“Can one man make a difference? There are days when I believe, and others when I’ve lost all faith.”
Since 1964, Marvel Comics’ Daredevil has been giving criminals their due in Hell’s Kitchen on the streets of New York seeking justice … one way or another. Blinded due to an accident as a kid, Matt Murdock lost his sight but his other four senses gave way to superhuman abilities. During the day, he is an attorney defending the innocent and bringing the guilty to trial for justice. But at night, where the legal system failed and left off, Matt Murdock comes in as Daredevil, The Man Without Fear.
Over his 45 years, Daredevil has made enemies out of Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin and his hit man Bullseye, and sometimes his love life is spotty at best. For instance, he has had a torrid on/off romance with the beautiful Elektra Natchios, an assassin for the highest bidder. Created by Stan Lee, Daredevil has been written by Frank Miller and Indie writer/director Kevin Smith, who made a cameo in the 2003 film adaptation with friend Ben Affleck in the title role (Lee made a cameo also). Though the film received mixed reviews from critics and moviegoers when released, Daredevil did turned in a profit at the box office at $100 million — guaranteed for the spin-off Elektra released in 2005 with Jennifer Garner in the title role; however, the film only took in $20 million.
Daredevil is such as a tragic hero — for he struggles to have faith, toiling for justice that is blind in more ways than one both in and out of the court system, looking for absolution for his sins, as he realizes that someone without fear is someone without hope.
“Violence doesn’t discriminate. It hits of all of us… the rich, the poor, the healthy, and the sick. It comes as cold as bracing as a winter breeze off the Hudson. Until it sinks into your bones… leaving you with a chill you can’t shake. They say there’s no rest for the wicked. But what about the good? The battle of good and evil is never-ending… because evil always survives … with the help of evil men. As for Daredevil, well… soon the world will know the truth. That this is a city born of heroes, that one man CAN make a difference.”
“Hell’s Kitchen is my neighborhood. I prowl the rooftops and alleyways at night. Watching from the darkness. Forever in darkness. A guardian devil.”
