No foolin’ here! On April 17th, Daredevil recently celebrated turning 60 years old!
DAREDEVIL TURNS 60
The character of Matt Murdock, who really and for true IS Daredevil, celebrated 60 years in comics with the House of Ideas in April. It all took place in Daredevil #8, which was scheduled to arrive in local comics shops on April 17!
It does seem like every month contains an anniversary or celebration of some sort, but a hero hitting the landmark 60th year in comics is truly worth noting!
So, what can we expect to see in that issue? Here’s a quote from the Marvel news release:
“Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder’s DAREDEVIL finds Matt balancing his new duties as a Catholic Priest with an ongoing war against mysterious demonic entities targeting those close to him. After discovering that the demons are the living embodiment of his own seven deadly sins, Matt and Elektra are ready to go on the offensive. In DAREDEVIL #8, the duo finally confront the unsettling truth of the mysterious new gang terrorizing Hell’s Kitchen. In the midst of that chaos, an old foe with the blood of Matt’s closest allies on his hands returns and ushers in the next phase of what’s shaping up to be one of the most thought-provoking and pulse-pounding Daredevil eras ever!”
There are going to be several big events in that issue, more than I could fit in this column without actually recognizing old Hornhead’s birthday, so be sure to check out all that’s expected to happen in the link up above or at the complete news release here!
The one thing I don’t see in the various news stories is the cost of this issue. It will be $9.99 for a total of 88 pages!
I REMEMBER THOSE EARLY DAYS
Back in those formative years for Marvel, pretty much every character that hit the newsstands (there were very few, if any, local comics shops at that time) was a success for the House of Ideas. Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, etc.—they all gathered a lot of fans if they had their own books or if they shared a comic.
Daredevil was one of those new guys who actually got his own monthly title then. Stan the Man was listed as the writer/editor in the debut book, and artist Bill Everett, who was known for creating the Sub-Mariner, provided the pencils and inks. Interestingly enough, Jack Kirby, who also developed Spidey’s costume, devised Daredevil’s billy club as well.
Of course, that first issue cover was going to make sure nothing was left to chance, so they included images of Spider-Man (“Remember when we introduced… Spider-Man”) and the Fantastic Four (“…a worthy companion magazine to such all time-greats as the fabulous Fantastic Four,” the intro continued).
One of the most creative and interesting parts of The Man Without Fear was the fact that he was definitely blind. His famous “radar sense” was developed thanks to the childhood chemical accident that gave him those special abilities.
The funny thing about DD was that I much preferred that original red-and-yellow costume so much more than that all-red one introduced by artist Wally Wood in the seventh issue of the series. To me, I much preferred that he concentrated more on the “dare” part of his codename than the “devil” aspect of it. It was just too “on the nose” for me for him to have nothing but red all over him.
Of course, much like Spidey, Daredevil needed his own “rogue’s gallery,” and that included the Owl, Stilt-Man, the Gladiator, and the Enforcers. Today, not many fans realize that the Kingpin was originally a Spider-Man foe. Of course, now, after the “Born Again” storyline, that baddie has been switched over to DD although the Kingpin does make appearances across the Marvel Universe, much like Doctor Doom still does to this day.
Daredevil has had his share of high-power creators working on his stories, including Denny O’Neill, Frank Miller, John Romita Jr., Ann Nocenti, Mark Waid, Joe Quesada, Karl Kesel, Joe Kelly, and David Mack, just to name a few.
FROM A LAWYER TO A PRIEST
One of the things I really enjoyed about Daredevil was the fact that he was an attorney. It gave us some insight regarding what happened to these people AFTER the fight! Most of the time, the baddies just went to jail without us hearing what took place after they went to a cell.
Then they had him reveal his identity as Daredevil to the world! I never like it when that kind of thing happens. A good example was the recent (and temporary) Superman trip down this road. Thankfully, it didn’t last long. However, with Matt Murdock, it was basically made into something along the lines of a joke, that people didn’t believe it. He often mocked those who accepted that, and I guess in a big city like New York, you can do that kind of thing because many residents have no idea who their neighbors are! You can turn it into a gag if you don’t even know the name of the person living in the apartment next to you!
Now, he’s a priest! I guess after the events in the “Born Again” story, which included Matt’s dealing with his Catholic upbringing and all, and the fact that the some churches are desperately in need of priests and pastors and the like, that works! Honestly, though, I can’t see a priest wanting to dress up in a costume and fight crime at night after taking confessions from people that are supposed to trust him.
These things just don’t last very long, it seems to me. I don’t expect him to be wearing his collar backwards for too long!
A CREATIVE TIME
One of the things I often wonder is, why can’t we have a creative burst when it comes to comics like we have had at other times in the industry’s history? The 1940s, the 1960s, the 1990s all featured lots of new characters and groups that simply worked!
Why can’t we do that today?
When Daredevil first hit the attention of comics fans, things felt like they could do no wrong. Granted, Wonder Woman became Diana Prince, secret agent or something, so not everything that happened back then was a hit. But I do think that creators shouldn’t wander too far from what made those heroes (and even villains) catch on with readers.
Over the six decades since Marvel debuted Daredevil, the House of Ideas has tried many times to bring new characters to the comics page, but not quite as successfully. I wish we could get back to that instead of rejiggering existing heroic identities. Hey, even the Vulture was replaced by a younger person, only to have him snatch his persona back from him.
If it works, don’t mess it up!
Anyway, I’d love to see more creativity when it comes to comics! Make new heroes and villains, give them a try. Of course, don’t bring back Banjo, the guy who gets mad when you PICK on him! Again, not every single try is a home run!
So, happy belated 60th, Matt Murdock/Daredevil! Long may you swing in New York City between the buildings, bringing justice to the people who live there!
About Author
