Daredevil: Born Again Marks the Hero’s Best Story, Making It Perfect For the MCU

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Daredevil is returning to the small screen for the first time since 2018 in the long awaited Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again; the title of the upcoming series is taken from one of the most iconic and impactful Daredevil comic arcs by Frank Miller. Without Frank Miller’s work, Daredevil as fans know it today could not exist.

Daredevil: Born Again – written by Frank Miller, with art by David Mazzucchelli – still stands as perhaps the best Daredevil storyline in Marvel history, and remains widely regarded as among the best stories Marvel has ever produced, period.

Born Again puts the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen through hell itself, stripping Matt Murdock down to his lowest point. The arc shows Matt facing a crisis of identity both as Matt Murdock and his Daredevil, as well as a crisis of faith. Here’s how Miller’s work took Daredevil from a side character to one of the foremost figures in Marvel Comics.

Frank Miller Transformed Daredevil From a B-Lister Into a Beloved Super Hero

The Author Recognized Saw Matt Murdock’s Potential

Frank Miller began his writing tenure with Matt Murdock in 1981 with Daredevil #168. In his inaugural issue, Miller also created and introduced the major Daredevil character (and future Daredevil herself), Elektra Natchios. During the 1960s and 70s, Daredevil was mostly a side character who appeared only to support the major players, especially fellow New York-based superhero, Spider-Man. Daredevil solo titles floundered in sales and the character polled low in popularity among readers. However, Miller recognized something special in Matt Murdock and persuaded the powers-that-be at Marvel Comics to give him a chance to write for the character.

Upon taking over the title in 1981, Frank Miller gave readers a new type of Daredevil, from art style to characterization. Visually, Miller’s depiction of Daredevil and his world was gritty and dark, mirroring the vigilante’s work. The art reflected a more grounded approach to a world filled with magic and monsters, bringing readers into the dark underbelly of Hell’s Kitchen. This approach was new and different to readers who were used to the bright and sometimes over-the-topness that defined many other titles of the time period. The change in tone and realism that came with Miller’s tenure began to draw in more sales for the previously under-performing Daredevil.

Beyond the artistic side, Miller emphasized the man behind the mask: Matt Murdock. Readers resonated with characters such as Spider-Man or The Fantastic Four because they were invested in not just the secret identities, but Peter Parker and the Richards Family themselves. Leaning into that, Miller fleshed out Matt Murdock as a person outside of Daredevil. Murdock, much like the readers themselves, was flawed. He had relationships, friendships, and even a regular job. Effectively, Miller carved out a space for the reader to root for Matt Murdock as much as they rooted for Daredevil. Building up Matt Murdock was essential leading up to Daredevil: Born Again.

“Born Again” Pitted A Down-On-His-Luck Matt Murdock Against Wilson Fisk At His Strongest

Mark Millar Pushed The Man Without Fear To His Limit

Without Miller’s investment in fleshing out Matt Murdock as a character, Daredevil: Born Again could not have impacted both readers and the character himself as deeply as it did. Events prior to the arc have Murdock at his lowest. Daredevil: Born Again begins with issue #227 – later including #226 in the collected print addition – and shows Murdock doubting his actions as Daredevil due to recent losses. More than that, Murdock feels as though Daredevil’s work is not appreciated, which stirs up anger and resentment.

Things only go from bad to worse for Murdock. He is hit with a lawsuit that puts him on trial for perjury, has all his assets frozen by the IRS, and receives notice from the bank that his rent has gone unpaid for months. Though Matt knows all of these strange and serious occurrences are lies, he cannot figure out who is behind everything until the moment his apartment explodes. It is then Murdock deduces that Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, is behind his woes, which means that Fisk has also figured out that Matt Murdock and Daredevil are one and the same.

Murdock immediately meets with Fisk, which leads to a bloody confrontation that ends with Murdock being left for dead in the river. After that incident, Murdock wanders the streets without any money, place to stay, or friends to come to his aid. Murdock teeters on the verge of madness until he is taken in by a church and nursed back to health by nuns. As his body and mind begin to heal,Murdock has to make peace with who he is as a person and what being Daredevil means to both him and the people of Hell’s Kitchen.

“Daredevil: Born Again”Solidified Matt Murdock As A Top-Tier Marvel Comics Hero

Fighting From The Bottom To The Top

Without Daredevil: Born Again, Daredevil as a character would not be what he is today. Miller dragged the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen through hell and back, only for the hero to come out the other side stronger than before. The iconic arc establishes that Matt Murdock’s fierce faith in himself, and his responsibility as Daredevil is as strong as his religious faith. Murdock’s unwillingness to give up became a staple of the character from that point on, solidifying Daredevil: Born Again as an essential pillar in Daredevil canon – and making it the perfect next choice for the character’s Marvel Cinematic Universe journey.

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