This post has been updated to reflect available TPBs and HCs as of August 2009. See the end of the post for all omnibuses.
Actually, I was never too fond of the name of the “for Dummies” series. It’s hardly the dummies who go out and buy book about things they’d like to know more about. It’s probably safe to say that the real dummies are the ones who remain clueless. And there’s definitely no need to feel like a dummy for not figuring out the ins and outs of Daredevil Volume 2. The main thing to remember is that the numbering doesn’t match between TPBs and HCs. And don’t worry, I’ll do a quick recap at the end. Okay, here we go…
Daredevil vol 2, issues #1-8 were written by Kevin Smith, and pencilled by Joe Quesada. This arc is collected in the TPB Daredevil Visionaries Vol. 1: Guardian Devil. Daredevil vol 2, issues #9-15, by David Mack, and Joe Quesada on pencils once again, are collected in the TPB Daredevil Vol. 2: Parts of a Hole. These two arcs can be purchased together in hardcover format as Daredevil, Vol. 1.
Next comes Brian Michaels Bendis’s first work on Daredevil, in the “Ben Urich-centric” (is that a real word?) arc Wake Up with painted art by David Mack. It stretches from issues #16-19 and is collected in the TPB Daredevil Vol. 3: Wake Up. This is also collected in HC, together with the very last story arc from Bendis’s run, so we’ll get to that later.
Issues #20-25 (Playing to the Camera), by Bob Gale have not been collected, and it doesn’t look like they will be any time soon (if ever). They are available on Marvel Digital Comics, however, if you’re dying to read this arc.
Bendis’s longer run on Daredevil (with art by Alex Maleev and a couple of guest artists here and there) begins with issue #26. The arc Underboss (#26-31) is collected in TPB as Daredevil Vol. 4: Underboss. It is collected together with Out (#32-37) in the hardcover volume Daredevil, Vol. 2. Out is, of course, also available in TPB format as Daredevil Vol. 5: Out.
Next up is the arc The Trial of the Century (issues #38-40), which is collected in the TPB “Out” (see above). It is also included in Daredevil, Vol. 3 (hardcover). Also in this volume are the arcs Lowlife (#41-45) and Hardcore (#46-50). They are available separately as TPBs. There’s Daredevil Vol. 6: Lowlife and Daredevil Vol. 7: Hardcore.
Next up is an intermission with an arc featuring Echo (Maya Lopez) who was introduced in Parts of a Hole. The issues are written and drawn by David Mack, and only feature Daredevil in a few panels. A good arc on its own, but not essential reading for those looking to get up to speed. Issues #50-56 are collected in Daredevil Vol. 8: Echo – Vision Quest.
Next, Bendis and Maleev return in the arc King of Hell’s Kitchen (#56-60), collected in Daredevil Vol. 9: King of Hell’s Kitchen, and The Widow (#61-64), collected in Daredevil Vol. 10: The Widow. The latter also includes the Daredevil 40th Anniversary Issue (#65). The whole thing is collected in the hardcover volume Daredevil, Vol. 4, which also reprints issues #81 and 82 from volume 1 (of the comic book), featuring the first meeting between Daredevil and the Black Widow.
The next hardcover volume Daredevil, Vol 5 collects the two subsequent arcs Golden Age (#66-70) and Decalogue (#71-75). As (nearly) always, these are also available as the TPBs Daredevil Vol. 11: Golden Age and Daredevil Vol. 12: Decalogue.
Last, but not least (of Bendis/Maleev that is), there’s the TPB Daredevil Vol. 13: The Murdock Papers, collecting the arc by the same name, stretching issues #76-81. This is, in turn, also collected in Daredevil, Vol. 6, together with the much earlier arc Wake Up (issues #16-19).
This brings us to the Brubaker/Lark run, where they start renumbering the TPBs again, just to make it more confusing for everyone. Here are Brubaker’s story arcs so far and their corresponding TPBs:
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The Devil in Cell Block D (#82-87) – The Devil Inside and Out, vol 1
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The Devil Takes a Ride (#88-93) – The Devil Inside and Out, vol 2
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To the Devil, His Due (#94-99) – Hell to Pay, vol 1
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Without Fear (#100-105) – Hell to Pay, vol 2
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Cruel and Unusual (#106-110) – Cruel and Unusual (#107- 110 are co-written by Greg Rucka)
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Lady Bullseye (#111-115) – Lady Bullseye
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Return of the King (#116-119, #500) – Return of the King (due out late Oct/early Nov)
So, let’s do a really quick and simple recap of all hardcovers, including omnibi (not mentioned previously in the post):
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HC vol 1 = TPB vol 1 + 2
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HC vol 2 = TPB vol 4 + 5
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HC vol 3 = TPB vol 6 + 7
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HC vol 4 = TPB vol 9 + 10 + #81 and 82 from volume 1 (early 70’s)
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HC vol 5 = TPB vol 11 + 12
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HC vol 6 = TPB vol 3 + 13
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The Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus, vol 1 = TPB vol 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 9
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Daredevil By Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Omnibus, vol 2 = TPB vol 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + Daredevil Ninja #1-3, and What if Karen Page had lived? (This volume is scheduled for Dec 2009 release)
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Daredevil by Ed Brubaker Omnibus, vol 1 = issues #82-105
On top of this, there’s TPB vol 8 and issues #20-25 (not collected). Now doesn’t that make perfect sense? Phew! If you have any questions about what’s what, send me an email or ask me in a comment!
Christine is a thirty something Daredevil fan from Sweden who spends way too much of her free time writing posts for this blog. Check the
( 5 comments… read them and get in on the fun )
thank you much, this post was very useful for me! very!
This was a great post
. What was issues #20-25 about, anyway?
This has been so helpful (on so many occassions). Thanks for the guide!
And keep up the great work the site!
Alrighty very handy post!
thanks
thank you. This list was a huge help to me!