So, with Netflix’ Daredevil series drawing ever closer, I thought I’d list some of my favourite Daredevil stories that rarely get mentioned and which casual or new fans may want to look into to.
5. Daredevil Noir (Alexander Irvine and Tomm Coker) With Daredevil transitioning so effortlessly into the Noir universe, it’s apparent from issue one that this is going to be a fun trip. You have every classic noir ingredient here, from the pitch black alley ways to the femme fatale, and it’s great to see Matt, with his superhuman senses and built-in lie detector, navigate his way through it all. Long story short, it all revolves around Jack Murdock’s murder and how the trail leads back to two of the biggest mob bosses in town, one of which is Wilson Fisk. It’s told in flashback, eventually leading back to present day. What really shines in Daredevil Noir however is the art. DD’s circus performer costume is awesome, and the way his red suit and mask invade the otherwise black, blue, and grey colour pallet is beautiful. It’s a solid book and recommended to those seeking a good alternate-universe take on DD.
4. Daredevil Vol.1 #4 (Stan Lee and Joe Orlando) So let’s go way back to the 60s with Daredevil’s fourth issue. What makes this so great? Well first and foremost, it introduced Marvel fans to The Purple Man. And secondly, it’s just a great story, which if retold today, would undoubtedly be reimagined as something much more sinister. Like Daredevil Noir, this story begins in the present with DD about to be attacked by an angry mob. We then flashback to Killgrave stealing from a bank. Now, things get even more interested when Matt is appointed as his lawyer, and even more complicated when Killgrave takes a liking to Karen Page. Of all the Stan Lee issues, this is by far my favourite and definitely worth your time if you want some knowledge of DD’s early days. The great thing here is that without going into too much dark territory, Lee still establishes Killgrave as a disturbing individual whose powers were incredibly more scary than any world-conquering supervillain at the time.
3. Parts of a Hole (David Mack and Joe Quesada) Undoubtedly this will probably be the most read book on this list, but despite this, Mack’s work on Daredevil doesn’t always get the praise it deserves. Spiralling out of the pages of Guardian Devil, Matt continues to struggle from his most recent tragedy. However things start looking up again when he meets a deaf girl whose own abilities are strikingly similar. In the same way Matt can “see” despite his blindness, Maya can speak despite her loss of hearing. But Maya holds secrets of her own, one of which is her close connection to the Kingpin of crime. POAH is a great story from start to finish, written beautifully by Mack. He actually surpasses himself on the sequel, Echo: Vision Quest, but to read that you must read this first. In regards to art, it is easily Quesada’s best work to date, and it’s evident that all his love for Daredevil and his entire world is poured into these pencils. Maya and her movements are drawn so eloquently while still retaining that cartoon style.
2. Daredevil Vol.1 #202, 204, 206, 207, 210-214 (Denny O’Neil, Luke McDonnell, William Johnson, and David Mazzucchelli) That’s a good number of issues we’re talking about, so let’s just call this the Micah Synn saga. How this arc hasn’t yet been reprinted in trade is beyond me. Yes some people think this story is pretty ridiculous but others, like myself, think it’s absolutely awesome. To summarise, Micah Synn, the chief of an African tribe, is invited to New York and becomes an instant celebrity, everyone wants a piece of him. But as time progresses Synn begins making the lives of Matt and those around him very difficult. Physically, he dominates Daredevil and so seeing the two collide again and again is great. We also get to witness strange human sacrifices, the crumbling of Foggy’s marriage, an unlikely alliance between Daredevil and one of his greatest foes, and an excellent cameo from a completely drunken Tony Stark. In terms of writing, I always put O’Neil right up there with the likes of Brubaker and Nocenti. He knows how to tell one hell of a good Daredevil story, and it’s a shame he isn’t recognised more for it. In the art department, there isn’t anything special about the Synn arc but it all fits together pretty well. Overall, this is one of my all-time favourite Daredevil stories, so if you like the sound of it, go check it out.
1. Daredevil: Redemption (David Hine and Michael Gaydos) The unbelievably tragic story of the West Memphis Three feeds right into the pages of Daredevil: Redemption, where Matt finds himself in the small God-fearing town of Redemption, Alabama defending three teenagers of a horrific crime they did not commit. Arguably, this is the most mature and grisliest of Daredevil tales to date, and just a few curse words short of being printed under the MAX banner. It’s a heavy read, with themes of Satanism, child molestation, and prejudice, all coming into play. But it’s a great read nonetheless. Matt find himself totally out of his element, away from the tall buildings of New York and more rationally thinking citizens, and into a world he cannot fully comprehend. What’s also great about this book is that despite it being a limited series, it does fit right into the continuity of his mainstream story, while also functioning as a standalone tale that any newcomer may read. Gaydos delivers big time in the art department, with a realistic cartoon hybrid style that fits the narrative perfectly. And the haunting covers by my all-time favourite artist Bill Sienkiewicz are unsettlingly beautiful. Everything about this book is great, and I can’t stress enough how much this is worth your time.
So there you have it, do you like my list? Are there any other not-so-popular Daredevil runs you like? Thanks for reading