Masters of Storytelling: Daredevil & Tampa Bay Comic Con

This past weekend, my brother and I were excited to attend the Tampa Bay Comic Con. There was an exciting line up of panels from such hit franchises as Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, and Star Wars. However, one of the panels that drew our attention the most was the one for “Daredevil,” Netflix’s hit show based on the Marvel comic book character. They hosted a Q&A session with Elodie Yung, who portrayed Elektra, and Charlie Cox, who portrays the titular character of Matt Murdock. Listening to the two of them discuss different aspects of the show and answer questions about their characters made me realize that this is a show worthy of our “Masters of Storytelling” blog series. 

So... here we go.

One might be tempted to think that Daredevil is just another superhero show in an entertainment age that is saturated with the superhero genre. However, let me say that Daredevil is so much more than another superhero show- and not just because he’s technically more of a vigilante. This is a show that explores deeper issues of truth and justice, right and wrong, faith and fear. This is a show with a hero that is just as flawed as the rest of us and struggles to do the right thing. Matt Murdock has a good heart and a genuine desire to keep his city safe, yet his day job as a lawyer is not always successful in putting away the bad guys. This good desire leads to him putting on a disguise to fight crime, and it is not always a pretty journey as he fights his way through, usually leaving a trail of unconscious bodies behind him. He struggles with boundaries and whether what he’s doing is really as good as he hopes. He struggles with liking this somewhat dangerous version of himself. He strives to work alone in order to protect the people he cares about, and then simultaneously struggles with the fact that he cannot do it all by himself. 

In my opinion, the character of Daredevil is one of the most captivating I’ve seen in some time. Daredevil is known as “The Man Without Fear,” yet that’s not who we see in this show. As Cox said himself during the Q&A session last Saturday, one of the greatest things about Matt is that he isn’t without fear. The public views him that way because of what they see him doing; however, on the contrary, Matt has a lot to fear. He just chooses to push through it. Cox said it was this courage and pushing through despite his fears that was his favorite attribute of Matt Murdock and truly one of the things he admires most in others. I think he’s right, and I think it’s part of what makes “Daredevil” as enticing of a show as it is. So, if you want a hero you can cheer for, diabolical villains that put up an obstacle at every turn, and a show that challenges your own views of truth and justice, then you should check out “Daredevil” on Netflix.