Daredevil Vol. 1 #170

While Daredevil has been around since 1964, many of the things we often associate with the character weren't part of his mythos until much later and 1981's Daredevil Vol. 1 #170 introduces his most famous rivalry. Having been primarily a Spider-Man villain, the Kingpin wants to regain the criminal empire he once lost by giving any and all information of his rivals to the government. In turn, his rivals hire Bullseye to kidnap his wife, Vanessa, to lure him out all the while Daredevil reluctantly gets caught in the middle. Frank Miller, who started out as an artist in Spider-Man titles before working on and then getting to write for Daredevil from the late 70s to early 80s, gave the Man Without Fear much of what we know about the character including his Catholicism and martial arts fighting style. With this issue, Miller introduced the start of what would become Daredevil and Kingpin's feud as well as giving the criminal his well known name, Wilson Fisk. Since Miller is both the artist and writer you get a good sense of noir through his slick writing and moody art style. Aided by inker Klaus Janson and colorist Glynis Wein, the comic's lighting and shadows really help in evoking that genre. Early in his career Frank Miller proved how great of an artist and writer he was thanks to comics like Daredevil Vol. 1 #170 that it's no wonder he eventually got to do The Dark Knight Returns. Over all: 100%

Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:

1. Daredevil Vol. 1 #170

2. Green Arrow Vol. 1 #1

3. Star Wars: Dark Empire #1

4. Deadman: Love After Death #1

5. Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Don Rosa Library Vol. 1

6. Hulk Vol. 5 #1

7. Avnegers: War Across Time #1

8. The Yellow Kid

9. Archie and Me #132

10. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1

11. Action Comics Vol. 1 #674