So who's Daredevil?

Netflix will be adding a Daredevil show sometime soon. He’s a character who hasn’t been seen much since Ben Affleck played him in that movie years ago. Daredevil is an old favorite of mine so I am excited about the show.

Daredevil dates back to 1964. He’s Matt Murdock, who grew up in the Hell’s Kitchen section of New York City with a boxer father and later became a lawyer. As a kid, Matt pushed a blind person out of the way of a truck and the truck spilled radioactive material onto him (in the early days of the Marvel Universe, standards for radioactive safety were apparently very low as several heroes or villains got exposed to radioactive materials every week). The radiation blinded him but gave him radar sense so he could “see” around him.

The radiation also enhanced Matt’s remaining senses. He can tell you’re lying by listening to your heartbeat. He can read a handwritten note by feeling the ink impressions. He can taste or smell the slightest imperfection in something. Et cetera. After his father was killed for refusing to throw a fight, Matt donned a red costume (originally yellow) and fought crime as the acrobatic Daredevil.

Daredevil has always been one of Marvel’s street level heroes, like Spider-Man. He won’t fight Galactus but he will take down the corruption and underworld of his city. He was also one of the only independent heroes and is still notable for being one of the few who does not have an Avengers membership. The Avengers have always been noted for being a huge group of rotating characters but I think it’s diluted the brand lately as they’ve let just about anyone have a membership card. I still insist that despite their popularity, Spider-Man and Wolverine never ever belonged on the team.

The Daredevil comic has had some great writers over the decades: Brian Michael Bendis, Ann Nocenti, Kevin Smith, Denny O’Neil and Mark Waid, among others. The most famous of all was Frank Miller, who got his start in comics on the title and turned it into film noir. A lot of what we know today in comics as “grim and gritty” got its start in his cinematic issues.

Miller and artist Klaus Janson introduced Elektra and depicted her life and (temporary) death circa 1980-81. You might remember her as Jennifer Garner in the movies. In the comics, she was the daughter of a murdered Greek diplomat who dated Matt in college. They lost touch and she later received training as a ninja. Elektra’s work for the Kingpin brought her into conflict with rival assassin Bullseye. After Elektra refused to kill Daredevil’s friend and legal partner Foggy Nelson, Bullseye killed her with her own weapon in a famous sequence. She staggered, bleeding, to Matt’s apartment and died in his arms. Daredevil then basically beat Bullseye within an inch of his life and went a little crazy due to her death. Elektra has since been resurrected.

Miller returned to Daredevil in 1985-86 and with artist David Mazzucchelli created what is probably my all-time favorite comics story (basically tied with the Dark Phoenix Saga), Born Again. It begins as Matt’s ex-girlfriend Karen Page sells his secret identity as Daredevil. Karen had fallen on hard times, as her movie career fizzled and she started doing porn and developed a heroin addiction.

The Kingpin received Karen’s information and used it to destroy Matt’s career and relationships and basically turn him into a homeless man. Born Again is a dense seven issues in which Matt’s life falls apart, he meets his estranged mother (a nun), fights a psychotic assassin and rescues Karen on his way to rebuilding his life. It’s famous for how Miller and Mazzucchelli, in just a few terse panels, perfectly capture the awe-inspiring power of Thor, Captain America and Iron Man.

I’d never read anything like that story before and it’s still magnificent. I saw a website did a series on iconic moments in comics and a good percentage were from this story. The absolute highlight comes after Kingpin beats a broken Matt and disposes of his body, assuming he has killed him. The only problem, as Kingpin thinks over and over again: “There is no corpse.” Then you turn the page and OH MY GOD SO GOOD I CAN’T EVEN

Now I want to read Born Again again. Daredevil was a little too dark for years after but has lightened considerably and is having a great run under Mark Waid as Daredevil has moved to San Francisco for a fresh start. So I am excited about Daredevil and curious to see what they’ll do.