Matt Murdock grew up in Hell's Kitchen, one of the many little neighbourhoods that make up New York City. His mother died when Matt was young, leaving his father to raise him alone. Matt's father was a boxer, but to help make ends meet, he was also a day labourer. One day, while out and about Hell's Kitchen, Matt witnessed an older woman about to be hit by an oncoming truck. Without any thought for his own safety, he rushed to knock the woman from the path of the truck. When the truck swerved to miss them, one of the barrels it was hauling came lose and spilled its contents all over Matt, scorching his eyes. Matt was instantly blinded.

    Awakening in the hospital to a newly dark world, Matt soon realized, however, that something more had changed. Even thought Matt could no longer see, his other senses more than compensated. More than that, they had become profoundly enhanced. Matt could now "see" the world around him in a way that other person could, in a way that transcended mere sight.  With his heightened senses, Matt began to train his body to match them. With his senses came an exceptional sense of balance, and he felt stronger, faster and more aware as his training progressed. His father observed with wonder at his son's extraordinary accomplishments and became very proud of him.

    Then one day, when Matt was outside the arena waiting for his father to come out from a match, he heard gunshots. Matt ran to their source only to find his father dead. He soon learned that his father had been working for the mob as an enforcer and had been ordered to take a fall in his boxing match to allow the other boxer to advance. Matt's father hadn't thrown the match and had now paid the price. Matt vowed to get revenge if it was the last thing he ever did.

    That year, reports began to flow out of Hell's Kitchen of a man dressed in a red devil suit fighting the forces of the mob. The press labelled him a 'daredevil' for his fearlessness in taking on the mob, and the name stuck. Matt continued to live in Hell's Kitchen above the gymnasium that his father used to train in. He enrolled in Law School in NYU and became a student by day, and fought crime by night.

    Daredevil soon officially joined the Justice League of America and fought many battles by their side. During the Legion crisis, though, Matt quickly grew distrustful of the government's increasingly sinister interest and influence in the JLA, and could not stand by and allow his city to be overrun. Thus, he left the JLA to concentrate solely on protecting New York from the forces of evil. DD's plans were interrupted when his identity was discovered by the forces of Legion. He was eventually captured by Federal agents--and heavily injured in the process--but then saved from captivity by Magneto. DD had shown a modicum of respect for Magneto in past clashes, and now Magneto hoped to persuade Matt to join his crusade. While a "guest" of Magneto, Matt and he had many lengthy discussions about their differing philosophies, each trying to convince the other to turn away from their chosen path, but to no avail. Matt was eventually returned to Earth after Legion fell and his injuries had sufficiently healed.

    Matt returned to Hell's Kitchen and a mystery. Another person had assumed his identity and murdered Matt's friend, attempting to frame him for it. Matt Murdock was wanted for questioning, but Matt had no time to deal with the police and attempted to solve the crime himself. The path had grown cold, however, and Matt was unable to solve the crime. He decided to go to the police and tell them the truth, the WHOLE truth: That he was Daredevil and that he wasn't even on the planet at the time the murder occurred. JLA records confirmed his story to the police and Matt Murdock was cleared of all charge without comment, but the word spread throughout the police station like wildfire. The next day, the front page of the Daily Bugle screamed, "Daredevil Unmasked!" Soon after, the Patchwork Man revealed that he had orchestrated the poisoning of Daredevil's secret identity in order to to bring about this very result.

    Afterward, Matt found himself frustrated. At first, he believed his frustration was with the JLA, but he soon learned it was with himself. He realized that he was beginning to go down a darker, more callous path, and was no longer sure what a hero was or if he could still be considered one. Having lost his moral center, Matt decided to leave the JLA and even his beloved Hell's Kitchen, and departed on a personal quest to find himself.

    Accompanying Matt was the one bright light in his life, a beutifiuul, provocative young woman. Another student at NYU, Matt had known her in passing while at college and had been struck by her beauty and charm, but his mission monopolized his time so he could never pursue her. But now, knowledge of his mission turned the tables, and now she had persued him.

    At first, Matt thought she was much like the other women who had begun pestering him ever since he revealed his identity to the world, drawn to him by the danger and mystique of his life as the man without fear. Another callow yougn woman looking for excitement and cheap thrills.

    But this was not her. She was drawn to him, yes, but out of kinship, not thrill-seeking. Matt can sense that she too knows of the dark places that he has struggled with, and that her experiences range far beyond what you would expect from the life of the pampered daughter of a Greek shipping magnet.

    Together, he and Elektra Natchios will find their destiny and their place in this world

    And thus, a new chapter in the life of Matt Murdock has begun.