Summary
Daredevilis Marvel Comics’ premier street-level superhero, as his moral code is unwavering, his superpowers are amazing, and his fighting skills are nigh-unparalleled. He is the ‘guardian devil’ of Hell’s Kitchen, acting as a symbol of hope and safety for law-abiding citizens, while simultaneously being one of fear and dread for any criminal unlucky enough to cross his path.Daredevil’s exploits are exciting, and his feats of heroism are legendary, but what is perhaps more memorable than the things Daredevil has done are the things he’s said.
Like nearly every A-list Marvel Comics hero, Daredevil has no shortage of memorable quotes, and Matt Murdock’s are especially noteworthy given the hero’s character.Daredevil has a reputation for being dark and brooding, and while that is often the case, Matt is also light-hearted and downright comical. That being said, Daredevil has also uttered lines of dialogue that range from heartfelt and inspiring, to utterly terrifying. He’s a versatile character, and that is apparent through his words just as much as it is from his actions. Here are the10 best Daredevil quotes in Marvel Comics history, ranked!
10 Best Deadpool Quotes in Marvel Comics, Ranked
Deadpool’s one of the most popular characters in Marvel Comics, and that’s mostly due to the absurd things he says. Here’s his 10 best quotes, ranked!
10“The name’s Daredevil… remember it! You’ll be hearing it again… I promise!!”
Daredevil#1 by Stan Lee and Bill Everett
When Daredevil made his Marvel Comics debut, he immediately started making a name for himself, both with the criminal underworld and the police. Given that Matt Murdock is a lawyer, he wanted his superhero counterpart to be as much a help to law enforcement as humanly possible, without revealing his secret identity. Other vigilantes at the time, most notably Spider-Man, had a reputation for being ‘menaces’, and Daredevil sought to avoid that right away, leading to him saying this quote to a couple of New York City police officers after helping them catch a criminal.
While this quote is marked by the official debut of one of Marvel’s greatest and most popular superheroes, it’s also a bit dated. Loudly shouting one’s superhero moniker as a way to introduce themselves is a trope associated with the Silver Age of comics, meaning it lacks any trace of an individual voice - making thisa significant quote in Daredevil’s history, but far from his best.
DaredevilVol. 8 #7 by Saladin Ahmed Aaron Kuder
During a fight with Wolverine (who was possessed by a demon at the time), Daredevil comments on how he’s fought the X-Men hero before, and how he nearly died every time. Under normal circumstances, Wolverine and Daredevil have no reason to fight, but it’s during those extenuating circumstances that Daredevil comes close to death by Wolverine’s hand. Whilethis quote is more about Wolverine than Daredevil, it is a perfect example of how superheroes see one another in the Marvel Universe, as well as the level of understanding and respect they share.
More than anything, this quote speaks to the fighting skills of Wolverine. Sure, it states that Wolverine is more of a danger due to his durability, but one has to be more than durable to keep up with the likes of Daredevil. Indeed,Wolverine is a proven martial artist who’s skilled enough to even go toe-to-toe with Shang-Chi, and this fight with Daredevil confirms that further, which is a really cool perspective Daredevil offers readers about another A-list hero with this quote.
8“If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of Hell’s Kitchen!”
Daredevil#237 by John Harkness and Louis Williams
Daredevil’s earlier adventures didn’t quite have that ‘dark, gritty, tortured’ feeling to them that many fans associate with Daredevil just yet. Instead, they had a bit of a lighter tone, with Daredevil cracking jokes as he took down the bad guys. While some may consider that a reason to skip over his earlier comics, that would be the wrong conclusion to draw, as humor has been a part of Daredevil’s character throughout his Marvel Comics history, and still is to this day. Andthat comedic side has arguably never shined brighter than with this quote.
“If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of Hell’s Kitchen” is what Daredevil says to a couple of low-level criminals who thought they stood a chance against him. The quote is corny, eye-roll-inducing, and punny as hell, which is a great representation of how Daredevil isn’t always so serious.
7“No, I don’t want to hear your excuses - and Yes, I’m here to kick your face in.”
Daredevil#226 by Denny O’Neil, Frank Miller, David Mazzuchelli, and Dennis Janke
This is the kind of dark humor that separates Daredevil - even at his most light-hearted - from the likes of Spider-Man. In Spider-Man’s earlier comics, he was quippy in an insulting way, usually mocking a criminal’s appearance or a supervillain’s choice of costume/moniker. Daredevil, on the other hand, will jokingly tell someone that he’s going to beat them to a pulp, and then proceed to do so, making his dark humor that much more hilarious.
Daredevil tracked down Melvin Potter aka Gladiator as the villain was attempting to commit a robbery, leaned against a nearby door frame, and casually told him that he’s going to beat him to within an inch of his life (as there are few other conclusions that could be drawn from “kick your face in”).Daredevil is hardcore, and his humor speaks to thatarguably more so than his fists.
6“Bullseye. There isn’t much in the world that would derail me from my path. But you, Bullseye? I’m coming for you.”
DaredevilVol. 6 #34 by Chip Zdarsky and Stefano Landini
Bullseye has always been the one villain Daredevil truly despises most of all, with the only other person who could rival him being the Kingpin - and this quote speaks to that perfectly. When Daredevil is in prison for manslaughter - a crime he did commit - he decides to be a mole for the FBI to expose why a great number of inmates have died in this prison. But then, right in the middle of Daredevil’s mission, he hears the news that Bullseye is committing mass murder in New York City, and he knows that he has to go stop him.
Daredevil is not only on a mission for the FBI during this storyline, he’s also on a personal mission of redemption, which cannot be completed until the end of his prison sentence. However, none of that matters once Bullseye comes into the picture, proving thatBullseye is the one villain Daredevil truly despises - as articulated in this quote.
5“I’ve got a coat that still smells exactly like my father. Have to keep it in a box in my attic. If I smell it - up close - it’s like he’s still here… just for a minute.”
DaredevilVol. 2 #106 by Ed Brubaker and Paul Azaceta
When Matt Murdock is drinking with a friend after losing his wife, Milla, he starts talking about how hard it’s been for him with her gone from his life, since his apartment has traces of her scent all over it. That led Matt to reveal that the same is true for his father. Matt has one of his dad’s old coats locked away in storage, because if he smelled it, he’d think his father was still alive. It would be just for a moment, but that moment is enough for him to feel the pain of his loss all over again.
Daredevil’s friend, Dakota, said it best when she responded to this quote with, “Boy, okay… even I’m depressed now”, because, yeah, that’s heavy. Daredevil has a lot of demons within himself. That’s why it’s so important that he is the best superhero he can be, and why he needs to let out his violent nature in a way that actually helps people.Daredevil masks his pain well, but when that mask slips, everyone can see the suffering underneath, and this quote is a perfect example of that.
4“You called me “street level” earlier? I call it “people level”.”
DaredevilVol. 6 #22 by Chip Zdarsky and Francesco Mobili
Between these two A-listers, one thing is abundantly clear: Daredevil is a hero because he saves people, Iron Man is a hero because he saves the world - which is something that Daredevil throws in Tony Stark’s face. Daredevil asks Tony for help to buy property in Hell’s Kitchen before people are forced out of their homes by a couple of corrupt billionaires, and when Stark hesitates,Daredevil reminds Tony of his privilege, and how he could be doing so much more to help everyday people- not just when the Earth is about to be destroyed.
“You called me “street level” earlier? I call it “people level””. That’s what Daredevil has to say about their respective statuses as superheroes, which really puts both Daredevil and Iron Man’s roles in Marvel Comics into perspective, making this perhaps one of the most profound quotes uttered by the Man Without Fear.
3“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that when God calls you… you’d damn well better answer Him.”
DaredevilVol. 8 #1 by Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder
Matt Murdock is a devout Catholic, something that’s been true his entire Marvel Comics career. However, that isn’t to say that his faith has never wavered, as Matt has had his struggles with God on more than a few occasions. He believes himself to be something of an agent of the Lord on Earth, and he gets angry when God still allows horrible things to happen to him. However, with this quote - and the accompanying reveal that Matt Murdock has become a priest - Matt makes it clear that he’s finally found peace in his relationship with God.
This quote appears in the most recent (and ongoing)Daredevilrun, which makes it all the more impactful. It’s as ifthis is the culmination of Matt’s struggles with his faith, revealing that - after years of turmoil - he does find a way to make peace with what he doesn’t understand, learning to accept God’s plan for his life, and to simply answer His divine call when he hears it.
2“You’re a demon, sure… but I’m the devil.”
DaredevilVol. 6 #4 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto
Daredevil’s conflict with the Punisher is a staple in both their Marvel Comics histories, as they are technically on the same side, yet conduct their business as vigilantes in polar opposite ways. The Punisher kills people who he deems deserve to die, while Daredevil is vehemently against killing anyone for any reason. However, when Daredevil accidentally kills someone while on patrol, the Punisher kidnaps him and tries to force Daredevil to become a murderous vigilante full-time. Daredevil violently rejects the Punisher’s ‘invitation’, leading to the most badass quote inDaredevilhistory.
“Frank… do you have any idea? Any idea at all what I can do? The level of carnage I could unleash with a gun in my hand? The number of dead if I decided to be like you? It’s no contest, Frank. You’re amatuer hour. You’re a demon, sure… but I’m the devil.”
Daredevil says this while shooting up the Punisher’s safehouse with terrifying accuracy, incapacitating the Punisher with minimal effort. This is one of the most recent interactions between the two vigilantes, and after this experience, it’s unlikely the Punisher will ever try to ‘recruit’ Daredevil like this again.
1“Fear can be overcome, if you have the will.”
Over the Edge#1 by Ralph Macchio and Robert Brown
When Daredevil is fighting a villain called Mister Fear - who uses a ‘fear toxin’ to incapacitate his victims - Daredevil finds himself on the receiving end of said toxin. However, even with the serum coursing through his veins, Daredevil does not give in to the fears Mister Fear tried to induce. Mister Fear is shocked to learn his serum didn’t work, but Daredevil explains, “Fear can be overcome, if you have the will”.
Daredevil is famously the Man Without Fear, but the truth is, Daredevil does have fear. It’s fear that shakes his faith in God, it’s fear that he’ll go over the edge and become like the Punisher that keeps him focused, and it’s fear of death that keeps him at the top of his game.This quote doesn’t indicate that Daredevil has no fear, but that he has the will to keep his fears in check, and even use them to become a better hero. And that’s why this is the bestDaredevilquote in Marvel Comics history.
