DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN [MARVEL PREMIER COLLECTION]

Daredevil (1964) #227-233

by Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli (Illustrator)

Collects Daredevil #219, #226-233.

Marvel’s Premier Collection gives iconic Marvel stories the treatment they deserve—newly designed cover upgrades and all-new exclusive material! Ideal for both old and new fans—the perfect entry point into the Marvel Universe anytime, anywhere.

This is the definitive Daredevil story, where Matt Murdock is stripped of everything—his secret identity, his friends, and his very sense of self. In this gritty and powerful tale, visionary creators Frank Miller (The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City) and David Mazzucchelli (Batman: Year One) reforge Daredevil as a hero reborn, driven by pure faith and unshakable resolve, showing his true strength lies within.

The book that inspired Daredevil’s portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil: Born Again premieres March 2025 on Disney+.

Includes bonus material such as a foreword by author Frank Miller and an afterword by actor Charlie Cox.

From the powerhouse pairing of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli comes the definitive Daredevil tale. Karen Page, Matt Murdock’s former lover, sets into motion a Machiavellian chain of events by trading away his secret identity for a drug fix. Now, Daredevil must find all the strength he can muster as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, wastes no time taking him down as low as a human can get. As he’s nursed back to health by a nun named Sister Maggie, Matt discovers a shocking secret that will change their relationship forever — but can he piece his life back together and survive a battle against the brutal super-soldier named Nuke?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Comic Book, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Frank Miller is an American writer, artist and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. He is one of the most widely-recognized and popular creators in comics, and is one of the most influential comics creators of his generation. His most notable works include Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One and 300.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the strongest stories of Marvel Comics!


This Trade Paperback edition collects “Daredevil” #227-233 which is known as the “Born Again” storyline. Also as bonus includes “Daredevil” #226 which is a stand-alone story where the creative team were introduced to the title.


Creative Team:

Writer: Frank Miller

Illustrator: David Mazzucchelli


A COMIC BOOK MASTERPIECE

I have shown him... That a man without hope... is a man without fear.

I wanted to read this storyline since some months ago when I found out about it on the magazine that Marvel Comics published to celebrate its 75th Anniversary (that includes since its age as Timely Comics) where they printed a list made by the voting from the fans choosing the 75 most popular storylines ever, by Marvel, where Born Again got the fourth place in the list, only under Kraven’s Last Hunt, Civil War and The Death of Gwen Stacy. And honestly, Born Again is so strong that it could easily got the top spot.

Frank Miller did a superb writing job here, and I have read a lot of his material and believe it or not, Born Again is a product as good as The Dark Knight Returns, and taking blindly (pun intended) the quality of narrative displayed here, the use of the words, the richness in the prose, it could being considered even a better product than its distinguished competitor, but don’t get us into a messy fight that nobody would be able to win (after all, both stories are written by the same author!). Let’s just say that Born Again is, without a doubt, one of the strongest storylines ever published in the comic books’ industry.

David Mazzucchelli delivered a wonderful artistic direction and while the proper artwork may be consider not as impressive as the current ones in nowadays’ comic books, definitely it’s an awesome and carefully planned job in the whole storyline to bring symmetry in key moments of each issue along with a spectacular use of angles and perspectives in the scenes.


PAYING FOR THE SINS OF OTHERS

It’s not every day that you sell your soul.

A woman looking for a “quick fix” in her life, provokes a long term disarray in the life of a man.

Karen Page, former girlfriend of Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil) and also former secretary in the legal office of Nelson and Murdock, was long gone from New York. She went after her dream to become a Hollywood star, but her dream turned into a nightmare. She ended as prostitute in some non-disclosed Mexican border town (most likely doing porn movies too) and she fell into drugs, just to complete this awful package of her life.

Karen “sells” just for a measly drug shot, the real identity of Daredevil. No one can fall lower than that.

The information of Daredevil’s alter ego travels fast until reaching...

...the hands of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin!!!

Just that is a powerful introduction to the storyline, crude, raw, real, but what the Kingpin does with the info is what makes this storyline so powerful, so great.

Wilson Fisk knows that Daredevil is just a costume, you don’t destroy a costume, you destroy the man inside of it, you destroy Matt Murdock, but slowly.

Instead of a typical comic book direct hasty assault towards the hero, Wilson Fisk takes his time. There is no rush. The Kingpin invests six months to plan the systematic obliteration of Matt Murdock’s life: Properties, money savings, legal license, reputation, friends, current girlfriend, physical health, mental sanity, everything has to go away, without Matt’s realization that somebody is behind of the orchestration of his personal downfall, but slowly.

The downfall of a good man must be like a glass of wine, you have to savor it, but slowly.

Born Again is a must-read for any Daredevil’s fan, but also a wonderful option for any fan of comic books in general, and even a great choice for any reader looking for a really good story.

[Dan Schwent · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Daredevil's old flame sells his identity for a hit of heroin, the knowledge winds up in the hands of the Kingpin and he uses it to destroy Matt Murdock's life. But The Kingpin made one mistake: HE LET MATT MURDOCK LIVE!

Daredevil: Born Again collects issues #226-233 of Daredevil, written by Frank Miller and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, the same team that would later create Batman: Year One. As much as I hate to say it, Born Again is the superior work.

When a man has nothing left, does he have anything left to fear? That's the question at the heart of this run. The Kingpin burns Matt Murdock's life down to the ground, seeing him homeless, defeated, and in the depths of despair. Then shit gets serious.

Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli were at the top of their game on Daredevil. Miller's writing is straight out of the old detective masters like Jim Thompson, Raymond Chandler, and Dashielle Hammett and that's what makes this run stand above countless others. Miller has read something besides comics in his life and that's what makes his voice so powerful. David Mazzucchelli's art is fantastic, the perfect moody accompaniment to the story. Both his character moments and his action scenes are spot on.

The story is all too plausible, the Kingpin using his influence to destroy Matt Murdock's life piece by piece. Matt struggles to keep his head above water until literally finding himself in the back of a cab as it plunges into the drink. Stabbed by a thug in a Santa Claus costume and stricken by pneumonia, Matt hits rock bottom until nursed back to health by an unlikely ally. It's orgasmic when old Hornhead finally puts the costume back on and embarks on the road to setting things right.

I rarely use the word "masterpiece" but Daredevil: Born Again is a fucking masterpiece. Five out of five blind lawyers.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Born Again saga; what a roller coaster of events and emotions!

Great, human story about being completely knocked down then finding the strength to carry on and rise up once more.
Not only for Matt but for Karen as well, I think.

Then that contrast of Foggy’s life, not to mention how well his new relationship was going.

I also loved how involved Ben Urich was plus seeing his messy and heart-wrenching journey.

I don’t think there’s much else I could say that hasn’t already been more eloquently said.
If you are any sort of Daredevil fan, read this story!

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

In competition with DC’s Compact Comics, which has been very successful, Marvel has released affordable almost manga-sized editions called the Marvel Premier Collection. And It hasn’t been as successful. They are a third more expensive, slightly larger, and don’t seem to fill the niche as well for bookstore patrons.

Still, I thought I’d take the opportunity to read some of my favorite classic comics. And what better timing to reread Daredevil: Born Again, than in synch with the critically-acclaimed new streaming series? Written by Frank Miller himself, who had revamped the character a few years prior in the early 80s (which he wrote and drew himself), this storyline was illustrated by David Mazzucchelli who has always been an excellent collaborator.

Back in 1986, it was the height of what was known as “grim and gritty” era before that became a cliché—in fact, this was originally published at the same time as Miller’s legendary Dark Knight Returns. The starting chapter of Born Again begins with DD’s former lover Karen Page a heroin junkie who is force to do sex work, and sells Matt Murdock’s secret identity. Then the Kingpin finds out and systematically the lawyer’s life until exploding his building, and that’s just the end of the first issue. It gets worse, it’s indeed very dark, and holds up well even today.

This covers Daredevil # 227 – 223. Which is only seven issues, so this is a relatively short graphic novel, although comics were wordier back then. For fans of the show, it is interesting to compare some of what had been adapted such as the revelation of Murdock’s nun mother and the character of Ben Urich, Daily Bugle journalist. However, the story ends abruptly in what feels more like a Captain America title in which the heroes team up to fight the deranged super soldier Nuke who kind of comes out of nowhere.

The political satire is well done, as Frank Miller critiques Reagan era military jingoism with appropriate rage. Although it doesn’t quite fit, one can see Miller’s passion in telling this kind of story and expressing what he really thinks of the corrupt military industrial complex. Who says comics only recently became political?

Unfortunately, Frank Miller is sometimes bad at endings and there just isn’t a good sense of resolution. I get it, when it comes to the antagonist of the Kingpin, he’s not supposed to ever be fully defeated and showcasing how businessmen are above the law is the whole point of the theme. But Matt Murdock’s personal story is rushed and left unfinished. Well, that’s sequential storytelling sometimes, and the rest would be up to other writers for later…

Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli soon came together again for Batman: Year One, which was also both a classic and didn’t have a proper ending. Miller went on to do even better work with Sin City in the 90s before later losing his spark, but there’s no question he deserved massive praise at the time for what he added to the superhero genre and even the entire comics medium. Hence, despite any flaws, Daredevil: Born Again has earned its status as a necessary read.

As for the Marvel Premier edition specifically, it’s under 300 pages unlike other collections so it’s not as good a deal. For extra padding, there’s also issue # 226 which was co-written by Miller and is presented out of order for some reason. A better bonus in the book is the entire script for # 233, written like a film screenplay with cinematic direction, something more scholarly comic fans will appreciate. But, all in all, I have to say it’s a better idea to get the regular full-size Born Again graphic novel despite the price.

I do wish them well with this Marvel Premier Collection experiment. I just have to recommend The Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates and the seminal The Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker, or the upcoming Fantastic Four: Solve Everything by Jonathan Hickman, so save your money for bigger books more worth the read. Born Again is simply not the best of these.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daredevil’s secret identity has fallen into the hands of The Kingpin. Rather than a quick and brutal strike, Kingpin elects to take a slow, punishing measure of revenge against a man who has been a thorn in his side for years. Stripping away everything Matt Murdock holds dear, Kingpin leaves Daredevil a shell of his former self. However, a man without hope… is a man without fear.

In the late 1970s, when Daredevil was on the ropes, Frank Miller took over as corner man and willed the Man Without Fear back into the fight. So in 1986, when writer Denny O’Neil was set to leave series, Marvel asked Frank if he’d be interested in returning to the character in which he had achieved tremendous success. Miller agreed but only if long time collaborator, artist David Mazzucchelli, could accompany him as the two would team up to write what many consider the definitive Daredevil story.

When I read this for the first time nearly six years ago, I remember appreciating it but not being blown away by it. However, given the rising popularity of the character due to the recently released Netflix series, I thought it was time to give it another shot.

The first three quarters of the story is nothing short of excellent. With Kingpin in possession of Daredevil’s secret identity, he begins a ruthless and systematic destruction of Matt Murdock’s life. The IRS freeze Matt’s accounts, the bank forecloses on his apartment and he becomes disbarred as a practicing lawyer. When Matt is at his absolute lowest point, Kingpin demolishes Matt’s apartment leaving the shredded remains of the Daredevil costume atop the rubble.

While Miller isn’t credited with first exploring Daredevil’s Catholic roots, he’s definitely one of few to first use it to great effect. In Born Again, Daredevil’s “resurrection” is due in part to help from Sister Maggie, a nun within the catholic church. Throughout Murdock’s rehabilitation, Mazzucchelli produces a few excellent panels showing Matt in a number of Christ-like poses.

As great as the majority of the story was, the last quarter or so involving Captain America and the patriotic villain Nuke felt like overkill. What seemed like a very intimate story involving two enemies in Daredevil and The Kingpin, exploded to include The Avengers, government conspiracies and destruction on a massive scale. It seemed like Miller tried to include too many characters and events, making what’s meant to feel like a big deal, fall flat.

Over the years, Daredevil has become one of my favorite comic book characters and while Born Again is considered the measuring stick, I’d throw Kevin Smith’s Daredevil, Vol. 1: Guardian Devil up against it any day.

Also posted @ Every Read Thing.

[Jim Ef · Rating 5 out of 5]

8.6/10

Wilson Fisk can't defeat Daredevil but he might break down Matt Murdock.
Excellent storytelling.

A very dark tale by Miller who was on top of his game back then. The first couple of issues are absolutely brilliant, the quality drops a bit in the last couple of issues, but overall 'Born again' is a great story.

[cloverina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God.

I don't know if I've ever felt this much hope from a comic. Not even Superman. In fact, I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed a superhero comic the way I enjoy this. Every single issue is so eloquently written, every one of Mazzuchelli's panels perfectly emotive and fluid, it all plays out in my head so wonderfully. Every relationship is so prominent, and every character shines. This is the comics sweet spot. It hits all the right notes and does all the right things. This is not only the best Daredevil story I've read, but Miller's opus (and I thoroughly enjoy most of his work). It contains everything he'd attempted and everything he attempted afterwards polished to the finest degree, but it doesn't feel derivative of the themes in any of the comics he's written; it just truly does not get any better than this.

I love comics so much it hurts.

[Marcos GM · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ESP/ENG]

Muchas veces se habla de clásicos o de novelas y cómics fundacionales. A veces con demasiada ligereza. En el caso de esta obra, desde luego que lo es, y por méritos propios. Es un clásico del noveno arte, y es una obra fundacional del personaje, ese abogado ciego que por las noches patea culos embutido en un traje rojo llamado Daredevil.

El personaje de Daredevil se diferencia de muchos de los otros héroes en un aspecto, y es que Matt es profundamente religioso, y eso es algo que hay que aprovechar, y Frank Miller aquí lo hace y de qué manera, desde el mismo título (renacido en su traducción, menos mal que dejaron el nombre original que suena mejor) y los títulos de los capítulos individuales. David Mazzucchelli por su parte aporta a esto mismo con muchas composiciones realmente vistosas, como esa Piedad o una escena en la que Matt está tumbado y parece un cristo crucificado.

La obra trata de la caída a los infiernos del diablo guardián de la Cocina del infierno y su posterior renacimiento. Cuando Kingpin se entera de la identidad civil de Daredevil urde un plan a largo plazo para causarle todo el sufrimiento que pueda antes de matarlo. Todo lo que va sucediendo hace que Matt vaya perdiendo la cabeza poco a poco hasta convertirse en poco más que un desquiciado. Ambos autores hacen un gran trabajo, Miller al guión demostrando que los superhéroes pueden ser algo más que una cosa para niños, y Mazzuccheli representando a un personaje en declive, en un barrio sucio y maltratado que solo puede tocar fondo.

El tomo en sí es una edición muy buena, con tapa dura y una portada fantástica (una composición en formato vidriera colorida que muestra cosas que sucederán dentro), que incluye los 5 números que conforman la saga propiamente dicha y dos números más que cierran el arco, que tienen un nivel un pelín más bajo pero que tienen apariciones sorpresa y se leen muy bien. Un obligatorio para todo fan del cómic y sobre todo para fans del cuernecitos.


---------------------


Many times we talk about classics or foundational novels and comics. Sometimes too lightly. In the case of this work, of course it is, and on its own merits. It is a classic of the ninth art, and it is a founding work of the character, that blind lawyer who kicks ass at night stuffed in a red suit called Daredevil.

The character of Daredevil differs from many of the other heroes in one aspect, and that is that Matt is deeply religious, and Frank Miller uses this here and in a wonderful way, from the very title to the titles of the individual chapters. For his part, David Mazzucchelli contributes to this with many really showy compositions, like that Pietà or a scene in which Matt is lying down and looks like a crucified Christ.

The work deals with the fall to hell of the devil guardian of Hell's Kitchen and his subsequent rebirth. When the Kingpin learns Daredevil's civilian identity, he hatches a long-term plan to cause him as much suffering as he can before killing him. Everything that is happening makes Matt lose his mind little by little until he becomes little more than a madman. Both authors do a great job, Miller writing the script showing that superheroes can be more than just a kid's thing, and Mazzuccheli portraying a character on the decline, in a dirty, rundown neighborhood that can only hit rock bottom.

The volume itself is a very good edition, with hard cover and a fantastic cover (a composition in a colorful stained glass format that shows things that will happen inside), which includes the 5 issues that make up the saga itself and two more issues that close the arch, which have a slightly lower level but have surprise appearances and reads very well. A must have (pun intended) for every comic fan and especially for fans of Daredevil.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILERS

Matt Murdock's ex, Karen Page, sells out Murdock's secret identity as Daredevil to the Kingpin for an armful of junk and Murdock soon finds his life destroyed by the Kingpin's vast resources. Without a home, money, a job, and seemingly without friends, the Man Without Fear is crushed by the world spiritually and mentally and, in a desperate and hasty fight with the Kingpin, physically as well. This is the rebirth of the Daredevil... Born Again.

I'm a huge fan of Frank Miller's work, not his recent blip with "Holy Terror", but the classics like "Dark Knight Returns," "Year One", and the Sin City series. "Born Again" was the only remaining major work of his I'd not read so I thought it high time to read it despite not being the biggest Daredevil fan. And I have to say it was unimpressive. It had some good moments but it felt a bit weak, underwritten, and generally uninteresting for the most part.

Murdock is brought down too easily; it's hard to imagine someone being "destroyed" like Murdock is in this book so quickly as he is, even with someone as powerful as the Kingpin, without outside forces stepping in. It's also a bit too convenient to have Murdock believe the worst in his oldest friends without strong enough reason to. So his situation where his character becomes "Born Again" was a little too contrived for my liking.

The side story of "Foggy" (what a name), Matt's partner in the law firm they ran, and his current girlfriend, the Irish stereotype Glorianna O'Breen was dull, as was the reporter Ben Urich's whose own story arc was too predictable. Urich is forced not to write the truth about the Kingpin in the Daily Bugle, but finds the courage when the story demands it. Timing is everything ain't it?

Even Karen Page's storyline was boring. She's a heroin addict who starts the ball rolling on all of the events in the book but I just don't buy her as a real person. She's the template heroin addict, always going on about fixes and guilt, I didn't like her and felt that her story arc too was just too one dimensional.

There are some good moments when Murdock/Daredevil has to fight his way back to his true self by fighting a fake Daredevil and some nationalistic psycho called Nuke, and some intrigue with the nun who nursed him back to health - is she Murdock's ma? David Mazzucchelli's art is normally top notch but I kept noticing how thick the inking was throughout which put me off. There's too much black in those panels, it dates the book and makes the pages look blotchy.

Murdock is brought down too easily at the start and is brought back up at the end just as quickly so the ending feels rushed. Kingpin is defeated, you know this because he's got a frowny face and is crushing a newspaper with headlines to that effect; Murdock wins because he's walking down the street smiling with Karen on his arm - she got over her heroin addiction fast didn't see? And what about Foggy (ergh, that name again!) and Glori, and their practice? Is he back in Hell's Kitchen, starting a new law firm? Who knows, it's not explored here, the book just ends with Daredevil defeating "Nuke".

Overall the book didn't suck me in like Miller's stories usually do. Daredevil is a somewhat interesting character but his world sure isn't, and neither is this book. The story feels too much like a story with the kind of literary devices that ring false when used in the ham-fisted way Miller deploys them in this book. I wish I could agree with the many reviewers here who are obviously big fans of the book but I'm sorry to say that, to me, this is one of Miller's weaker efforts.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astonishingly gritty and gripping, one of the best "runs" on a pre-existing comic title I've ever read, both in terms of writing and art. A must-read.

[✔️ JAVI ®️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“La cocina del infierno es una sinfonía compuesta de músculos doloridos y estómagos rugientes... de pies de niños que caminan sobre cristales rotos... y de una risa desesperanzada que reverbera por todo un solar vacío.”
“Yo nací... y renací en la cocina del infierno.”

Una joya atemporal gracias al guión de Frank Miller. La extraordinaria capacidad narrativa de Miller, con influencias de género negro y una gran carga de simbolismo cristiano, dejan un guión más propio de gente de a pie que de superheroes.
Dibujo "ochentero" de David Mazzuccheli, con la paleta de colores de la época, destilando aire de clásico al leerlo en la actualidad. Aportando, para mi gusto, más encanto y valor a esta obra.
¡Un clásico imprescindible!

[David Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Daredevil story arc of them all!

I remember reading these issues years ago when they were first published and it felt so good to re-read them in this most excellent collection. Miller's writing is fantastic. Matt Murdock goes thru hell and then redemption. I need to read this again in a few years. I never get tired of this story.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always wanted to read this story arc. Big shift in the Character's life and those around him. Very well written and plotted. Nice art. Very recommended

[Checkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can remember in 1980 when Frank Miller took over Daredevil. I was twelve years old and I was stunned by the changes that he implemented. Suddenly one of my favorite costumed crime-fighters had moved into the world of adult crime fiction - or so it seemed to me at the time. Back in 1980 we weren't using the term "re-boot" for such an action, but that's exactly what Miller did. Throughout the decade other characters would undergo the same treatment by Miller and others, but Daredevil was one of the first.

In 1986 when the Born Again storyline took place I was in my senior year of high-school and hadn't picked up a comic-book in years. However the following year I was in college and discovered that comics were changing. That was a great time for the medium. The Watchmen, The Darknight Returns and others were in print and it was cool to read "graphic novels". I picked up the compilation of the Born Again storyline in 1988. I was impressed - very impressed. Little did I know that this was going to establish the framework for the character for the next several decades.

This is still a very good story. It's held up well and is deserving of its status as a seminal work in comics. The atmosphere and attitude of Miller's Daredevil can be experienced in the Netflix Daredevil series. If you haven't read this one yet I suggest you do so. It's well done.

[Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A man without hope is a man without fear."

If you're new to Daredevil then don't start with this book, go back to Frank Miller and Klaus Janson's Daredevil Visionaries Volume 2, #168-182. Then read Volume 3, #183-191. Then read this. Then read Man Without Fear. You're welcome.

David Mazzucchelli is a talented and now almost forgotten illustrator. Like Batman Year One, his splash pages are incredible, his action swift and evocative, his faces realistically emotive. His style is epic, effortless, and highly dramatic. And he's one of, if not the, greatest of 80s illustrators.

When I first read this I didn't get it because I had no backstory. You can't appreciate a character's downturn if you don't know who they are. After learning about Matt and Heather, Elektra, Bullseye, Kingpin, Foggy Nelson, and the politics of Hell's Kitchen, Born Again is a master stroke of grit, characterization, and drama. This is one of the greatest revenge and comeback stories I've ever read.

[Jacob Starnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of this story was amazing and on its own would totally be worth five stars. The forced deconstruction of Matt Murdock was heartbreaking to see, but so inspiring to watch his rebirth. Also really enjoyed seeing Ben Urich get fleshed out a bit more, kind of like Gordon in Long Halloween (still have a hard time viewing Foggy as a real character, though.) The place where this one kind of veered off the rails for me was with Nuke. That whole concept seemed ridiculous to me and got even worse when the Avengers showed up. The end of the book seems to almost drop Daredevil completely in favor of ending as a Captain America tale. That whole intervention to me felt like a cheap cop out, a deus ex machina that really held it back from getting five stars. Still definitely worth a read, though.

[Benji's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great Matt Murdock story!

Daredevil shows up a lot, but at its core, it is a Matt Murdock tale of his lowest point in life, before finding his footing or being---excuse me, "Born Again".

I've been meaning to check this one out for quite a while, but with the new show coming out soon, this release made it a bit easier to add to my collection.

This is the Fantastic duo that gave us Batman: Year One and it's excellent. Every page stands out and Miller's writing is sharp! This particular edition I read was the Marvel Premier Edition released back in either '24 or '25...

The Marvel Premier Editions were released to sort of rival DC's Compact Editions, though these are a little taller, cost $15, as opposed to DC's $10, and contain the extras in the back of the book. At least this one, anyway. I'd happily buy more of these, as I love the way they feel and look.

Highly recommended!

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw this at the library I was excited: getting to re-read one of the definitive Marvel tales from my childhood? Definitely. I flipped through it and all the imagery came flooding back, and I started thinking this would also fuel my upcoming talk on building great storytelling experiences in modern comics. Slam dunk eh? Hell, if this is half as good as what I saw flipping through DKR, I'm gonna have to take a cold shower.

And it gets underway in a hurry. Not with a bang, but with an economy of movement that resembles speed, but still lingers on each step so we know in great detail (and by explaining every move in dialogue or narration) what's happening.

And so each chapter unfolds as a study in the stages of degradation that the Kingpin unleashes. Each scene being shown is less a fluid story and more a vignette, a snapshot of the effect on Matt's life and how much the Kingpin enjoys it.

So about a quarter the way through this, I start to realize that Miller... isn't that great a storyteller after all. His plot ideas are stellar, and some of the set pieces are brilliant. The dialogue is all over the map though - when he boils a thought down to a one-liner, it's juicy, like "Except this day has a special glow to it. It's not every day you sell your soul." But then there's the agonizing explaining how pained Matt is to know the source of his torment, or his thoughts on who he is and how he got there. Ugh, it's a slow slog through many unnecessary words.

Miller does a great revenge fantasy though. The level of viscous, brutal and damn-near sociopathic violence that is wrought upon people in this book - works absolutely brilliantly for a teenage wimp, a comic book reading need who doesn't know how to fight back against their bullies. It's amazing how much teenage me just lapped this up like a hungry feral cat - and how it *still* appeals to a primal animal inside me, decades later.

Mazzuchelli's art? Services the story better than it should have. The writing elevates on the back of the art, and there's a few sequences and establishing shots that make this stand out, like the "same pose of Matt sleeping at the start of each issue". OTOH, there's the brutal ripoff of La Pieta that hits you over the head like Hacksaw Jim Duggan's two-by-four, just begging you to see how clever an artist he is. Eh, not so much by half, though admittedly comic art has stood on the shoulders of journeymen like Mazzuchelli to exceed their reach in the last 25 years.

The colourist though, who takes over a few issues in? Max Scheele is the true unspoken genius of this book. He does a thing with Ben Urich's face, while the world spins around him and he listens to a horror committed over the phone...it's one of the most chilling moments of the book, and the effect only comes through with these stark, almost hellacious colour choices.

In all, this book makes me understand just how much better Bendis/Maleev did this degradation story - more believable characters and motivations, more artfully and more beautifully. Should really get myself down to re-reading *that* run in a hurry.

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank Miller's "Daredevil: Born Again" was written in 1986. Frank Miller was brought in to replace the departing writer, Denny O'Neil. He wrote a story arc that covered #226-233 and this arc is called "Born Again". Artist David Mazzucchelli's work was also quite good and has aged well.

This is the quintessential Matt Murdock-Wilson Fisk story. No, not Daredevil and Kingpin, but rather the fundamental nature of Matt and Wilson and what makes them who they are at their core. Frank Miller's look into the mindset of both is truly telling and one of my favorites looks into these two awesome characters.

Any Daredevil fan knows that Matt Murdock has absolutely shit taste and common sense when it comes to females. At some point, he developed a boner, mistook it for love (it happens-take a close look at most married couples these days), and dated Karen Page. Karen was a ditzy blonde secretary and that naturally stole Matt's heart. Karen, eventually, moved on to making porn movies and developed a serious heroin addiction. Awesome.

This is where the story begins. A desperate junkie Karen sells a secret to a dealer in South America for a fix of heroin. Guess what the secret is? The identity of Daredevil. This information finds its way to the Kingpin.

The Kingpin starts in motion a devious plan to destroy Matt's life (if this sounds familiar, yes similar story lines have popped up but this is the original and best version). What follows is an in-depth look at what drives Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. Since that is where the conflict really occurs. daredevil doesn't really show up till the last quarter of the story. Miller nails it on the head of the spiritual conflict between these two foes. It's easily the best "lore" behind the unique relationship between Daredevil and Kingpin.

This plan will make Murdock lose everything, only to realize what makes him Daredevil. The story throws in some interesting twists with a pill popping psycho, Captain America, and a very cool look at Ben Urich of the Daily Bugle. If you are a Kingpin or Daredevil fan, then this Frank Miller masterpiece is a must-read.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being one of the quintessential writers on Daredevil in the eighties, Frank Miller returned to Matt Murdock’s life in Hell’s Kitchen. Although Miller returned to the character of Daredevil in the nineties with his retelling of the origin story The Man Without Fear, Born Again feels more like a final send-off to Daredevil from one of the great pioneers of the modern comic book.

Karen Page, the former secretary of the Nelson & Murdock law offices and Matt’s ex-girlfriend, is struggling with her acting career and is now a junkie, leading her to reveal Daredevil’s secret identity just for a fix. This information is passed to Wilson Fisk – the Kingpin of crime – and then the life of the attorney/vigilante starts to crumble and Daredevil is no more.

At the same time working for DC with his magnificent reinvention of Batman on The Dark Knight Returns, Miller reconstructed what many would say is Marvel’s darkest superhero, in a story that marks both the end and the beginning of Murdock’s life. In classic Daredevil territory, Matt’s world plunges into hell as he loses his job, girlfriend, home and most importantly, the costume. Most of the story consists of Matt – without the costume – descending into insanity and destitution at the hands of the Kingpin, as well as his subsequent struggle to build a new life for himself.

No doubt that Matt goes rock bottom at one point as he fights the Kingpin, failing miserably of course, and as crime continues to rise, everyone Matt knows and loves becomes threatened, including Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich who has a great subplot about his conflicted friendship with Matt. While the supporting characters are a joy to read, including Foggy’s relationship with Matt’s recent girlfriend Glorianna, at the story’s heart is the distanced bond between Matt and Karen Page, both of which are at their darkest moment and only can find peace when they’re together. This all is to help Matt regain his heroism and certainly there is a catholic redemption story in which Matt is indeed born again, while discovering that the hero within him had nothing to do with the costume, which is just the dressing-up part.

Prior to working on the greatest Batman story of all-time Year One, Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli present memorable sequences – from violent action to touching character drama – that are cinematic. Certainly the return of Daredevil is a masterpiece alone as he fights the psychotically patriotic super soldier Nuke who was destroying Hell’s Kitchen. In one extraordinary sequence that indicate that this is the Marvel universe, during the aftermath of Nuke’s chaotic actions, three of the Avengers arrived: Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, the latter having a prominent role, similar to Superman’s involvement in The Dark Knight Returns.

Since Born Again, every subsequent Daredevil writer and artist has been influenced by the work that Miller and Mazzucchelli are done on what many considers to be the most quintessential Daredevil story. To quote the Kingpin: “A man without hope is a man without fear”.

[Trang Tran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trang reviewing a comic ?! ITS BEEN LIKE YEARS LOL Of course it had to beDaredevil. Not any ordinary volumes. This graphic novel is a must for any Daredevil Fans. Although, it picks up wayy wayy after the incidents from Netflix's show so if you don't want to get spoiled. Do not read this graphic novel hahaha. A marvelous classic and having plunged into the Marvel Universe there are familiar faces that came back in this volume and different details referencing to other series from Marvel. The action was amazing. But what STOOD UP FOR ME WAS THE WRITING. So beautiful !

Trang Tran- Book Blogger
http://bookidote.wordpress.com

[George K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Τον Ιούλιο του 2017 διάβασα και απόλαυσα το φοβερό "Daredevil: Ο ατρόμητος", το οποίο αποτέλεσε και την πρώτη μου επαφή με αυτόν τον εξαιρετικά συναρπαστικό σούπερ ήρωα. Ε, λοιπόν, τώρα δηλώνω ακόμα παραπάνω ενθουσιασμένος, μιας και το "Αναγέννηση" μου άρεσε ένα κλικ περισσότερο. Θα έλεγα ότι είναι από τα καλύτερα κόμικς της Marvel που είχα την τύχη να διαβάσω μέχρι σήμερα, αλλά και γενικά από τα καλύτερα με σούπερ ήρωες ανεξαρτήτου εκδοτικής εταιρείας (και, εντάξει, μπορεί να μην έχω διαβάσει εκατοντάδες τόμους, αλλά έχω διαβάσει κάποια πολύ κλασικά κομμάτια). Από την πρώτη μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα με κράτησε δέσμιό του και δεν ένιωσα ότι διάβαζα ένα ακόμα υπερηρωικό κόμικ με απλοϊκή πλοκή και ρηχούς χαρακτήρες, αλλά ένα καλογραμμένο μυθιστόρημα σε μορφή κόμικ, με ουσία και βάθος σε χαρακτήρες και συναισθήματα. Το σενάριο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρον και καλογραμμένο, με όλες τις απαραίτητες δόσεις δράσης, βίας και αγωνίας, η γραφή στους διαλόγους και τις σκέψεις των χαρακτήρων γλαφυρή και λογοτεχνική, ενώ και το σχέδιο απογειώνει την όλη ιστορία, με τις ωραίες φιγούρες, τις... χορογραφίες των σκηνών δράσης, τα φοβερά κινηματογραφικά πλάνα και τα υπέροχα χρώματα. Βέβαια, οφείλω να παραδεχτώ ότι οι τελευταίες σελίδες, με όλο τον χαμό και τις μπλοκμπάστερ σκηνές καταστροφής, είναι μάλλον υποδεέστερες αυτών που προηγήθηκαν, όμως σε καμία περίπτωση δεν μου χάλασαν την αναγνωστική απόλαυση. Άλλωστε, τέτοιες σκηνές υπερβολής θα έλεγε κανείς ότι είναι άκρως απαραίτητες σε μια ιστορία με σούπερ ήρωες, και αν μη τι άλλο οι συγκεκριμένες είναι ωραία σχεδιασμένες και αρκετά ουσιώδεις. Ναι, είναι ένα κόμικ που με ενθουσίασε και σίγουρα θα το πρότεινα στους λάτρεις του είδους.

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute classic and revolutionary collection by Frank Miller. Came out around the same time as the masterpiece that is The Dark Knight Returns, this trade paperback will bring great joy to any Daredevil fan. The highlight lies in Miller's writing and narration. Powerful and lyrical, he doesn't fail to capture a dark moment in Daredevil's life with one of the most disastrous event that Matt Murdock would have ever imagined. I however thought the perfect execution started to slow three quarters into the book. Thing's started to become messy in plot direction, but that main storyline was gold. All fans of Daredevil shouldn't skip on this iconic volume. Born Again is a must.

P.S. A full review to come in the future.

Yours truly,

Lashaan

Lashaan & Trang | Bloggers and Book Reviewers
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com

[Nahim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fue entretenido, Daredevil es uno de mis personajes favs de Marvel. Peeero prefiero la serie de Netflix because 🧚🏻Charlie Cox🧚🏻

[Himanshu Karmacharya · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Kingpin learns about the secret identity of the Man Without Fear, he sets up some elaborate plans to destroy the life of the Blind Devil.

The writing is gritty and hard-boiled, that grips the readers' interest. Every character is written perfectly, even the supporting ones. The Kingpin is shown as a ruthless gangster and is the perfect villain for Daredevil. Although he is super strong, he is just as big of a criminal mastermind. I loved how he breaks down the hero, not physically, but psychologically (and financially).

Frank Miller proves yet again, why he's a great Daredevil writer. Accompanied by beautiful artwork from David Mazzucchelli, Daredevil: Born Again is an essential Daredevil story and a must read for any fans of the character.

[Andrei Stoian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romanian review: Am început de curând serialul Daredevil și m-am gândit că ar fi o experiență interesantă să citesc și două volume de benzi desenate în același timp, pe acesta și ,,Daredevil: The Man Without Fear". Nu am apucat să văd încă foarte multe episoade din serial, dar am văzut destule încât să știu suficiente lucruri despre originea sa, ceea ce a ușurat lectura. Din câte știu, e o șansă ca în sezonul 3 să se abordeze povestea din acest volum, ceea ce nu m-ar deranja.
Un lucru care îmi place la personajul Daredevil este faptul că nu are puteri extravagante, nu are puterea să altereze realitatea, nu poate zbura, nu este imun la gloanțe etc., are doar simțuri mult mai puternice decât ale oamenilor obișnuiți. Puterile acestea moderate și faptul că nu se luptă cu extratereștri cu puterea de a distruge planeta mă duc cu gândul la filmul Unbreakable (unul dintre cele mai bune filme cu supereroi după părerea mea).
Aspectul lui Wilson Fisk, de luptător de sumo supraponderal, mi se pare ciudat, prefer aspectul lui din serial.
Să vorbesc puțin despre poveste. În acest volum, Fisk află identitatea reală a lui Daredevil și încearcă să-i distrugă viața lui Matt Murdock, făcându-l să-și piardă dreptul să practice avocatura și multe altele, dar nu vreau să dau spoilere. Este un volum interesant și întunecat care prezintă decăderea lui Matt Murdock și revenirea sa. Mi-a plăcut destul de mult povestea, chiar dacă finalul este puțin abrupt, plus că, deși îmi plac toate personajele din MCU, aș fi preferat ca acest volum să rămână doar despre Daredevil, deci aș fi preferat să nu apară Căpitanul America.
Acum să trec la o parte cu care nu mă împac de niciun fel, un lucru specific benzilor desenate, dar care, presupun, nu poate fi înlocuit în vreun fel. Mă refer la ,,cuvintele" ,,braka braka" (când cineva trage cu arma), ,,skreee" , ,,skrumpp", ,,spak", care pur și simplu mă irită. Știu că nu au cum să fie înlocuite aceste imitații de sunete, dar mie unul mi se par incredibil de enervante.
Eu îi dau acestui volum 3.5 stele, nu este chiar un 4 fix, dar nu este nici foarte departe.



English review: I recently started the Daredevil series and I thought it would be an interesting experience to read two comic books at the same time, this one and "Daredevil: The Man Without Fear". I haven't gotten to see very many episodes of the series yet, but I've seen enough to know about the character's origin, which made it easier to read. As far as I know, there's a chance that season 3 will tackle the story in this volume, which I wouldn't mind.
One thing I like about the character of Daredevil is that he doesn't have extravagant powers, he doesn't have the power to alter reality, he can't fly, he isn't immune to bullets etc., he just has much stronger senses than normal humans. These moderate powers and the fact that he doesn't fight aliens with the power to destroy the planet remind of Unbreakable (one of the best superhero movies in my opinion).
I find Wilson Fisk's overweight sumo wrestler look odd, I prefer his look from the show.
Let me talk a bit about the story. In this volume, Fisk learns Daredevil's real identity and tries to ruin Matt Murdock's life, causing him to lose his right to practice law and more, but I don't want to give spoilers. It's an interesting and dark book that showcases Matt Murdock's downfall and his comeback. I liked the story well enough, even if the ending is a bit abrupt, plus while I like all the characters in the MCU, I would have preferred if this volume had stayed just about Daredevil, so I would have preferred Captain America not to appear.
Now to get to a part I just can't stand, something specific to comics, which, I suppose, can't be replaced in any way. I am referring to the "words" "braka braka" (when someone shoots a gun), "skreee", "skrumpp", "spak", which simply irritate me. I know there's no replacing these imitation sounds, but I for one find them incredibly annoying.
I give this volume 3.5 stars, not quite a full 4 stars, but not far off either.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

    Si tuviera que quedarme con una sola historia de Daredevil sería esta. E igualmente si tuviera que escoger mi top 5 de cómics de superhéroes que más me han impactado y maravillado tanto en guion como en dibujo, además de las que más he releído, sin dudarlo también estaría 'Daredevil: Born Again".


       Estoy segura de que no soy la única que opina lo mismo. Es una obra maestra sin paliativos, pues a una trama llena de metáforas y referencias bíblicas y una acción bien dosificada escrita por Frank Miller, que ya resucitara con anterioridad al hombre sin miedo junto a Klaus Janson, se le añade el arte espectacular de Mazzucchelli. 


       Por si fuera poco, cuenta con personajes de enjundia, y no solo me refiero a Matt Murdock/Daredevil, cuyo descenso a los infiernos y su posterior resurgimiento ha sido copiado e imitado hasta la saciedad, sino que también tenemos a varios villanos, entre los que destacaría a Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, que también es el de Spiderman, y que consigue poner en aprietos a nuestro superhéroe ciego favorito. Otros personajes que merecen mucho la pena son: Ben Urich, periodista del Daily Bugle; el amigo de Matt, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, desde que estudiaran derecho en la Universidad; Glori, fotógrafa y exnovia de Matt; Karen Page, exsecretaria del bufete Nelson & Murdock, etc... Incluso hay otros superhéroes que hacen su aparición estelar cerca ya del final, pero sin lograr robarle el protagonismo al diablo de la Cocina del Infierno, el barrio de Nueva York donde creció Matt Murdock.


        El único punto en contra que le veo es su final, demasiado apresurado. Por lo demás, a cualquiera que le agrade Daredevil, o bien le haya gustado la anterior etapa de su autor, o ya haya disfrutado de otro guión suyo con dibujo de Mazzucchelli pero para la competencia (sí, me refiero a Batman: Año uno, mi anterior relectura), no dude en leerse este clasicazo de Marvel. No le defraudará ni un poquito. Valoración final: 4'5 de 5⭐ picapleitos.

[Andrew Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I finished reading Born Again, I knew that I had finished a very special story. Not only my favorite comic book story (and I've read a few!) this seven issue run, in which the Kingpin of Crime discovers that his archenemy Daredevil is in fact the lawyer Matt Murdock, is a cantidate for my favorite work of fiction in any medium. It offers romance-- not two beautiful people falling in love because it makes a good panel to close the story with, but a ruined, homeless ex-lawyer who is reunited with his former secretary and lover, now reduced to selling pieces of her soul on a regular basis for heroin. There is a drama of redemption-- a great man who has fallen, and fights against overwhelming odds to rise again. There is action as well, and what action. Miller (who can write pain like no one else in the industry) and Mazzuchelli (among the most realistic of all comic book artists) give us fight scenes that show Daredevil not as an unbeatable force for good who destroys five bad guys in a few panels of story, but as a man who who can bleed, who could die, and who feels (and fights for) a range of emotions from anger to protectiveness to self preservation.

Perhaps the element of the story which stands next to its redemptive quality as most notable is the villain. Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, makes Matt Murdock's life a living hell in these issues. Instead of using the typical comic book villian method of putting on a costume and using super weapons or powers to attack the hero or his loved ones, Fisk instead uses his political leverage to destroy Murdock professionally and financially. As a villain who holds immense power in New York City and prefers to use that power rather than physcial force, though he is capable beating Daredevil hand to hand, Miller's take on the Kingpin makes him a cantidate for the greatest villain of all time.

[The Lion's Share · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daredevil is my favourite Marvel character, if not my all time favourite comic character and this is supposed to be one of the best stories about Daredevil.

There are three reasons I read this title

1. It's supposed to be frank millers best daredevil story
2. It was on digital sale
3. They are basing the TV show on it and I wanted to get an overview.

It's quite an old story and like most of Frank millers stuff it has a lot of inner dialogue, which can become a bit tiresome if I'm honest. However, I was prepared for that as I've read most of Millers' stuff. The story starts slowly and without spoiling it, it's basically about some really downright dirty mind games between the kingpin and DD. However, this story is different from all those other times, because this is where DD loses....badly! The Kingpin is in heaven when he sees how much torture DD is in (I'd compare it to when Spider-Man quits!), but what the Kingpin sets in motion ends up causing so much damage to other people, that it really comes back to bite him. Even Captain America and the avengers become involved and Cap even breaks a few rules just to see what Kingpin has unleashed!!

The story really grabbed me when Melvin Potter gets involved, good old Gladiator! It's when he gets involved later on that Daredevil comes back to life, it's a beautiful moment and it made me believe in the strength of his character.

Overall, I'd say it is probably the most memorable Frank Miller DD story, but it is dated. Don't get me wrong I like reading classic comics, but by today's standards it's not perfect.

[Eddie B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

It *is* Frank Miller. But Daredevil is *NOT* Batman!