s location. He uses the earlier information about the clippings to understand Omen reads the paper, and uses it to its advantage.
Once Omen arrives at the advertised location, Daredevil immediately engages. He labels his adversary’s movement as erratic, distinguishing no notable pattern to them. Instead, he decides to simply hone in his hearing and focus. Letting go and avoiding overthinking, Daredevil is able to headbutt and steal away Omen’s scythe, but still gets knocked down. The mask cracking at the headbutt, the clairvoyant villain removes his mask and reveals a disfigured face, declaring himself as the one who can see “truths not yet come to pass”.
Analysis
It’s a simple lesson delivered from Spidey to The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen Daredevil, but it’s a fun swing nonetheless. It allows for some aesthetic shots of buildings–they feel homey for me as a New Yorker, go Knicks–and Spider-Man mid-swing. Alongside that, the pretty New York skyline during the afternoon sun and during a sunset is visible, and it’s a good thematic choice as Spider-Man is essentially showing Matt the light through this training.
Something that I don’t think was a good thematic choice though in Daredevil #3 was the panels during Omen’s murder. Opting for minimalist-style illustrations, I don’t feel the gruesome nature of the crime scenes were done justice. Forte’s reaction painted him as audibly distraught, but a more vivid illustration raises the emotional connection with the reader and their resentment for Omen.
On the line of Omen’s sacrifice, his connection with the gouged out eyes and Matt Murdock is really good suspense for me. I don’t know how I didn’t put two and two together, but the story lays it out now. The already unique mystery gains another dimension when considering all the clairvoyance around Omen. I can’t wait for an explanation for everything.
An explanation I felt was needed in Daredevil #3 however, was the specifics of the ad Ben Urich placed for Daredevil. How Matt lured Omen to the docks and why Omen decided to walk into a potential trap may seem insignificant in the face of their actual fight, but they’re the type of small details that elevate a story’s quality. It provides a nice transition instead of just a sudden appearance, and allows for the insertion of an entertainingly clever moment.
Final Thoughts
Daredevil #3 doesn’t have a high amount of emotional tension or action to write home about, but it does just enough to carry on the solid start of the first 2 issues.
