Culture & Lifestyle
Published November 11, 2024

Unveiling 'Enemy of My Enemy: A Daredevil Marvel Crime Novel' by LA Times Book Prize Winner Alex Segura

Return to Hell’s Kitchen with a gritty, street-level story with the brand-new Marvel Crime novel, available July 2025.

Earlier this year, Hyperion Avenue, an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide, launched a brand-new Marvel Crime fiction series for adults. Following in the footsteps of Breaking the Dark: A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel that released in July, Hyperion Avenue now unveils the cover for the next title in this series, Enemy of My Enemy: A Daredevil Marvel Crime Novel.

Written by LA Times Book Prize Winner Alex Segura, Enemy of My Enemy spins a new tale about the most notorious vigilante hailing from Hell’s Kitchen: Daredevil. This original novel takes iconic characters from the Daredevil mythos like Punisher and Kingpin and weaves them into an all-new noir story fit for the page. Today, fans can get a first look at the cover and go behind the scenes with author Alex Segura in an exclusive interview.

Enemy of My Enemy: A Daredevil Marvel Crime Novel by Alex Segura Cover

ENEMY OF MY ENEMY: A DAREDEVIL MARVEL CRIME NOVEL
ISBN: 978-1368095365
Hardcover | 336 pages | $28.99
Written by ALEX SEGURA
Available July 29,2025

Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner Alex Segura (Secret Identity) pens an all-new streets-to-courtroom noir tale of the Punisher on trial for the murder of the Kingpin—with Matt Murdock as his defense attorney. 

When reports come in that the Kingpin and a police officer have been killed and that Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) has turned himself in for it, Matt Murdock senses holes in the narratives the media and the streets are quick to run with.

Both criminals have been Matt’s nemeses when he dons the cowl of the Daredevil, and there’s no denying that New York is better off without its Kingpin and with the Punisher behind bars. And yet... while the Punisher is a murderous vigilante, he doesn’t kill cops. And he doesn’t turn himself in.

Castle certainly deserves prison for all of the other crimes he has committed in the past. However, Matt’s indominable sense of justice insists that nobody should be locked away for crimes they didn’t actually commit. Representing the vigilante in court, Matt enters a contest of wills and guile with Castle to try and uncover the game beneath the game.

And when Matt’s girlfriend takes the stand and complicates matters, there’s truly no rest for the wicked or the just. As the Kingpin’s absence causes passion and ambitions to run hot in Hell’s Kitchen, Matt must decide if justice means the letter of the law, what’s best for the citizen on the streets, or where his heart leading him.

Enemy of My Enemy continues the Marvel Crime series that began with Lisa Jewell’s Breaking the Dark, and brings fans into a grittier, street-level side of the Marvel Universe. Marvel Crime novels build on one another but do not require in-depth familiarity with Marvel or the other books in the series.

Alex Segura talks about his experience writing Enemy of My Enemy: A Daredevil Marvel Crime Novel and what he unearthed about Matt Murdock in the process.

Those who know you know you have always been a huge Daredevil fan. Can you tell us a bit about what it was like to write Daredevil in a different medium (prose novels) than in how you’ve typically read him? How did it affect your understanding of him as a character?

Yes, it’s no secret I love Daredevil. Alongside Spider-Man and the X-Men, DD was always one of my go-to reads. My introduction to Daredevil came via D.G. Chichester and Lee Weeks’ magnificent "Last Rites" story—a spiritual sequel to Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's classic "Born Again."

This story introduced me to the core tenets that make up Daredevil—his flaws, his powerful Catholic guilt, his inability to manage personal relationships, his deeply ingrained sense of justice, and his desperate struggle to balance his legal career with his actions as a vigilante.

But Daredevil is very defined by the artists that interpret him—the noir stylings of Frank Miller, the stark minimalism of David Mazzucchelli, the kinetic action of Marco Checchetto, the gritty realism of Alex Maleev and Michael Lark, just to name a few.

This presents a challenge in prose, because the onus is completely on the writing, so I have to really be mindful to not only tell a clear story, but to tell a story with the style and weight of the kind of Daredevil adventure I want to evoke: hard-boiled, dangerous, and mysterious. But it’s a challenge I was more than happy to accept!

Enemy of My Enemy tackles a variety of themes—justice, betrayal, unexpected alliances. Was there a specific topic you knew you wanted to dig deeper into?

For me, one of the most interesting elements about Daredevil and his alter ego, Matt Murdock, is his inner conflict. He’s a lawyer who defends people in court but then dresses up as a devil and tosses people in jail. The two things are at odds, yet also sometimes in harmony. How does he grapple with this? Where does Daredevil end and Matt Murdock begin?

Once I knew that, I started to ask myself questions that would challenge Daredevil as a character: What if he had to defend someone for a crime that is, on paper, terrible and tied to Daredevil himself, but which is, in Matt’s eye, perhaps understandable? Does Matt’s dual life influence his actions in the courtroom? What happens if he untangles a deeper mystery that uproots his entire case?

I wanted to showcase the messiness of Daredevil’s status quo, and really put him on the spot—force him to look inside himself and see if he really does stand for justice, or if there are exceptions, and if he’s fit to be the one deciding which exceptions are made.

Readers can expect a lot of surprises and fun cameos. If you’re a longtime Daredevil fan, this book will be loaded with cool moments you recognize. At the same time, it’s very welcoming to new readers. If your only experience with DD is the television series, or nothing at all, you’ll be able to dive in with minimal knowledge and enjoy the kind of city-centric crime novels I’ve become known for.

How did your understanding of the dynamics between Daredevil (as Matt Murdock) and the Punisher evolve through the writing process?

Frank Castle stands for everything Matt Murdock is against—a person who circumvents the justice system and has made himself judge, jury, and executioner. And when Frank Castle is brought to trial for the murder of one of Daredevil’s deadliest villains, Matt has to ask himself—does Castle even deserve a trial, considering all the innocent blood he’s spilled previously? And if Matt feels that way, isn’t he on the slippery slope down to Frank’s level?

Daredevil has to grapple with the tensions he’s feeling: a shameful relief at the loss of an old foe versus what justice demands of him. The results will surprise some readers and hopefully provide for a fun adventure!

In a sentence, what can Daredevil fans and readers expect to encounter in Enemy of My Enemy, the second book from the Marvel Crime series?

Enemy of My Enemy: A Daredevil Marvel Crime Novel is a street-level Marvel Crime adventure told through the prism of a fast-paced John Grisham–esque courtroom thriller. Don’t miss it!

Enemy of My Enemy: A Daredevil Marvel Crime Novel is available for pre-order now and will be available wherever books are sold on July 29, 2025. 

Related

Podcasts

Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio Tease ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ on The Official Marvel Podcast

‘I’m still pinching myself that we’re here doing this still,’ Cox says.

Culture & Lifestyle

'Iron Man: Something Strange! A Mighty Marvel Team-Up' Conjures Up a Mystic Adventure for Tony Stark

Enjoy a first look at the brand-new original graphic novel in the 'Mighty Marvel Team-Up' series from Abrams Books, available June 2025.

Culture & Lifestyle

Loki Ambushes Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in 'The Avengers in the Veracity Trap' Cover Reveal

The latest graphic novel from Abrams Books’ MarvelArts line releases in May 2025.

TV Shows

‘Echo’ Now Streaming on Disney+ in the Choctaw Language

The Marvel Television series stars Alaqua Cox as antihero Maya Lopez.