Daredevil: Ladies' man or womanizer?

Stan Lee’s fun loving, blind superhero Daredevil (Matt Murdock) went from sensitive, romantic action hero to promiscuous, violent crimefighter. Every time Daredevil got a new writer, Matt also got a new love interest. Here’s a run-through of his history with the ladies.

When Marvel Comics launched the Daredevil series in 1964, the concept seemed to be “superhero action spiced with romantic drama.” A love interest for the handsome redhead Matt Murdock was set up in the very first issue with the introduction of his secretary Karen Page. The blind lawyer Matt was immediately smitten with Karen, thinking that “her voice is like music” and “I KNOW she’s lovely.”

Matt’s attraction to Karen was reciprocated in the very next issue where she thought to herself: “Poor Matt Murdock. He’s so handsome… so intelligent… so doggone WONDERFUL! I’d marry him in a minute, even though he’s blind… if only he’d ask me!”

By issue #3, Matt had trouble believing that Karen might really be into him, but after getting kidnapped by the criminal Owl and getting rescued by Daredevil, Karen was sure that she was falling in love with Matt who reminded her of Daredevil.

Obstacles to true love

Matt realized in Daredevil #4 that his law firm partner Franklin Nelson, nicknamed Foggy, also had feelings for Karen. “Now that I know how FOGGY feels about her, I must never reveal my OWN feelings!” he thought. “It… just wouldn’t be right!”

And so, a love triangle was set up that got played out during the many next issues of Daredevil with Matt and Karen secretly yearning for each other while Foggy yearned for Karen. By issue #14, Foggy had realized that it was Matt that Karen was interested in, thinking, “the way she’s LOOKING at him! If only she’d look at ME like that.”

When Daredevil’s superhero colleague Spider-Man mistakenly assumed that Foggy was Daredevil in issue #17, Foggy decided to use this to his advantage in trying to win the attention of Karen. In Daredevil #18, he even dressed up as Daredevil, pretending to be him, but in issue #19, Karen learned that Foggy was not Daredevil and felt relief. Overhearing their conversation, Matt was relieved to hear that Karen thought Matt was “the most wonderful man I’ve ever known,” so he decided to concentrate his attention on her.

But of course, things got complicated once again when in issue #22 Karen began to suspect that Matt was Daredevil. In order to prevent his secret from getting revealed, Matt invented a fake twin-brother Mike in issue #25, pretending to be Mike himself and saying that Mike was Daredevil. The gullible Karen now had two suitors once more: Matt and his brother Mike, never suspecting they were one and the same person.

Kept apart by Daredevil

Foggy found himself another love interest, but although Karen was deceived by Matt, she never really did feel attracted to his Mike persona. Her love for Matt stayed true and he discarded his Mike act in Daredevil #41, pretending that Mike had gotten killed in action and that someone else then picked up the Daredevil identity.

Things still did not end happily for Matt and Karen, though. In Daredevil #43, they had a falling out because Karen felt that Matt let his blindness keep them apart. Matt assumed this was for the best in order to keep his Daredevil identity a secret. But, of course, even though she was gone, he longed for her in subsequent issues and finally, in issue #48, she came back and they kissed for the very first time.

Still, Matt’s Daredevil identity continued to keep them apart until issue #57 where he decided to simply reveal to Karen that he was Daredevil. Then they planned a life together – Matt would retire his Daredevil identity and she would marry him. But of course, Matt changed his mind about retiring his Daredevil identity and so Karen left him once again in the very next issue because it was either Daredevil or her – she just would not accept that her boyfriend was also Daredevil.

By then, Roy Thomas was writing the series, and in issue #63 Karen quit her job as Matt’s secretary and left on a plane for Los Angeles, hoping in vain that Matt would change his mind and come running after her at the last minute which of course his Daredevil activities prevented him from doing.

Exit Karen, enter Natasha

In Daredevil #64 in 1970, Karen Page refused to take Matt’s phone call, and in the next issue, she had started an acting career in Los Angeles. When Daredevil looked her up, she told him that she went to L. A. to find herself and sort things out and that until she had succeeded, they’d better go their separate ways. She refused to go back to New York with Daredevil in issue #67, instead feeling the lure of becoming a famous Hollywood actress.

When Karen Page went to New York on a press tour in Daredevil #77, fate – and new writer Gerry Conway – continued to keep her and Matt apart, even though Karen had regrets about leaving Matt in issue #79.

Daredevil was rescued from drowning by the superheroine Black Widow in Daredevil #81 from 1971 and they teamed up against the supervillain the Owl while Karen Page comforted her broken heart in the arms of her agent Phil and in the very next issue it was implied that they had slept together and Phil was now in love with Karen.

Meanwhile, Daredevil and the Black Widow got deeply involved in each other’s lives and by Daredevil #84 they were kissing in their civilian identities as Matt Murdock and Natasha Romanoff, but when Karen ran into Matt in Daredevil #85, they kissed in front of both Phil and a teary-eyed Natasha with whom they had just been smooching. Embarrassing.

But then, in the very next issue Matt and Karen realized they had both moved on from each other and Karen let go of Matt who was lucky that Natasha welcomed him back in her arms.

Breaking up with the Black Widow

Matt and Natasha were quick to move in together - they did so in Daredevil #87 in 1972 – and in San Francisco of all places. By issue #92, the series was retitled Daredevil and the Black Widow and then writer Steve Gerber took over with issue #99 from 1973 in which the Black Widow’s ex-boyfriend Hawkeye of the Avengers turned up and wanted her back. Of course, this resulted in Daredevil and Hawkeye fighting over the lady until the Widow pointed out that it was her decision who she wanted to be with. In a crossover with Avengers #110, she decided to join the Avengers but returned to Daredevil in #101.

Then, in Daredevil #108 in 1974, Matt Murdock felt strongly attracted to guest-star Moon Dragon, but she did not reciprocate his attraction and then he returned to New York where his friend Foggy had been shot and was in the hospital. Natasha assumed he wouldn’t be coming back to her. “It’s OVER between us. I KNOW it is,” she said.

In New York, Matt met Foggy’s sister Candace Nelson who made a play for him in Daredevil #109, but nothing serious developed between them. Meanwhile, the Black Widow kept pining for Matt and in Daredevil #116 they were kissing again. Their reunion was short-lived, though, as in the very next issue Natasha decided against moving to New York with Matt and they kissed each other goodbye.

Unfortunately, new writer Tony Isabella brought the Black Widow back as a love interest for Daredevil in issue #120, but his run as writer was brief and then the series’ editor Len Wein wrote the Widow out yet again in issue #124 in 1975. He used the excuse that the Black Widow wanted to be her own woman and not stand in Daredevil’s shadow.

Girls throw themselves at Matt

It didn’t take new writer Marv Wolfman long to introduce a new girlfriend for Matt Murdock. Heather Glenn’s ex-boyfriend used to live in the apartment now inhabited by Matt, and in Daredevil #126 in 1975 she just barged in using a spare key and started kissing on Matt, saying: “I kinda think you’re CUTE.” Matt obviously liked Heather throwing herself at him, deciding against changing the locks to keep her out of his apartment.

The very next issue, Heather was back and kissing on Matt again, saying: “I know you probably think I’m PUSHY - but mom always said, “if you like someone – GO FOR BROKE, KID!””

In Daredevil #128 Heather tagged along with Matt to a meeting with Foggy Nelson after which she and Matt seemed to be a couple. In Daredevil #130, Foggy’s sister Candy Nelson also threw herself at Matt, kissing him in front of Heather, but Matt stuck with Heather. When he and Foggy became Attorneys-at-Law partners again in Daredevil #131, it appeared that Heather was now their secretary – taking on the job previously held by Karen Page.

By Daredevil #134, Matt realized that Heather’s “craziness” was just what he needed to loosen up and that she wasn’t just a distraction after the break-up with the Black Widow, but that he really cared for her. After rescuing his ex-girlfriend Karen Page in Daredevil #138 and Ghost Rider #20 and realizing nothing had changed about the reasons for their break-up, Matt and Heather’s romance heated-up and then, of course, obstacles to their love appeared. Heather’s father Maxwell Glenn’s company Glenn Industries was involved with some shady business that Daredevil took a personal interest in investigating just as new writer Jim Shooter took over.

Three women to choose from

Jim Shooter had Maxwell Glenn confess his guilt in Daredevil #147 in 1977, but Maxwell was really under the influence of the villain Killgrave, the Purple Man, but neither Matt nor Daredevil could prove his innocence, so Maxwell still went to jail. Heather then left Matt in Daredevil #148 because her life was falling apart, and he didn’t seem to care. When Matt tried to patch things up between them in the very next issue, the rift between them only grew larger and things only got worse in Daredevil #150 and 151 when Maxwell committed suicide in his cell and Heather walked in on Matt wearing his Daredevil costume without the mask.

Heather was heartbroken to learn that Matt was Daredevil who had arrested her father and that her father was now dead. She blamed Matt for the death of her father and screamed at Matt that she hated him and told him to leave which he did.

Enter new writer Roger McKenzie and Heather Glenn was back with Daredevil in issue #154 and the very next issue the Black Widow was also back in his life. In Daredevil #157 the Widow kissed Daredevil in front of her fellow Champion Hercules with whom she had been romantically involved, but Daredevil was more interested in patching things up with Heather. The two women met in that very issue, both thinking they had a date with Matt, and it was revealed that his wheelchair bound secretary Becky also had the hots for him, but she didn’t stand a chance against the other two. Matt decided to go with Heather and in Daredevil #165, the Widow left New York.

Breaking up with Heather

Enter new writer Frank Miller and a never-before heard-of girlfriend from Matt Murdock’s past showed up in Daredevil #168 from 1981. She was Greek and her name was Elektra Natchios and Matt had fallen for her while studying pre-law at Colombia University. After her father was killed, she left Matt and returned to Europe. And just like Matt had become the costumed Daredevil, she had now become the costumed Elektra. But there was a catch: She was now a psycho bounty-hunting, ninja killer bitch and found herself at odds with Daredevil, going so far as shoving him out a window when he tried to rekindle their romance in Daredevil #175.

And why should Elektra want to reciprocate Daredevil’s interest? He already had a girlfriend, Heather Glenn and in Daredevil #171 he made love to Heather in a public park. So, Elektra accepted an offer from Daredevil’s enemy the Kingpin to become his assassin and then she battled Daredevil in issue #179 before getting killed off by a rival hitman in Daredevil #181. Daredevil was in denial about her death and went so far as to dig up her dead body in issue #182 to make sure she was dead because “I LOVED her.” And then he asked Heather to marry him in the very next issue.

However, Matt and Heather’s relationship remained troubled and strained and by Daredevil #189 Heather had started drinking. Now just a friend, the Black Widow was back for a visit with Matt and she conspired with Matt’s best friend Foggy Nelson to put an end to the misery and break up Matt and Heather by forging goodbye-notes for the both of them.

Adult relationships

Enter new writer Denny O’ Neil and in Daredevil #197 from 1983 Daredevil met the Japanese girl Yuriko. He slept with her the very next issue even though she had a boyfriend she was reunited with in Daredevil #199. Later she would become a major foe of the superhero Wolverine by the name of Lady Deathstrike.

Then, in Daredevil #205, Daredevil met the Irish photographer Glorianna O’ Breen who became a house guest of Matt Murdock without knowing he was Daredevil. By issue #216 Matt and Glorianne were dating.

Meanwhile, Matt’s ex-girlfriend Heather’s drinking problem had escalated, and she turned to Matt in her loneliness in Daredevil #220, but he turned her down. Then she committed suicide and Matt blamed himself but decided to just go on living at the end of the next issue.

In Daredevil #226 Glorianna started dating Matt’s recently divorced friend Foggy Nelson instead of Matt because Matt’s secret Daredevil identity made him seem unreliable to her.

Then, in 1986, writer Frank Miller returned for a story-arc that set Matt’s love life back on track with his original love, Karen Page. Following her last appearance in Daredevil #138, Karen had now become a drug addicted porn star who sold out Daredevil’s secret identity for a fix in Daredevil #227. She had second thoughts, though, and began a journey back to New York that culminated in Daredevil #231 where she had a very emotional reunion with Matt. He had been through hell because she sold him out, but he forgave her for everything and helped her go cold turkey in the very next issue. In Daredevil #233, they rose from the ashes of their wrecked lives to build a new life together at last.

Cheating on Karen

With Daredevil #236 in 1986, writer Ann Nocenti began a lengthy run on the series. To keep things interesting between Matt and Karen, she had Karen having to come to terms with her boyfriend having a violent side, beating up villains and coming home hurt afterwards. The storyline ran from Daredevil #242 to 244.

Then Ann Nocenti decided to shake up the status quo by introducing the schizophrenic Typhoid Mary in Daredevil #254 in 1988. Typhoid Mary was hired by Daredevil’s archenemy the Kingpin to destroy Daredevil. She approached the job by introducing her other personality called simply Mary into the life of Matt Murdock and seducing him. When battling Typhoid Mary as Daredevil, Matt never suspected that her and Mary were one and the same person. When Karen realized in Daredevil #263 that Matt had been two-timing her with Mary, she ran off.

His life once again in ruins, Matt embarked on a journey that literally took him to Hell and back in atonement for his sin of infidelity. It wasn’t until Daredevil #284 that he returned to New York, regressing into an amnesiac state of denial about what had happened and adopting his father’s name, Jack. In the next issue he hooked up with the homeless woman Nyla Skin until he regained his memory and broke up with her in Daredevil #289.

New writer D. G. Chichester came onboard with Daredevil #292 in 1991 and got to wrap up Ann Nocenti’s storyline. Matt learned in issue #294 what had become of Karen Page. She was now making a stand against pornography and was mad at Matt for what happened with Mary, but she gradually warmed up to him, meeting with him again in issue #297.

Daredevil set out to take down the Kingpin’s mistress, Typhoid Mary, that very same issue. He did so by seducing her instead of battling her. After he slept with her, she reverted to her Mary personality and Matt reported her to the Department of Social Services who took her in for a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.

Marrying a blind woman

Matt Murdock and Karen Page got back together and remained in a solid relationship until the series ended with Daredevil #380 in 1998. When the series was relaunched as Daredevil vol. 2 by writer Kevin Smith that same year, it was decided that Daredevil should be single, and Karen Page was killed off in issue #5.

This made Matt available to fall in love with writer David Mack’s Elektra and Typhoid Mary rip-off Echo in the next story arc beginning with Daredevil vol. 2 #9. Echo fell for Matt Murdock in her civilian identity as Maya Lopez while fighting Daredevil as Echo orchestrated by the Kingpin. When she realized in issue #15 that Matt Murdock and Daredevil were one and the same, she turned on the Kingpin and left town.

Writer Brian Michael Bendis settled in for a lengthy run beginning with Daredevil vol. 2 #26 in 2001. It wasn’t until Daredevil vol. 2 #41 in 2003 that he introduced his idea of a perfect woman for Matt, though. She was a blind woman named Milla Donovan whom Daredevil rescued from being run over by a truck. Having heard the then public rumor that Daredevil was in fact the blind lawyer Matt Murdock, Milla showed up at his office the very next issue to thank him. Although initially denying that he was Daredevil, Matt couldn’t fool Milla in issue #43. Feeling mutual attraction, they started dating in subsequent issues and were in bed together by Daredevil vol. 2 #48.

Cheating on Milla

Having found happiness with Milla Donovan, Daredevil turned down Echo upon her return in Daredevil vol. 2 #52 and then it was revealed in issue #57 that he had married Milla. However, when Matt’s friend Foggy told Milla of Karen Page in Daredevil vol. 2 #59 she feared that Matt only married her because he had a nervous breakdown following Karen’s death. Milla then left Matt in issue #60 and filed for an annulment of their marriage the very next issue which he agreed to in issue #64.

Milla returned to Matt in Daredevil vol. 2 #76. She had not filed the divorce papers and by the very next issue they were back in bed together. Milla admitted she had been jealous of Karen Page’s ghost and now she missed Matt. He said he hadn’t seen anyone else because “I’m married.”

Enter new writer Ed Brubaker with Daredevil vol. 2 #82 in 2006. Daredevil’s relationship with Milla Donovan was recapped in Daredevil vol. 2 #94 before she got driven psychotic and was left in an institution to be cared for by professionals in Daredevil vol. 2 #105. Thinking he ruined her life and forbidden to visit his wife because his visits upset her, Matt comforted himself by sleeping with private investigator Dakota North in Daredevil vol. 2 #111 in 2008. Afterwards he had some regrets about it and then Milla Donovan’s parents showed up in issue #114, wanting custody of their daughter and to file the divorce papers Matt had signed in issue #64 but which Milla hadn’t filed. They had pictures of Matt and Dakota in bed together taken by a private investigator if Matt decided to take the case to court. Matt didn’t want to let go of Milla, so Dakota left him in issue #117.

Goodbye to Daredevil’s promiscuous ways

In Daredevil #500 from 2009, Matt finally let go of Milla and then he was free to pursue new love interests when the series was relaunched as Daredevil vol. 3 in 2011. New writer Mark Waid introduced his idea of a fitting love interest for Matt Murdock in the very first issue. Her name was Kirsten McDuffie and she was the assistant district attorney of New York. That didn’t stop him from making out with his friend Spider-Man’s love interest the Black Cat as Daredevil in issue #8, though. That was so not cool. Goodbye, Daredevil. Goodbye. Matt Murdock. Who knows who you’re sleeping with now? Who even cares?

When writers Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack wrote their idea of the final days of Daredevil in the 2012 mini-series Daredevil: End of Days, they summed it up perfectly: Matt Murdock died a single man who left behind five children with four different women.

He was not the kind of man you’d want to fall in love with and marry after all. If loving him didn’t get you dead, he cheated on you. Sad but true.