Daredevil's Greatest Hits (So Far)

In his 60-year history, Daredevil has amassed plenty of standout moments across more than 600 issues and multiple line-wide events. From acclaimed runs by iconic creators to bold reinventions of the character, the Man Without Fear takes center stage in some of the most beloved comic book stories to come out of the Marvel Universe.

Here are some of Daredevil's greatest comic book moments so far, from his earliest crime-fighting days to his noir-tinged adventures in the late '70s and beyond.

DAREDEVIL'S BIG DEBUT

Created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett, Matt Murdock came out of the gate swinging in DAREDEVIL (1964) #1. In his introductory issue alone, Matt gained his powers after saving an innocent bystander at the cost of his eyesight, honed his heightened senses, and developed his costumed alter ego. Just like many of his contemporaries, Daredevil suffered his own tragic origin story when his father, boxer Jack Murdock, was killed by the mob after refusing to throw a fight, which catapulted Matt towards his super hero destiny.

SWITCHING TO HIS CLASSIC COSTUME

While Daredevil's yellow costume certainly gave him a striking look, he's best known for his all-red outfit, which was created by Wally Wood. This enduring costume change takes place in DAREDEVIL (1964) #7, which pit Daredevil against Namor the Sub-Mariner in a story where Matt was hopelessly outmatched. In addition to unveiling his classic costume, the issue demonstrates how Daredevil's fearlessness leads him to thrive in the face of long odds.

DAREDEVIL VS. THE PUNISHER

Across his super hero career, Daredevil has engaged in his fair share of grudge matches, but his longtime feud with the Punisher remains among the more memorable. While both characters take a more hardline stance against criminals than their counterparts, Daredevil has made it very clear that he isn't a lethal killer like Frank Castle. This is underscored in DAREDEVIL (1964) #183–184, where the two confronted each other over their differing moralities and approaches to fighting crime, with violent results.

BORN AGAIN

Few heroes have a greater threshold for punishment than Daredevil, and that distinction is put to the ultimate test in Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's seminal story DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN. After learning Matt's secret identity as Daredevil, the Kingpin set out to systematically dismantle every element of his enemy's life, culminating in the bombing of Matt's apartment building in DAREDEVIL (1964) #227. When he discovered that the Kingpin had left his Daredevil costume in the wreckage, Matt immediately deduced what was going on and prepared to take on Wilson Fisk with a vengeance as his most grueling battle intensified.

LAWYER ONCE MORE

In addition to standing up for justice on the streets (and rooftops) of Hell's Kitchen, Matt Murdock fights crime in the courtroom as an accomplished attorney. As part of the Kingpin's vendetta against Daredevil, the crime lord had Matt temporarily disbarred from practicing law, sending Matt into another personal spiral. After Karen Page and Matt worked together to stop the Kingpin from polluting the city's rivers with his toxic chemicals, Matt was inspired to take up his legal profession again in DAREDEVIL (1964) #248, where he committed once more to doing good as an active part of the justice system.

THE DEATH OF KAREN PAGE

Daredevil has suffered his fair share of defeats, but none haunt him quite like the death of his true love Karen Page. Karen became the centerpiece of an elaborate scheme by Mysterio to destroy Daredevil when the villain targeted both his personal life and his faith, culminating in a showdown with Bullseye in a church. 

Unfolding in DAREDEVIL (1998) #5, Karen sacrificed herself to protect Daredevil from a billy club thrown by his nemesis with lethal force. Though obviously not a great personal moment for Daredevil, the incident was a pivotal one and defined the character for years to follow.

OUTED

Matt's secret identity as Daredevil has ocassionally been exposed to his greatest enemies, but there have also been multiple occasions when it's been revealed to the general public as well. When Matt's identity was sold to a tabloid newspaper, he immediately detected that his city knew about his carefully maintained double life in DAREDEVIL (1998) #34. Despite this major setback, Matt refused to bow to pressure and maintain a low profile by continuing to defend his neighborhood as Daredevil in the face of mounting scrutiny.

KING OF NEW YORK

After all the times the Kingpin pushed Daredevil to the edge, it was only a matter of time until the hero finally reached a breaking point. This occurred in DAREDEVIL (1998) #50, where Daredevil beat Fisk within an inch of his life and declared himself the new Kingpin before a stunned crowd in Hell's Kitchen. The moment was a long time coming, but served as a violent reminder that Daredevil is not to be underestimated.

AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE

After he was finally imprisoned for his crimes, the Kingpin fled the American justice system to Europe, where he befriended a woman and her children. After this family was killed by the Hand, Fisk returned to New York and agreed to work with Daredevil to dismantle the Hand, their mutual enemy, as they both ran out of other options in DAREDEVIL (1998) #117. This led to a fragile alliance filled with distrust and the constant possibility of bloody betrayal before Daredevil ascended as the new head of the Hand, shocking his friends and allies.

A BRIGHTER DAREDEVIL

After years of enduring immense personal tragedies and harrowing crises, Matt rebounded, determined to find the silver lining in his status quo. While Matt's longtime best friend Foggy Nelson tried to determine if Matt was just putting up a cheerful facade, they went on a quick trip around Manhattan, and Matt shared his vibrant and unique his perspective on the city in DAREDEVIL (2011) #1. More than just a fun moment between friends, the scene underscored that Daredevil is not just a character defined by unrelenting darkness and tragedy.

THE BATTLE FOR HELL'S KITCHEN

For years, Daredevil has been the greatest defender of his home neighborhood, Hell's Kitchen, and his enemies eventually included powerful figures looking to gentrify it at any cost. This tension came to a head in DAREDEVIL (2019) #20, where an army of super villains were hired to raze Hell's Kitchen to the ground. United against this common enemy, Daredevil and Kingpin were forced to work together to stop the destruction. With his neighborhood in flames around him, Daredevil's absolute combat mastery and keen radar senses were on full display in one of the most impressive action sequences of his entire history.

Celebrate 60 years of Daredevil with DAREDEVIL (2023) #8, a special anniversary issue, now on sale!

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