Some call him the Devil of “Hell’s Kitchen.” Others call him Daredevil. What fans call him is another success for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). “Daredevil” premiered April 10 on Netflix with a 13-episode series. Fans of the beloved comic book character eagerly anticipated how the character would be adapted into the already established and massive world of the MCU.
Fans and critics agree, “Daredevil” is a hit. Charlie Cox skillfully portrays Matt Murdock, attorney at law, as well as his superhero alter ego Daredevil. The masked vigilante terrifies the villains at night trying to bring justice to an unjust city. Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays his nemesis Wilson Fisk aka, the Kingpin of Crime, does so with absolute magnetism. Fisk is a man who will stop at nothing to bring “Hell’s Kitchen” into a “better tomorrow,” no matter how many bodies he has to put into the ground.
One of the biggest accomplishments is the realistic and bloody fight scenes throughout the show. The show is filled with hard punches and gritty violence. Though Daredevil himself does not use an “iron suit or magic hammer” he does things his own way and I think that is what fans love so much about him as a character. The story telling is brilliant and every episode leaves the audience wanting more from the rooftop-running superhero. Fans come for the Marvel elements but stay for the excitement the show has to offer. Marvel has never done something so ambitious and dark as “Daredevil.”
It is Marvel’s way of saying it is not a one-trick pony and it will do everything in its power to do the characters justice. Marvel was under some speculation of whether or not it could pull off a dark and gritty tone. Like every other challenge, it overcame the odds and succeeded with flying colors. It has set a precedent in outdoing itself when it comes to meeting a challenge.
Many have wondered how this adaption of “Daredevil” would differ from the disappointing 2003 film starring Ben Affleck. The negative reception of “Daredevil,” the movie, was due to the lead actor’s miscast, the plot’s irrelevance, and the tone of the movie did not match the true nature of the comic that fans were expecting. The television series outdoes the film by staying true to the source material of the comic books.
Marvel has laced elements of the comic book into the television series so naturally it almost goes unnoticed. For instance, characters like Karen Page, Ben Urich and Foggy Nelson played by actors Deborah Ann Woll, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Elden Henson, are more prominently shown in the series. Their characters’ importance in the comics match their importance on screen. Their characters actually contribute to the plot while also making the audience care about what they go through.
“Daredevil” is a great example of how well Marvel can correctly adapt their comic book characters into the world of the MCU through film or television.

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