Suggestions From The Long Box- Daredevil: Born Again

My name is Big Bob Hefler and I'm a comic book freak. I'm the type of guy who reads comics over and over. So, when I asked Eblison if he was interested in acquiring new reviewers for CROTC, he assigned me to reach into my back issues and write about comics that have almost been forgotten. He didn't give me much of a criteria to follow, except that they had to be back issues and they had to be books I loved. Consider this your only warning, I love all comics. And that is what makes me think this assignment is going to be fun for everyone.

Today's suggestion should already be in everyone's collection. Daredevil: Born Again is truly a defining story in Matt Murdoch/Daredevil's life. In my opinion, everything he is today comes from what Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli put him through in that amazing arc.

Karen Page, Matt Murdoch's ex, is now a porn star and a drug addict in Mexico. She's hurting for her next fix and sells the secret identity of Daredevil for a few bucks. This doesn't just put Matt in danger, it ruins him. He abandons his Daredevil persona and becomes a madman, paranaoid and alone. The vilain here isn't Karen Page. She's portrayed as a victim of addiction. She's as broken as the homeless Murdoch, without the title's hero to save the day.

Miller really reached down deep into the pits of despair to come up with Daredevil: Born Again. He touched on the reality of all the hoplessness and all the uglieness that humanity can sometimes face.

If you like comics for their story telling, you're going to love this one. Besides Daredevil and Karen Page, the storyline includes appearances by Captain America, Nuke, Iron Man, Kingpin, and a romantic interlude for Foggy Nelson. I highly suggest getting the Daredevil: Born Again trade paperback. It's one of the best stories in comics history.