Comic book superheroes frequently go through costume changes over the years for various story reasons, with some characters wardrobes bursting with one-off short-lived outfits. Other characters, like Matt Murdock/Daredevil, haven't strayed too far from their best look for over 50 years.
Of course, that doesn't mean that old Hornhead hasn't switched it up a few times since the character's debut. Daredevil's look has evolved, from Matt Murdock's early vigilante beginnings to the most recent update to the costume thanks to his successor. But which of Daredevil's costumes in the comics is the best?
10 Daredevil Armored His Costume After Taking A Beating In The '90s
While it's not often regarded highly among fans, Daredevil's '90s costume is definitely an unforgettable chapter in the character's history as he underwent a huge change following a violent encounter with Silver Sable and her Wild Pack that left his costume in tatters.
His redesigned costume (from artist Scott McDaniel) featured a grey and red bodysuit and white/silver armor that offered him increased protection and fit with other '90s design trends, though he quickly returned to his classic costume after the armored one was destroyed.
9 Daredevil's Costume Was Given A Dark Demonic Redesign In Shadowland
Another dark redesign that didn't quite capture the best of Daredevil was the new costume he adopted as the leader of the Hand during the Shadowland event. It saw Daredevil fall under the control of the possessive demon known as the Beast as he took over Hell's Kitchen and transformed it into a ninja prison fortress.
Daredevil's new costume replaced his classic crimson for a dark black with red highlights on his new slanted logo, as well as bladed forearm attachments. Shadowland was a fun departure for the character, but fans weren't too upset to see the costume disappear.
8 Samuel Fisk Wore A High-Tech Armored Suit As Daredevil 2099
There are many potential futures that exist in the Marvel Universe. The 2099 imprint follows a specific era set 100 years after the sliding timescale of the modern-day Age of Heroes that introduced fan-favorite characters like Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 and Ravage.
Daredevil 2099, by Robert Kirkman, Karl Moline, and Mike Perkins introduced Samuel Fisk, the grandson of the Kingpin who donned high-tech armor to become the new heavily-armed Daredevil in honor of his grandfather's greatest enemy. He did it so he could secretly fight against his own criminal empire and family legacy.
7 Nick Fury Equipped Daredevil With A New Costume For His Secret War
The original Nick Fury was a man who followed his own path regardless of the orders from any of his superiors. His stubbornness resulted in his own Secret War against Latveria that he recruited a group of heroes to fight, which included Spider-Man, Captain America, Luke Cage, Wolverine, Black Widow, and Daredevil.
Fury provided the team with covert costumes that were still identifiable for their characters. Daredevil received a new streamlined red-and-black suit designed by Gabriele Dell'Otto that fans have been hoping to see reappear in the comics.
6 Matt Murdock Kept It Simple In The Beginning As The Man Without Fear
Frank Miller and John Romita Jr. re-explored Matt Murdock's earliest days as a masked crimefighter in The Man Without Fear mini-series which featured his first prototype costume that would go on to influence the live-action Daredevil series on Netflix.
Murdock's homemade costume was little more than black pants and a hoodie with white sneakers and a black fabric mask that hid Murdock's eyes, but it left an unforgettable impression on fans of the character that homaged the character's first live-action look from TV's The Trial of the Incredible Hulk.
5 Matt Murdock Wore A Three-Piece Daredevil Suit After His Identity Was Exposed
Daredevil's secret identity as blind lawyer Matt Murdock has been exposed in the comics quite a few times, though after he revealed the truth himself in a court of law to avoid criminals threatening to expose him, he decided to embrace his new public role.
Murdock began to appear in a red and black three-piece suit that celebrated his dual identities as he appeared both in court and on the streets, though his newfound celebrity soon caused more problems than it allowed him to solve and he was able to return to his former masked and secret identity.
4 Elektra Created Her Own Modern Take On The Costume As Daredevil
Matt Murdock recently suffered a breakdown during his career as Daredevil as he severely injured a criminal after losing control during their fight. Daredevil turned himself in to the authorities and went to jail with the condition that his mask could remain on to conceal his identity.
Elektra took over the identity of Daredevil to keep the city safe while Murdock was in jail and she altered the Daredevil costume to better suit her style and fighting techniques, resulting in a familiar but excitingly new DD as Elektra protected Hell's Kitchen.
3 Daredevil's Original Red & Yellow Costume Is An Iconic Part Of His History
When Matt Murdock first appeared in 1964's Daredevil#1, by Stan Lee and Bill Everett, the character had a much different look that most fans wouldn't instantly recognize. He debuted in a yellow and dark red bodysuit that continued to evolve over the first few issues.
While this costume was quickly replaced with his more iconic classic costume, the yellow and red costume became a memorable part of his history that has been re-explored in stories like Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Daredevil: Yellow and been readapted by characters like the villainous Ikari.
2 Daredevil Briefly Wore A Red & Black Suit That Referenced His Boxing Training
Charles Soule and Ron Garney introduced a new Daredevil costume during their celebrated run that began with "Back in Black." Matt Murdock's new costume returned to the dark shading of his Shadowland costume with some much-needed red highlights that shone in the darkness of Hell's Kitchen.
The costume's use of red wrappings as gloves also referenced Murdock's history with his boxing father Battlin' Jack Murdock in a fantastic nod to his origins that elevated this short-lived costume above some of his other modified suits over the years.
1 Daredevil's Best & Most Iconic Costume Is His Classic Red Suit
Wally Wood gave Daredevil his biggest and best redesign in 1965's Daredevil #7, which featured the debut of Matt Murdock's iconic solid red costume with the double "D" insignia on the chest, though that would be slimmed down and centered more over time.
Murdock's in-comic explanation was to make the costume both more functional and comfortable but also distinctive. While Daredevil has dabbled with other costumes over the years, he always returns to his classic red costume, which unfortunately hasn't been fully realized in live-action adaptations quite yet.