Daredevil hits a major milestone this week with its 600th issue. Across the course of those issues and too many tie-ins and mini-series to count, Daredevil has proven to be the most consistently excellent title at Marvel Comics. The series has been a place where icons like Frank Miller broke out and where modern legends like Brian Michael Bendis did much of their best work. It’s the place for writers and artists to make a mark in superhero comics.
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That has resulted in a truly daunting collection of great comics. Assembling a list of the best Daredevil stories is an almost impossible task, because it’s inevitable that in a collection of 10, or 20, or even 50, something will be forgotten. With that having been said, we did our best to collect the 10 best Daredevil comics so far to celebrate Daredevil #600. This isn’t every great Daredevil comic, but it’s hard to argue that any of these don’t deserve a spot in the top 10.
10. In Bitterness Not Far From Death
Daredevil (vol. 1) #263
Written by Ann Nocenti
Art by John Romita Jr. and Al Williamson
This tie-in to the X-Men event “Inferno” justifies every tie-in comic to exist before or after its publication. Daredevil is left in the hospital as New York City falls into chaos with demons possessing inanimate objects. It’s a visually stunning tale that highlights both the determination of its hero in the face of any foe and just how flexible this “street level” series can be.
9. Blind Alley
Daredevil (vol. 1) #163
Written by Roger McKenzie
Art by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Joe Rubinstein
In spite of Frank Miller and Roger McKenzie’s contentious relationship, it’s easy to see how they shared some sensibilities in an issue like this. Daredevil faces down impossible odds as he takes on the Hulk in the streets of Manhattan to protect bystanders. This punishing showdown makes it clear just how much Daredevil values the lives of others and the incredible lengths he’ll go to protect them.
8. The Face You Deserve
Daredevil (vol. 1) #239-240
Written by Ann Nocenti
Art by Louis Williams and Al Williamson
The start of Ann Nocenti’s underrated run on Daredevil perfectly frames everything to come. It’s a story about violence and the cycles that ensure its continuation. Daredevil tracks down a slasher functioning in the style of Jack the Ripper, but even confronting such a terrible human being he is led to question his own methods. This is an excellent start to one of the best meditations in superhero comics yet.
7. Wake Up
Daredevil (vol. 2) # 16-19
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by David Mack and Mark Morales
The best story from Bendis’ highly acclaimed run actually focuses on Ben Urich as the reporter investigates the case of a traumatized child obsessed with Daredevil. This tale digs into the messy nature of abuse and reminds readers that saving a person can’t be done with a single fight. It complicates everything about Daredevil’s mission and highlights everyday heroes like journalists and nurses.
6. The Purple Children
Daredevil (vol. 4) #8-10
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Chris Samnee
Building on similar themes as “Wake Up”, this story focuses on the legacy of Daredevil’s most noxious villain The Purple Man. After years of murder, rape, and theft, it’s revealed that Zebediah Killgrave has children across the United States, and he wants to hurt them just like he hurt their mothers. Daredevil is pushed to his emotional limits to help save these children from their abusive father, and that provides insight and an incredible ending focused on his own depression.
5. Badlands
Daredevil (vol. 1) #219
Written by Frank Miller
Art by John Buscema and Terry Talaoc
Daredevil never appears and Matt Murdock never speaks a word in this story about a “nasty, rotten little town”. Yet it’s obviously a Daredevil story. It reveals a dark history in which good people lose their lives, criminals rule the day, and townsfolk struggle to stand up. A single stranger can change that by providing an example though. It’s a meditation on heroism and the costs of doing the right thing, using smart colors (a yellow-and-red-clad biker) to draw parallels to the superhero.
4. Untitled
Daredevil (vol. 3) #7
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Paulo Rivera and Joe Rivera
This story of Daredevil leading a group of blind children through a snowstorm pushes the hero to his limits and requires no villains. It’s one of the few Daredevil stories to really address the protagonist’s disability, and it finds ample bravery both in the hero and children who surround him. No single issue better taps the heroic, human heart of this series. It is a story of how each of us can stand up and do the right thing, often because of the struggles we face, not in spite of them.
3. Last Hand
Daredevil (vol. 1) #178-182
Written by Frank Miller
Art by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson
This story is part of the “holy trinity” of Daredevil stories — the other two are up next. It’s often framed as the death of Elektra, but there’s a whole lot more to these issues than just a major loss. It contains all of the most important characters in Daredevil mythology (Foggy Nelson, Kingpin, Bullseye, Elektra) and spins them in a story highlighting how little control any individual has over what happens. Tragedy is the result, but some people are saved as well. Miller and Janson remind their readers that even the darkest days are not black as life is composed of grays.
2. Roulette
Daredevil (vol. 1) #191
Written by Frank Miller
Art by Frank Miller and Terry Austin
This is the issue that taps into the darkest vision of Daredevil’s worldview. It’s a one-sided conversation held between Daredevil and Bullseye, with the latter unable to move or speak. Daredevil plays a game of Russian Roulette while recounting a story about the cruelty and ugliness of life. Guilt and inevitability are the overriding themes, and there’s no twist or spark of hope to turn them on their head. It’s that setup that makes Daredevil’s ultimate proclamation all the more meaningful.
1. Born Again
Daredevil (vol. 1) #227-233
Written by Frank Miller
Art by David Mazzucchelli
“Born Again” takes the same themes found in “Last Hand” and “Roulette” and provides a more optimistic denouement. Matt Murdock is torn down once again, more completely than ever before, but this is what allows his greatest power to emerge. In the face of misery and without hope, Daredevil is the hero who persists. He maintains his beliefs and his fight, even on the worst of days. This is what makes the darkness of the series bearable, even enlightening. In the face of a world that seems bent on destroying both Matt and everything he value, Daredevil is the superhero who persists. It’s the sort of heroism that doesn’t require powers, and it’s what makes “Born Again” an inspirational story, the truest example of why Daredevil is the best superhero comic ever.
