Planning to binge-watch 'Daredevil'? Read these comics first
The seriously darkDaredevil TV show drops on Netflix Friday, ready for the eager binger. And while this is the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first time going grim, Daredevil has long been a beacon of dark and gritty in the comic-book world (yes, even before Batman took that crown).
Before you settle in for a 13-hour date with Netflix tonight, reach for some of these comics to prepare for the seedy world of Hell's Kitchen.
Daredevil: The Man Without Fear by Frank Miller, 1993
Before Frank Miller revolutionized Batman and ushered in the Dark Age of comics (it's not as bad as it sounds) with The Dark Knight Returns, there was his 1980s run on Daredevil. A character who had previously seemed gimmicky at best was given the antihero treatment by Miller, and thus, the Man Without Fear was born.
Miller returned to the series in '93 to write a five-issue miniseries with artist John Romita Jr., about Matt Murdock's origin. This is the comic that purportedly has the most influence on the Netflix show, with the story's focus on crime, Kingpin and the role Matt's boxer father had in his childhood.
Brian Michael Bendis' Daredevil run, 2001-2006
While Miller turned Daredevil into a crime drama, Bendis turned the series into noir. The stakes were higher, the violence bloodier and Matt Murdock's life became even more of a disaster. But even through all the Shakespearean tragedy, Bendis still managed to strike a balance between the depressing and the humorous, never losing sight of Daredevil's dry wit.
Frank Miller's Daredevil run, 1979-1986
Yes, Frank Miller again. But hear us out. His original run on Daredevil changed the game not just for the character but for the rest of the Marvel comics universe. Daredevil -- who was kind of created as a Spider-Man knock-off -- came into his own as a sadistic antihero with a Catholicism complex and a trail of tragedy left in his wake. Miller introduced sex, crime and most importantly, a femme fatale in the form of Elektra. Her push-and-pull relationship with Daredevil laid the grounds for one of the most sensual storylines in comics yet -- and of course, for potential tragedy later.
Daredevil Vol. 1 by Stan Lee, 1969-1970
Where better to start than the original? Daredevil is a little unrecognizable here, with his bright yellow outfit and shared characteristics with Spider-Man (he even gets some of Spidey's leftover villains). A little quirky and sometimes hackneyed, Daredevil would have probably faded out of existence if it weren't for Miller's gritty reboot in the '80s. But it was here that Daredevil was established as the classic underdog, as the man with no powers and no sight dealing with super-powered villains like Dr. Doom or the Jester. A theme that looks will likely be repeated (with a little more blood) in the Netflix show.