20 Years Ago, the Best Daredevil Run of the 21st Century Ended

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Brian Michael Bendis is a highly respected figure in the comic book world. He began his career with independent publishers in the 1990s, moving from Caliber Comics to Image. His early work on titles like Torso and Sam and Twitch, with artist Alex Maleev, caught the eye of Marvel Comics, leading to his assignment as the writer of Ultimate Spider-Man. This success quickly led to him taking on Daredevil, which was already a very popular series. Maleev soon joined him, and together they created one of the most acclaimed superhero comics of the 21st century. Their five-year run on Daredevil is considered legendary, culminating in “The Murdock Papers,” a story that resolved the central storyline they had developed over those years.

Brian Michael Bendis is returning to Marvel Comics for the first time since 2018, contributing to issue #800 of Avengers. He was a key writer for Marvel in the 2000s, working on almost all of their major titles. While opinions about his work have shifted over time, his run on Daredevil remains incredibly popular. Daredevil has seen many great storylines, but the collaboration between Bendis and artist Alex Maleev is widely considered the best of the 21st century, and potentially the greatest Daredevil run ever.

Bendis and Maleev Made Daredevil Into Something Special

Daredevil’s history in Marvel comics is particularly fascinating. Initially, it felt very similar to Spider-Man – a lighthearted, acrobatic hero with a similar ‘sense’ ability. However, when Frank Miller began writing and illustrating the comic, the character underwent a dramatic transformation. He became a quintessential noir superhero, and the series has consistently featured exceptional creative teams over the years, including Miller, Ann Nocenti, Karl Kessel, Kevin Smith, David Mack, and Chip Zdarsky. Brian Bendis initially filled in as a writer after Smith and Mack, eventually becoming the main writer. The addition of artist Alex Maleev proved to be a turning point, truly elevating the series.

I loved what Bendis did with Daredevil! He took the idea of Daredevil’s secret getting out – something Miller did before – and really ran with it. It wasn’t just the Kingpin who knew, everyone did! It completely changed the feel of the book. It still had superhero elements, but it felt more like a gritty crime story. Bendis really nailed the tone, and Maleev’s artwork just perfectly matched it. Honestly, Bendis isn’t always the best with action sequences, but Maleev made everything look incredible and gave us the exciting action we expected from Daredevil.

Brian Michael Bendis approached the reveal of Daredevil’s secret identity in a unique way. He cleverly highlighted Matt Murdock’s profession as a lawyer, emphasizing the slick and sometimes off-putting mannerisms often associated with the field. Murdock even deceived those who knew he was Daredevil, all to safeguard his secret. This culminated in the intense storyline “Hardcore,” featuring some of Daredevil’s most violent confrontations, where Matt ultimately assumed the role of the “Kingpin of Hell’s Kitchen.” The story continued to develop, steadily building towards the events detailed in “The Murdock Papers.”

What really made Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev’s Daredevil run so special was its unpredictability. They consistently surprised readers with unexpected twists and turns. No one saw the Kingpin storyline coming, and the emergence of The Owl as a powerful crime boss was a complete shock. Similarly, the return of Gladiator in “The Golden Age” – a story I think is underrated – and the strange paths taken in “Decalogue” were genuinely surprising. Everything culminated in “The Murdock Papers,” which forced Matt Murdock to confront the truth, delivering an ending that no one could have foreseen. I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t read it, but it was a truly satisfying conclusion.

For My Money, Bendis and Maleev’s Daredevil Will Never Be Topped

For years after Brian Michael Bendis’s run, Daredevil remained a consistently excellent title – I particularly enjoyed the work by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark that followed. While Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto came close to matching that level of quality, the series wasn’t quite as strong after the Devil’s Due storyline. Bendis and Maleev’s five-year run was remarkably consistent and always a must-read, standing out as one of the best comics available – and that’s coming from someone who generally preferred DC comics at the time.

Brian Michael Bendis’s writing, while sometimes criticized, was a perfect fit for Daredevil. He brought a compelling level of drama to the series, and combined with Alex Maleev’s artwork and Bendis’s talent for crime stories, the result was exceptional—almost flawless. If you’re curious about why people love Daredevil, this run is the place to start. It’s a remarkably well-done superhero noir, and nothing quite like it has appeared since.

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2025-11-24 01:14