WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Daredevil #30, by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Mike Hawthorne, Adriano di Benedetto, Marcio Menyz, and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
Haunted by an accidental manslaughter, Matt Murdock has been spiraling more than usual as of late, culminating in the Man Without Fear making a plea deal to accept responsibility for the crime and wind up behind bars for a reduced prison sentence. As Matt's latest stay in prison has been rocked by assassination attempts from connected figures within the penitentiary and the occasional, world-shaking crossover event, Daredevil has received numerous opportunities to make a break for freedom and avoid the danger that comes with being the devil of cell block D. Even as Daredevil receives an offer for a commuted sentence straight from the top, the superhero opts to serve his time as mandated by the court.
Matt receives this offer in the wake of two attempts on his life, one from having his food in the prison cafeteria poisoned and the other from being ambushed in the prison yard and stabbed as the prison guards watched on indifferently. Surviving both brushes with death, Matt is approached by representatives from the company that mobilizes prison labor for profit as he recovers in a hospital. Revealing that has been a recent outbreak in violence resulting in several inmate deaths impacting productivity, Matt receives an offer to investigate the matter from the inside to learn who exactly is responsible in exchange for his two-year sentence being commuted; Matt accepts the offer but remains adamant about serving his time.
Previously, Matt's legal counsel was confident that they could avoid a prison sentence altogether because of Daredevil's superhero record defending Hell's Kitchen and the wider Marvel Universe. Matt subverted this advice and decided he was done running away from holding himself accountable by making the plea deal on his own. Similarly, Elektra approached Matt while he was locked away with the possibility of escaping which he firmly declined, a motion that he similarly followed during the crossover event King in Black when an attack on the prison by rampaging symbiotes gave him an opportunity to escape in the confusion; instead, Matt focused on saving the lives of his fellow inmates and prison personnel.
This acceptance of his sentence was not one that Matt followed the last time he was sentenced to prison, following his conviction for vigilante activities after his secret identity as Daredevil was exposed by the press. During a prison riot as Daredevil's penal feud with Kingpin escalated, with the Punisher in the mix just to further underscore the volatility of the prison community, Matt escaped from prison and operated out of Europe to avoid the law and the Superhero Registration Act while Matt's legal counsel worked diligently to clear his name back in the states leading to his eventual return to court-recognized freedom.
While Daredevil initially appears to be steadfast in his commitment to serving out his full term, even cooperating with the investigation, he is reminded that his decision is rooted in a selfish desire for self-flagellation even as Foggy Nelson and Kirsten McDuffie do everything in their power to secure their friend's release.
Matt's stay behind bars may not be as long as he envisioned, with an early release potentially right around the corner. But the question remains who has been behind Matt's recent hardships in prison, with the answer potentially leading to an old nemesis ready for revenge against the Man Without Fear.
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