Warning! Spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again!It’s an exciting period of time as Daredevil is finally stepping back into the spotlight in a brand-new show. After a six-year absence, Daredevil: Born Again finally brings the Man Without Fear back in a starring role and fans couldn’t be happier.
The show’s title is no mere coincidence, as Marvel Studios is intentionally referencing perhaps the most lauded story arc in Daredevil’s history. But what was it about the original “Born Again” storyline that made such an impact on readers? And why is it that this particular arc continues to influence Daredevil stories to this day?
Daredevil Went Through Hell and Back in “Born Again”
Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Story Showed Matt Murdock at His Lowest and His Best
The “Born Again” storyline begins with a betrayal that hurts more than any other. Karen Page, Matt Murdock’s ex-girlfriend, has become a drug addict and sells out Matt’s secret identity for heroin. The information trades hands until it eventually lands in the possession of Daredevil’s nemesis, Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin. Over the next several months, Kingpin begins to ruin Matt’s life by freezing his accounts and framing Matt to have him disbarred. But that’s just the beginning of Daredevil’s troubles.
“Born Again” takes place in Daredevil #227-233 (1986).
The Kingpin’s plans take their toll on Matt, who confronts his tormentor. However, Kingpin effortlessly beats Daredevil and tries to have him killed by drowning him in a car. But Matt manages to escape and winds up in the care of his mother, Maggie, who nurses him back to health. Determined to kill Matt, Kingpin hires a psychopath to impersonate Daredevil and draw the real one out of hiding. After that plan fails, Kingpin goes even further by hiring the unhinged mercenary Nuke to lay waste to Hell’s Kitchen.
After reclaiming his identity, Daredevil stops Nuke and he’s taken into custody. Daredevil attempts to have Nuke tell his story to the Daily Bugle in order to take Kingpin down, but the mercenary is killed. However, Captain America discovers the truth from the hitman who shot Nuke, finally bringing Fisk’s criminal actions against Hell’s Kitchen to light. With his good public image shattered, Kingpin resolves to continue getting revenge on Matt Murdock, while Daredevil finally gets back to living his life free from Fisk’s influence.
How “Born Again” Influenced Years of Daredevil Storytelling
The Iconic Arc Defined Daredevil For Years
There’s no doubt that “Born Again” was one of the best received storylines in Daredevil’s history. The arc was praised for Frank Miller’s deep exploration into both Matt and Fisk’s characters, as well as the heavy use of religious symbolism used throughout the story, playing on Matt’s struggles with faith in the face of adversity. David Mazzucchelli was similarly lauded for his amazing art, which beautifully replicated famous religious tableaus and artworks, including one panel that echoes the Pietà, with Daredevil and his mother in the place of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
“Born Again” came at a pivotal time in comic book history and is credited as helping usher in the Modern Age of Comic Books. It’s no surprise that later Daredevil storylines tried to match the intensity or the poignancy of the classic storyline. Several years after “Born Again”, the storyline got a ‘sequel’ of sorts in the form of “Last Rites”, an arc that flipped the dynamic presented in Miller and Mazzucchelli’s story and had Daredevil destroy the Kingpin’s life. But the biggest influence this story had was on the third season of the live-action Daredevil show.
While the upcoming series may be called Daredevil: Born Again, it was the third season of the previous series that really took its cues from the original storyline. Just like in the comics, Kingpin uses his knowledge of Daredevil’s identity to make Matt’s life a living hell. There are several changes to fit the show’s tone and continuity, such as Karen not being the one to sell Matt out and Bullseye being the one to imitate Daredevil. But it kept a lot of what people loved about “Born Again”, including Daredevil surviving Kingpin trying to drown him.
What Makes “Born Again” The Daredevil Story for So Many?
The Darkness, the Conflict, or Something Deeper?
“Born Again” is definitely one of the darker Daredevil stories Marvel Comics has ever put out, and it puts Matt at one of the greatest disadvantages he’s ever faced in his life. Kingpin comes at Daredevil with so much hatred and venom that he’s willing to destroy a small part of New York if it means getting revenge. That’s not even getting into the emotional turmoil that Daredevil goes through while isolated and his world is falling apart, nor Karen’s troubles as she struggles with addiction and the guilt of betraying someone she loves.
…it’s in losing everything that Matt is able to find an inner strength he’s never found before…
Daredevil is no stranger to conflict in his life, but when it comes to facing difficult odds, he’s had few moments in his life worse than this. Matt literally lost everything, from his loved ones, to his profession, and even his superhero identity. But it’s in losing everything that Matt is able to find an inner strength he’s never found before (eloquently pointed out by Kingpin that “a man without hope is a man without fear“). Daredevil goes through a hell most heroes have never experienced, and he came out of “Born Again” so much stronger in doing so.
Is “Born Again” the greatest story Marvel Comics ever produced? That’s a loaded question. While tastes always vary, many Daredevil fans unequivocally hold Miller and Mazzucchelli’s story in high regard. It’s rawness, the way it embraces the darkness, the beautiful religious imagery, and the intense character study into Matt Murdock’s psyche all come together for a story that’s more than the sum of its parts. It’s been nearly 40 years since the “Born Again” storyline debuted and no storyline has ever truly dethroned it as the quintessential Daredevil story.
“Born Again” is a Daredevil Story That Simply Can’t Be Repeated
It Raised the Bar in Ways No Other Arc Did
That’s not to say there’s never been no good Daredevil stories in a post-“Born Again” world. But that storyline’s influence is still being felt today. As fans of the live-action series get ready to return to Daredevil’s brutal world, it’s important to know that the “Born Again” storyline is what helped cultivate the dark and rich atmosphere that they love so much. While it remains to be seen how this new series will be received, nothing’s going to stop Daredevil’s original “Born Again” storyline from being regarded as a classic.
