How Frank Miller Returned to Daredevil for Born Again

The mid-1980s marked a golden era for Marvel Comics, characterized by some of their all-time best runs that not only boosted their creative output but also solidified their business standing. Having overcome the financial challenges of the late 1970s, thanks in part to the Star Wars franchise, Marvel was poised to revolutionize the comic book industry with the launch of Secret Wars in 1984. This event had a profound impact on both the Marvel Universe and the broader comic industry, steering Marvel's heroes and villains into new narrative territories that would resonate for years.

This period also saw the emergence of other iconic tales such as Frank Miller’s Born Again arc in Daredevil, the resurrection of Jean Grey in X-Factor, and Walt Simonson’s Surtur Saga in Thor, among others. In this article, we delve into these pivotal stories and other significant narratives from the same timeframe. Join us as we explore Part 8 of our series on the essential issues of Marvel!

More Essential Marvel

1961-1963 - The Birth of a Universe
1964-1965 - The Sentinels Are Born and Cap Dethaws
1966-1969 - How Galactus Changed Marvel Forever
1970-1973 - The Night Gwen Stacy Died
1974-1976 - The Punisher Begins His War on Crime
1977-1979 - Star Wars Saves Marvel From Bankruptcy
1980-1982 - Did the Dark Phoenix Saga Usher in the Greatest Decade for Marvel?
Frank Miller's Born Again and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga

For a deep dive into the era's most celebrated storylines, one cannot overlook Born Again, marking Frank Miller's return to writing Daredevil, with David Mazzuchelli taking on the art. Spanning Daredevil #227-233, this arc is often hailed as the definitive Daredevil narrative. The plot kicks off with Karen Page, in a desperate state of addiction, trading Daredevil’s secret identity for heroin. The information eventually reaches the Kingpin, who uses it to dismantle Matt Murdock's life systematically. Left without a home, career, or friends, Matt hits rock bottom, only to be rescued by his mother, a nun named Maggie.

Matt’s gradual resurgence as Daredevil, juxtaposed with Kingpin's escalating fanaticism in his quest to destroy Murdock, crafts a compelling masterpiece. This story inspired the third season of Netflix’s Daredevil and serves as the basis for the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again

However, Born Again wasn't the only landmark narrative of the period. Walt Simonson assumed the role of writer and artist for Thor starting with issue #337 in 1983, introducing Beta Ray Bill, an alien capable of wielding Mjolnir. Simonson’s vision revitalized Thor's mythic essence, culminating in the year-long Surtur Saga from issues #340-353. The saga chronicles the fire demon Surtur's quest to ignite Ragnarok using the Twilight Sword, with Malekith the Accursed sent to thwart Thor. The narrative peaks in a monumental clash where Thor, Loki, and Odin unite against Surtur. Elements of this saga were later adapted into Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.

Secret Wars Changes Comics Forever

In Part 4 of our series, we touched on how the 1973 Avengers/Defenders War foreshadowed the event crossovers that would become a staple of Marvel and DC's publishing strategy. The paradigm shift materialized with the 1984 release of Secret Wars, a 12-issue miniseries penned by then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton. Conceived as part of a marketing collaboration with Mattel, the premise was straightforward: the cosmic entity, the Beyonder, transports a select group of heroes and villains to Battleworld to battle for supremacy between good and evil. The series, while popular for its expansive cast and universe-altering effects, often prioritized action over depth, with notable character inconsistencies, particularly with the X-Men and the unexpected pairing of Magneto and the Wasp.

Secret Wars #1

Despite its narrative shortcomings, Secret Wars undeniably transformed the comic industry. Its success prompted a sequel, Secret Wars II, and alongside DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, it established the event-driven model as a dominant force in comic publishing. The 2015 version by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić offered a more cohesive and satisfying exploration of the concept, yet the original's legacy remains indelible.

Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit and Other Iconic Spidey Stories

Following the foundational work of Stan Lee and Gerry Conway, Amazing Spider-Man found its next iconic writer in Roger Stern. Starting with issue #224, Stern's tenure reinvigorated the series, introducing the Hobgoblin in issue #238, who quickly became one of Spider-Man's most formidable adversaries. Stern's original Hobgoblin saga, though cut short by editorial interference after issue #251, was later completed by Stern in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.

Concurrent with Stern's departure, Amazing Spider-Man #252 introduced Spider-Man's black symbiote costume, originating from Secret Wars #8 on Battleworld. This costume kickstarted a significant subplot that eventually introduced one of Spider-Man's most iconic villains. The black suit's legacy has been widely adapted, from Spider-Man 3 to various animated series and video games. Another pivotal story from this era was The Death of Jean DeWolff in Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110 by Peter David and Rich Buckler, a darker tale of Spider-Man's pursuit of the Sin-Eater, intertwined with conflicts involving Daredevil.

Spectacular Spider-Man #107

Jean Grey Returns, the Rise of Apocalypse, and Other Mutant Landmarks

The mutant corner of the Marvel Universe also experienced significant developments in the mid-1980s. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 confirmed Magneto as the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, a revelation that shaped their narrative for decades until a 2015 retcon. X-Men #171 saw Rogue's transition from villain to hero, joining the X-Men and becoming a fan-favorite. Similarly, X-Men #200 showcased Magneto's trial and subsequent leadership of Xavier's School, marking his shift to heroism.

However, the most impactful mutant stories from this period were Jean Grey's resurrection and the debut of Apocalypse. After the Dark Phoenix Saga, Jean Grey returned in a two-part story across Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286, with her memory of the Phoenix erased. This paved the way for her reunion with the original X-Men in X-Factor, where Apocalypse was introduced in issues #5-6 by Louise Simonson and Jackson Guice. An ancient mutant empowered by Celestial technology, Apocalypse emerged as a central antagonist, influencing numerous X-Men narratives and adaptations, including the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse.

X-Factor #1