When the average fan thinks of Marvel, there are a few images that come to mind. Captain America. Iron Man. The Hulk. Spider-Man. These are all understandable, considering that they are all spectacular flagship characters that Marvel have pushed forward for years now, and with Marvel's newfound notoriety, they only continue to grow in terms of popularity.
But when I think of Marvel, there's one character that comes to my mind before everyone else, and his name is Matt Murdock. Leaping onto the scene in April of 1964, Daredevil has been a recurring (yet lesser-known) character among the pages of Marvel Comics for over 50 years. Traversing storylines that include street-level mob bosses, ninjas and assassins, and even the occasional alien dragon or ruler of Hell, the Man Without Fear has earned the right to stand among the pantheon Marvel's greatest creations, and here are my six reasons why.
6: He Turned His Disability Into His Greatest Strength
"When a person lies, his heartbeat accelerates. And my hearing is sensitive enough to detect that change."
Daredevil is such a captivating character in my eyes because of the fact that he received a very serious disability as a child, and instead of letting it overcome him, he let it drive him instead. Upon discovering that the radioactive waste that took away his eyes also amplified his other senses, he trained himself (and in some incarnations, was trained by Stick) into learning how to use his other senses to his strengths, giving him a highly attuned radar sense. Daredevil is an incredible role model to any with disabilities of any kind, because of the fact that he represents the ideal that your disability does not define you. Tons of children, or even adults who have faced adversity in the form of physical handicaps can relate and look towards Matt Murdock, not because of the fact that his senses give him an edge, but because of the fact that even without those senses (he's lost them several times), he still finds a way to press on and move forward. What disabled person wouldn't love a role model that shares their common struggle?
5: He Operates On Both Sides Of The Law
"Then tell him to get a good lawyer. Is he even capable of telling the truth?"
While the Daredevil persona serves it's own purpose for his goals, a pivotal side of the adventures of the Man Without Fear include the other side: Matt Murdock. Murdock is a highly successful lawyer in New York, and this helps him fight injustices because it gives him the opportunity to defend those who can't defend themselves. Using his senses in conjunction with the judgment of his own heart, Matt Murdock represents the wrongfully accused when they face the (sometimes corrupt) system. Matt's law experience and intelligence also aid him when he's hunting down the REAL bad guys, because of the fact that being a lawyer allows him access to real criminals. While sometimes Matt ends up representing the wrong kind of person, he usually finds a way to help those who are truly innocent, and bring those guilty to justice, be it through legal proceedings, or a few swift kicks to the face as the Hornhead.
4: His Villains Are A Challenge
"In real life, if he's quick and smart, and nasty enough...the BAD guy wins."
While not having as large of a rogues gallery as a character like Batman or Spider-Man, Daredevil's villains are no less of a challenge. Facing the likes of characters such as Hammerhead, the Purple Man, Kingpin, and the always entertaining Bullseye, the Man Without Fear has a lot to deal with in the course of protecting Hell's Kitchen. The Kingpin has cruelly and systematically broken him; socially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The Purple Man has not only destroyed his reputation, but even succeeded in making him into a hated outlaw. Bullseye has been one of the biggest thorns in his side, destroying an entire block of the city, and killing not one, but two of Matt's lovers. His villains are ruthless, powerful, cunning, sharp, and dangerous, and would waste no time in finally ending the Man Without Fear if given the chance.
3: He's A Tonally Versatile Character
"Can you tell I'm smiling?"
Unlike Batman, who's usually typecast into being consistently dark and consistently gritty, or even Superman, who is usually always thought of as a grinning boyscout (which isn't the case as nearly as much as people think), Daredevil can work on both sides of the spectrum. He's gone through his dark phases, and they were absolutely masterful. The Hornhead was established as a brutal street vigilante in the pages of Frank Miller stories such as Daredevil: The Man Without Fear and Daredevil: Born Again. Now, under the writing of the always brilliant Mark Waid, Matt Murdock is being reestablished as a grinning, joking hero, fighting off superpowered ninjas and laughable incarnations of characters such as Stilt-Man. And it works beautifully. Daredevil isn't just tied down to the dark and gritty feel of Hell's Kitchen, and he isn't always smiling and happy, but he is both. His versatility as a character is just as important to him as his radar sense, and I sincerely hope that while the Netflix series establishes him in a darker light, it shows more of his lighter side as time progresses.
2: He Doesn't Always Win
"You think they'll let you wear the costume in Hell? Either way, say hi to all of your girlfriends."
As pointed out in the villains section, Daredevil's rogues are ruthless. And dealing with villains as ruthless as the Kingpin and Bullsye, Matt and the ones he cares about won't always come out completely unscathed. For all his merits and strengths, he has faults and losses to back them up. Ask Karen Page. Or Elektra. Daredevil does not always win. His crusade is marred by tragedy, and he's been tempted to succumb to his own failures more than once. The Man Without Fear is one of most realistically depicted heroes sometimes, because for all the good he does, he's delivered an equal amount of pain onto himself. He's human, and it's in human nature to lose, to fall down, to cry, to be beaten, to be bruised, and to die. But on top of all that, Daredevil personifies something else in human nature, something that appeals to us all. The one thing that makes Daredevl one of the greatest heroes of all time.
1: He Perseveres
"Under oath and with God as my witness, I'm telling you that I'm Daredevil. Always have been, always will be."
Courage is the one quality that determines heroes. It is not measured in prisoners put in cells, nor is it measured by villains put in the ground. Courage is measured by the ability of a hero to stand back up after knocked down, to look evil dead in the eye and tell it "I am not afraid". They don't call Daredevil "The Man Without Fear" because of the fact that he leaps from buildings, or dodges bullets. He's earned that title for not being afraid to face those that the weak cannot. He's earned it for being fearless in the face of danger, be it a danger that has taken those he loves from him, or the danger of his very own death before his eyes. He knows that he faces death at any moment, yet he is not afraid of it. He is human, yet fearless in the face of evil. Even Mephisto has commented on his bravery and incorruptibility. Daredevil is one of the greatest heroes of all time because of the fact that he presses onward, no matter how many friends die or how many criminals return. That is what makes him incredible.
