When Matt Murdock first appeared in Daredevil #1 in April of 1964, Stan Lee, Bill Everett, and Jack Kirby could hardly have imagined the many storylines that would come to pass for their newly-invented Man Without Fear. Over the decades, countless writers and artists have had their chance to present their take on Daredevil.
With so many options to choose from — and with critics and fans arguing on what constitutes a truly good storyline — it can be difficult to know where to start, but most agree on a few specific storylines for new fans being introduced to Daredevil, be they specific arcs or entire runs.
10 Frank Miller’s “Born Again”
Following the success of his Batman run over at DC where he had written The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller returned to Marvel with similar intentions for Daredevil. This arc from the mid-1980s ran for only seven months, but many consider this story essential to understanding Daredevil as a character, as well as how he’s interpreted by fans and creators alike. Like The Dark Knight Returns, “Born Again” pushes its protagonist to his limits. Readers witness Matt Murdock’s descent into madness and the true lowest depths of the character.
9 Frank Miller's “The Man Without Fear”
Just short of a decade after Frank Miller’s well-received “Born Again” run on Daredevil, he returned to Marvel Comics yet again with a five-issue miniseries he titled “The Man Without Fear.”
Together with illustrator John Romita Jr., Miller rebooted Matt Murdock, reintroducing his origin story and bringing Daredevil back to Marvel Comics fresh and new. This is where readers were reintroduced, too, to the beloved cast of Matt’s life, including important characters like Foggy Nelson, Elektra Natchios, Stick, and Wilson Fisk (the Kingpin).
8 Kevin Smith's “Guardian Devil”
Without a doubt, Kevin Smith’s “Guardian Devil” is one of the wildest plots in Daredevil history, but the storyline pays off in big ways at the end. Matt Murdock is responsible for a child he’s told was conceived through immaculate conception and apparently has dark abilities, ruining the lives of those around him, including himself. New fans interested in exploring the depths of Matt Murdock’s Catholicism would do well to read this series, but anyone who wants to read a solid, exciting, and important eight-issue Daredevil arc should read this storyline.
7 Brian Michael Bendis’ “Underboss”
Writer Brian Michael Bendis and illustrator Alex Maleev had a wonderfully long run on Daredevil together. While Bendis was writing Daredevil from May 2001 until March 2006, fans enjoyed his take on the titular character, but it is difficult to read an entire run for a single character. For new readers, the recommendation is to start with “Underboss,” the first storyline that Bendis and Maleev worked on together. If a fan new to Daredevil is looking to get a start on Bendis’ run, they need look no further than “Underboss.”
6 Jeph Loeb's “Yellow”
Together with illustrator Tim Sale, writer Jeph Loeb created “The Color Series” for Marvel, consisting (so far) of four different stories for four different characters: Daredevil: Yellow, Spider-Man: Blue, Hulk: Gray, and Captain America: White. Like Miller’s “The Man Without Fear,” Loeb’s “Yellow” revisits Matt Murdock’s origin stories.
Though this storyline is a bit more complicated than Miller’s, it’s nothing new fans can’t handle — and this storyline actually explores what Daredevil’s backstory could potentially be during his yellow phase, the time at the beginning of his career as Daredevil where he wore a yellow costume.
5 David Lapham’s “Means And Ends”
Like many hero characters, Matt Murdock has one main villain: the Kingpin, or Wilson Fisk. Wilson Fisk is often a political figure with his finger in every pot, constantly manipulating the people of Hell’s Kitchen and/or making their lives as absolutely miserable as possible for his own gain, leading Matt Murdock and many others to attempt to depose him quite often. David Lapham’s “Means And Ends” storyline in Daredevil vs. The Punisher shows readers what happens when Fisk is gone, and both Daredevil and the Punisher seek to restore order and balance to their home in different ways.
4 Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark’s “Without Fear”
From April 2006 until October 2009, writer Ed Brubaker and illustrator Michael Lark teamed up on a number of Daredevil storylines, beginning with “The Devil in Cell-Block D.” However, their best storyline for a new fan didn’t come until October 2007, when their arc “Without Fear” began.
This well-received Daredevil storyline sees Matt Murdock not only being beaten down as usual, but also manipulated and deluded into believing he’s done good in a world that attempts to make this impossible for him. While Brubaker’s Daredevil stories aren’t to be missed, this storyline, in particular, would be a good read for new fans.
3 Andy Diggle & Anthony Johnston’s “Shadowland”
For new fans who have just watched Daredevil on Netflix and can’t get enough of street-level heroics, “Shadowland” is the best place to start. The big, universe-altering storylines of characters like Captain America and Iron Man can get exhausting; Andy Diggle and Anthony Johnston’s “Shadowland” instead focuses its storyline on heroes like Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist (all of which have their own Netflix series), as well as other well-known street-level heroes like Spider-Man. An exploration of a unique team-up as well as another big Daredevil sacrifice story, “Shadowland” makes a good jumping-off point to transition from the show to the comics.
2 Mark Waid’s “Daredevil”
It’s difficult to quantify Mark Waid’s Daredevil “runs” or “storylines” exactly, because he serves more as a collector of Daredevil tales than any one individual storyline. However, to introduce new fans to Mark Waid’s collected Daredevil works, one should probably start with his Daredevil #1 from 2011, which kickstarted Daredevil Vol. 3. Readers can find Mark Waid’s “Daredevil” storylines collected together through this volume, introducing themselves to a happier Matt Murdock this time around. Once Chris Samnee joined Waid on Daredevil, things hit an all-time great.
1 Charles Soule’s “Back In Black”
Like Mark Waid, Charles Soule’s recent run on Daredevil is both lengthy and largely well-received. For new fans looking to get into reading some of the newer Daredevil content, read Charles Soule’s “Back in Black” storyline. "Back in Black" began at the end of 2015/the beginning of 2016, brings the character of Matt Murdock back to his home turf, in a brand-new costume, and with new storylines to accompany him.