MARVEL UNLIMITED
Marvel Unlimited
Access Over 30,000+ Digital Comics
The clothes, in fact, do make the hero. As far as costumed crime fighters in New York City go, few have a more distinct lineup of battle-ready suits than Daredevil, who makes each ensemble look great in action as one of the MCU’s most quietly stylish vigilantes.
Whether he’s defending the streets of New York City on solo adventures or teaming up with other heroes, Matt Murdock has an impressive array of suits to help him get the job done. From the modest but effective costumes he wore at the start of his crime-fighting career to the armored suits he wore during his most brutal showdowns, here are the most iconic Daredevil costumes and their significance to Matt Murdock’s story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When Matt first began fighting crime as Daredevil, he wore a relatively simple costume consisting of a form-fitting black long-sleeve shirt, military pants, and a black bandana tied around the top of his head, covering his eyes. While speaking to Foggy Nelson in Marvel’s Daredevil, Matt admitted that he bought the amateur vigilante costume on the internet. Though the ensemble gave the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen a certain agility, it did leave him more vulnerable than his eventual more armored looks.
Marking the start of Matt’s crime-fighting career, the suit weathered many memorable brawls, including a prolonged hallway fight in the show’s first season. However, Matt quickly realized he needed to upgrade his gear if he wanted to survive his showdown with the Kingpin.
In response to the increased bodily harm he endured in his homemade costume, Matt turned to the professionals to create something more protective and visually distinct. At the tail end of Marvel’s Daredevil Season 1, Matt approached the specialized tailor and armorer Melvin Potter to make him a costume. The result? The first red Daredevil costume, with accented black armor plating on the forearms, shoulders, knees, and portions of the chest. The suit also came with a custom pair of matching billy clubs, a weapon that helped Daredevil even the odds in seemingly overwhelming battles.
Before his California adventure with She-Hulk, Daredevil wore a subtly updated suit, similar to the original red costume that was designed by Melvin Potter. Daredevil wore this suit when he battled a group of crooks in Marvel Television’s Echo, coming to blows with Maya Lopez while she worked for Kingpin. This suit’s sleeker cowl conformed more closely to Matt’s head than previous helmet designs, and its bulkier chest plating gave it a more armored finish.
On a trip to the West Coast in Marvel Television’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Matt employed L.A. costume designer Luke Jacobson to provide him with new gear. However, upon his arrival in Los Angeles, Matt learned that the super villain Leapfrog kidnapped Jacobson. Daredevil donned his new suit—which featured a yellow helmet and sleeves alongside the crimson torso—to rescue the designer. This ‘ketchup and mustard’ suit was a nod to the original Daredevil costume in the comics, as seen in DAREDEVIL (1964) #1 by Stan Lee and Bill Everett.
In Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Matt wore a redesigned version of his iconic red costume. Seen in the first episode of the Disney+ series, the new suit sported a noticeably brighter red color, making its black accents stand out more prominently.
Daredevil wore this suit during his grueling duel against Bullseye after the villain assassinated Foggy Nelson under orders from Vanessa Fisk. In the wake of Foggy’s death, however, Matt temporarily retired from his double life as a vigilante. But when the twisted artist Muse tormented New York City, Matt dusted this costume off to become Daredevil once more and face the serial killer.
As Kingpin tightens his control over New York City in Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, Matt must now operate from the shadows. He reflects this new status-quo with his hero costume, painting the usually crimson Daredevil suit black. With only a red “DD” logo on emblazoned on his chest, the black suit emphasizes Daredevil’s greater need for stealth as Fisk and his Anti-Vigilante Task Force crack down on costumed crime fighters throughout the city.
The Daily Bugle
Can’t-miss news and updates from across the Marvel Universe!
TV Shows
‘Wonder Man’ Will Return for Season 2
Movies
Watch the Official Trailer for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’
TV Shows
‘A Marvel Television Special Presentation: The Punisher: One Last Kill’ Release Date Revealed
Games
Peni Parker Joins ‘MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls’ With the Amazing Guardians Team
