Man Without Fear #5 Review

Writer: Jed MacKay / Artist: Danilo S. Beyruth / Marvel Comics Fear fought pain and pain won. In the conclusion to the “Man Without Fear” miniseries Daredevil is back. After supposedly deciding that he was too broken and too afraid to continue being a superhero, Matt Murdock has a change of heart. Like the first issue, Daredevil spends the comic in his own head rather than engaging with any friend or enemy from his past adventures. In true montage form, Murdock goes from finally getting a grasp on walking with the support of beams to push-ups on an exercise ball(and he has the beard to show it). The specter of fear still plagues his mind and ever present with its doubts and grisly predictions but you can see an accepting serenity on Matt’s bearded face. Even with fear literally (fine . . . figuratively) breathing down his neck he pushes on, embracing pain as a motivator. The mantra, “What is pain for? It keeps us going”, we were introduced to issues ago reveals its origin in Daredevil’s mind.

Murdock recalls his early days, newly blind and young. His father, Battlin’ Jack Murdock tells him to be strong and vigilant. His meaning is clearly to help Matt live a fruitful life despite his disability but how could he have predicted that his future would be one more of physical pain than academic rigor. There is beauty in the side by side shots of the father in the ring and the costumed hero punching Bullseye. When Foggy Nelson comes by the hospital room in the last page he’s met w…