Nelson and Murdock
Daredevil (Matthew Michael "Matt" Murdock) is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby and first appeared in Daredevil #1 (April 1964).Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, Matt Murdock is blinded by a radioactive substance that falls from an oncoming vehicle. Despite not being able to see anymore, the radioactive exposure heightens his remaining senses beyond normal human ability. His father, a boxer named Jack Murdock, supports him as he grows up, though he is later killed by gangsters after refusing to throw a fight. After donning a yellow and black, and later a dark red costume, Matt seeks out revenge against his father's killers as the superhero Daredevil, fighting against his many enemies including Bullseye and the Kingpin. Daredevil's nickname is "the Man Without Fear".
Although Daredevil had been home to the work of many legendary comic-book artists- Everett, Kirby, Wally Wood, John Romita, Sr., and Gene Colan, among others- Frank Miller's influential tenure on the title in the late 1970s and early 1980s is particularly remembered, having cemented the character as a popular and influential part of the Marvel Universe. Daredevil has since appeared in many various forms of media including several animated series, video games, merchandise, and a 2003 feature-length film.
Daredevil was named one of Empire's 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters, as well as one of Wizard's 200 Greatest Comic Characters of All Time.
Alias: Daredevil
Nick Name: Angel of Hell's Kitchen, Horn Head, Man Without Fear, Scarlet Swashbuckler, Sightless Swashbuckler
Civilian ID: Matthew Michael "Matt" Murdock
Aliases: Jack Batlin, Laurent LeVasseur, Mike Murdock
Note: To deflect suspicion that Matt Murdock was Daredevil, he created the alter-ego of a sighted twin brother named Mike.
Occupation: Attorney, Crime Fighter
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record.
Nation or Planet of Origin: Hell's Kitchen, New York, New York
Group Affiliation: Marvel Knights, S.H.I.E.L.D.
Base of Operations: Hell's Kitchen, New York, New York
Height: 6'
Weight: 200 lbs.
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Red
Skin Tone: Caucasian
Known Powers: Radioactive isotope causing blindness but resulting in a mutation heightening the other four senses: smell, taste, hearing and touch to superhuman levels. Mutation also resulted in a sixth sense of radar enabling ability to perceive objects and movement with a 360 degree radius.
Olympic level athlete and gymnast, possessing extraordinary agility, endurance, skill and balance.
Excellent hand-to-hand combatant, skilled in Ninjitsu, Judo and American-style boxing.
Above average intelligence with skills in case law and criminal justice.
Accessories: Billy Club: Segmented club with an extended grappling cable, which can be converted into a walking cane.
Note: Early in Daredevil's career he utilized a billy club integrated with a more extensive array of devices including; a sound amplifying microphone, miniature tape recorder, grappling cable, telescoping flexi-shield, chamber for various projectiles and the ability to convert into a short-range ballistic weapon.
Daredevil Costume: Uniform used to disguise Murdock's identity and afford a minor level of physical protection.
Note: Early in Daredevil's career he utilized a yellow and brown costume which closely resembled a boxers uniform from the mid Twentieth Century, as an homage to his father, who was a professional boxer. This costume was equipped for a short time with a satchel pouch over the shoulders used for storing civilian clothes, but it proved cumbersome.
When Daredevil began to utilize his better know red costume, he equipped the cowl with a radio receiver to function as a police scanner and augment his radar. The receiver utilized the horns on the top of the cowl as antennae. It is not clear if Daredevil still utilizes this technology, but it appears to be unlikely.
Both the yellow and red costumes were equipped with a holster to store Daredevil's billy club.
For a short period of time Daredevil utilized a black armored uniform. He carried two short clubs which were stored on his forearms that could be converted into a long-staff.
Lock Pick: Device used for gaining access to locked doors, stored in a glove pouch.
Common Enemies: Beetle I, Black Spectre I, Bullet, Bullseye, Bushwacker, Death-Stalker, El Jaguar, Elektra, Enforcers, Gladiator I, (The) Hand, HYDRA, Kingpin I, Klaw, Lady Bullseye, Leap-Frog, Masked Marauder, Micah Synn, Mr. Fear, Mr. Hyde, Mysterio I, (The) Organizer, Owl, Plunderer, Punisher II, Purple Man, Shotgun, Silver Samurai, Stilt-Man I, Typhoid Mary
Regularly Appearing: Daredevil Vol. 1 & 2, Daredevil: Yellow, Marvel Knights Vol. 1 & 2,
First Appearance: Daredevil Vol. 1 #1 (April, 1964)
Creator: Stan Lee & Bill Everett
Origin: Young Matt Murdock hurled himself into the path of an oncoming truck to rescue an elderly blind man about to be run down. Ironically Murdock was himself blinded when a barrel of radioactive waste fell from the truck splashing into his eyes. As a side effect, the radiation mutagenically heightened his remaining senses and activated a strange radar sense.
After his blinding, Matt was mentored by a mysterious blind man known only as 'Stick', who taught him to use his newly augmented senses and trained him in the fighting arts of Ninjitsu and Judo.
Pressed by his father, a Hells Kitchen boxer named "Battling" Jack Murdock, Matt went on to college and then law school. When Jack was killed by mobsters after refusing to throw a fight against a much younger boxer, Matt sought justice in vain. Disillusioned by the legal system, he assumed the guise of the man without fear, Daredevil.
Talk To Ol' Hornhead.
View All Comments