Tomorrow, Marvel’s highly anticipated Shadowland crossover begins, featuring Marvel’s street-level characters in a war to decide the ruler of the streets!

The description for Shadowland #1 reads…

Matt Murdock Dared Evil…and Lost! The battle for the soul of a hero begins! Pushed beyond his limits, Daredevil faces off for a final time against his deadliest foe–Bullseye– in their most brutal battle ever with more than just Hell’s Kitchen is at stake. Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Punisher and more join forces to stop a war that is breaking out throughout New York, with Daredevil at the center. This event will change the streets of New York City—and the heroes that protect it—forever. Plus, a jaw-dropping final page that will have everyone talking for years to come!

Sure, there’ll be a quick little one page intro to help get you caught up in Shadowland #1, but after the jump, find out all the details you need to know to prepare yourself for the “Battle for the Soul of New York!”

Daredevil defeated the Kingpin for control of the Hand.

The Hand is an ancient ninja order of ninjas, who over the years have become involved in organized crime and mercenary activities such as assassination plots. Primarily based in Japan, the Hand does operate internationally, and features one warlord, and five factions, each with their own leader, known as Daimyos. Recently, the assassin Elektra led the Hand, but was killed and found out to be a Skrull (in New Avengers), and the Hand was left without a warlord. One faction of the hand, led by Lord Hiroshi and his lieutenant Lady Bullseye, tried to make Daredevil the new warlord, but he rejected.  They helped bring the Kingpin back to New York, offering him the leadership instead. Kingpin decides to kill Hiroshi but Daredevil interrupts, and accepts the offer to lead the Hand, on the condition that the Hand should not do business with the Kingpin or Lady Bullseye again.

Daredevil took to his role as leader of the Hand easier than originally expected.  Working with his friends Black Tarantula and White Tiger, he decides to try and dismantle the Hand from within, using its sizable forces to do good instead of evil.  As Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign neared its end, corruption in the New York City Police Department was at its worst.  In addition, Osborn hires Bullseye to take care of Daredevil and he does – by destroying an apartment building full of Oscorp protestors, murdering over a hundred people all because Daredevil didn’t stop him in time.

Daredevil sacrificed his friend Master Izo to the Hand.
Daredevil sacrificed his friend Master Izo to the Hand.

Daredevil believes all the deaths were his fault, because he didn’t use the army at his command to stop it.  Master Izo, an ex-Hand member who helped Daredevil take over the Hand, comes by to console him, but Daredevil betrays him…The Hand need a sacrifice as part of their initiation… and Izo is that sacrifice.   He turns Izo over to the Hand.  In the Hand cave, Daredevil punches Izo chest so hard that Izo dies.  Convinced of his dedication, the Hand bows before their new leader.

Matt reveals to Black Tarantula and White Tiger that Izo can control his heartbeat, enough to fool the Hand, and helps Izo escape, unkown to the rest of the Hand.  Later, at the Oscorp Cargo Dock, a drug exchange is taking place, when the NYPD show up to make some arrests. However, these are corrupt officers working for Osborn, and ready to kill the drug dealers to take the drugs for themselves.  However, Daredevil and The Hand descend on them, subduing them, and dumping the drugs into the river.

Will Daredevil get his revenge on Bullseye during SHADOWLAND?

One of the Hand ninjas has a sword to a policeman’s throat, as he pleads for his life, and Daredevil is left deciding how far he wishes to take his current course of action, and how far he’s willing to go.  Daredevil decides that, if the police cannot be trusted, then The Hand should be the force in charge. The Hand will take back the streets.  However, he says, there is a line that he is not willing to cross.  He scolds a ninja who had cut off a policeman’s hand earlier in the raid, and in shame, the ninja impales himself on his sword before Daredevil can stop him.

Daredevil decides to head to Japan to attend to meet with the rulers of the Hand factions, and takes White Tiger with him.   Construction on Shadowland, a Hand-run prison in the heart of New York, continues, and meanwhile, all of the Hand’s prisoners are being kept in cages in the Hand lair.

In Japan, with White Tiger now Daimyo of North America, Murdock tries to convince Bakuto, the Daimyo of South America, to accept him as leader.  The other four Daimyo are on board with Murdock’s leadership of the Hand, but Bakuto is outspokenly against it.  However, unknown to Murdock, the other Daimyo are planning something big, thus far unknown, and White Tiger has succumbed to her Hand brainwashing.  Bakuto is murdered, and Matt decides to make Black Tarantula the new Daimyo of South America.

The Kingpin and Lady Bullseye, meanwhile, are building up forces to attack Daredevil and the Hand.

Matt’s friends Foggy, Becky and Dakota haven’t seen Matt since he joined The Hand. Foggy has been disbarred for speaking out against a judge under the influence of Norman Osborn.

The pieces are all set, and construction of Shadowland is now complete.  The battle for the soul of New York begins!

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