Daredevil: 37 Villains We Want to See on TV

This article contains spoilers for Daredevil season 1 and 2 and potential spoilers for Daredevil Season 3.

Daredevil Season 3 hasn’t been confirmed yet, but c’mon, we all know it’s happening. Vincent D’Onofrio is Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, but over the decades, Matt Murdock has fought many different dastardly villains in his guise of the Man Without Fear. Some of them have become legends, while others…not so much.

Join us as we rate the villains of Daredevil’s past to see what evil doers Daredevil could be facing down when Daredevil season two shows up in 2016. Now, we’re mining from every era of comics here so keep in mind not all these rogues will be of Wilson Fisk caliber. While some of these guys seem outlandish, you might have noticed that even more traditional supervillain types like the Owl got TV makeover that made them fit the aesthetic of the show. Anything is possible.

So get your Billy Clubs ready as we take a look at Hell’s Kitchen’s most (and least) wanted.

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Cobra

First appearance: Journey into Mystery #98 (1963)

Created by Stan Lee and Don Heck

Cobra first made his rep battling Thor alongside his former partner Calvin Zabo, Mr. Hyde (yes, Agent Skye’s daddy), but he also has had many battles with Daredevil. Cobra has a cool visual power (he’s, like, quadruple jointed) and is one of Marvel’s oldest villains, so if Marvel wanted to use Cobra in a Daredevil TV series, I wouldn’t protest. Plus, you have some villainous synergy with Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD through Cobra’s classic partnership with Hyde.

TV Potential: 2 ½ Billy Clubs

Electro

First appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #9 (1964)

Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Not Elektra, Electro (and boy if Matt Murdock got those two confused, things could have gotten all kinds of messy). Primarily known as a Spider-Man baddie, Electro also took on the Man Without Fear all the way back in Daredevil #2. Electro has returned to torment Daredevil a few times over the years, but as he’s primarily a Spider-Man villain he probably won’t be making an appearance on Netflix.

Then again, with relations between Marvel and Sony over Spidey being newly-thawed, anything is possible. One thing is for sure, a new Electro would be most welcome after that Jamie Foxx comb over nonsense in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

TV Potential: 3 Billy Clubs (Realistic TV Potential What With Lawyers and All: 0)

Matador

First appearance Daredevil #5 (1964)

Created by Stan Lee and Wally Wood

How on Earth could a villain created by Stan Lee and Wally Wood stink so bad? Manuel Eloganto didn’t even have any powers. He would just fight super heroes the same way he fought bulls. He kind of just waved his cape at them.

Lee came up with some blah blah that Matador’s weighted cape confused Daredevil’s senses, but yeah, no. And ha ha, get this (snicker), Matador (guffaw), teamed up with fellow super loser, the Man-Bull. How did they get stuff done? Anytime, ha ha, Matador whips out the cape, wouldn’t (I can’t) Man-Bull just attack him? What a pair of maroons. “Come senor Man-Bull; let us rob the bank! Wait, why are you charging, argggh!”

TV Potential:  0 Billy Clubs

The Owl

First appearance: Daredevil #3 (1964)

Created by Stan Lee and Joe Orlando

Daredevil’s second most famous crime boss foe is a definite presence on season one of Netflix’s Daredevil (played by Bob Gunton). The Owl has had many wars with Daredevil and the Kingpin, he has the power to fly, and over the years, through genetic manipulation, has become more bird like. He is creepy as hell with the ability to turn his head completely around and a strange vocal tic that effects his speech patterns. 

The thing is, ol’ Leland Owlsley appears to croak at the end of season one. But he keeps referring to a son named “Lee,” who is totally Leland Jr., and that opens a few doors. Don’t be at all surprised if a new, more comic book-y version of the Owl appears in Daredevil Season 3.

TV Potential:  4 Billy Clubs

Ox

First appearance:  Amazing Spider-Man #10 (1964)

Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Originally a member of the Enforcers, a team of mob heavies that fought Spider-Man many times, the Ox also has served as muscle for some of Daredevil’s rogues. Ox was killed years ago but it turns out he had a twin brother with the same penchant for yellow sweaters and brown vests as his brother.

Some of the Daredevil/Ox battles were actually pretty memorable back in the day. There’s was this one time, some scientist dude swiped bodies with Ox, and…oh forget it. Because he was created by Lee and Ditko we’ll give the generic lug:

TV Potential:  1 ½ Billy Clubs

Stilt-Man

First appearance: Daredevil #8 (1965)

Created by Stan Lee and Wally Wood

What’s not to love about a villain who has hydraulic legs that allow him to grow hundreds of feet tall? Stilt-Man has been fighting Daredevil for years and is a huge loser with a silly suit, but there is something unsettling about seeing a villain THAT big.

On the one hand Netflix is aiming for a different tone with Daredevil, so the odds of seeing awesomely silly villain like this guy are pretty low. Right? Well…maybe not. There was a pretty crazy Stilt-Man easter egg that popped up towards the end of the first season. Did you spot it?

1 ½ Billy Clubs

Mr. Fear

First appearance: Daredevil #6 (1965)

Created by Stan Lee and Wally Wood

Mr. Fear, while often getting lost amongst the Kingpins and Bullseyes of the world, is one of Daredevil’s greatest foes. There have been at least four villains who took the name Mr. Fear, each using a special fear gun to instill terror in their victims.

The first Mr. Fear used his fear formula to enslave other Daredevil villains to do his bidding and the legacy of terror proceeded from there. Mr. Fear may hit a few of the same notes as DC’s Scarecrow but his rich and complex legacy marks each one of the men who wore the mask of Mr. Fear worthy of future exploration by Marvel studios. They just have to do something about that costume…

TV Potential:  4 Billy Clubs

Ani-Men

First appearance Daredevil #10 (1965)

Created by Wally Wood and Bob Powell

The Ani-Men are a classic (and I use that term loosely) team of animal themed minions used by many villains. First the original crew of Ani-Men consisting of Ape-Man, Bird-Man, Cat-Man, and Frog-Man worked for the Organizer. It’s not looking good for the Ani-Men when their boss sucks worse than they do. The Organizer? What, does he sneak into messy houses and tidy them up or something?

The Ani-Men, sans Frog-Man for some reason, then joined with the Masked Marauder who might have sucked worse than the Organizer. At least their third appearance had some deep historical impact as the Ani-Men, this time with their newest member Dragonfly, took on the New X-Men under orders of Count Nefaria.

The Ani-Men all dress like their animal namesake and all kind of suck. They also keep randomly dying and being replaced by others ass hats who desperately want to wear animal costumes and get beat up. These guys are the masochistic furries of the Marvel Universe. The most famous appearance by any of these dickheads in the modern era was when Bird-Man (not the Michael Keaton one) was killed by the Scourge of the Underworld. Bird-Man (not the Michael Keaton one) will not be the last villain on this list killed by the Scourge of the Underworld.

TV Potential: 1 Billy Club between the five of them. That’s 1/5th Billy Club each. Jerks.

Masked Marauder

First appearance: Daredevil #16 (1966)

Created by Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., and Frank Giacoia

And then there’s this guy who wears curtains on his face. The Masked Marauder, despite sounding like he should be wrestling Bugs Bunny, was one of Daredevil’s earliest and most persistent foes. He was actually Frank Farnum, the manager of the building in which Matt Murdock once had his law office. The Marauder teamed with many of Daredevil’s early villains and even managed to escape a battle with Daredevil and Spider-Man. But that god awful mask disqualifies this window licking candy ass from any sort of villainous consideration.

He should have just called himself Curtains and maybe we would take him more seriously. “It’s Curtains for you Daredevil!” or “This time, it will be the Curtains that hang you, Daredevil!”

This guy sucks.

TV Potential:  0 Billy Clubs

Gladiator

First appearance Daredevil #18 (1966)

Created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr.

Gladiator, real name Melvin Potter, is a costume designer who created his own weaponized suit complete with ultra sweet saw blades to embark upon a life of crime. Gladiator fought Daredevil many times till Potter reformed and opened a costume shop in Hell’s Kitchen. Since then, Potter has been one of Daredevil’s most ardent supporters and has donned his old armor to help the hero more than once.

Matt Gerald did a nice job playing Melvin Potter on Daredevil, and there were plenty of indications that he was working on a yellow costume, buzz-saw blades and all. Bet good money that we see him put it on in Daredevil Season 3.

TV Potential: 4 Billy Clubs

Leap-Frog

First appearance Daredevil #25 (1967)

Created by Stan Lee, Gene Colan, and Frank Giacoia

How the heck does a super hero have two frog themed villains in his rogues gallery. Between this guy and Frog-Man of the Ani-Men, it’s a wonder Daredevil doesn’t have warts. It’s not easy being green indeed, especially when your only super power is to hop on springs built into your frog boots.

Vincent “Vinnie” Patilio was actually a capable fighter and stood his own with Daredevil many times till Froggy here retired from the villain scene. Leap-Frog doesn’t suck as much as a guy dressed like a frog should but you probably won’t see him on TV anytime soon.

TV Potential:  1 Billy Club

Death-Stalker

First appearance (as The Exterminator) Daredevil #39 (1968) (as Death-Stalker) Daredevil #113 (1974)

Created by (The Exterminator) Stan Lee and Gene Colan (Death-Stalker) Steve Gerber and Bob Brown

The original Death-Stalker was one of Daredevil’s few truly frightening villains in the pre-Kingpin, pre-Hand days. Death-Stalker created the technology that allowed him to slip between dimensions and spy on others. He could teleport, become immaterial and was a stone cold killer along with being a criminal mastermind.

Death-Stalker met a grisly death when Daredevil smashed a streetlight during a battle in a cemetery with the immaterial mad man. Teleporting blindly, Death-Stalker sliced himself in half with a tombstone. A very EC Comics death for one of Daredevil’s most underrated baddies. Death-Stalker might be a little too gimmicky for the grounded Netflix series, but he remains one of the cooler DD adversaries of days gone by.

TV Potential: 2 ½ Billy Clubs

Jester

First appearance: Daredevil #42 (1968)

Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan

Not as much of a Joker clone as one would think, the Jester is one of Daredevil’s most enduring foes. Jonathan Powers was a struggling, out of work actor with an ego the size of Kingpin’s buffet brunch. He turned to crime in order to seek the attention he so craved on the stage.

The Jester is a superb athlete and combatant and has many gimmick gag weapons like his trademark weighted yo-yo. This criminal mastermind has had many plots foiled by Daredevil but still hasn’t exited the stage as of yet. Despite appearances, I could totally see the Jester’s greatest performance on Netflix if Marvel isn’t afraid of the inevitable comparisons to a certain Clown Prince of Crime.

TV Potential: 3 Billy Clubs

Stunt-Master

First Appearance: Daredevil #58 (1969)

Created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan

If not for a recent Daredevil arc by Mark Waid, I would have dismissed Stunt-Master as a trend chasing, 1970s Evel Knievel rip off. But recently, Stunt-Master used powerful drugs to suppress his heart rate in order to make Daredevil think he was telling the truth so he could perform one last stunt that would have solidified his legend. The drugs were killing him, but Stunt-Master didn’t care. Anything for the spotlight.

I have serious doubts whether we will ever see a live action Stunt-Master, but Waid saved this guy from obscurity.

TV Potential: 1 ½  Billy Clubs

Crime-Wave

First appearance: Daredevil #59 (1969)

Created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colon

Man, long before the days of Kingpin and Bullseye, Daredevil had a hard time finding a worthy archvillain. Crime-Wave here was a major Daredevil foe for quite awhile in the early Bronze Age. His goal was to take over all of New York’s rackets and had a number of costumed thugs that did his bidding.

Crime-Wave himself (and really, shouldn’t he have been a Silver Surfer villain?) was pretty generic and non-descript although the character’s ties to Foggy Nelson does give the cookie cutter baddie some story weight. But let’s face it, villains don’t come more dime a dozen than a criminal named Crime-Wave.

TV Potential: 1 1/2 Billy Clubs

Death’s Head

First Appearance: Daredevil #56 (1969)

Created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan

Poor Karen Page. Daredevil’s first love went mad, became a drug addled porn star, betrayed Matt Murdock to Kingpin, and finally died at the hands of Bullseye. Hopefully, the Marvel TV Karen Page will have a better time of it than her comic book counterpart.

As if all that wasn’t enough, Karen’s dad was once the villainous Death’s Head, a masked nutjob who ran around on a horse that had transparent skin. Daddy dearest did make a face turn to rescue his daughter before his death but Karen never quite recovered from seeing her father prancing around on a see-thru horse. I’m sure Deborah Ann Woll won’t have to endure these sorts of daddy issues.

TV Potential: 0 Billy Clubs

Man-Bull

First appearance Daredevil #78 (1971)

Created by Gerry Conway and Gary Friedrich

Well, this loser is pretty much everything you expect him to be. William “Bill” Tauren was once a heavy for the evil Mr. Kline tasked with rounding up victims for Kline’s genetic experiments. When “Bull” was taken down by Daredevil, Kline experimented on “Bull” transforming him into this Minotaur monstrosity. Man-Bull just kind of charges at things, and then misses and gets beat up.

As we said, he teamed with Matador which is the funniest thing ever.

TV Potential: 1 Billy Club because who doesn’t want to see a super hero fight a Man-Bull on TV?

Blue Talon

First appearance Daredevil #92 (1972)

Created by Gerry Conway and Gene Colan

Not the most visually striking villain, the little known Blue Talon is still kind of cool. The Talon was a master martial artist who at some point in his career broke his hands. He reinforced his scarred hands with metal plates and gauntlets and become a killer for hire.

He has the distinction of being defeated by Daredevil, but at the time, it wasn’t Matt Murdock under the red cowl, it was T’Challa, the Black Panther, masquerading as Daredevil in order to help Matt protect his identity. If Marvel Studios wants some synergy between their Netflix shows and their films, there you go.

Still, the Blue Talon loses points for not really wearing blue. Or having Talons.

Y’know what? Screw this guy.

TV Potential: 1 Billy Club (and he only gets that for the Black Panther angle)

Dark Messiah

First Appearance: Daredevil #97 (1973)

Created by Gerry Conway, Steve Gerber, and Gene Colan

The Dark Messiah was once street performer Mordecai Jones who, after being attacked by a dog during a performance, is possessed by a malevolent spirit and transformed into the Dark Messiah.

OK, when a villain’s origin involves being attacked by a dog to get super powers, that villain automatically stinks.

The Dark Messiah did put together a group of villains known as the Disciples of Doom. This team of morts consisted of Josiah the Deceiver, MacAbee the Tall, and Uriah the Faithful.

Not even Marvel, the studio that made a tree and a raccoon awesome, could do anything resembling cool with some punk named MacAbee the Tall.

TV Potential: 0 Billy Clubs

Angar, the Screamer

First appearance Daredevil #100 (1973)

Created by Steve Gerber, Gene Colan, and John Tartaglione

The most ’70s of all of Daredevil’s foes, time has not been kind to old Angar, the Screamer. Despite being created by the two comic book legends, Steve Gerber and Gene Colan, Angar is still a hippie in a fur vest who screams. Granted Angar’s screams caused LSD like hallucinations in his victims. That’s kind of cool, but look at this guy, fur boots, porn ‘stache, not exactly the stuff of villainous legend.

Don’t look for this Woodstock reject to pop up on Netflix anytime soon as he just made an actual appearance on Agents of SHIELD, but the villain does get points for his creators’ lineage and the fact that he was a major DD baddie during the Bronze Age.

TV Potential: 1 ½ Billy Clubs

Copperhead

First appearance: Daredevil #124 (1975)

Created by Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and Gene Colan

Copperhead isn’t one of Daredevil’s most well known rogues but he is actually very cool. Lawrence Chesney was fascinated by the made up pulp hero, the Copperhead. Chesney’s father was the model for Copperhead on pulp covers and actually began to believe he was Copperhead. Chesney inherited his father’s shaky grip on reality and adopted the Copperhead identity, killing the writer and publisher of the old pulps.

Copperhead would leave pennies on the eyes of his victims, a little habit that made him a little more eerie than your average snake themed bad guy. This brought him into conflict with Daredevil where the insane villain was killed. But, Copperhead wasn’t done. After his death; he was sent to Earth by a demon and tasked with collecting Spider-Man’s soul.

Not a long history for Copperhead, but a fascinating one. Copperhead’s story would probably make him a good freak of the week type villain, but might not fit in with the Netflix format.

Oh yeah, and some other loser got his hands on the Copperhead suit and was defeated by the Human Fly of all people. The second Copperhead sucked.

TV Potential: 3 Billy Clubs

Blackwing

First appearance: Daredevil #118 (1975)

Created by Gerry Conway and Don Heck

At first glance this bat controlling baddie is kind of a loser, but as the son of Silvermane and member in good standing of HYDRA, there is some potential with this guy. He was originally a member of the Circus of Crime (I freakin’ love the Circus of Crime) until he stepped up in the world and joined HYDRA.

But at the end of the day, a guy dressed as a bat is silly and would never work in live action.

Wait, what?

TV Potential: 2 Billy Clubs

Jaguar

First Appearance: Daredevil #120 (1975)

Created by Tony Isabella and Bob Brown

El Jaguar was a HYDRA field commander who served under Silvermane. Other than his HYDRA affiliations, this baby wipe of a villain has nothing going for him. Like that dope Bird-Man of the Ani-Men, El Jaguar was killed by the Scourge of Underworld.

TV Potential:  ½ Billy Club (and he only gets that for the HYDRA connection)

Bullseye

First appearance Daredevil #131 (1976)

Created by Marv Wolfman and John Romita, Sr.

What really needs to be said about Bullseye? Little did anyone know that when Marv Wolfman and John Romita Sr. created Bullseye, a kind of throwaway villain with a cool little gimmick, that he would go on to become Daredevil’s greatest foe. Under Frank Miller, Bullseye became one of the most feared and deadly jerks in the annals Marvel villaindom.

The moment he killed Elektra still ranks as one of the most shocking moments in comic history and you can bet your blood stained playing cards that Bullseye will be tearing shit up on Netflix…eventually. Bullseye should be introduced into the series in slow burn fashion, because the lead up to the clash between Murdock and his greatest foe needs to be epic.

TV Potential: 5 Billy Clubs

Kirigi

First appearance: Daredevil #174 (1981)

Created by Frank Miller

Not to be consumed with flaming-ninja Nobu from season one, Kirigi is an ancient mega-powerful ninja warrior and also the Hand’s biggest beat stick. This badass was resurrected by the Hand to take on Daredevil and his sensei Stick. Kirigi is the biggest ninja you will ever see and his reputation is as fearsome as his martial arts prowess.

Seriously, if Daredevil was a video game, Kirigi would be that one level boss you just can’t beat. Having the biggest ninja on the block come to town is a no brainer since The Hand took a more central role in Daredevil Season 2. It’s only a matter of time. Expect them back for Daredevil Season 3.

For real, this guy makes Super Shredder poop his gi.

TV Potential: 5 Billy Clubs

The Hand

First appearance: Daredevil #174 (1981)

Created by Frank Miller

Where would Daredevil be without the Hand? A cult of mystic ninjas, The Hand have played a part in just about every vital Daredevil story since Frank Miller first introduced the deadly clan so many years ago. Heck, The Hand are also the inspiration for the Foot Clan from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

I’m sure there will be plenty of Hand cannon fodder in the upcoming Netlfix series as the Hand is integral to the origins of Daredevil. The Hand connects to Elektra, to Matt Murdock’s sensei, Stick, to the Kingpin and to so many other parts of the Daredevil mythos.

Basically, what we’re saying here is that there needs to be even more of the Hand on this show. What we got in Season 2 was only a taste. They need to come back for Daredevil Season 3.

TV Potential: 5 Billy Clubs

Crossbow

First appearance: Daredevil #204 (1984)

Created by Denny O’Neil and Luke McDonnell

His name is Crossbow and he uses a crossbow. Kinda on the nose there, don’t you think?  

Crossbow is kind of like Oliver Queen except that he sucks. And uses a crossbow.

Look for Crossbow to team with Sword, Pocket Shiv, Pointy Stick, and Gun sometime in the future.

TV Potential: 1/2 Billy Club

Nuke

First appearance: Daredevil #232 (1986)

Created by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

One of Frank Miller’s greatest creations, Nuke is ’80s America gone horribly wrong. Nuke was once an elite US soldier who was driven mad from PTSD, drug abuse, and government experimentation. Kingpin brought Nuke to Hell’s Kitchen and sent the patriot gone mad to take down Daredevil.

Nuke’s addiction to his red, white, and blue pills makes him the perfect puppet for anyone who would dare unleash this hopelessly insane soldier on the world. Nuke is a living embodiment of the tragedy of war and one of Daredevil’s most poignant and troubling foes.

The fact that Nuke already (well, minus the code name) appeared on Jessica Jones Season 1 is a good sign that if they decide to finally adapt Born Again for a future season, this guy can come back and give matt plenty of agita.

TV Potential:  5 Billy Clubs

Bushwacker

First appearance Daredevil #248 (1987)

Created by Ann Nocenti and Rick Leonardi

Even though he reeks of the ’90s (GUN ARM!), Bushwacker is still a rather cool villain. Sadly he has nothing do with the WWE tag team of the mid-80s, but we won’t judge him for that.

Bushwacker used to be a priest but lost his faith after some of his young parishioners overdosed on street drugs. This led the future assassin to join the CIA where he underwent a special procedure to make him into the perfect killing machine (GUN ARM!) for some reason; he then turned his attention to killing mutants, particularly those with artistic gifts. He became an operative of the Kingpin’s and ran afoul of Daredevil and the Punisher many times.

He was recently killed by Wolverine. Sadly, he never got to rediscover God and fire Communion wafers out of his GUN ARM! He would translate well to TV though.

TV Potential: 3 Billy Clubs

Bullet

First appearance Daredevil #250 (Jan 1988)

Created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr.

Bullet is an operative of the U.S. government with superhuman strength and endurance who has worked with the Kingpin a number of times in the past. This shadow soldier is fiercely loyal to his young son and has been the antagonist in a number of very good Daredevil tales.

Bullet’s moral ambiguity and status as a sanctioned government assassin would make him a great go-to villain in future comics and film.

TV Potential: 3 ½ Billy Clubs

Typhoid Mary

First appearance Daredevil #254 (1988)

Created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr.

Typhoid Mary is Daredevil’s most tragic villain and his most frightening. Poor Mary Walker has dissociative identity disorder and is a sweet Pollyanna-like actress. Her darker half, Typhoid Mary is one of the world’s deadliest assassins.

Walker represents everything Murdock wants to protect but Typhoid represents the corruption that Murdock has dedicated his life to crush. The conflict and drama that Typhoid has brought to Daredevil’s life over the years is second only to Elektra.

TV Potential:  5 Billy Clubs

Shock

First appearance Daredevil #314 (1993)

Created by Dan G. Chichester and Scott McDaniel

Ariel Tremmore is the daughter of one of the men who used the Mr. Fear identity to raise havoc and terror in Hell’s Kitchen. When she consumed her father’s fear formula and transformed into the monstrous Shock.

Shock maybe a little too Saturday night drive-in for the grounded Netflix show, but if Daredevil’s producers are looking to Mr. Fear for some on screen villainy down the road (and they darn well should be) then Shock would be a great way to add additional drama to the classic villain.

I’m also glad I found a villain from the ’90s from that era’s vast wasteland of big pouches and pony tails to add to this list.

TV Potential: 2 ½ Billy Clubs

Black Tarantula

First appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #419 (1997)

Created by Tom DeFalco and Steve Skroce

The Black Tarantula, real name Carlos LaMuerto, was originally a Phantom like legacy villain that made life difficult for Spider-Man. He was cool but rather forgettable until Ed Brubaker got his hands on him.

When Brubaker was writing the Daredevil series, he reintroduced the Black Tarantula and had him reform. He became a reluctant ally to Daredevil and turned his vast powers to fighting crime. The Tarantula was more violent than Daredevil was comfortable with but the two helped each other out a number of times.

The Black Tarantula is a compelling character, not as magnanimous as Daredevil but not as darkly driven as the Punisher. The Black Tarantula is a pretty badass addition to Daredevil’s world, a violent ex-con out to make up for his past misdeeds who would fit in very nicely to the gritty world the TV series will try to establish.

TV Potential: 4 Billy Clubs

Alexander Bont

First appearance Daredevil vol. 2, #66 (2004)

Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev

From the way things sound, Alexander Bont, the first man to carry the title of the Kingpin of Crime could make for a great addition to the upcoming Daredevil Netflix series. Bont was created during Bendis and Maleev’s groundbreaking run on the series, a retconned character that fit into the noir world that the creative duo was crafting.

Bont was a vicious killer back in the day before Wilson Fisk rose to power. Daredevil took Bont down and when the first Kingpin was released from prison, he was an embittered old man whose only reason for living was to destroy the Man Without Fear. An insanely violent storyline followed that could make for some great television.

TV Potential: 4 Billy Clubs

Lady Bullseye

Daredevil #111 vol. 2 (2008)

Created by Ed Brubaker, Marko Djurdjevic, and Clay Mann

The sultry Lady Bullseye was once a victim kidnapped by the Yakuza. When Bullseye slaughtered her captors, she patterned her life after the first person to show her real power. Lady Bullseye has become one of Daredevil’s most persistent foes. Her unique look would translate well into any media and once the series properly introduces Bullseye, it could only be a matter of time until his #1 fan shows up.

TV Potential:  3 ½ Billy Clubs

Ikari

First Appearance: Daredevil #25 (2013)

Created by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee

One of the coolest new Daredevil villains of the modern era, Ikari wears a version of Daredevil’s original yellow costume and also has a form of radar sense similar to the Man Without Fear. Ikari is probably Mark Waid’s greatest villainous contribution to the Daredevil legend and this deadly mirror image of our hero would be a perfect foe for TV’s Matt Murdock.

Seriously, grab the issues of DD that Ikari, the anti-Daredevil, appears and discover why Mark Waid’s run on Daredevil is just so darn good.

TV Potential: 4 ½ Billy Clubs

And finally in honor of one of the greatest Daredevil stories ever…

Sub-Mariner

Yeah, Sub-Mariner isn’t going to be appearing on television anytime soon, on Daredevil or anywhere else, but I can’t in good conscience construct a list of Daredevil’s adversaries without mentioning Namor.

In Daredevil #7 (1965) by Stan Lee and Wally Wood, Daredevil went toe to winged ankle with Sub-Mariner and got his ass handed to him. But it was this story that Daredevil went from being a rather generic adventurer to the epitome of a hero who never quits even when vastly outgunned. After this battle, Daredevil became known as the bravest and toughest hero in the Marvel Universe, a hero that will not quit if there’s an inch of life left in him. Sub-Mariner recognized that quality in Daredevil and gave the blind swashbuckler his respect.

TV Potential:  5 Billy Clubs but it ain’t gonna happen. It would take a lawyer the level of Matt Murdock to disentangle the legal mess that is the Sub-Mariner film rights.

This article originally ran in April of 2015. It has been lightly updated and corrected since then.