Marvel’s Internal Push to Rebrand Daredevil as a Villain for Surprisingly Petty Reasons

Daredevil has long been associated with a dark persona; however, there was a notable attempt by Marvel Comics to transform him into a full-fledged villain. Marvel Senior Editor Tom Brevoort shared that this drastic character shift was almost executed for rather trivial reasons, which could have caused irreversible harm to Daredevil’s legacy.

In a recent Substack post titled “Man With A Hat”, Brevoort recounted the significant push from Marvel to reimagine Daredevil as an outright antagonist. He stated, “Over a decade ago, during the creation of the SHADOWLAND crossover, there was considerable internal support for making Daredevil a complete villain.”

Shadowland Daredevil in the middle surrounded by other heroes like Spider-Man and Elektra

The SHADOWLAND series, which debuted in 2010, spotlighted street-level heroes and depicted Daredevil as the newly appointed leader of the Hand. In this role, he sought to establish a temple in Hell’s Kitchen and orchestrate control over all of New York City.

Marvel Considered a Villainous Turn for Daredevil After Film Rights Loss

Insights from Longtime Marvel Editor Tom Brevoort

During the SHADOWLAND arc, Daredevil adopts a more sinister costume and engages in villainous behavior, including the brutal killing of Bullseye using a sai, reminiscent of Elektra’s demise. Brevoort revealed that this narrative shift was fueled by Marvel not holding the media rights to Daredevil at that time. He elaborated:

“At the time, Fox controlled the media rights to the character and it didn’t seem like they’d be coming back any time soon, and there was an interest in beginning to build up Moon Knight as a similar player that could be exploited across other media.”

It’s astonishing to consider that Marvel would contemplate undermining one of their own iconic characters due to external rights issues. This predicament also extended to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, whose visibility was significantly diminished in the 2010s when their rights were still with 20th Century Fox.

Brevoort cautioned that Daredevil’s transformation into a complete villain could have resulted in lasting repercussions for the character. He praised Editor Stephen Wacker for his discreet efforts to prevent Matt Murdock from crossing moral boundaries:

“The DD editor of the period, Stephen Wacker, had to work very carefully and very quietly to prevent Matt Murdock from crossing any lines-of-no-return in that story. And it’s a good thing that he did. Because only a couple of years later, those rights did come back to Marvel and we wound up doing three seasons of a television series (plus DEFENDERS).Had we abandoned that principle during SHADOWLAND, we would have had a lot more work cut out for us in suddenly needing to redeem Matt so he could be a headliner again.”

Thanks to Brevoort’s foresight, the rights to Daredevil returned to Marvel a few years post-SHADOWLAND. This timing was critical for the success of the Netflix Daredevil series, preserving the character’s integrity.

Marvel Aimed to Elevate Moon Knight Over Daredevil

Ultimately, Daredevil Retained His Status as a Signature Marvel Character

Moon Knight in a fighting stance with blood all over his fists.

Marvel’s strategy also included a desire to elevate Moon Knight as a leading character, coinciding with his rise in the Marvel publishing hierarchy. Just before SHADOWLAND, Moon Knight received a highly publicized relaunch with his 2006 solo series, marking his first ongoing title in decades. The juxtaposition of a wholly villainous Daredevil against a heroic Moon Knight might have been compelling, yet it is fortunate that rational decisions prevailed to safeguard Matt Murdock’s legacy.

Brevoort’s insights reveal the complex interplay between film rights and comic narratives, showcasing the delicate balance between character development and external influences. Ultimately, this tension led to a compelling story arc for Daredevil, culminating in a redemption that brought him back to his beloved status.

In the SHADOWLAND series, Matt Murdock’s possession by the demonic Beast of the Hand was revealed, and through the combined efforts of a consortium of heroes, including Moon Knight, Daredevil was ultimately exorcised from this evil. Soon after, Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Marcos Martin initiated a groundbreaking run on Daredevil, restoring the character’s upbeat and adventurous demeanor.

For further details, refer to Tom Brevoort, Substack (Man With A Hat).

Source & Images