Being Matt Murdock: One Fan’s Journey Into the Science of Daredevil

Book Synopsis: You will never look at Daredevil the same way again! In fact, you may even start to look at your own world a bit differently too. Welcome aboard a genre-bending ride that combines an ambitious exploration of the science of the senses with a deep dive into the comic book and live-action adventures of the Marvel superhero Daredevil.

What could possibly allow someone to hear heartbeats? Is there something it is like to “radar-sense”? Is it true that your remaining senses are enhanced if you lose one of them? And, how is it that any of us can sense anything in the first place? Christine Hanefalk takes an in-depth look at these questions – and many more – in this definitive examination of the science of Daredevil’s senses. Convinced that Matt Murdock makes for the best thought experiment in comics, the author makes a passionate case for how we might come to understand this fan-favorite character on a deeper level, making room for both his blindness and heightened senses.

If you are both a Daredevil fan and someone who enjoys the science non-fiction genre, this book is sure to satisfy on both counts. Balancing a healthy amount of irreverence with a meticulously researched examination of the relevant science, as well as the history of Matt Murdock’s fictional pursuits, Being Matt Murdock is sure to entertain and enlighten.

About the Author

Christine Hanefalk is best known in the Daredevil fandom for her website The Other Murdock Papers, where she has been writing about all things Daredevil for well over a decade. Combining her love of Daredevil with a lifelong interest in the natural sciences, she has turned a particular focus to examining the character’s heightened senses through a scientific lens. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering degree in Molecular Biotechnology from Uppsala University.