From what I understand, it is commonly recognised that the arrival of Frank Miller as the artist and, later, the writer of the Daredevil comics, saved the series from a slow death and created the storylines without which the Netflix show would not have existed (or would not have been as compelling). However, just before Millerâs arrival, there was a short run of comics by Jim Shooter/Gil Kane (##146 â 151), which were then taken over by McKenzie as the writer (##152 â 157, with Miller joining him at #158). These comics were already sold bi-monthly (due to the falling sales of the series), and this whole pre-Miller run tends to get overlooked as an unimportant prelude to Daredevilâs proper heyday. Even Marvel.com doesnât carry it digitally (except #146). Yet there are so many amazing âfirstsâ in this handful of comics, which are such obvious harbingers of Matt Murdockâs future.
During these 11 issues, we see the first cover art depicting an actively-bleeding Daredevil (from a gun-shot wound inflicted by Bullseye; issue 146). His total lack of self-preservation, suicidal stubbornness and rage even terrifies Bullseye, to the extent that he gives up a winning fight out of sheer belief that Daredevil is truly insane. This is something that, until then, was really a hallmark of the villains of the series, but which, later, became a key personality characteristic of the âDevil of Hellâs Kitchenâ.
As a direct result of that confrontation - his injuries, and his lack of attention to details - Matt goes through one of the biggest failures of his life as Daredevil. His mistaken evidence incarcerates an innocent man, who then commits suicide in prison, while the real villain of the story-ark (Killgrave) escapes. We then see Matt lose his girlfriend, Foggyâs friendship, and his faith in himself, until the final confrontation with Killgrave, which has Matt make the first semi-conscious decision to allow a criminal to die out of revenge, rather than prevent the death and force the villain to face justice.
Ben Urich gets introduced during this run.
Becky Blake gets hired by Nelson and Murdockâs âStorefrontâ law firm, where her interview, with a sore and concussed Matt, becomes a wonderful rant against ableism.
And, for the first time, in #156, Mattâs alter ego is portrayed as a personification of his darker impulses, rather than as a pure hero. Until then, even when Matt had renounced his Daredevil side as something that is ruinous to his life and friendships, its moral incongruity was not examined. In this issue, while delirious in a hospital, Matt dreams about fighting Daredevil, who is dressed in the first-incarnation âyellowâ suit and is armed with knuckledusters (highlighting the underhanded sinister advantage of that side of his identity). The âYellowâ Daredevil taunts Matt with the knowledge that he is the force of destruction and death, which has been stalking Matt all his life, while another version of Matt (as his lawyer-self) cowers away and tells him that he canât win. The only part of Mattâs life and personality, that seems to be in his corner during this identity crisis (or identity revelation), is the memory of his father - Battlinâ Jack Murdock â who begs him to never give up.
Matt doesnât give up. That part of him proves to be the strongest of all. Yet, this dream/hallucination is the clearest representation (up to this point in the comicâs timeline) of the contradictory - and destructive - forces that constantly battle within Mattâs psyche and drive him to the extremes of decisions and actions.
This is a theme that was explored by many writers that came since (including Miller himself). It is the conflict that is central to Charlie Coxâs Matt Murdock. And, from what I can tell, it started here, on these nearly-forgotten pages.
[ID: DD in the original yellow costume, but with a red-eyed mask confronts Matt Murdock, who is in his red costume. They are in a boxing ring. Battlinâ Jack Murdock is in Mattâs corner, encouraging him. Another representation of Matt, in his lawyerâs suit with a cane, stands aside and warns the real Matt that he cannot possibly win.]
âYellowâ DD: Daredevil! Of course, you blind fool! Who did you expect? I am the one foe who knows your every thought, your every move! And I am the one foe you can never defeat.
[ID: they fight and the âYellowâ DD, who has knuckledusters, seems to easily get the upper hand]
âYellowâ DD: Give up, Murdock! Make it easy on yourself! Do you hear me, Murdock? Give up I say! Life just isnât worth all this pain â all this suffering!
[ID: âYellowâ DD turns into an image of Death]
âYellowâ DD/Death: I need disguise myself no liner, Matthew Murdock. You are mine, even as your father - and, before him, your mother â were mine! But then everyone is mine, sooner or later. Everyone belongs to âŚ
[ID: Matt, in hospital, whimpers, âDeath! N-noâNO! I⌠It isnât time ⌠yetâŚâ]
Battlinâ Jack Murdock: ⌠Time! Thereâs still time, son! Time to get up â to fight! You havenât been counted out yet! Matt! Please! You promised me! You promised me youâd live!
Matt: YesâŚI⌠I did! ⌠And I will! I will! I will!
[ID: Matt beats up Death and eventually comes out of coma in the hospital.]
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