5 "Comic Book Things" I Want From Daredevil Season 2

John Davidson
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With Jessica Jones making Netflix 2 for 2 for quality Marvel-based TV shows, it's time to start looking forward to season 2 of the web-streaming service's first comic book show, Daredevil.

​Now, of course, anyone that's been paying attention to early buzz around the series knows that the Punisher will not only be making an appearance -- but will be a pivotal part of season 2.

This is, in a phrase, totally bad-ass. The Punisher is a great character and an amazing foil for Daredevil, especially the Daredevil we've been getting on Netflix --  a strongly moral man that prefers to help the justice system rather than circumvent it.

Punisher though? To Punisher, he IS the law and he embraces the role of judge, jury and executioner. Especially executioner.

That should create real tension between the two characters very different ideologies that will give us a really good set-up for them to be at odds with each other rather than just having to rely on something contrived or goofy as I suspect will be the case in the upcoming Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice film.

​Unlike Batman and Superman, Punisher and Daredevil have a vast gulf between their outlooks, personalities and morals. That makes for some great meat in a superhero sandwich.

With a popular, well-known character like Punisher being included in the series, it got me thinking about some of the comic book elements of Daredevil I'd love to see incorporated into the show. Now, naturally, we can all agree the Surgeon General would be amazing but we have to leavesomething for the fourth Avengers film.

Also, let's keep in mind that I'm not listing obvious things like Elektra or Bullseye. They're a given. They're going to happen. That's like asking for Alfred and Joker in a Batman series. Also, we've already seen Elektra and Bullseye in live-action (er...not that it went well...) and I want this list to be COMIC BOOK things. K? Cool.

With that rule in place, let's take a look at the 5 "Comic Book Things" I Want From Daredevil Season 2

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5. The Daredevil Armor

Opening up with something super comic-bookie and probably super-controversial.

Y'see, for those that don't know, armor was all the rage back in the 90's. We got an armored Batman, an armored Spider-Man, an armored Captain America -- and even an armored Iron Man. That last one doesn't stick out as particularly egregious to me... but can't put my thumb on why exactly. Anyway, Daredevil got in on the trend and got his own black and red armored costume.

Now, let's be clear that I don't necessarily want to see this exact iteration of the costume (though I don't hate it like some) but Daredevil got his ass BEAT in the first season of Daredevil. He got absolutely destroyed on quite a few occasions and while he does have his new costume, it's still built for speed and agility. Having an armored variant would be pretty awesome for him to break-out just once.

Maybe against the gun-wielding Punisher? Not a bad idea! It'd also give us another opportunity to see more of Melvin Potter.

​Speaking of Melvin...

4. A Freaking Buzz Saw Blade Arms-Wielding Gladiator!

For those that aren't familiar with Daredevil, the costume tailor Melvin Potter that made Kingpin's light-weight armor and Daredevil's costume in season 1 is an existing comic book character. First of all, I'm a Gladiator fan and his portrayal by Matt Gerald in season 1 was not only great, it included what was, for me, one of the most emotional parts of season 1 -- when Daredevil, and the audience, find out that Melvin is mentally challenged and is only helping Kingpin because of a threat against his caretaker. It not only gets you to immediately sympathize with Melvin, but it really hammers home what an SOB Kingpin is. Good stuff.

What a lot of people probably missed in Melvin's scenes, however, was a hint of his comic book identity of Gladiator. If you look really quick, you can see designs on his table for buzzsaw weapons. In fact, Melvin even wields a buzzsaw against Daredevil in the fight. And why is this particularly awesome?

BECAUSE IN THE COMICS MELVIN-AS-GLADIATOR WEARS GAUNTLETS WITH SPINNING BUZZ SAW BLADES!

How freaking awesome is that?! That has got to be the most metal weapon anyone has ever designed in the history of time.

Will we see a suited-up Melvin complete with buzzsaw wrist-blades? Oh man I certainly hope so! Let's cross our fingers that that quick glimpse in Melvin's workshop wasn't just an Easter Egg.

​Which brings us to another Easter Egg...

3. Stilt-Man

An observant viewer might have also noticed a pair of long-legged metal pants in Melvin's workshop. What the hell are those? What purpose could those have? Short answer: they're part of some of the coolest armor in comics. The armor of...

STILT-MAN!

How majestic!
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Okay, let's be clear that Stilt-man is, in fact, not really awesome. Nor is his armor. He sucks. His armor sucks. That's the point though! Not everything in the Daredevil series has to be awesome and gritty and dark -- nor should it be. Season 1 had some good moments of humor, especially between Foggy and Matt, but Daredevil's superheroics could use a bit of levity too and Stilt-Man is great for that.

Oh and after Stilt-Man was killed by Punisher in the comics, a bunch of villains and criminals gathered to mourn him at his funeral. Which Punisher then blew up. Good times!

2. Typhoid Mary

So here comes another statement possibly as contentious as my thumbs-up to the Daredevil armor...

Typhoid Mary is way better than Elektra.

I can already hear the panties bunching up at that statement. See, I actually don't like Elektra at all. I find her boring and uninteresting. A generic "uber bad-ass" female assassin with no real personality what-so-ever beyond her I-wanna-bang-my-father name. Now, of course, a lot of that is based on her appearances after her initial development in Daredevil, but I can't separate that from how she's been used since.

Since it's clear now I think Elektra sucks then why do I think Typhoid Mary is so much better? Well, she's got far more to offer as a long-term character on the show. A victim of dissociative identity disorder, Mary has multiple personalities. The two primary personalities are Mary, a quiet and shy girl-next-door type and Typhoid, a psychotic, lustful thrillseeking killer.

She's like Daredevil's own Two-Face except without a coin-fetish and with a lot stronger (weaker?) sexual overtones between the hero and villain. She's alternated between being in a relationship with Daredevil, trying to kill him, being in a relationship with Kingpin, trying to kill him too, being institutionalized and being a co-star on a Soap Opera. Her martial arts abilities and viciousness make her a good fight for Daredevil, or almost anyone else for that matter, and she has a good, simple visual with the half-white face that would look great with the aesthetic the show is already going for. She can also set people on fire. With her mind. Badass!
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Elektra has a certain destiny she has to fulfill. She's got the perpetual sword of Damocles over her head. Typhoid though? Totally random. Anything could happen with her. That unpredictability would add a great element to the show.

1. The Hand

Hey! Remember the awesome fight scene when Daredevil throws down against the red-clad ninja, Nobu?

Okay, take that fight scene and add in twenty more Nobus! Did your head just explode? It should have!

See, in the comics, Daredevil fights an entire clan of red-clad ninjas called The Hand. And they're bad-ass. Sure they're mostly made up of generic goons that get their collective asses whooped by Daredevil and Elektra but that is part of their charm! They're also the arch-enemy of the Chaste.

Who are they? Another clan of warriors that count Stick among their number. You know, that old guy that trained Daredevil.

So does that mean The Hand appearing is an inevitability? Probably. Still, I specifically want them to show-up as they do in the comics as a horde of crimson ninjas that are mystical and cultish. The religious tones and creepiness of the group is what gives them that little edge they need to make them no longer just generic ninjas. It also expands Daredevil's enemies beyond just supervillains and gangsters in a way that still totally works for the character. Plus, it gives plenty of opportunity for more of the amazing fight scenes that gave us so much action in season 1. More action in a comic book property is rarely a bad thing.
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Oh... and with the Hand potentially comes Kirigi. Kirigi is, like the rest of the Hand, a ninja. A giant, unstoppable, silent ninja that can get repeatedly stabbed and shot and even hit with a truck and set on fire without really slowing down or even flinching.

He's like Jason Voorhees that wields a katana and does flips. Jason Voorhees -- as a ninja.

If you honestly don't want to see that then you probably shouldn't be watching comic book shows.