Posted in: Comics | Tagged: absolute, Absolute Batman, daredevil, lee garbett, stephanie phillips
Has Daredevil Become Marvel’s Surprise Answer To Absolute Batman?
Has Daredevil by Stephanie Phillips and Lee Garbett become <a href="https://comicvibe.com/marvel-comics-to-move-publishing-operations-to-california-reuters-source/" title="Marvel Comics to move publishing operations to California: Reuters source”>Marvel Comics‘ surprise answer to DC Comics’ Absolute Batman?
Article Summary
- Daredevil #1 hits a fifth printing as issues #2, #3 and #4 also return, signaling rare sustained Marvel sales momentum.
- Stephanie Phillips and Lee Garbett have turned Daredevil into a breakout hit, with sales holding far stronger than expected.
- While not near Absolute Batman today, Daredevil is tracking close to that series at the same stage of its early run.
- Marvel now faces a key Daredevil question: how to build on Omen-fueled buzz without oversaturating a red-hot series.
The most recent Daredevil #1 by Stephanie Phillips and Lee Garbett has gone to a fifth printing from Marvel Comics, at the same time that Daredevil #2 is getting a fourth printing, Daredevil #3 is getting a third printing, Daredevil #4 is getting a second printing, and Daredevil #5 is going to FOC this week. This is the first time we have seen such a pattern with any comic book from Marvel Comics in a long time, and it seems to reflect something similar to what Transformers at Image Comics went through when launching the Energon Universe, as well as what DC Comics has gone through with Absolute Batman launching the Absolute Universe. The decision to keep a comic book in print through multiple printings, rather than going straight to a collection. Daredevil #1 launched big, with Marvel Comics #1 second blind bag programme, but sales of subsequent issues have held up more than anyone expected, challenging the likes of the Batman ongoing series. It doesn’t come close to Absolute Batman now, but it matches what Absolute Batman was selling at this point in its publication history.
Some of this will be the strong blind bag launch, some of this will be the recent TV series, some of this will be Stephanie Phillips‘ superb marketing of the comic on TikTok, but it’s also a very strong take on the character from Phillips and Garbett that has found its audience, especially with the serial killer Omen. The question might be worth asking: how can Marvel Comics extend this success without destroying it? Maybe they cancelled Stephanie Phillips‘ She-Hulk too soon? How about an extended retailer-exclusive variant programme?
DAREDEVIL #4 LEE GARBETT 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
DAREDEVIL #1 MARVEL TELEVISION 5TH PRINTING VARIANT
DAREDEVIL #5 by Stephanie Phillips, Lee Garbett
- DAREDEVIL #1 MARVEL TELEVISION 5TH PRINTING VARIANT (WDC)
- $5.99 08/26/2026
- DAREDEVIL #2 MARVEL TELEVISION 4TH PRINTING VARIANT (WDC)
$4.99 08/26/2026
- DAREDEVIL #3 MARVEL TELEVISION 3RD PRINTING VARIANT (WDC)
$4.99 08/26/2026
- DAREDEVIL #4 LEE GARBETT 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
$4.99 08/19/2026
- DAREDEVIL #5 by Stephanie Phillips, Lee Garbett
…AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER! As the vicious attacks perpetrated by the monstrous and mysterious new figure OMEN hit closer and closer to home, Matt Murdock, A.K.A. DAREDEVIL, is more paranoid than ever – keeping his oldest friends just out of reach and getting up close and personal to finish what Omen started! $4.99 08/19/2026
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