A blind lawyer might seem like an unlikely protagonist for a superhero comic, but Stan Lee and Bill Everett – inspired by Everett’s blind daughter – brought Matt Murdock into the Marvel Universe in 1964 and he’s been a mainstay ever since! Initially wearing a circus performer-inspired yellow and red costume, Daredevil switched to his all-red outfit in his seventh issue and soon found himself mingling with other costumed heroes, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Ka-Zar, Thor and more!
Despite the Kingpin being considered his primary nemesis, that feud wouldn’t be seen until 1981. Instead, the so-called Man Without Fear would face other gang boss criminal characters like the Masked Marauder, Mister Fear and the Owl, while also going up against some oddball bad guys in the form of the Jester, Man-Bull, Matador, Purple Man and Stilt-Man! As silly as some of these foes appear to be, many would prove to be justifiably-deadly enemies in the years to come.
Daredevil may not be one of Marvel Comics’ A-listers, but he’s eventually go on to draw some titans of the industry to expand on his legend. Even over the course of this initial 12-year period, Matt and his supporting cast would be brought to life by writers…
Stan Lee (DD #1-50)
Roy Thomas (DD #51-71)
Gerry Conway (DD #73-98)
Steve Gerber (DD #97-118)
Marv Wolfman (DD #124-143)
Bill Mantlo (DD #140)
Everett only drew the first issue, so it would, instead, be up to artists like…
Wally Wood (DD #5-10)
John Romita Sr (DD #12-19)
Gene Colan (DD #-1, 20-49, 53-82, 84-98, 100, 110, 112, 116 & 124 – returning later for #153-154, 156-157, 363, 366-368 & 370)
Bob Brown would also spend a notable time as the series artist (DD #107-109, 111, 113-115, 117, 119-123, 125-135 & 141-143)
Colan was DD’s most notable artistic contribuer, defining the look of Daredevil’s world, while Bob Brown stayed on the series with a number of the book’s rotating writers in the ’70s.
I’d like to thank the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators, the Marvel Chronology Project, the Marvel Database and the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe for their invaluable assistance!
Head to our CHARACTER READING ORDER INDEX for more chronological guides!
Chronology: All appearances of Daredevil from this period are included in chronological order, laying out his timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
Must Reads: Story arcs in bold in the Core List or marked with a ✔ in the Full Reading Order are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a look.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
Did we miss something? Let us know!
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the core reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns – just the stories:
- Daredevil (1964) #-1
- Elektra (1996) #-1
- Daredevil: Battlin’ Jack Murdock #1-4
- Marvel Saga (1985) #1
- Daredevil (1964) #1-3
- Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #16
- Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #18
- Daredevil (1964) #4
- Unlimited Access #2
- Untold Tales of Spider-Man ’97 Annual
- Daredevil (1964) #5-6
- X-Men (1963) #13
- Daredevil (1964) #7
- Journey into Mystery #116 [1/2]
- Avengers (2017) #3.1
- Fantastic Four (1961) #39-40
- Daredevil (1964) #8
- Daredevil (1964) #9
- Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #3 [1/4]
- Heroes & Legends (1996)
- Marvels (1994) #2
- Daredevil (1964) #10-19
- Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964) #3 [1/2]
- Daredevil (1964) #20-21
- Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #43
- Daredevil (1964) #22-27
- Daredevil (1964) #28
- Strange Tales #156 [1/2]
- Daredevil (1964) #29-34
- Daredevil Annual (1967) #1 [1/7]
- Daredevil (1964) #35-38
- Fantastic Four (1961) #73
- Daredevil (1964) #39-46
- Avengers (1963) #60
- Daredevil (1964) #47-57
- Daredevil (1964) #58-68
- Daredevil (1964) #69
- Avengers (1963) #82
- Daredevil (1964) #70-71
- Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man #5
- Daredevil (1964) #72
- Fantastic Four: The World’s Greatest Comics Magazine! (2001) #3
- Iron Man (1968) #35
- Daredevil (1964) #73
- Iron Man (1968) #36
- Daredevil (1964) #74-80
- Daredevil (1964) #81 [1/2]
- Daredevil (1964) #82-83
- Marvels #4
- Daredevil (1964) #84-88
- Incredible Hulk (1968) #152-153
- Daredevil (1964) #89-94
- Elektra: Assassin #1-8
- Daredevil (1964) #95-99
- Avengers (1963) #111
- Daredevil (1964) #100-107
- Man-Thing (1974) #1
- Daredevil (1994) #108
- Code of Honor (1997) #1
- Daredevil (1994) #109
- Marvels: Eye of the Camera #2
- Daredevil Annual (2018) #1
- Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #3
- Daredevil (1994) #110-112
- Spider-Man/Human Torch (2005) #3
- Marvel Team-Up (1972) #25
- Daredevil (1994) #113-117
- Deadly Hands of Kung Fu (1974) #8 [2/2]
- Daredevil (1964) #118
- Giant-Size Defenders (1974) #3 [1/3]
- Daredevil (1964) #119
- Code of Honor (1997) #2
- Daredevil (1964) #120-123
- Defenders (1972) #24-25
- Daredevil (1964) #124-125
- Daredevil (1964) #126-128
- Daredevil (1964) #129-130
- Daredevil (1964) #131-137
- Iron Man (1968) #89
- Daredevil (1964) #138
- Ghost Rider (1973) #20
- Defenders (1972) #40
- Marvel Team-Up (1972) #51
- Daredevil Annual (1967) #4
- Daredevil (1964) #139-140
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event/ Crossover |
| Daredevil #-1 (1997) Elektra #-1 (1997) Young Matt Murdock heads to New York State College where he first meets Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson and Elektra Natchios; Elektra is approached by Stick. | FLASHBACK | |
| Daredevil: Battlin’ Jack Murdock #1-4 (2007) The Fixer approaches Jack Murdock, offering him money to throw the fight with Carl ‘Crusher’ Creel; Jack’s decision will change the course of the life of his son, Matt Murdock. | ||
| Marvel Saga #1 (1985) Matt Murdock cameo; Matt Murdock reels from the loss of this father. | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #1-3 (1964) The death of Battling Jack Murdock inspires Matt Murdock to become the crime-fighting vigilante Daredevil; Matt and Foggy open their own law firm and hire Karen Page as secretary; Daredevil hunts the Fixer over the death of Jack Murdock; Matt meets the Fantastic Four; Daredevil battles Electro and the crime boss known as the Owl. 1st appearance: Daredevil/Matthew Murdock, Carl ‘Crusher Creel/’Rocky Davis’, Judge Elton Lewis (unnamed), Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson, Owl/Leland Owlsley, Aerie, Nelson and Murdock Attorneys at Law | |
| ✔ | Amazing Spider-Man #16 (1964) Matt, Karen and Foggy go to the circus, but unfortunately, it’s the Circus of Crime; Daredevil and Spider-Man take down their criminal endeavour. | |
| Marvels #2 (p.20) (1994) Matt Murdock cameo; Matt and Karen attend Alicia Masters‘ sculpture exhibition… | ||
| Amazing Spider-Man #18 (1964) Daredevil cameo; Daredevil thinks differently about Spider-Man when he hears the web-slinger ran from a fight. | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #4 (1964) Matt Murdock is assigned as the lawyer for persuasive criminal Killgrave, aka the Purple Man; Daredevil has to rescue Karen Page from the Purple Man’s next scheme. 1st appearance: Purple Man/Killgrave | |
| Unlimited Access #2 (1998) Access meets a young Daredevil while bouncing through time. | UNLIMITED ACCESS | |
| Untold Tales of Spider-Man ’97 Annual (1997) Daredevil is among the heroes who assist Spider-Man against Sundown. 1st appearance: Mary Kelleher, Sundown/David Lowell | IT’S DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Daredevil #5-6 (1964-1965) Daredevil faces the cruel criminal Matador; Mister Fear recruits the Eel and the Ox into his Fellowship of Fear, a group dedicated to destroying Daredevil. 1st appearance: Fellowship of Fear, Matador/Manuel Eloganto, Mister Fear/Zoltan Drago | |
| X-Men #13 (1965) Matt Murdock cameo; Professor X reaches out to Matt Murdock for help against the Juggernaut, but he doesn’t respond. | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #7 (pp.1-5) (1965) Donning a new all-red costume, Daredevil decides to confront the rampaging Namor the Sub-Mariner… | THE QUEST FOR NEPTUNE’S TRIDENT |
| Journey into Mystery #116 [1/2] (1965) Daredevil cameo; Daredevil ignores the Teen Brigade‘s request for help in favour of finding the Sub-Mariner. 1st appearance: Yagg the Invincible, Skornheim | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #7 (pp.5-20) (1965) Daredevil confronts Namor in New York and convinces him to turn himself over to the authorities; while in court, the Sub-Mariner realises he’s fall for Krang‘s efforts to distract him and returns to the ocean to reclaim his throne. | THE QUEST FOR NEPTUNE’S TRIDENT |
| Avengers #3.1 (2017) Daredevil cameo; Daredevil is among the heroes taking on the Awesome Android‘s miniature replicas. New identity: Cressida as Avenger X | FOUR | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #39-40 (1965) Daredevil assists the Fantastic Four when Doctor Doom takes over the Baxter Building, providing a distraction. | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #8 (pp.1-8) (1965) Matt Murdock takes a case from Wilbur Day whose boss stole his invention; Daredevil is faced with a new crook called Stilt-Man… 1st appearance: Carl Kaxton/William Kaxton, Stilt-Man/Wilbur Day, Kaxton Industries | |
| Marvels #2 (p.25) (1994) Daredevil cameo; Phil Sheldon takes photos of Daredevil’s battle with Stilt-Man… | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #8 (pp.8-20) (1965) Daredevil discovers Stilt-Man’s secret; Matt Murdock alienates himself from Karen Page; | |
| Daredevil #9 (1965) Matt Murdock travels to Lichtenbad where Daredevil stumbles across Duke Kalus Kruger‘s plot to kidnaps the smartest people on the planet. 1st appearance: Castle Kruger, Lichtenbad | ||
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Annual #3 [1/4] (pp.1-19) (1965) Matt Murdock attends Reed & Sue Richards‘ wedding; Daredevil is among ghe heroes who fend off the villains who attack the wedding. 1st appearance: Hedy Wolfe (modern), Patsy Walker (modern), Emotion Charger New identity: Invisible Girl/Susan Storm as Susan Storm-Richards | THE WEDDING OF SUE AND REED |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances |
| Heroes & Legends (pp.25-41) (1996) The battle between the heroes and villains at Reed & Sue Richards’ wedding continues. | |
| Marvels #2 (p.33) (1994) Matt Murdock resumes his civilian identity to watch Reed & Sue share their vows. | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #10-19 (1965-1966) Daredevil takes on the Organization‘s costumed Ape-Man, Bird-Man, Cat-Man and Frog-Man and discovers a plot by the Organizer and a close associate of Nelson & Murdock; Foggy Nelson meets the love of this life, Debbie Harris; Daredevil faces the Plunderer in the Savage Land and learns his connection to Ka-Zar, as well as the origin of Ka-Zar himself; a valuable new metal is discovered in the Savage Land; scientist Karl Stragg switches bodies with criminal thug, the Ox; the Masked Marauder frames Daredevil, resulting in the Man Without Fear being targeted by Spider-Man; Foggy Nelson pretends he’s secretly Daredevil to win Karen Page over; a costume-maker creates his own criminal identity, becoming the Gladiator. 1st appearance: Ani-Man (Bird-Man, Cat-Man, Frog-Man), Bernard Harris, Deborah Harris, Masked Marauder, Milton Monroe, Organization, Organizer/Abner Jonas, Lord Robert Plunder, Plunderer/Edgar Parnival Plunder, Karl Stragg, Chemco Building, Plunder Castle, Skull Island, Blackout Bomb, ‘Anti-Metal’/Vibranium Identity revealed: Ka-Zar’s real name is Lord Kevin Plunder New identity: Monk/Godon Keefer as Ape-Man |
| ✔ | Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3 [1/2] (1966) Daredevil is among the heroes helping Spider-Man stop the rampaging Hulk! |
| ✔ | Daredevil #20-22 (1966) Daredevil #22 (pp.1-3) (1966) Matt Murdock is kidnapped by the Owl who also puts Judge Elton Lewis on trial in his Aerie; Daredevil rescues Judge Lewis from a volcano and a giant robot owl! 1st appearance: Judge Elton Lewis (full) |
| Amazing Spider-Man #43 (1966) Matt Murdock cameo; the Rhino escapes prison before Foggy Nelson has a chance to legally prove he deserves his freedom. | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #22 (pp.3-20) (1966) Daredevil #23-27 (1966-1967) The Masked Marauder sends his android Tri-Man to attack Daredevil at a boxing match and kidnap Foggy Nelson and Karen Page; Masked Marauder aims to kills Daredevil to prove he should join the Maggia; Daredevil’s fight with the Maggia takes him to England where he fights the savage Ka-Zar; Daredevil and Ka-Zar join forces against the Plunderer; Karen Page reads a letter from Spider-Man stating he knows Matt Murdock is Daredevil; Matt Murdock comes up with a fictional twin brother, ‘Mike Murdock’, who he claims is Daredevil; the bouncing thief Leap-Frog is confronted by Daredevil; Stilt-Man returns; the identity of the Masked Marauder is revealed before his final confrontation with DD! 1st appearance: Brain/Wilder Berne, Dancer/Ramsey Ruud, Leap-Frog/Vincent Patilio (real name unrevealed), Mangler/Tobe Levine, Tri-Man Identity revealed: Masked Marauder is Frank Farnum New identity: Daredevil/Matt Murdock as ‘Mike Murdock’ |
| Daredevil #28 (1966) The alien Queega plan to take over Earth by making everyone blind; already blind, Daredevil is unhindered and able to defeat them. 1st appearance: Queega | |
| Strange Tales #156 [1/2] (1967) Daredevil cameo; Daredevil is among the heroes feeling helpless due to the severity of Hydra‘s attack on America. 1st appearance: Hydra Island Identity revealed: Supreme Hydra is Baron Wolfgang von Strucker | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #29-34 (1967) Matt Murdock considers revealing his secret identity to Karen Page; Daredevil disguises himself as Thor to draw out the Cobra and Mister Hyde, only to enrage the real God of Thunder; the clash with the Cobra and Hyde briefly costs Daredevil his abilities; Matt Murdock hangs out with Foggy Nelson as ‘Mike Murdock’; the Beetle reveals his origin and proves to be a challenge for Daredevil. Identity revealed: Beetle is Abner Jenkins |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Daredevil King-Size Special #1 [1/7] (1967) Electro forms the Emissaries of Evil for the express purpose of destroying Daredevil; despite Electro, Gladiator, Leap-Frog, Matador and Stilt-Man joining forces, Daredevil is able to overcome their efforts. 1st appearance: Emissaries of Evil Note: The issue is also referred to as Daredevil Annual #1 | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #35-38 (1967-1968) Fantastic Four #73 (1968) After he’s targeted by the Trapster who’s looking to rebuild his rep, Daredevil is captured by Doctor Doom; Doom switches bodies with Daredevil in a plot to sneak into the Baxter Building, but Daredevil convinces him otherwise; the Fantastic Four pursue Daredevil, still believing him to be Doctor Doom, in a battle that also draws in Spider-Man and Thor; Foggy Nelson is offered the role of New York District Attorney. 1st appearance: Body-Transferral Ray | THE LIVING PRISON |
| ✔ | Daredevil #39-46 (1968) The Ani-Men return as the Unholy Three under the guidance of the criminal mastermind Exterminator; an explosion appears to take the Exterminator’s life; Matt Murdock allows the world to think Daredevil is dead, ending the ‘life’ of Mike Murdock; Daredevil returns to battle the bank-robbing Jester who frames DD for murderer, bringing him into conflict with Captain America; Karen Page quits Nelson & Murdock; Daredevil has to reveal the Jester’s identity to the world to clear his name. 1st appearance: Exterminator/Phillip Sterling (true identity unrevealed), Jester/Jonathan Powers New identity: Ani-Men as Unholy Three, Daredevil/Matt Murdock as the Jester | |
| Avengers #60 (1969) Daredevil attends the Wasp and Yellowjacket‘s wedding. | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #47-51 (1968-1969) Daredevil and Matt Murdock fight to clear the name of police officer Willie Lincoln who’s framed by gang boss Biggie Benson, leading to a clashes with Stilt-Man; Daredevil fights for his life against Starr Saxon‘s Plastoid robot, only to be left near death! 1st appearance: Biggie Benson, Willie Lincoln, Samuel ‘Starr’ Saxon | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #52 (1969) Black Panther is distracted from his mission to oppose the Egghead, instead focusing on saving Daredevil’s life (and learning his secret identity in the process); Daredevil has his final confrontation with Starr Saxon who knows Matt Murdock is under the mask. | LIKE A DEATH RAY FROM THE SKY |
| ✔ | Daredevil #53-57 (1969) Matt Murdock reflect son his origins and fakes his own death when Starr Saxon returns as the new Mister Fear; Matt Murdock reveals he’s still alive, which only adds to Karen Page’s confusion when she’s also attacked by her father, Paxton Page, as Death’s Head; Matt Murdock reveals his secret identity to Karen Page and proposes to her. 1st appearance: Crime-Wave (mention), Death’s Head/Paxton Page | |
| Daredevil #58-68 (1969-1970) Matt Murdock fails to live up to his promise to quit being Daredevil when the Stunt-Master attacks the United Fund Parade; the assassin Torpedo is hired to kill Daredevil; the true identity of Crime-Wave rocks Foggy Nelson; Jester joins forces with Cobra and Mister Hyde to kill Daredevil; Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond) tries to prove himself a better crime-fighter than DD by staging crimes; Gladiator tries to break out of prison; Karen Page leaves town; Daredevil helps turn Stunt-Master’s life around; TV actor Vince Sterling gains an exoskeleton, becomes Brother Brimstone and kills his co-star; Stilt-Man sabotages Stunt-Master; Daredevil saves Foggy Nelson from the extremist group Phoenix. 1st appearance: Brother Brimstone/Vince Sterling, Crime-Wave/Mason Hollis (actual appearance), Pop Fenton, Kid Gawaine, Mister Big, Phoenix, Stunt-Master/George Smith, Torpedo New identity: SM Studios as Delazny Studios | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #69 (1970) Avengers #82 (1970) Black Panther confirms he knows Daredevil’s secret identity; the Panther helps DD end the criminal threat of the Thunderbolts street gang; in return, Daredevil assists the Black Panther in freeing New York from the Zodiac‘s control. 1st appearance: Lonnie Carver, William ‘Bill’ Carver, Turk Barrett, Thunderbolts | HOSTAGE! |
| Daredevil #70-71 (1970) The right-wing extremist Tribune attacks anyone he perceives to be an enemy, using an energy gavel to leave them in a death-like state, attracting Daredevil’s attention. 1st appearance: Spiro Agnew, Nick Dillman, Tribune/Buck Ralston |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event/ Crossover |
| Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man #5 (1999) Daredevil cameo; Daredevil is among the heroes preparing for the Psycho-Man‘s attack on New York. | ||
| Daredevil #72 (1970) Daredevil and the other-dimensional Tagak pursue the thief Quothar who’s stolen an artefact from Tagak’s world. 1st appearance: Tagak | ||
| Fantastic Four: The World’s Greatest Comics Magazine! #3 (2001) Daredevil, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange join the Fantastic Four and the X-Men in their fight against the robotic Sentinels. | ||
| Iron Man #35 (1971) Daredevil #73 (1971) Iron Man #36 (1971) Capricorn of the Zodiac sends Spymaster to capture Daredevil; Nick Fury transports himself, Daredevil and Iron Man to the Ankh Dimension where they battle the Zodiac. 1st appearance: Brotherhood of the Ankh, Ramrod, Marianne Rodgers, Ankh Dimension Identity revealed: Libra is Gustav Brandt, Sagittarius is Harlan Vargas | REVENGE OF THE ZODIAC | |
| Daredevil #74-76 (1971) Daredevil is uniquely able to help New Yorkers when the entire population of the city are left blind; Daredevil assists a US ambassador who’s been taken to Delvadia by the revolutionary Condor. 1st appearance: Condor, Juan, Hidalgo Rodriguez, Delvadia | ||
| Daredevil #77 (1971) Daredevil and Spider-Man fight it out against Namor the Sub-Mariner due to a misunderstanding over an alien spacecraft; Karen Pages returns to New York. 1st appearance: Phil, Princess Tuvia | IN THE NAME OF TURALLA THE KLINE SAGA | |
| Daredevil #78-80 (1971) Daredevil #81 [1/2] (1971) Daredevil #82 (1971) Daredevil #83 (pp.1-13) (1972) The mysterious Mister Kline transforms William Taurens into the Man-Bull and sends him and the Owl to kill Daredevil; the Black Widow saves Daredevil from a near-death experience and the two become partners; Daredevil and Black Widow face the Scorpion, only for the Black Widow to be accused of his murder. 1st appearance: Assassin/’Mister Kline’, Freak-Face, Phil Hichok (full name revealed), Itch, ‘Mister Hyde’, Man-Bull/William ‘Bull’ Taurens, Professor, ‘Scorpion’ Identity revealed: Black Widow’s full name is Natasha Romanoff | THE KLINE SAGA | |
| Marvels #4 (p.5) (1994) The Black Widow is put on trial for the murder of the Scorpion. | ||
| Daredevil #83 (pp.14-21) (1972) Daredevil #84 (1972) Mister Hyde attacks Daredevil for Mister Kline; Black Widow is cleared of her charges; Daredevil learns the truth about Mister Kline. 1st appearance: Earth-71778 New identity: ‘Mister Kline’ as Dr Emil Borgdsky Identity revealed: ‘Mister Kline’ is the android MK-9 | THE KLINE SAGA | |
| Daredevil #85-88 (1972) Daredevil and Black Widow return to New York where they clash with the Gladiator, the Ox and Electro; Matt Murdock is reunited with Karen Page; Daredevil and Black Widow relocate to San Francisco and discover the Purple Man’s return. 1st appearance: Paul Carson, Larry Cranston, Danny French, Robert ‘Iron Guts’ O’Hara | ||
| Bizarre Adventures #28 [1/5] (1981) No Daredevil appearance; Elektra Natchios is hired to kill a spice merchant. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #152-153 (1972) Matt Murdock represents Bruce Banner when he stands trial over the actions of the Hulk, pitting him against his former law partner, Foggy Nelson. | WHO WILL JUDGE THE HULK? |
| Daredevil #89-94 (1972-1973) Electro and the Purple Man team up against Daredevil; DD and the Black Widow face a new Mister Fear; the Black Panther stands in for Daredevil when the Black Widow opposes power-obsessed businessman Damon Dran who transforms himself into the Indestructible Man; Matt Murdock becomes a partner at the Broderick & Sloan Law Firm. 1st appearance: Blue Talon/Itto Yamura, Broderick Sloan & Murdock, Indestructible Man/Damon Dran, Jason Sloan New identity: Black Panther as Daredevil, Larry Cranston as Mister Fear | ||
| ✔ | Elektra: Assassin #1-8 (1986-1987) No Daredevil appearance; the amnesiac Elektra Natchios escapes the Valley of Peace Institution for the Criminally Insane, but soon recalls discovering the existence of the immortal Beast who’s trying to start a nuclear war; SHIELD agents John Garrett and Chastity McBryde are sent by Nick Fury to take out Elektra when she targets presidential candidate Ken Wind for death, as she’s the only one who knows Wind is an agent of the Beast. 1st appearance: Harold Beaker, Beast/Krahllak, Chuck the Dwarf, Agent John Garrett, Julio Gonzales, Carlos Huevos, Chastity McBryde, Arthur Perry, Ken Wind, Valley of Peace Institution for the Criminally Insane | |
| Daredevil #95-98 (1972-1973) Man-Bull returns to plague Daredevil and the Black Widow, followed by the Dark Messiah and the Disciples of Doom. 1st appearance: Kerwin J Broderick (shadow), Dark Messiah/Mordecai Jones, Disciples of Doom (Josiah the Deceiver, Macabee the Tall, Uriah the Faithful) |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event/ Crossover |
| Daredevil #99 (1973) Avengers #111 (1973) Hawkeye comes to San Francisco to take his beloved Black Widow back; Daredevil and Hawkeye battle it out; Daredevil agrees to assist the remaining Avengers in freeing members of the team who, alongside the X-Men, are being held captive by Magneto; Black Widow agrees to join the Avengers. | THE MARK OF HAWKEYE | |
| Daredevil #100-102 (1973) Daredevil faces the hallucination-inducing Angar the Screamer; Black Widow returns to San Francisco, having hastily left the Avengers, and sides with Daredevil against Angar and Stilt-Man. 1st appearance: Angar the Screamer/David Angar | ||
| Daredevil #103 (1973) Spider-Man assists DD and the Black Widow against the cyborg Ramrod. 1st appearance: Madame MacEvil (shadow), Ramrod | WIDOW AT BAY | |
| Daredevil #104 (1973) Kraven the Hunter is hired to kill Daredevil. 1st appearance: Kerwin J Broderick (full) | ||
| Daredevil #105-107 (1973-1974) Escaping Kraven, Daredevil is saved by Madame MacEvil, aka Moon Dragon, who’s looking for Thanos‘ agent in San Francisco; Daredevil and the Black Widow battle all of their recent foes, having learned who really hired them. 1st appearance: Terrex New identity: Madame MacEvil as Moon Dragon | THE THANOS WAR | |
| Man-Thing #1 (1974) Daredevil cameo; Daredevil and the Black Widow briefly find themselves in another dimension! | BATTLE FOR THE PALACE OF THE GODS | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #108 (pp.1-16) (1974) Matt Murdock leaves his rocky relationship with Black Widow, returning to New York when he hears Foggy Nelson has been shot; Daredevil intercepts the Beetle… 1st appearance: Anna Nelson, Candace Nelson, Edward Nelson, Sensia (starship, named) | BLACK SPECTRE |
| Code of Honor #1 (pp.22-23) (1997) Dardevil’s clash with the Beetle is witnessed by cops… | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #108 (pp.17-19) (1974) Daredevil #109 (pp.1-14) (1974) The criminal Black Spectre organisation kidnap the Black Widow; Daredevil struggles to understand the Black Spectre’s goals when they dump money over Manhattan… 1st appearance: Black Spectre | BLACK SPECTRE |
| Marvels: Eye of the Camera #2 (pp.15) (2009) Daredevil is seen confronting Black Spectre troops… | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #109 (pp.15-19) (1974) Daredevil realises the Black Spectre’s plan and who’s under the troops’ masks; Shanna the She-Devil comes to Matt Murdock’s aid! | BLACK SPECTRE |
| Daredevil Annual #1 (2018) Daredevil and Misty Knight tackle Frankie ‘Fear’ Paura‘s gang. 1st appearance: Nicky Scarpe | ||
| ✔ | Marvel Two-in-One #3 (1974) Daredevil #110-112 (1974) Shanna the She-Devil and the Thing help Daredevil unmask the mastermind behind the Black Spectre; Daredevil’s efforts to free the Black Widow from mind-control put him in the firing line of the Silver Samurai; Daredevil and Shanna tackle the Mandrill and Nekra! 1st appearance: Frederic Beechman (unnamed), Shingen Harada (mentioned, unnamed), Silver Samurai/Kenuichio Harada (real name unrevealed) | BLACK SPECTRE |
| Spider-Man/Human Torch #3 (2005) Daredevil cameo; a news report covers Daredevil’s battle with the Stilt-Man. |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances |
| Marvel Team-Up #25 (1974) Daredevil throws down with Spider-Man as part of his plan to save a kidnapped girl from the Unholy Three. | |
| ✔ | Daredevil #113-117 (1974-1975) The Death-Stalker hires Gladiator to kill Candace Nelson; Matt Murdock investigates the connection between the Man-Thing and the missing Ted Sallis; Daredevil’s secret identity is under threat; Black Widow and Daredevil battle the Owl; Daredevil’s Billy Club gets a major upgrade. New identity: Exterminator as Death-Stalker Identity revealed: Man-Thing/Ted Sallis’ full name revealed to be Theodore Sallis |
| Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #8 [2/2] (1975) Matt Murdock offers up legal advice to the Sons of the Tiger. 1st appearance: Lotus Shinchuko | |
| Daredevil #118 (1975) The Circus of Crime and their new member, Blackwing, plan to rob New York City, but worry that Daredevil will disrupt their plans. 1st appearance: Blackwing/Joseph Manfredi | |
| Giant-Size Defenders #3 [1/3] (1975) The Grandmaster chooses Daredevil and the Defenders to face off against the Prime Mover‘s deadly warriors from across time, including Korvac! 1st appearance: Chiroptera, Dumog, Fomalhauti, Grott the Manslayer, Grunds, Korvac, Reptoids, Takkor, Teju | |
| Daredevil #119 (1975) After the death of the original Crusher, Daredevil faces a new Crusher! New identity: Kid Gawaine as Father Gawaine | |
| Code of Honor #2 (p.8) (1997) Daredevil and Black Widow chase down criminal gangs in New York at night. | |
| Daredevil #120-123 (1975) Daredevil battles Hydra agent El Jaguar and the surprising new Supreme Hydra; Nick Fury decides to recruit Foggy Nelson into SHIELD; Backwing’s connection to Hydra is revealed. 1st appearance: Jackhammer, El Jaguar/Ramon de Rico New identity: Silvermane/Silvio Manfredi as Supreme Hydra | |
| Defenders #24-25 (1975) Clea and Bruce Banner call upon Daredevil, Power Man and the Son of Satan to rescue the Defenders who’ve been kidnapped by the Sons of the Serpent. 1st appearance: Elf with a Gun | |
| Daredevil #124-125 (1975) Black Widow and Daredevil part ways; a pulp vigilante inspires the action of Lawrence Chesney who goes on a murder-spree, killing criminals as Copperhead; 1st appearance: Copperhead/Lawrence Chesney, Blake Tower (cameo, on poster) |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Daredevil #126-127 (1975) A good man obtains the costume of the fallen villain Torpedo, leading to a case of mistaken identity with Daredevil believing he new hero to be his foe; Heather Glenn enters Matt Murdock’s life. 1st appearance: Heather Glenn, Torpedo/Brock Jones, Torpedo/Michael Stivak, Blake Tower (full) | IRON FIST MUST DIE! |
| ✔ | Daredevil #128 (1975) The Death-Stalker is revealed to be alive; Matt Murdock moves into a new Brownstone apartment; the mysterious Sky-Walker saves Daredevil from the Death-Stalker. 1st appearance: Sky-Walker | |
| Daredevil #129-130 (1976) Daredevil is caught in the middle of a feud between Man-Bull and the Matador; Franklin Nelson starts up Storefront Legal Services; Brother Zed struggles to hypnotise Daredevil. 1st appearance: Brother Zed, Storefront Legal Services | ||
| ✔ | Daredevil #131-136 (1976) Daredevil #137 (pp.1-15) (1976) Iron Man #89 (1976) Daredevil #137 (pp.16-17) (1976) Daredevil #138 (1976) Ghost Rider #20 (1976) Daredevil is lured into a public battle by the attention-hungry assassin Bullseye; Daredevil and Uri Geller fight off the telepathic Mind-Wave; Daredevil and Torpedo pursue the Chameleon; the Jester tries to frame Daredevil for his death and kidnaps Karen Page; the Blood Brothers slow Daredevil’s search for Karen; Ghost Rider and Daredevil join forces against Karen Page’s kidnapper, Death’s Head, who’s looking for Paxton Page’s research in Los Angeles. 1st appearance: Bullseye, Jake Conover, Ed ‘Killer’ Croesus, Uri Geller, Maxwell Glenn, Mind-Wave/Erik Gelden, Rocketeers (Ainsley Wescott), Mr Stone New identity: Death-Stalker as Death’s Head | SALVATION RUN |
| Daredevil Annual #4 (pp.1-2) (1976) Matt Murdock returns to New York and is reunited with Heather Glenn… | ||
| Defenders #40 (1976) Matt Murdock cameo; Matt Murdock is hired to represent the Valkyrie in court. | EXILE TO OBLIVION! | |
| Marvel Team-Up #51 (1976) Matt Murdock cameo; Matt Murdock offers assistance in court to Emerson Bale. | ||
| Daredevil Annual #4 (pp.2-35) (1976) Daredevil discovers a plot to extort Mallory Intertech head Robert Mallory; Daredevil and the Black Panther defend Mallory from Namor the Sub-Mariner. | ||
| Daredevil #139-140 (1976) Daredevil hunts a criminal family who’ve suffered a horrible loss; the Beetle and the Gladiator escape prison and seek revenge on Daredevil! |
Daredevil‘s saga will continue in the following reading orders:
- DAREDEVIL, 1977-1986 – ‘The Elektra Saga’ to ‘Born Again’
- DAREDEVIL, 1987-1992 – Last Rites
- DAREDEVIL, 1993-1997 – A Touch of Typhoid
- DAREDEVIL, 1998-2003 – Marvel Knights
Notable versions of Daredevil from throughout the Marvel Multiverse within this time period:
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Not Brand Echh #2 [1/3] (1967) Not Brand Echh #3 [3/4] (1967) Not Brand Echh #4 [1/3] (1967) Not Brand Echh #5 [1/3] (1967) Not Brand Echh #6 [2/3] (1968) Not Brand Echh #13 [1/13] (1969) Not Brand Echh #13 [9/13] (1967) EARTH-665 – Short-sighted lawyer Splat Murdock is the accident prone adventurer Scaredevil. |
| What If? #8 [1/2] (1978) EARTH-7848 – Spider-Man joins Daredevil during his first clash with Electro, only for the villain to figure out Daredevil is blind. [Diverging from Daredevil #2] |
| What If? #28 [2/3] (1981) EARTH-8180 – Tony Stark recruits Daredevil as an agent of SHIELD. [Diverging from Daredevil #1] |
| Daredevil: The Man Without Fear #1-5 (1993-1994) UNKNOWN EARTH: An alternate version of Matt Murdock’s origin pits him against the Kingpin much earlier in his career and, to some degree, inspires him to become Daredevil. |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Daredevil Omnibus vol.1 | Daredevil #1-41 Daredevil Annual #1 Fantastic Four #73 Not Brand Echh #4 [part] |
| Daredevil Omnibus vol.2 | Daredevil #42-74 Iron Man #35, 36 [part] |
| Daredevil Omnibus vol.3 | Amazing Adventures #1-8 [parts] Avengers #111 Daredevil #75-119 |
| Daredevil Omnibus vol.4 | Daredevil #120-158 Daredevil Annual #4 Ghost Rider #20 Marvel Premiere #39-40, 43 What If #8 |
| Daredevil Epic Collection: The Man Without Fear (vol.1) | Daredevil #1-21 |
| Daredevil Epic Collection: Mike Murdock Must Die! (vol.2) | Daredevil #22-41 Daredevil Annual #1 Fantastic Four #73 Not Brand Echh #4 [part] |
| Daredevil Epic Collection: Brother, Take My Hand (vol.3) | Daredevil #42-63 |
| Daredevil Epic Collection: A Woman Called Widow (vol.4) | Daredevil #64-86 Iron Man #35-36 |
| Daredevil Epic Collection: Going Out West (vol.5) | Avengers #111 Daredevil #87-107 |
| Daredevil Epic Collection: Watch Out For Bullseye (vol.6) | Daredevil #108-132 Marvel Two-in-One #3 |
| Daredevil Epic Collection: The Concrete Jungle (vol.7) | Daredevil #133-154 Daredevil Annual #4 Ghost Rider #20 Marvel Premiere #39-40, 43 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.1 | Daredevil #1-11 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.2 | Daredevil #12-21 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.3 | Daredevil #22-32 Daredevil Annual #1 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.4 | Daredevil #33-41 Fantastic Four #73 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.5 | Daredevil #42-53 Not Brand Echh #4 [part] |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.6 | Daredevil #54-63 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.7 | Daredevil #64-74 Iron Man #35-36 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.8 | Amazing Adventures #1-8 [parts] Daredevil #75-84 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.9 | Daredevil #85-96 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.10 | Avengers #111 Daredevil #97-107 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.11 | Daredevil #108-119 Marvel Two-in-One #3 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.12 | Daredevil #120-132 FOOM #13 [part] |
| Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.13 | Daredevil #133-143 Daredevil Annual #4 Ghost Rider #19 [part], 20 Marvel Premiere #39-40 |
| Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.1: While The City Sleeps | Daredevil #1-11 |
| Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.2: Alone Against The Underworld | Daredevil #12-21 |
| Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil vol.3: Unmasked | Daredevil #22-32 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Great Power (vol.1) Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus vol.1 Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man vol.2 Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man vol.2: The Sinister Six Mighty Marvel Team-Up Thrillers | Amazing Spider-Man #16 |
| Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Spider-Man No More (vol.3) Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus vol.2 Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man vol.5 Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man vol.5: To Become an Avenger Spider-Man: Am I An Avenger? | Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3 |
| Decades: Marvel in the ’60s – Spider-Man Meets The Marvel Universe | Amazing Spider-Man #16 Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3 Daredevil #16-17, 27 |
| Avengers Epic Collection: This beachhead Earth (vol.5) Avengers Omnibus vol.3 Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers vol.9 | Avengers #82 |
| Avengers Epic Collection: A Traitor Stalks Among Us (vol.6) Avengers Omnibus vol.4 Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers vol.11 | Avengers #111 Daredevil #99 |
| Fantastic Firsts vol.1 Marvel Firsts: The 1960s Son of Origins of Marvel Comics – Revised Edition | Daredevil #1 |
| Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner vol.1 Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Namor the Sub-Mariner vol.1: The Quest Begins Namor the Sub-Mariner Epic Collection: Enter the Sub-Mariner (vol.1) | Daredevil #7 |
| Best Marvel Comics of Stan Lee Omnibus Marvel Visionaries: Stan Lee vol.1 | Daredevil #7, 47 Fantastic Four Annual #3 |
| Marvel: 1965 Omnibus | Daredevil #9 |
| Marvel Visionaries: John Romita Sr Spider-Man’s Greatest Team-Ups | Daredevil #16-17 |
| Doctor Doom Epic Collection: Enter… Doctor Doom (vol.1) | Daredevil #37-38 Fantastic Four #39-40, 73 |
| Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Black Panther vol.1: The Claws of the Panther | Daredevil #52 |
| Black Panther: The Early Years Omnibus | Daredevil #52, 69 |
| Black Panther Epic Collection: Panther’s Rage (vol.1) | Daredevil #69 |
| Invincible Iron Man Omnibus vol.3 Iron Man Epic Collection: The Fury of Firebrand (vol.4) Marvel Masterworks: Iron Man vol.7 | Daredevil #73 Iron Man #35-36 |
| Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner vol.6 Namor the Sub-Mariner Epic Collection: Titans Three (vol.4) | Daredevil #77 |
| Black Widow Epic Collection: Beware the Black Widow (vol.1) Black Widow: The Sting of the Widow Premiere Edition Black Widow Omnibus | Daredevil #81 |
| Marvel Visionaries: Chris Claremont | Daredevil #102 |
| Thanos Wars: Infinity Origin Omnibus | Daredevil #105 |
| Avengers vs Thanos | Daredevil #105-107 |
| Dakota North: Design for Dying | Daredevil #106-110 |
| Women of Marvel: Celebrating Seven Decades Omnibus | Daredevil #108-112 Marvel Two-in-One #3 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Ka-Zar vol.2 | Daredevil #109 [part], 110-112 Marvel Two-in-One #3 [part] |
| Man-Thing by Steve Gerber – The Complete Collection vol.2 | Daredevil #113-114 |
| Daredevil vs Bullseye | Daredevil #131-132 |
| Ghost Rider Epic Collection: The Salvation Run (vol.2) Marvel Masterworks: Ghost Rider vol.2 Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus vol.2 | Daredevil #138 Ghost Rider #20 |
| Best of the Fantastic Four Doctor Doom: The Book of Doom Omnibus Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Coming of Galactus (vol.3) Fantastic Four Omnibus vol.2 Fantastic Four: The Villainy of Doctor Doom Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four vol.4 | Fantastic Four #39-40 |
| Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Coming of Galactus (vol.3) Fantastic Four Omnibus vol.2 | Fantastic Four #39-40 Fantastic Four Annual #3 |
| Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Name is Doom (vol.5) Fantastic Four Omnibus vol.3 Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four vol.8 | Fantastic Four #73 |
| Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four vol.5 Marvel Weddings | Fantastic Four Annual #3 |
| Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Who Will Judge The Hulk? (vol.5) Incredible Hulk Omnibus vol.3 Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk vol.8 | Incredible Hulk #152-153 |
| Invincible Iron Man Omnibus vol.4 Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man vol.11 | Iron Man #89 |
| Marvel Masterworks: Marvel Two-in-One vol.1 Marvel Two-in-One Epic Collection: Cry Monster (vol.1) Marvel Two-in-One Omnibus vol.1 | Marvel Two-in-One #3 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2026
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