This article contains spoilers from Devil's Reign: Omega #1, on sale now by Marvel Comics
Daredevil's most iconic stories thrust him into darkness and force him to claw his way out. Born Again, Guardian Devil, and The Man Without Fear perfected this character arc. Many Daredevil authors have replicated this formula to great success, including Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, and Chip Zdarsky. Inspired by this dark legacy, Netflix's Daredevil intensified Matt's physical and emotional pain, hurling the hero deeper into depression and psychological distress.
However, even a great tune wears out its welcome when played too much. While Daredevil might thrive when thrown into darkness, it is time for creators to let him walk in the light. With Devil's Reign in the books and a new Disney + series on the way, Matt Murdock has a chance to cast off his shadows and seize happiness.
Mark Waid's Daredevil shares a blueprint on how to keep Daredevil stories dark yet hopeful. Upon its release, many fans feared that Waid would revert to Daredevil's swash-buckling persona from the 1960s-70s. Although Waid's run is peppy and full of life, the narrative content is not. Instead, the yarns balance dark and tragic events with a path toward redemption. Under the creative team's direction, it is not as though Hornhead's life becomes all rainbows and lollipops. However, the book does become a testament to resilience, not just grim masochism.
Take, for example, Daredevil's encounter with Purple Man's offspring. Matt's cheerful disposition crumbles after suffering a psychological defeat to The Purple Children. Curled up and alone, Daredevil lets the darkness swallow him whole. However, in a revolutionary act, Matt refuses to watch his depression suffocate him, and he reaches out to his love interest, Kirsten McDuffie, to ask for help. Later, in a heated conversation with Foggy Nelson, Matt admits to his depression. Both startled and heartened by Matt's honesty and vulnerability, Foggy does what best friends do. He commits to his friend that he'll help the Man Without Fear face his mental health struggles as a team.
Past creators have abandoned Matt in his trauma far too often. Instead of gifting him with a guiding light, iconic storylines have dangled hope in front of Matt's eyes and snatched it away. In a welcome change, Waid's Daredevil is a counterpoint to every dark, brooding storyline from the past. It asserts Matt Murdock's most admirable quality is his ability to recover from personal trauma, not just endure them. Waid's run affirms Matt's mental health journey yet, in contrast to past stories, illuminates a path towards healing, too. No longer doomed to suffer alone, Daredevil can lean on support from his friends as he learns to accept and grow from his pain. Matt's depression is a definitive feature of his stories; however, Murdock's unrelenting commitment to hope and healing is equally important.
Devil's Reign: Omega #1 (by Chip Zdarsky, Rodney Barnes, Jim Zub, Rafael De Latorre, Guillermo Sanna, Luciano Vecchio, Federico Blee, Dijjo Lima, Carlos Lopez, and Javier Tartaglia) portrays The Man Without Fear in a place of peace and confidence. However, Matt's newfound freedom comes at an exorbitant price. After The Kingpin remembers Daredevil's true identity, he corners Mike Murdock, Matt's twin brother, and beats him to death. Unfortunately, as Mike's funeral begins, one guest is not in attendance: Matt.
Instead of arriving to confess the truth, Matt leaves, content to let everyone believe he is dead. Free from the burden of being Matt Murdock, Daredevil can now walk a clear–albeit dishonorable–path towards happiness again. Mark Waid's Daredevil spotlights how The Man Without Fear can battle with his suffering and find healing through the support of his friends. Unfortunately, Daredevil shrugs off The Defenders' advice and plows ahead to discover peace on his own terms.
Matt Murdock is no stranger to depression. Death, darkness, and demons have plagued him for over 60 years. Instead of plunging Matt into despair again, it is time for him to walk into the light. Mark Waid's Daredevil run implores creators to look beyond Matt's suffering and find his insatiable commitment to hope. Many readers connect with Matt Murdock because he struggles with his mental health, just like them. Marvel Comics and Disney + have an opportunity to cast Daredevil as an inspirational hero who paints mental health in a positive light. Depression can be crippling, but a new spin on Daredevil can remind audiences there's hope--no matter how far it may seem.