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Comparison between a promotional poster for season 2 of Daredevil (2016) and a painting entitled David with the Head of Goliath by Caravaggio (c.1610)

Differences:

Frank Castle’ Poster:

Holding Daredevil’s mask, not Matt Murdock’s head

Depicts two people - Frank as victorious David and Matt as defeated Goliath

David with the Head of Goliath by Caravaggio:

Head of Goliath - killed his enemy

Possibly depicts one person - the painter, Caravaggio - few sources suggest that the painting shows the struggle between his Caravaggio’s young (David) and old self (Goliath)

Similarities:

They both share the same expression of sadness or melancholy; it contrasts the usual representation of victors as jubilant

The Biblical story of Goliath’s defeat is the most popular example of an underdog story. However, in the original meaning, David symbolized God, and Goliath symbolized paganism. Thus, the story represented the victory of God. Yet,this poster had me conflicted. Here, God is defeated (Daredevil,) and the one who plays God, wins (Frank.) Matthew at the end of the season is losing - his lover, his friend, his law office which might lead him to wonder whether his way is the best one.

Influence:

Again, the really interesting part of all three posters is its heavy influence on religion and in more general terms, morality. Matthew Murdock is presented as the Catholic for whom faith is really important. Frank Castle is contrasted, although it is not stressed that heavily in the shows, as the one who plays God. In the comics, he was studying in a seminar, but dropped out, because he could not forgive people who did evil. This also creates a very intriguing comparison between the two characters. Even though they very both raised Catholic, they followed different paths. I believe that Matthew holds on so strongly to his religion, because he is afraid to become someone like Frank Castle.

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You hit them and they get back up. I hit them and they stay down.

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Comparison between a promotional poster for season 2 of Daredevil (2016) and a painting entitled Saint Jerome Writing by Caravaggio (c.1605-1606)

Differences:

Karen Page’s Poster:

Woman

2 skulls - X-ray of Frank Castle’s skull + the one on the table which might represent Karen’s former self

Human, not a saint - the show alludes to Karen’s dark past which might result in her feeling a closer connection to the “dark” character, Frank Castle. However, we, as the audience, have only been hinted at a car crash and possible shootings. Karen’s plot does not have closure within one episode and her storyline gets more complex in time.

Background depicts Devil’s Kitchen neighborhood of NYC. It acts as a constant reminder of a living, breathing city that never sleeps.

Saint Jerome Writing by Caravaggio:

Man

1 skull - only the real one on the table

Halo

Background - black, only focus should be on the work itself

Similarities:

Writing, or more specificly, translating; St. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin and Karen Page wanted to “translate” Frank Castle to the people. Her main goal was to show him as more than “just” the Punisher. That’s why she was collecting evidence about his family’s murder and how it lead him to become the ruthless vigilante.

Wanting others to understand - St. Jerome wanted more people to be able to read the Bible and Karen wanted people to know that the person is more than one thing and that we should avoid simple labelling.

Pensive - they both looked completely entranced by their work.

Influence:

The skulls represent the death of former self. In Karen’s case, it is her transition from a secretary in Nelson and Murdock Law Office to the investigative journalist in New York Bulletin. Moreover, it signified moving forward from her dark past where she might not have had control, into a life controlled by her. For St. Jerome, it meant pursuing a scholarly path. An extra skull in Karen’s poster might signify two things: 1. That Karen’s new self is interested in the self of the Punisher (Karen’s quest to uncovering the man - Frank Castle) 2. Similarity between Karen and Frank which might lead to their mutual understanding. 

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Daredevil Season 2 Promo | Karen Page Character Artwork [x]

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Comparison between a promotional poster for season 2 of Daredevil (2016) and a painting entitled St Sebastian by Peter Paul Rubens (c.1614)

Differences:

Daredevil’s poster:

Matthew Murdock’s namesake was one of the apostles in the New Testament. 

Chains - bound by Frank Castle, Daredevil’s being held back. Is only Frank Castle holding him prisoner, or is it his vigilante identity - Daredevil?

Daredevil costume - it shows Matthew’s character with a mask on, thus not his identity presented to the public. Additionally, it presents the duality of the character and different reactions to him:

Claire Temple’s opinion is that the Daredevil part of him is becoming more important than the man, Matthew Murdock. Foggy Nelson worries that the Daredevil part of him might kill his best friend. In a sense, it does; they go their separate ways.

St. Sebastian by Rubens:

St. Sebastian - martyr;

Bound to a tree and shot with arrows - only others are holding him back;

Stripped down - nothing to hide, no mask left to be removed.

Similarities:

Both martyrs (Matthew’s namesake - Saint Matthew, St. Sebastian;)

“Claire: You know, the only thing I remember from Sunday school is the martyrs... the saints, the saviors... they all end up the same way. Bloody and alone. Matt: I never said I was any of those. Claire: You didn't have to.”

Both Catholics - faith is very important and widely represented in the show;

Matthew concealed his superhero alter ego; St. Sebastian concealed his faith

When the secret is revealed, everything goes downhill.

Influence:

All three posters that I am analizing show a strong Catholic influence on the show. Connected with the religious aspect of Daredevil are the struggles with morality and good vs. evil. As martyrs, both Matthew and St. Sebastian are misunderstood by people who do not share their ideology and/or reasoning. For that misunderstanding, they suffer greatly. Matthew loses his best friend, Foggy; and his love, Elektra, who was the only one who appreciated the Daredevil part of him. St. Sebastian eventually loses his life. Matthew cannnot let the Daredevil part of himself go, because both personas are important in his life. Being a lawyer during the day allows him to help people through legal means, and when that fails, he puts on a vigilante mask and becomes Daredevil. Season two focused more heavily on Matthew’s struggle with his dual identity. For me, this is the center of the narrative complexity within this show. He struggles with contrasts: good vs. evil, day (lawyer) vs. night (vigilante,) and law vs. anarchy. The storytelling tries not to be judgemental and presents the complexity within a society and even within oneself.

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Marvel’s Daredevil: Character Artwork

Season 2 Promo

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Bibliography

1. Jason Mittell, Complex TV: The Poetics of Contemporary Television Storytelling, ch.1

2. Satya, Daredevil Season 2: The Posters, and a bit of optimism, March 4, 2016, http://www.beatzo.net/blog/2016/03/daredevil-season-2-the-posters/

3. Drew Goddard, Daredevil, season 1 & 2, Netflix, 2015-2016, quote taken from season 1, episode 11 “The Path of the Righteous

4. Marvel Universe Wiki, Punisher (Frank Castle,) http://marvel.com/universe/Punisher_(Frank_Castle)

5. Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Decoding the artistic inspiration behind ‘Daredevil’s gorgeous season 2 posters, The Daily Dot,  https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/daredevil-season-2-caravaggio-posters/

For references concerning the painters and the connected Biblical stories, I used wikipedia.