'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Secret identities are a major thing in comic books, and even for characters like Daredevil, it is the utmost priority. Superheroes practically maintain a secret identity to not only protect themselves but those around them as well. What if Green Goblin were to know Spider-Man's real identity and attack Aunt May or what if Joker went after Bruce Wayne's closest circle?
Well, for Daredevil, it has always been a topic of hardship. Many major villains of his have known about his secret identity - and it was a huge plot point of the acclaimed 1986 comic Daredevil: Born Again where Wilson Fisk discovered that Matt Murdock was the vigilante dressing in red and tried ruining his life.
However, in the comics, before Wilson Fisk or anyone could decipher who the man behind the mask was - it was the villain, Mister Fear, who did figure it out and used it to his advantage.
Trending
Mister Fear was able to decipher Daredevil's real identity before anyone else
In the comics, Mister Fear aka Lawrence Cranston was the first character to ever be able to decipher who the Devil of Hell's Kitchen actually was. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, Mister Fear first appeared in Daredevil #88 in March 1972 as Lawrence Cranston, and then first donned the villainous persona in #90 in May 1972.
Cranston and Matt Murdock used to have quite the rivalry in law school as he hated the hero's guts for always being praised and defeated by him in a mock trial. When Cranston saw that the original Mister Fear, Zoltan Drago, was murdered, he raided his staches as he knew about their locations and obtained the Mister Fear equipment. Using this, he decided to then go after Matt Murdock.
However, he noticed that just as Matt Murdock moved to San Francisco, the Devil of Hell's Kitchen followed him as well. He immediately grew suspicious of Murdock's identity and devised a plan to stop him by inviting him to his law firm with his partners. Here, Cranston tried going after Matt, but Matt's alter ego was able to stop him ultimately.
Daredevil's secret identity has been used against him many times as well
However, this wouldn't be the first time a villain would have used knowing that Matt Murdock is the devil to their advantage. Following the event with Mister Fear, in Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's acclaimed Born Again graphic novel, Wilson Fisk figured out his arch-nemeses's secret identity and put out a hit on Matt Murdock to continuously torment him.
The entire comic focuses on Matt being taken to his extreme as he gives up on his morals and faith and is constantly dealing with Kingpin's threats to his life. The reveal is also made as Karen Page sold out Matt to Fisk. The comic ultimately acts as a way of setting up a new status quo for the iconic Marvel Comics character and sets him up on a darker path for him in the future of comics.
No other villain has used Matt's secret identity against him like this - and it certainly sees the hero go through the worst moments of his crime-fighting career.
For more articles on Marvel comics, stay tuned with us.
