When Stan Lee first co-created Daredevil back in 1964, he was considered a D-List hero. Although there were many things which made Daredevil unique, to comic book readers he came off as a Spider-Man rip-off. In the years since his inception, various writers have helped elevate Daredevil's status in the Marvel mythos until he became one of the most popular Marvel heroes.
Some of the most iconic Marvel comics have come from this character's story. Due to writers like Mark Waid and Frank Miller, Daredevil's legacy has been sealed as one of the darkest, deepest characters fans have seen on a comic book page.
Updated on April 4, 2022 by Scoot Allan: The popularity of Daredevil has continued to grow over the years, both due to the live-action adaptation that is currently available to stream on Disney+ and the increasingly amazing comic stories told in the ongoing comic series. Matt Murdock's story is both uplifting and tragic, which has been explored in quite a few unforgettable storylines starring Marvel's "Man Without Fear."
15 Daredevil Formed A Team To Take Down The Punisher In The Marvel Knights Series
While Daredevil is usually known as a solo hero and has refused membership in the Avengers on more than one occasion, he briefly assembled a team of street-level heroes in the Marvel Knights series by Chuck Dixon and Ed Barreto.
Daredevil recruited heroes like Dagger, Black Widow, Shang-Chi, Moon Knight and Luke Cage to finally bring an end to Frank Castle/The Punisher's murderous vigilantism. Daredevil's unnamed superhero team only covered a small era in the Man Without Fear's story, though it's fondly remembered by fans.
14 Matt Murdock's Final Moments Were Explored By Ben Urich In Daredevil: End of Days
Daredevil: End of Days by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev is set in an alternate future and shows what would happen after Matt Murdock's death. Killed by his arch-nemesis Bullseye, Matt leaves behind a legacy that End of Days explores in depth. Upon his death, Daredevil whispers one last word, "Mapone."
Ben Urich from the Daily Bugle sets out to uncover the mystery of this word in an attempt to lay Murdock's legacy to rest. Along the way, Urich comes across many of Daredevil's former friends and enemies. It is also revealed that a new Daredevil has emerged, having been trained by the original for years to one day take his place.
13 Kevin Smith And Joe Quesada Reinvigorated Daredevil With The "Guardian Devil" Storyline
In this story by Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada, a mysterious new enemy begins messing with Daredevil's mind. As that new enemy manipulates Murdock from behind the scenes, he also has to deal with Bullseye.
This comic run does a great job highlighting Matt's religion, and the deep philosophical questions his faith gives him. "Guardian Devil" has some great action, shocking twists, and a truly heartbreaking death. This story has simply got it all. Daredevil even gets a heart-to-heart with one of his closest superhero friends, Spider-Man.
12 Daredevil Met A Kindred Spirit Named Echo In The Beautiful "Parts Of A Whole" Storyline
Brian Michael Bendis and Joe Quesada teamed up with David Mack for Daredevil's "Parts of a Whole" storyline which introduced Maya Lopez as the highly trained assassin, Echo. Matt Murdock found a kindred spirit in the deaf Maya Lopez, though her connection to his greatest enemy caused problems in their initial relationship.
The beautiful painted art of David Mack added an emotional depth to the story which endeared "Parts of a Whole" to fans and made it stand out in Brian Michael Bendis' celebrated run that began with Daredevil's series which launched under the Marvel Knights banner.
11 Chip Zdarsky Took Daredevil "Through Hell" During The Beginning Of His Run
Chip Zdarsky's run was an absolute renaissance for the character. This darker take on the character is inspired by both Frank Miller's Daredevil as well as the Daredevil series on Netflix. Zdarsky understands a good Daredevil story doesn't just have good action, but also great psychological drama.
Matt Murdock is a tortured soul, and often fights his own demons just as much as low-life criminals. The eight-part "Through Hell" storyline with artist Jorge Fornes stripped the character to his core as he dealt with the rise of a new Kingpin after Wilson Fisk took over as Mayor of New York City.
10 Elektra Took Over As The New Daredevil While Matt Murdock Was "Doing Time"
Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto introduced a new hero in the role of Daredevil after a masked Matt Murdock turned himself in for the accidental death of a man in the "Doing Time" and "Lockdown" storylines. While Murdock served his time and dealt with his own problems in prison, Elektra stepped up to protect Hell's Kitchen.
She donned a new Daredevil costume and began making a name for herself in Hell's Kitchen, which ultimately resulted in an epic confrontation with the assassin who murdered her years ago, Bullseye. Checchetto's art is stunning and Elektra's rise as the new Daredevil breathed new life into the series.
9 Mark Waid's Third Volume Of Daredevil Brought The Character Back To His Adventurous Roots
Mark Waid's run has become one of the most iconic in the character's history. While Frank Miller focused on the dark and gritty parts of the character, Waid highlighted the colorful adventure that comes with being a Marvel hero. Daredevil was initially viewed as more of a swashbuckler hero than a bloody-knuckled vigilante, and Waid took Murdock back to his roots.
What made Waid's run especially deep and emotionally resonant was he didn't ignore the darkness of the character's past. Throughout the series, Daredevil states his renewed sense of adventure and optimism is a coping mechanism to deal with his past. Overall, Waid's work was a great addition to Daredevil's dynamic legacy.
8 The Man Without Fear Retold Matt Murdock's Earliest Days As A Costume Vigilante
Paired with artist John Romita Jr., Frank Miller wrote "Man Without Fear" as a retelling of Daredevil's origin story. It follows Murdock from the time he was a child, to when he first wore a mask and started beating on criminals. Instead of the traditional red outfit, Murdock wore a homemade black costume which was first depicted in this story.
Netflix's Daredevil showed Matt in this costume for the whole first season. The show was also influenced by Miller's darker reinterpretation of Matt's origins, bringing the character into a world with gritty, real consequences.
7 Daredevil vs. Punisher: Means And Ends Featured A Confrontation Between The Vigilantes That Inspired The Live-Action Series
While the two vigilantes have encountered each other quite a few times over the years, Daredevil vs. Punisher: Means And Ends featured some truly iconic and adaptable moments. When The Punisher seeks to execute a criminal, Daredevil takes it upon himself to stop Frank Castle. However, both the readers and Daredevil begin to see things aren't so black and white.
Not only do viewers get some great fight scenes between Daredevil and Punisher, but this story also gave readers a great look at the two vigilantes' contrary philosophies. This conflict was so influential in Daredevil lore it made its way into the second season of Netflix's Daredevil. The episodes adapted from this arc are some of the show's best.
6 Ed Brubaker And Michael Lark Put Daredevil Through The Wringer During Their Run
Following Brian Michael Bendis' long run with the character, Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark took over and brought Daredevil back up from the depths. Unfortunately, it wasn't an easy climb as Matt Murdock faced off against a new Lady Bullseye and the Hand, an even deadlier Mr. Fear, and a renewed attack on his life by The Kingpin.
Daredevil dealt with tragedy and sunk to new lows before he was able to find himself once again. Like many of Daredevil's greatest stories, Brubaker and Lark's run featured great art and explored Murdock's motivations to be a protector even when his personal life suffers from his role as Daredevil.
5 Daredevil Declared Himself The New Kingpin Of New York In The "Hardcore" Storyline
Another creative team that put Daredevil through the wringer was Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. Not only was Matt Murdock's secret identity as Daredevil revealed to the public by the FBI, but The Kingpin was almost murdered in a coup by his own gang in the "Underboss" storyline.
Kingpin eventually returned to take vengeance on his former allies as well as Daredevil in the "Hardcore" storyline, which featured an epic battle between the two old enemies. Daredevil delivered a serious beating to Kingpin before publicly declaring himself the new Kingpin of New York City, kicking off a dark new era for the hero.
4 A Mournful Daredevil Played A Deadly Game With Bullseye In The "Roulette" Storyline
While Daredevil has a strict moral code, his faith in such rules has been tested many times over the course of his career. In one such case, after Bullseye is sent to the hospital, Daredevil decides to visit the detestable murderer. Upon his arrival, Daredevil pulls out a gun and plays Russian roulette with his enemy.
Distraught over the killing of his longtime lover Elektra, Daredevil wants to give Bullseye a taste of the pain he feels every single day. In the end, it turns out the gun was empty. Although Daredevil got what he wanted, it didn't heal the pain he still felt inside.
3 The Death Of Elektra In The "Last Hand" Storyline Is Undoubtedly One Of Daredevil's Best
One of the most pivotal moments in Daredevil's history was the death of Elektra. Elektra was one of the first major deaths Matt had to deal with. It began a "trend" in Daredevil's stories and many of his love interests inevitably died. Although she would eventually come back, Elektra's death was one of the most heartbreaking losses in Marvel comics at the time.
This comic also included some of the most epic fights in Marvel history. What truly made this fight stand out was that the combatants had real stakes. Not only did Elektra die, but Daredevil also retaliated by horribly injuring Bullseye. This issue is where Frank Miller definitively established Bullseye as the archenemy of the "Man Without Fear."
2 Daredevil Made An Eternal Enemy With Kingpin During The Gang War Storyline
Originally, Kingpin was primarily a Spider-Man villain. It wasn't until years after his inception that Frank Miller introduced the character into Daredevil comics. This story helped establish the dynamics between these two characters that would define their relationship for decades.
Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk's conflicts are more mental than they are physical. Towards the end of this story, Kingpin's wife Vanessa is presumed dead. Devastated, the crime boss gives up so he can both mourn his wife and regroup his forces, vowing to come back with a vengeance.
1 The Kingpin Ruined Matt Murdock's Life And Tried To Kill Daredevil In The "Born Again" Storyline
"Born Again" by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli is one of the greatest stories in Marvel's history. It is by far the greatest Daredevil/Kingpin story ever to be written as well. When Karen Page sells out Matt Murdock's secret, that information eventually makes its way to Wilson Fisk.
After confirming Murdock is in fact Daredevil, Kingpin goes to war with his foe. "Born Again" is a deeply emotional tale, depicting Matt at his very lowest. After he's lost everything and everyone, Matt slowly begins rebuilding his life. No matter how many times he gets knocked down, ol' horn head always knows how to get back up again.