Summary
- Daredevil's black armor was part of a trend in the early 1990s to overhaul iconic characters in new and shocking ways.
- The black armor made sense for Daredevil's dangerous work, providing him with greater protection.
- Despite the hate it received, Daredevil's black armor gave the character a much-needed edge and is returning to silence the haters for good.
Daredevil’s most controversial costume has returned to silence the haters once and for all. For most of his career, Daredevil’s bright red suit has been one of his trademarks, but for a brief period in the early 1990s, he wore a decidedly different outfit, one that provoked fan ire at the time. Now writer D.G. Chichester, who guided Daredevil’s adventures during this time, returns with a brand-new miniseries, titled Daredevil: Black Armor.
Marvel revealed more details about Daredevil: Black Armor #1 at its retailer at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday. The book will be written by Chichester, with art by Netho Diaz and covers by Mark Bagley. The solicitation for the comic, which releases in November, reads as follows:
BACK IN BLACK! D.G. Chichester returns to Hell's Kitchen to spin an all-new DAREDEVIL story set during his landmark run with the character! ed now by rising star NETHO DIAZ with covers by industry legend MARK BAGLEY, this is one DAREDEVIL series you can't afford to miss!
Marvel did not reveal any information beyond the blurb, but it is clear this adventure will be set during Daredevil’s “black armor” phase.
Daredevil's Black Armor Was Part of a Trend
In the early 1990s, inspired by the success of iconoclastic events such as The Death of Superman and Knightfall, DC began overhauling its characters in new and shocking ways. Marvel got in on the act too, putting some of its biggest icons through the wringer. This era gave birth to the infamous Spider-Man Clone Saga as well as “The Crossing,” in which it was revealed Iron Man had been corrupted by Kang. Daredevil received similar treatment in the now-classic “Fall From Grace” story. Written by D.G. Chichester and drawn by Scott McDaniel, “Fall From Grace” saw Daredevil swap out his traditional red duds for a new, sleek, black suit of armor. The look had its fans, but others saw it as yet another symbol of '90s excess. Chichester would leave Daredevil in 1995, and the black armor would disappear soon after. Since then, Daredevil’s suit has largely remained unchanged. With characters and concepts from the 1990s all the rage, now is the perfect time for Daredevil’s maligned black armor to make its return.
Daredevil's Armor Makes Sense
Given the dangerous nature of Daredevil’s work, a suit of armor actually makes sense; it would provide him with a greater degree of protection. The black armor he donned during “Fall From Grace” was the perfect costume for Daredevil, but unfortunately it has become equated with a low period in comics history. Flashy and shallow, big-gun toting tough guys were the order of the day, and Chichester and many other writers of the time worked under heavy editorial mandates to make the characters “more extreme.” When it came time to overhaul Daredevil, Chichester and his collaborators opted for something more practical, giving him the now infamous black armor. It was a huge change for Daredevil, and fans did not respond well to it at all.
Daredevil’s black armor did not deserve the hate it received in the early 1990s. It gave Old Horn-Head a much-needed shot in the arm, as well as a serious edge over his opponents. Daredevil’s black armor has instead become a symbol of the worst of the 1990s, but on its 30th anniversary, it is returning to silence the haters for good.
Daredevil: Black Armor #1 is on sale this November from Marvel Comics!
