HERO OF THE WEEK: DAREDEVIL (Marvel)Real Name: Matt Murdock
First Appearance: Daredevil #1 (April, 1964)
Fight Club Ranking: #13
Featured Fights:
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #132 (Apr 1976)
- vs HULK: Daredevil #163 (Mar 1980)
- vs TYPHOID MARY: Daredevil #255 (Jun 1988)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #257 (Aug 1988)
- vs TURK: Marvel Comics Presents #19 ((May 1989)
- vs SCOPE: Marvel Comics Presents #49 (May 1990)
- vs SLADE: Daredevil: Man Without Fear #2 (Nov 1993)
- vs DEADPOOL: Contest of Champions II #4 (Nov 1999)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #49 (Sep 2003)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #65 (Nov 2004)
- vs WOLVERINE: Wolverine #24 (Mar 2005)
- vs SINISTER TWELVE: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11 (Apr 2005)
- vs JESTER: Daredevil #75 (Sep 2005)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #79 (Jan 2006)
- vs IRON FIST: Daredevil #87 (Sep 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE: Daredevil #90 (Dec 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE & MATADOR: Daredevil #91 (Jan 2007)
After three seasons on Netflix: Daredevil has officially been cancelled! The news came via Deadline, who reports Marvel may still have plans for Charlie Cox and the live-action series, which joins Iron Fist and Luke Cage on the chopping block. Jessica Jones and The Punisher are expected to follow suit, once already-produced third and second seasons debut for the respective shows.
High cost of production and plunging ratings have been the most cited cause for the break, but diverging interests have been developing between Marvel and Netflix for quite some time. Long awaited confirmation of a Disney streaming service signaled the end, but a struggle appeared to be brewing when Netflix made surprise moves in 2017 to purchase Mark Millar, and all his foreseeable Millarworld comic book creations. This included a venture into the publishing world.
Some assume Daredevil could play out unresolved plotlines on the Disney+ platform, but there's no shortage of options ahead. A continuation would be one way to encourage an existing Netflix viewer-base to explore the new alternative, but Netflix have made it known the various existing Defenders shows will continue to be available, suggesting the library could be tied-up for a little while. Disney are also already banking on three high-profile mini-series spinning out of their film division.
Falcon & Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch & Vision, and Loki are all set to utilize characters from the Avengers film pantheon, delivering the Marvel Universe to an extended television format in ways ABC's Agents of SHIELD -- and the Netflix dramas themselves -- never did. Their isolation and adult tone gave the Netflix shows some broad appeal, but a dearth of characters and reference also led to some of the greatest criticisms. Their value moving forward may be in parts, rather than shows.
The expansive implications of Avengers: Infinity War highlighted a desire to see Daredevil and his TV kin within the larger Marvel context. Indeed, if there were any way to continue on with Daredevil, the most desirable would probably be a team-up with Spider-man!
Sony have been talking up a crime-filled future of Spider-related films, building up prospects for the Black Cat, Tombstone, Silver Sable, and more. It would be awesome to see Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin assume his place at the top of that organized crime world!
To date Marvel haven't typically gone very hard with their properties, but the potential to be more interesting is being foisted upon them. The original film Avengers are increasingly flirting with an exit, and the winds of change present the potential to restock the movie tent-pole with characters whose history has already been told. Daredevil and the Netflix characters could usher in an era of New Avengers, or even bolster supporting casts, such as Iron Fist in a sequel to Doctor Strange.
If history has told us anything, it's that the most exciting prospects probably won't pan out. The future is never the less uncertain. Marvel is preparing to welcome X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Silver Surfer back into their fold via the FOX acquisition. With Daredevil and the Netflix characters now at loose ends, the future feels very uncertain. Which is good enough to make DD the Hero of the Week!
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