Daredevil is in for a second mainstream resurgence since his Born Again TV series is poised for a spring 2024 premiere, but the Man Without Fear has enjoyed great success in the source material for decades now. For many longtime comic book fans in general, it's arguable that Daredevil is the most consistently well-written character in the superhero genre.
Frank Miller's seminal and revitalizing run on the hero will be among the first to come to many readers' minds, but Daredevil's subsequent tales have instilled further confidence in fans that he's in good hands. The underrated Ann Nocenti has been a massive contributor to the character's mythos, and Bendis' run is a shout for the most revered.
Yellow
From the talented duo that brought DC and Batman fans The Long Halloween and Dark Victory, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Yellow is a quieter, but no less impactful entry into the Daredevil mythos. In the wake of the tragic death of Karen Page at the hands of Bullseye in Guardian Devil, Yellow serves as a melancholy and bittersweet chapter in Matt's growth and coping with grief.
Loeb takes a creative angle with the writing, as the story is told through the perspective of Matt writing a letter to the deceased Karen. He looks back on his early days as Daredevil, as well as his blossoming relationship with Karen. This bittersweet tale is a great depiction of Daredevil's brighter, more adventurous side.
The Man Without Fear
Outside of industry legend Frank Miller's run on the mainline series, his 5-issue limited series The Man Without Fear with artist John Romita Jr. is an essential Daredevil read. In the writing department, Miller graces the titular superhero with the same acclaimed treatment he gave Batman in Year One.
With the character's crime-noir reinvention, an update to Daredevil's origins was in order and, like with the aforementioned Dark Knight, The Man Without Fear helped prove the subgenre fits the Devil of Hell's Kitchen like a glove. Tightly scaled and intimate, this series is a superb retelling that helps sow the seeds for key relationships in Matt Murdock's life from Stick and Elektra to the imposing Kingpin.
Born Again
Over in the mainline series during Miller's emphatically successful resuscitation of Daredevil, Born Again -- with Year One artist David Mazzucchelli -- has been lauded as some of the best storytelling the titular hero has ever seen.
Including the entirety of Miller's run on the series is also more than worth mentioning, but considering the myriad of other writers the character enjoyed, along with Born Again being the biggest highlight of his tenure, it's also worth narrowing this down. It's one of the best showcases for Daredevil and Kingpin's vitriolic rivalry, chronicling one of Matt Murdock's lowest points and most cathartic comebacks. And like The Man Without Fear, Born Again was also key reference material for the original TV show.
Parts Of A Hole
Written by David Mack and illustrated by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, Parts of a Hole is a thrillingly complicated Daredevil tale that will become much more relevant in the mainstream come next year when Echo premieres. Part of the mainline series, this story arc shined a spotlight on the then-new character Echo as she's thrust into the grisly world of Hell's Kitchen's organized crime underbelly.
Kingpin raises Maya Lopez under the pretense that Daredevil killed her father, leading him to use her as his personal weapon against the Man Without Fear. It's a gripping story that blends elements of a tragic romance between Matt and Maya.
Last Rites
Writer Ann Nocenti had a sprawling run on the series that paved the way for some of the most overlooked, yet compelling Daredevil story arcs. It's somewhat understandable that it doesn't get as much praise as its predecessor, but Last Rites is a solid sequel to Miller's Born Again.
Along with co-writer D.G. Chichester and several artists, Last Rites was a satisfying depiction of Kingpin getting salt rubbed into his wounds following the rain of misery he poured on Murdock in the preceding arc. It's a satisfying closure and an irable sendoff for Nocenti's stint on Daredevil.
Daredevil By Brian Bendis & Alex Maleev
Widely hailed as one of writer Brian Michael Bendis' best comics, many veteran Daredevil fans even go as far as to say that it edges out Miller's run. It's hard to single out any specific story arc within Bendis and Maleev's tenure on the series, since this overall run functions as an overarching saga. Born Again showed Murdock at some historic lows, but Bendis somehow manages to raise the stakes while still making them feel genuine.
From dealing with his identity being leaked to the FBI, Kingpin making gradual power plays to reassume power, and the likes of Bullseye and Typhoid Mary entering the fray, Bendis' writing flexes the strength of Daredevil in a gritty noir setting. Likewise, Maleev's unforgettable artwork does an exceptional job of setting a moody scene.
Daredevil By Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark
The natural next step to Bendis and Maleev's euphoric run, writer Ed Brubaker and artist Michael Lark's tenure on the series is an eventful overall storyline. It's rewarding for fans who have been reading up to this point, even if some might feel it leans a bit too hard on the grimdark tone.
Nonetheless, even with the especially bleak atmosphere, Brubaker's take on the character featuring gripping, explosive events with high stakes and an equally compelling revolving door of ing characters. And, overall, it ties up the main plot points of Bendis' writing in a satisfying fashion.
A Touch Of Typhoid
Another Nocenti work with artist John Romita Jr. teaming up with her, A Touch of Typhoid is another memorable arc in the writer's run on Daredevil. Just as well, this storyline introduced an important and excitingly chaotic figure in Daredevil's world and rogues' gallery. The titular Typhoid Mary is one of the most dangerously unhinged villains that Daredevil has ever faced and, similar to Bullseye, wreaks havoc on Matt and the city at large by getting entangled with the Kingpin.
At Wilson Fisk's order, Mary seduces the hero to lure him into an assassination. Bullseye and Kingpin are reasonably Daredevil's highest-profile rogues, but Typhoid Mary's dissociative identity disorder and unpredictably sadistic traits make her an interesting threat in her own right.
Daredevil By Mark Waid & Chris Samnee
As far as depictions of Daredevil's more colorful exploits go, the legendary Mark Waid and artist Chris Samnee's run is arguably the strongest modern interpretation. Like with other long-running tenures on the superhero, this duo's vision for the Man Without Fear's world is best taken as a collective, serialized story.
While the goofy, over-the-top campy days of comics are spent, Waid perfectly writes the more swashbuckling aspects of the character without feeling out of character. Along with Samnee's suitably striking and stylized art, this run is characterized by vibrant adventures anchored by meaningful character drama and development.
Daredevil By Chip Zdarsky & Marco Checchetto
The current team and run on Daredevil, Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto are ongoing stars in the comic book industry, in part, thanks to their successes with the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. In of storytelling, it takes inspiration from familiar points in Matt Murdock's life while still feeling fresh and posing life-changing conflicts for him.
It also feels like an excellent jumping-on point for new fans coming from the lauded TV show without alienating them or longtime comics fans. Tonally in of atmosphere and Checchetto's slick art style, it's a fantastic balance of mature street-level grit and larger-than-life comic book action.
