Daredevil’s “New Catchphrase” Proves His Big Difference to Spider-Man

Warning: Spoilers for Daredevil (2023) #3 ahead!Although one could be forgiven for mistaking Daredevil and Spider-Man from a distance, their catchphrases show how these acrobatic heroes couldn’t be more different. While Parker strives to be a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man,” Daredevil’s new “$#@& me, it’s Daredevil!” catchphrase, while certainly comedic, emphasizes just how much terror Murdock has spread throughout Hell’s Kitchen.

When Daredevil struggles to understand why Ben Urich has turned on him in Saladin Ahmed, Aaron Kuder, Farid Karami, and Jesus Aburtov’s Daredevil (2023) #3, he decides to try and clear his head by taking out “The Heat,” Hell’s Kitchen’s newest gang. To Murdock’s grim amusement, each time he gets the drop on a group of gang members, one of them cries out “$#@& me, it’s Daredevil!”

Enjoying his foe’s terror, Murdock is quick to quip that the expletive should become his new catchphrase as he launches into battle, administering a brutal beatdown to the unfortunate gang members.

Related: Daredevil is So Scary He Doesn’t Even Need a Secret Identity

Despite the superficial aesthetic differences, Spider-Man and Daredevil inhabit two completely different versions of New York. As emphasized by the “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man,” it’s not uncommon to see Spidey hopping a train or grabbing a snack from a stand or bodega. While his nonstop quips can be annoying, the community will still readily rally around Spider-Man to protect him when he’s down or safeguard his secret identity. Daredevil, on the other hand, embraces the “devil” aspect of his motif to spread fear through the criminal elements of Hell’s Kitchen. Although this is highly effective, it tends to leave him few allies to spare, often forcing him to confront his darkest moments alone.

The fact that Daredevil is considering taking on “$#@& me, it’s Daredevil!” as his new catchphrase is the perfect distillation of his crime-fighting ethos. Unlike Spider-Man, Daredevil isn’t out to build a community or foster connections; his sole mission is to punish and terrify the criminal elements of Hell’s Kitchen so badly that they are too afraid to ever make a move again. If someone sees Daredevil bearing down on them, the intent is to hammer home just how badly they have messed up – hence, “$#@& me, it’s Daredevil!” becomes an oddly fitting catchphrase for the Man Without Fear.

Daredevil Is Unabashedly One Of Marvel’s Darkest Heroes

Although Daredevil has always struggled with the darkness inside of him, he makes no attempt to hide how readily he embraces it. While Spider-Man has thrown off his worst impulses time and time again (be they symbiote or Norman Osborn’s sins), Murdock has fully accepted his role as a devil who punishes others rather than a hero who prevents crime. As opposed to Spider-Man, if someone sees Daredevil in a dark alley at night…they’re $#@&ed.

Daredevil #3 (2023)

Saladin Ahmed Artists: Aaron Kuder, Farid Karami, Cam Smith Colorist: Jesus Aburtov Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles Cover Artists: John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Marcio Menyz