How Frank Miller Returned to Daredevil for Born Again

The mid-1980s marked a pivotal era for Marvel, a time of creative flourishing and significant financial success following the lean years of the late '70s. This period, fueled by the momentum of overcoming past financial challenges, saw the release of 1984's Secret Wars, a landmark event that profoundly impacted both the Marvel universe and the comic book industry as a whole. Its ramifications are far-reaching and continue to resonate today, shaping the direction of beloved characters for years to come.

This era also boasted other iconic storylines, including Frank Miller's Born Again arc in Daredevil, Jean Grey's return in X-Factor, and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga in Thor. This article delves into these key narratives and other significant stories from this transformative period, continuing our exploration of essential Marvel issues (Part 8).

More Essential Marvel

• 1961-1963 - The Birth of a Universe
• 1964-1965 - The Sentinels Are Born and Cap Dethaws
• 1966-1969 - How Galactus Changed Marvel Forever
• 1970-1973 - The Night Gwen Stacy Died
• 1974-1976 - The Punisher Begins His War on Crime
• 1977-1979 - Star Wars Saves Marvel From Bankruptcy
• 1980-1982 - Did the Dark Phoenix Saga Usher in the Greatest Decade for Marvel?

Frank Miller's Born Again and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga

Among the era's most acclaimed storylines, Born Again stands out as a definitive Daredevil tale. Frank Miller's return to the character, with David Mazzuchelli on art (Daredevil #227-233), delivers a powerful narrative. Karen Page's tragic betrayal, revealing Daredevil's secret identity to Kingpin, leads to Matt Murdock's devastating downfall. Stripped bare, he finds redemption only through his mother's unwavering support. Matt's arduous journey back to being Daredevil, coupled with Kingpin's descent into obsessive fanaticism, creates a masterwork. Loosely adapted in Netflix's Daredevil season 3 and inspiring the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again, its impact remains undeniable.

Simultaneously, Walt Simonson's tenure on Thor, beginning in 1983 with #337, introduced Beta Ray Bill and revitalized the title with a strong mythic fantasy feel. His Surtur Saga (#340-353), a year-long epic, features Surtur's quest for Ragnarok and the introduction of Malekith the Accursed. The saga culminates in a monumental battle between Thor, Loki, Odin, and Surtur. Elements of this saga found their way into Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.

Secret Wars Changes Comics Forever

As discussed in Part 4 of this series, 1973's Avengers/Defenders War foreshadowed the rise of event crossovers. Secret Wars (1984), a 12-part miniseries written by Jim Shooter (then Editor in Chief), with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton, solidified this trend. Born from a marketing collaboration with Mattel, the story features a cosmic being, the Beyonder, forcing Marvel heroes and villains to battle on Battleworld.

While Secret Wars is a mixed bag—praised for its large cast and universe-altering consequences but criticized for its uneven narrative—its impact is undeniable. The success of Secret Wars spawned a sequel, Secret Wars II, and alongside DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, cemented the event comic as a dominant publishing model for decades.

Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit and Other Iconic Spidey Stories

Following the foundational work of Stan Lee and Gerry Conway, Roger Stern elevated Amazing Spider-Man to new heights starting with #224. His most significant contribution was the introduction of the Hobgoblin in Amazing #238, a formidable new villain. Stern's original Hobgoblin saga, though cut short due to editorial interference, remains exceptional, and he later revisited the storyline to reveal the villain's identity in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.

The arrival of Spider-Man's black symbiote costume in Amazing #252 (with its origin later revealed in Secret Wars #8) marked another significant moment. This alien symbiote's introduction sparked a long-running storyline that would eventually lead to the creation of one of Spidey's most iconic antagonists. The black suit's enduring popularity has seen it adapted in numerous iterations, including Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Insomniac's Spider-Man 2.

Another pivotal Spider-Man story from this period is The Death of Jean DeWolff (Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110), a dark and impactful tale by Peter David and Rich Buckler. This arc, exploring Spider-Man's pursuit of the Sin-Eater and his conflict with Daredevil, showcases a darker side of the character while remaining authentic to his essence.

Jean Grey Returns, the Rise of Apocalypse, and Other Mutant Landmarks

The mid-1980s also witnessed significant events in the mutant world. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 revealed Magneto as the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, a backstory that remained canon for decades. X-Men #171 featured Rogue's dramatic turn to heroism, while X-Men #200 saw Magneto's rehabilitation and appointment as headmaster of Xavier's School for the Gifted. These shifts were adapted in X-Men '97.

The resurrection of Jean Grey in Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286, and the introduction of Apocalypse in X-Factor #5-6, represent two monumental events. Jean's return, with amnesia regarding her time as the Phoenix, led to the formation of X-Factor. Apocalypse, an ancient mutant enhanced by Celestial technology, became a major antagonist for X-Factor and later, the X-Men. His impact is evident in various X-Men adaptations, including X-Men: Apocalypse.