Spider-Man has one of the most iconic rogues’ galleries in the Marvel Universe. That’s no secret. When Frank Miller arrived on Daredevil, he, inker Klaus Janson, and writer Roger McKenzie set out to rebuild the character and his supporting cast. In Miller’s own words, they conspired ‘to steal as many Spider-Man villains as possible’.
Although the two heroes shared a few common enemies, over time Daredevil built one of Marvel’s strongest rogue galleries: an eclectic mix of criminals drawn from every level of society and bound together by power, obsession and proximity.
Daredevil’s enemies often appear more grounded and ruthless. They are crime lords, assassins and obsessive enemies who thrive in the shadows of Hell’s Kitchen and don’t require superpowers to ruin lives. This doesn’t mean that magic, madness or strange inventions are off the table, as some of his most iconic villains rely on these very things. But Daredevil’s rogues are dangerous because they’re close, persistent and perfectly suited to breaking a man who’s already stretched to his limits.
To help you discover more of Daredevil’s universe, what better way to start than by learning about his enemies? Follow our guide as we introduce you to Daredevil’s greatest foes!
Daredevil’s Main Villains
The Kingpin (Wilson Fisk)
Created by Stan Lee and artist John Romita Sr., the villainous crime lord known as the Kingpin first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967). Initially introduced as a ruthless and cunning crime lord controlling vast criminal enterprises in New York City, the Kingpin’s influence gradually expanded beyond the world of Spider-Man. It was in the pages of Daredevil, following the arrival of writer and penciller Frank Miller at the beginning of the 1980s, that the Kingpin truly evolved into the iconic villain we know today.
Before becoming the famous crime boss, Fisk was an unpopular and obese child who was bullied because of his appearance. However, he possessed a unique talent for exploiting the weaknesses of others, setting the stage for his future as a criminal mastermind. His physical strength and thirst for knowledge opened the doors to New York’s underworld, starting with crime lord Don Rigoletto, who employed him as a bodyguard. Fisk rapidly ascended the ranks within Rigoletto’s organisation, ultimately betraying and eliminating his boss to take control of his vast criminal empire. Over time, Fisk expanded his influence, solidifying his position as one of the most formidable figures in New York’s criminal underworld and becoming known as the Kingpin. However, power can change hands in the criminal world, so being at the top is a dangerous position to occupy. Nevertheless, Wilson Fisk has become a powerful businessman, criminal, and the formidable archenemy of Daredevil.
Bullseye
After the Kingpin, no villain has defined Daredevil’s life (and angst!) more than the professional assassin Bullseye. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist John Romita Sr., this master marksman first appeared in Daredevil #131 (1976), where he clashed with Daredevil to establish his reputation. Unfortunately for Bullseye, who prides himself on never missing his target, his repeated failure to kill Daredevil damaged his credibility and sanity! This launched the character on a vendetta against Daredevil, although he was mostly a gimmick villain until Frank Miller redefined him as a murderous psychopath.
Bullseye built his reputation on the fact that he never misses, and it’s impossible not to recognise him in his black-and-white outfit bearing the symbol of his namesake on his forehead! However, just because Bullseye can’t miss on the street doesn’t mean you can catch him! In fact, Bullseye is one of Daredevil’s most mysterious rogues, with no definitive origin story or full name. Several stories exist about his past, and it is now mostly established that his first name is Lester. Throughout the years, he has used several aliases, such as Benjamin Poindexter, Leonard McClain and Lester Jangles. He has even pretended to be Daredevil and Hawkeye at some point.
Bullseye has also been a source of inspiration for Maki Matsumoto, who chose to become a trained assassin after witnessing him easily kill several people. She has fought Matt Murdock in the courtroom as a lawyer and on the streets as Lady Bullseye!
The Hand
Really, who doesn’t have an ancient, evil clan of mystical ninjas among their enemies? Not Daredevil! The criminal organisation was founded in 1588. It began as a secret society of Japanese nationalist samurai before being taken over by an ancient ninja clan, the Snakeroot, that serves a demon known only as “The Beast of the Hand”.
Created by writer and artist Frank Miller in Daredevil #174, the Hand was first hired by the Kingpin to eliminate Matt Murdock, a mission they failed to accomplish. But it wouldn’t be the last time the lawyer by day, who turned vigilante by night, would come into conflict with or be targeted by this mystical order, which was heavily involved in organised crime and mercenary activities. Worse still, after many confrontations, Daredevil himself will accept being the master of the Hand for a time. The members of the Hand are practitioners of powerful occult magic. One of their most famous feats is their ability to resurrect someone and make them a servant of the Hand.
Elektra has been one of the Hand’s greatest warriors. Over the years, several other famous Marvel characters have belonged to this organisation, including Lady Bullseye, Wolverine, Frank Castle and Psylocke.
Elektra
Inspired by Greek tragedy, Elektra Natchios is a multifaceted woman who has existed in the grey area between hero and villain for a long time. Created by Frank Miller, she has captivated both Matt Murdock and readers ever since her first appearance in Daredevil #168. The daughter of an ambassador with a troubled childhood, Elektra trained to become a master martial artist and assassin. Driven by rage and a thirst for vengeance, she was exploited and corrupted by the Hand, who turned her into one of their most deadly warriors.
This lethal assassin is also one of Matt Murdock’s greatest loves. They met and fell in love at university, where they discovered a mutual taste for danger and adventure. Unable to cope with tragedy, Elektra’s aggressive urges led to the couple separating for many years. Naturally, Matt and Elektra’s paths would cross again, creating an epic and tragic love story that not even death could put an end to.
Since her introduction, Elektra has been fighting and killing in a red costume, carrying a pair of sai that she has used for both good and evil. Currently, the woman is working on the side of justice.
Typhoid Mary
Created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita Jr., Typhoid Mary first appeared in Daredevil #254 in May 1988. Born Mary Alice Walker, she is a mutant with many aliases, including Innocent Mary, Virgin Mary and Bloody Mary, which represent her different personalities. The character’s name is a reference to the historical figure known as Typhoid Mary (born Mary Mallon), an Irish-born American cook who unknowingly infected many people with typhoid.
A trained athlete and martial artist, Mary possesses low-level psychic abilities, including the ability to create small fires, move small objects and disturb the minds of others. She made her debut in the world of Daredevil as an assassin hired by the Kingpin to torment and crush Matt Murdock. However, her fractured mind complicated matters, and she would spend a long time alternating between helping and hurting the Kingpin and Daredevil. Mary has devoted much of her time to integrating her alters, a state she has recently achieved. She has also become romantically involved with Wilson Fisk, recently becoming his wife.
The Purple Man (Zebediah Killgrave)
Today, The Purple Man is most famous as the archenemy of Jessica Jones. But before encountering the superheroine and private detective and making her life a living hell, the supervillain also known as Zebediah Killgrave was an enemy of Daredevil (and still is, of course!). Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Joe Orlando, The Purple Man made his first appearance in Daredevil #4 (1964) where he used his ability to control people’s minds and actions for his benefit. This was the first but not the last confrontation between the two characters as Daredevil has faced The Purple Man on several occasions since then.
Born in Croatia, Zebediah Killgrave gained his powers after being accidentally doused with a chemical that also turned his hair and skin purple. They have since evolved to the point where he no longer needs to be in the presence of the people he wishes to control to take over their minds. He alters a person’s perceptions, forcing them to see and experience anything he wants with his words. While Killgrave’s powers are great, a few strong-willed people have proved resistant to his influence, such as Doctor Doom and Kingpin.
Early on after gaining his abilities, Killgrave would use mind-control powers to force women to fall in love with him and make them pregnant before abandoning them. His first child was Kara Killgrave, who became a member of the Alpha Flight group. He is also the father of Benjamin Killgrave as well as several children that he led at some point as group called The Purple Children.
The Owl (Leland Owlsley)
Despite being named after an animal, the Owl did not make his debut in Spider-Man, but in Daredevil! Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Joe Orlando for Daredevil #3 (1964), the character became one of Daredevil’s recurring foes, as a member of the criminal underground scene.
Leland Owlsley started out as a ruthless financier, but after an IRS audit discovered files connecting him to several illegal business enterprises, he decided to embrace a criminal career. If he weren’t a corrupt businessman, Leland would be a crime lord! That was his ambition, and he had the money to build his own small crime empire. He hired small-time thugs and used experimental drugs and surgery to gain the power to fly (usually temporarily).
Over the years, these methods have taken their toll on Owlsley, who has come face to face with Daredevil on several occasions, as well as Spider-Man, Black Cat and The Kingpin, as he has worked his way up and tried to become the Kingpin or manipulate others for his own gain.
Gladiator (Melvin Potter)
Gladiator is a tragic figure among Daredevil’s rogue gallery. Created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., he first appeared in Daredevil #18 as a costumed villain with a grudge against the superhero community. To prove his superiority, Melvin Potter donned a costume featuring deadly wrist blades, razor-sharp boots, body armour and a helmet, becoming ‘Gladiator’. However, he was easily defeated by Daredevil.
The experience did not stop Melvin, though, as he went on to join forces with the mysterious Masked Marauder, the Maggia, Electro’s Emissaries of Evil, Whitney Frost, Death-Stalker and the Beetle. However, Melvin’s life took a turn when he met Betsy Beatty, who helped him reform and abandon his criminal career. Although his marriage to Betsy didn’t last, Melvin didn’t abandon his honest life and even became a supporter of Daredevil.
Unfortunately for Melvin, his story doesn’t end there. Although he had chosen to reform, others had different plans for him and he was forced to work for criminals and commit violent crimes under the influence of drugs that made him insane.
Mister Fear
Under the mask of Mister Fear is not always the same face. This alias has been used by several men over the years, beginning with Zoltan Drago in Daredevil #6. Created by Stan Lee and Wally Wood, the original Mister Fear was a wax sculptor and chemist who created a special ‘fear gas’ that was fired from a pellet gun. He attempted to rob a bank, but was stopped by Daredevil. Drago’s career as Mister Fear came to an abrupt end when criminal Engineer Samuel ‘Starr’ Saxon took over the mantle to confront Daredevil.
The next Mister Fear was Lawrence ‘Larry’ Cranston, a lawyer with a personal grudge against Murdock, who chose to take vengeance on him. Although he was stopped by Daredevil, Cranston did not give up and reappeared many years later as a more dangerous criminal, determined to make Daredevil’s life miserable and take over as New York’s main crime boss. Over the years, he used drugs to push people towards death or submission.
Although Cranston is the most active Mister Fear, another person also took on the mantle. His nephew, Alan Fagan, came into possession of Mister Fear’s equipment after Larry was presumed dead. However, Larry mostly came into conflict with Spider-Man rather than Daredevil.
Stilt-Man
You don’t need to be a great supervillain. Sometimes, being a persistent one is enough to earn a place in a superhero’s rogue gallery. Case in point: Stilt-Man! This Golden Age villain stands out with his impenetrable suit of armour and powerful telescopic legs. Inventor Wilbur Day created this costume for robberies, but was quickly defeated by Daredevil in his first appearance in Daredevil #8 (1965), from Stan Lee and Wally Wood.
This wacky supervillain would go on and adapt to modern times, continuing his career as one of the most improbable of Daredevil’s foes that would also come, naturally, into conflict with Spider-Man and Iron Man. However, Stilt-Man is still heavily associated with Daredevil, a superhero he tried to kill many times to no avail.
Nothing proves you actually made it in the Marvel Universe more than being killed and resurrected, having someone take your spot when you’re dead, and even having your own gear stolen and others impersonate you! And all those things happened to Stilt-Man!
Bonus: The Punisher
The Punisher is Marvel’s most iconic antihero. A vigilante on a mission to fight crime, he is willing to use violence and murder to achieve his goals, which is a far cry from Daredevil’s ideals who believes in the justice system.
The two characters have had a complex relationship ever since they first crossed paths in Daredevil #183 (1964), when they were both pursuing a drug dealer named Hogman. In this issue, Frank Miller contrasted their respective versions of vigilantism. Over the years, the two men have both come into conflict with and teamed up with each other.
View The Punisher Reading Guide
Read comics featuring Daredevil’s Rogues Gallery with our Daredevil Comics Reading Guide!