Daredevil

Marvel has a ton of characters to choose from when it is trying to develop content for its fans.  As the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) expanded from the movies to a more series-based format, the first character Marvel tapped was Daredevil.  Bold choice of a hero to hinge an entire group of content on.  Is Daredevil now gone forever?  Or does he have a chance to billy-club his comic value to new highs?

Daredevil had a nice run over at Netflix, he was a bit of a "breakout" star for the non-movie MCU characters, and he helped launch the platform's other titles.  Unfortunately for fans of the Netflix series, it appears that Disney+ and its desire to hold everything Marvel close to the vest has led to the ultimate cancellation.  Is Daredevil gone for good or can we expect some sort of revival of the character?  This is not only a question for Daredevil, but the Punishers, Luke Cages, and others involved in the Netflix series.

Although not on the Marvel "Mount Rushmore", Daredevil titles do have a strong appeal among collectors.  They typically have great cover art by artists like Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, or John Romita, which usually includes a great depiction of Daredevil himself.  There are also many amazing character first appearances.  From early foes like The Owl and Stilt man to more famous rivals like Bullseye and Typhoid Mary.  Without the exposure of a series, or rumors of the character making a return, prices are hitting a lull and now may be the time to strike.

From a speculator's perspective, Daredevil should have a bunch of capital gains to make over time.  With the original hype and exposure of the character gone, the market reaction has seemingly died down.  From here I can see two possible paths for the character.  First, and the most depressing, is to have the character never mentioned, used, or otherwise brought into the Marvel properties, forever stalling out the character, from a future value gains perspective.  Second, and more hopefully, is that there's a Daredevil revival, renewed interest, and eventual gains, via the hype machine and Marvel, which could be substantial.  If I was Marvel, I would be trying to get as many characters in front of my audience as I could, in any medium.  The characters are your brand, and you can move a lot of merchandise with a popular character.  Maybe it is time to make Daredevil a bit more kid-friendly so there are more plush dolls of him out there?

Daredevil may be a good long-term play if you feel like the character is bound to rebound.  I expect him to be developed further and receive some kind of value bump in the process.  Stick to the title keys, first appearances, and famous covers to ensure that you are targeting the best comics that have the highest chance to be sold in the future.  My 2020 continues to be the year of no modern books, so stay bronze age, or earlier, for the best values.

Did Daredevil receive a fair shake from Marvel?  Is his return inevitable or not needed?  Drop your comments and join the speculation!