How Frank Miller Returned to Daredevil for Born Again

The mid-1980s marked a pivotal era for Marvel, a period of both creative heights and significant business success. Recovering from the financial struggles of the late '70s, Marvel was poised to reshape the comic book landscape. 1984's Secret Wars stands as a landmark event, with far-reaching consequences for the Marvel Universe and the industry as a whole, though its impact is a complex legacy. This period also saw the release of other iconic stories, including Frank Miller's Born Again Daredevil arc, Jean Grey's return in X-Factor, and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga in Thor. This article explores these key narratives and their lasting influence.

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 are Frank Miller's Born Again (Daredevil #227-233) and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga (Thor #340-353). Born Again, Miller's triumphant return to Daredevil (with art by David Mazzuchelli), is widely considered a definitive Daredevil tale. Karen Page's betrayal, revealing Matt Murdock's identity, leads to the Kingpin's devastating campaign to destroy Murdock's life. Matt's subsequent fall and redemption, alongside Kingpin's descent into fanaticism, create a powerful narrative. This story heavily influenced Season 3 of Netflix's Daredevil and the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again.

Simultaneously, Walt Simonson's run on Thor, beginning in 1983 (#337), introduced Beta Ray Bill and revitalized the series with a strong mythic fantasy feel. The Surtur Saga ( Thor #340-353), a year-long epic, depicts Surtur's attempt to bring about Ragnarok. The saga features Malekith, a new nemesis for Thor, and culminates in a spectacular confrontation between Thor, Loki, Odin, and Surtur. Elements of this saga were later incorporated 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 event crossover model. Secret Wars (1984), a 12-part miniseries written by Jim Shooter (with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton), solidified this trend. Born from a marketing collaboration with Mattel, the story features dozens of Marvel heroes and villains battling on Battleworld at the behest of the Beyonder.

While Secret Wars is a mixed bag—criticized for its uneven character portrayals and lack of dramatic depth—its impact on the comic book industry is undeniable. Its success led to Secret Wars II and, along with DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, established the event comic as a dominant publishing model for decades.

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

Following the foundational runs of Stan Lee and Gerry Conway, Roger Stern's tenure on Amazing Spider-Man (#224 onwards) marked a return to high quality. His most significant contribution was the introduction of the Hobgoblin in Amazing Spider-Man #238. Stern's original Hobgoblin saga, though cut short due to editorial interference, remains highly regarded and was later concluded in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.

Stern's run also saw the debut of Spider-Man's black symbiote costume in Amazing Spider-Man #252, later explained in Secret Wars #8. This iconic costume and the subsequent symbiote saga have been adapted numerous times across various media. 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.

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

The mid-1980s also witnessed significant events in the X-Men universe. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 revealed Magneto as the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, a retconned element but a significant piece of established lore. X-Men #171 saw Rogue's heroic turn, joining the X-Men, and X-Men #200 featured Magneto's trial and subsequent leadership of Xavier's School.

The most important mutant events were Jean Grey's resurrection (spanning Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286) and the introduction of Apocalypse in X-Factor #5-6. Apocalypse, created by Louise Simonson and Jackson Guice, quickly became a major X-Men villain, appearing in various adaptations.