I don’t think it’s controversial to say that Daredevil has one of the best comics in Marvel history. Sure, he may not be on the level as some A-list Avengers pals, but the Man Without Fear is one of the most iconic street-level heroes around. His stories have a lot of powerful themes, from the burden of responsibility to the struggle of holding onto faith in our darkest moments. For over six decades, Daredevil’s stories have been entertaining fans all over the world, and many of those covers have become iconic in their own right.
Of course, it’s hard to select just a few covers out of the hero’s history. Daredevil has appeared in well over a thousand comics, hundreds of them being series he starred in. Of course, you can’t forget about his very first appearance on the cover of Daredevil #1, nor the cover of Daredevil #232, an incredibly important chapter in the classic “Born Again” saga. There are so many great Daredevil covers from a lot of incredibly talented artists. But I think the following 10 covers are some of the best from the beloved Marvel hero’s history.
Something about this cover is just fun, you know? A ridiculous villain like Stilt Man with Daredevil zipping around through the air. This is from a more quaint, simple period of Marvel history, before Matt Murdock’s life became so linked to trauma and grief. It’s got a real silly heart and charm to it. We might be more used to seeing Matt face more serious, grounded threats nowadays, but the cover to Daredevil #8 is a good reminder that Daredevil is, above all, a superhero. And if a superhero can’t fight a villain on stilts, what’s the point of them?
Tim Sale was an amazingly talented artist, and the work he did on Daredevil: Yellow is nothing short of amazing. I particularly love the cover of Daredevil: Yellow #1. It’s a great peek at Matt’s earliest days, the last bit of innocence before his father was taken from him. Matt’s future self looms in the background, wearing his infamous original yellow outfit, a solemn hint at the future awaiting the boy walking side-by-side with his dad. There’s a real haunting sadness when it comes to Daredevil and Sale did an amazing job making us feel for him with this cover.
When it comes to Daredevil’s enemies, they don’t get much more despicable than Bullseye (okay, maybe Kingpin). Frank Miller and Klaus Janson’s cover to Daredevil #169 really shows just how messed up Bullseye is when it comes to his nemesis. The maniacal villain stands among a field of slaughtered men and women in Daredevil costumes, reflecting the tumor that caused Bullseye to see everyone as Daredevil. But what really makes this cover is Bullseye’s look of utter happiness. Nothing says ‘absolute psychopath’ like this kind of tableau, which expertly shows off the monster Bullseye really is.
I have a real love for this cover because this was one of my first forays into the Man Without Fear. Paolo Rivera illustrates Daredevil leaping through the city, its sounds defining the landscape around the hero as he navigates through his corner of the Marvel Universe. Aside from the brilliance of this cover, this was also the beginning of Mark Waid’s run on the cover, and the smile on Daredevil’s face really sells that this is going to be a different run than the previous ones; one where Matt is actually allowed to be just a little bit happier.
Everyone who likes the interactions between Daredevil and Punisher has this cover here to thank. Frank Miller’s cover for Daredevil #183 marks the first time that Matt Murdock and Frank Castle ever crossed paths. And yes, the story inside is just as confrontational as you’d think, with the two heroes having very different ideas on how to handle a gang pushing drugs on children in Hell’s Kitchen. I almost hesitated to include this one since it shows Daredevil taking a serious L, but it’s a notable cover and really demonstrates the massive animosity between Daredevil and the Punisher.
The Marvel Knights era of Daredevil has a lot of fans, and for very good reason. This period gave Matt some of his darkest and most human stories, and nothing illustrated those better than covers like Daredevil #50. This cover by Alex Maleev sees Matt sitting in his costume with his mask off. He’s bleeding and tired, weary from the weight of the world. While not as dramatic or heart-wrenching as some of his other covers, this piece expertly communicates the never-ending battle consuming Daredevil and how much energy being the protector of Hell’s Kitchen requires.
I mean, we have to talk about the very, very first appearance of Daredevil, right? Without Daredevil #1, there would be no Man Without Fear, no Foggy, no Hand, or Bullseye. I love how this cover is littered with selling points, telling the reader that Daredevil is just as valuable a hero as the Fantastic Four and asking us to guess what makes this hero so different from others. The minds behind this cover did a great job, because it must have spoken to curious readers, sparking a beloved franchise that would last six decades and counting.
It wouldn’t have felt right not to include a cover from the “Born Again” storyline. That was arguably what defined Daredevil in the Modern Age of Comic Books, and really, there’s only one cover that truly captures the storyline. Daredevil #232 sees Matt in costume, engulfed in flames as the villainous Nuke looks on. Just look at Daredevil’s posture and what we can make out from his face. This is a man who has been to hell and back, ready to give it all to take down anything in his path.
If you’re a Daredevil fan, you know how much the poor guy suffers. Frank Miller’s cover for Daredevil #187 is incredibly simple, just Matt on a white background, begging for all the pain and misery to stop. It’s like he’s making a desperate prayer to God to end his suffering, only for his prayers to fall on the deaf ears of the creative team actually in charge of his stories. Despite his many successes against the villains of the world, this cover reminds us that Daredevil is just a man and can only take so much pain.
Everyone remembers Daredevil #181, the fateful issue where Daredevil’s greatest love, Elektra, fell in a battle with Bullseye. This cover doesn’t spoil that aspect, but it does let you know the stakes. These two are colliding, and only one is going to make it out alive. All Daredevil can do is watch on in horror. Frank Miller had a lot of great covers, but he really knocked it out of the park with this one. Losing Elektra was one of the most painful experiences in Matt’s life, and this cover will forever mark that horrifying moment in Marvel history.
What is your favorite Daredevil cover? Let us know in the comments, or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
