Humble Beginnings: Yellow is Just Not Your Color

From the standpoint of sheer originality and audacity, Stan Lee's 1964 concept of a blind superhero simply can't be surpassed. Sure, DC had a 1940's character named Doctor Mid-Nite who was blind in the daylight, but his special infrared goggles effectively removed that handicap. By contrast, Marvel's Daredevil was completely blind, yet was able to function at superhuman levels using his remaining senses, hyper-sharpened by that space-age panacea of vitality: radiation.

In addition to his unique modus operandi, Daredevil also had a unique, incredibly compelling origin story. Unlike the usual millionaire playboys or scientists-turned-adventurers, Matt Murdock was raised by a single dad, a broken-down boxer who pushed his son to excel in school and escape the poverty that imprisoned them. Following the freak accident that stole Matt's sight and heightened his senses, his dad was murdered by mobsters when he refused to throw a boxing match...leading Matt to seek out his killers using his superhuman abilities. Ahh, but at his dad's request, Matt had promised long before to never become a fighter...so to honor his father, Matt decided to create a masked identity to avenge him.

Like I said...compelling. Unfortunately, despite all the great things Daredevil's origin had going for it, a great costume wasn't one of them. Unlike the slick, devil-themed red costume we've long associated with the character (see above), Matt's original outfit was an extremely UN-intimidating yellow, with red elements that resembled the togs of a circus acrobat. Here are the specific panels from Daredevil #1 detailing Matt's thought process in creating this spectacular eyesore...

 

Er...I hate to break it to you, Matt...but those kids who taunted you in your youth? Well, they're still laughing at you in that get-up (along with most of comics fandom)!

Man...as great as those radiation-enhanced senses were, apparently an enhanced fashion sense wasn't one of them. Happily, the yellow suit lasted a mere six issues before being replaced in issue #7 by the familiar, eternally-cool red costume (as designed by the late, great Wally Wood).

Comments

[Z Ryan]

The Wally Wood designed red costume may be the best designed superhero costume there is. Yet he makes it look so easy and simple.

[Mark Engblom]

I certainly agree Wood's DD costume is one of the best designs...but I think it's edged out by the Barry Allen Flash costume and...my top pick...the Spider-Man costume.

[ShadowWing Tronix]

Ah, radiation. Is there anything you can't do? I mean besides most of what your shown doing in early comics.

[Pat Curley]

Yeah, yellow doesn't exactly inspire fear in the hearts of evil-doers.

And for great costumes you'd have to include Batman on the very short list.

[Al Bigley]

I always thought DD's early suit was to resemble how an outfit would look that was stitched together using stuff around a gym..The short boxing gloves and boots, early-60s workout suits and sweats, etc...

I love that 1977 issue of WHAT IF-? where Spidey carps on DD for his ugly outfit.. Spidey's great line?

"I know this is hitting below the chest emblem, DD, but..."

Heh.

Al Bigley

[Nimbus]

Well, although Matt says that each coloured fabric has a different feel to it, he still doesn't know what colour each piece is (only that they're different). So perhaps he thought he was putting together a dark blue and red suit?

Still, although the colour scheme is terrible, it's not a bad attempt for a blind lawyer.