Born Again Can Adapt Marvel’s “Mayor Kingpin” Comic Story (And Every Way It Can’t)

Summary

• Fisk fixed the vote to become mayor, setting up a public image war against superheroes.
• Kingpin’s political power makes him untouchable, posing a challenge for heroes like Daredevil.
• Kingpin’s anti-vigilante platform could outlaw MCU superheroes, resembling the Powers Act.

There are some very exciting ways Marvel Studios’ upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series can adapt Marvel Comics’ “Mayor Kingpin” storyline. However, there are also some ways in which it more than likely can’t. As seen on the page, Wilson Fisk’s rise as the Mayor of New York is fascinating, culminating with the Devil’s Reign crossover event with the Kingpin declaring war on all superheroes. As such, it’s certainly an exciting foundation to inspire future MCU projects like Daredevil: Born Again.

Set for release in 2025, Daredevil: Born Again will see several actors returning from the original Daredevil show on Netflix. This includes Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock and Vincent D’onofrio’s Kingpin who have both made recent appearances in MCU projects including Spider-Man: No Way Home, Hawkeye, and most recently Kingpin’s role in Marvel’s Echo which teased an imminent mayoral run for Wilson Fisk. To that end, here are the biggest ways the MCU can adapt the “Mayor Kingpin” storyline beginning with Daredevil: Born Again, and the key ways it likely can’t.

10 The MCU’s Kingpin Can Rig The Election

Fisk Fixed The Vote

In the canon of the original comics, it’s revealed that Wilson Fisk fixed the vote in his favor, ensuring his mayoral victory in New York City. For all of his charm and ability to influence (and even recent public goodwill he’d managed to accrue), the Kingpin was unwilling to leave the mayor’s seat up to the will of the people. As such, this seems like a very natural progression for Wilson Fisk in the MCU as well.

Following Fisk’s failure to bring Maya Lopez’s Echo back into the fold, Kingpin is seen returning home on his plane. He then sees a news anchor claiming that a “fighter, bare-knuckled brawler, and outsider” would have a very strong chance at winning the upcoming New York election. That said, Wilson Fisk’s very public criminal history will likely require the Kingpin to fix the vote on-screen as well.

9 Kingpin Can Become Untouchable With His Political Power

Harder For Daredevil To Take Down

In the comics, Wilson Fisk was practically untouchable once he became the mayor of New York City. His new political power and influence help shield his activities, using the law in his favor against heroes like Daredevil seeking to bring him to justice. As such, the same will likely be true in the MCU as well.

Thanks to set photos, it’s been confirmed that Kingpin will be running for mayor. As such, he’ll likely either win the race in the middle of the series or his victory will set up a future MCU project where New York’s heroes will have to contend with his new political power. In the same vein, it will likely be quite hard to bring down Fisk once he becomes the new mayor, especially if he gains support from the public.

8 Kingpin’s Platform Can Be Anti-Vigilante

Going To War Against Heroes

On the page, Kingpin ran on a platform promising to go after vigilantes and the perceived problems they create in New York by acting so freely. Placing the law into their own hands without official government supervision, Fisk argued that superheroes caused more harm and damage than good, tapping into the public perceptions that felt the same way. As such, this would be a very easy element for the MCU to adapt, offering Kingpin a means to legally take down his rivals such as Daredevil while also gathering the support of the public at the same time.

Just like in the comics, Fisk’s decision to go after vigilantes by corrupting the arm of the law for his own means could be a very dynamic way of battling vigilantes in the MCU. Likewise, Fisk’s actions would affect many more MCU heroes beyond just Daredevil. After all, New York is home to on-screen heroes such as Spider-Man, the Defenders, Kate Bishops’s Hawkeye, The Punisher, and more.

7 Kingpin Can Outlaw MCU Superheroes In New York

The Powers Act

Although Matt Murdock managed to cut a deal with Fisk to avoid going after vigilantes right away in the comics, Mayor Fisk eventually declared war on all New York heroes with “The Powers Act”. As seen in Devil’s Reign by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto, the culminating arc of Fisk’s mayoral tenure, Kingpin outlawed all superhero activity in New York. While it seemed to the public that Fisk was making good on his campaign promises, it was actually the fuel for Fisk’s personal vendetta against Daredevil.

Keeping that in mind, it’s not hard to see the MCU doing something similar when D’onofrio’s Fisk presumably wins the election on-screen. Fisk’s “Powers Act” would be a natural evolution of Captain America: Civil War’s Sokovia Accords, albeit a smaller and more aggressive version where all superhero activity is straight-up outlawed entirely. As such, it would be fascinating to see how Daredevil and his fellow heroes would react.

6 Mayor Fisk Will Create A Task Force

Taking On Vigilantes

Once the Powers Act became law in Devil’s Reign, Fisk established an anti-vigilante task force. This group of peacekeepers was headed up by a new iteration of the Thunderbolts. However, many were just classic Marvel villains who were given badges, rather than more classic versions of the team typically comprised of genuinely reformed villains seeking redemption.

Thanks to some very exciting photos from the set of Daredevil: Born Again, it’s been confirmed that a task force will indeed be formed by Fisk. However, these men look to be cooping the Punisher’s symbol. Naturally, this is something that Frank Castle’s actual Punisher (Jon Bernthal) won’t be taking well by any means, explaining his confirmed role in Daredevil: Born Again.

5 Kingpin’s Public Goodwill Will Have To Be Different

No Preceding Secret Empire

Although the vote was fixed in the comics, Kingpin’s election chances were already rather high thanks to the events of Secret Empire. In the comics, Secret Empire saw the controversial twist that Steve Rogers’ Captain America had been a Hydra sleeper agent, resulting in a complete takeover of the country by Hydra. During this event, the entirety of Manhattan was covered by a dome of Darkforce energy, providing a unique opportunity for Fisk to help the innocent and provide aid with his vast resources, specifically wanting to bank the goodwill for the future (like the upcoming election).

There was a fun nod to Chris Evans’ “Hail Hydra” line in Avengers: Endgame. However, the MCU does not have its own Secret Empire event. As such, there will likely need to be some other inciting event for Wilson Fisk to gain public support during his run for mayor, likely in the first few episodes of Daredevil: Born Again.

4 Matt Murdock (Probably) Won’t Be Fisk’s Deputy Mayor

Fisk Already Knows Murdock Is Daredevil

At the beginning of Fisk’s term as mayor, Matt Murdock surprisingly served as Fisk’s deputy mayor. He even became an emergency mayor when Fisk fell into a coma. However, Murdock eventually quit when Fisk eventually recovered. That said, this would likely be very hard to replicate on-screen in the MCU with Daredevil: Born Again for one key reason: Fisk knows Daredevil and Murdock are the same person.

Thanks to the events of Daredevil season 3’s finale, Fisk is well aware that Matt Murdock is Daredevil. As such, one would think that making his bitter rival his deputy mayor would be quite bizarre, and the same goes for Murdock agreeing to Fisk’s offer even if it was somehow made. After all, Fisk held no love for either man in the MCU even before he figured out they were the same person.

3 Kingpin Can’t Get His Devil’s Reign Superpowers

Purple Man Is Already Dead

In Devil’s Reign, Kingpin cuts off one of Zebediah Kilgrave’s fingers to effectively co-opt his powers of persuasion. Having kidnapped Kilgrave, Fisk has Doctor Octopus build him a machine to use Kilgrave’s powers on the people of New York. His goal was to ensure that the opinions of the public wouldn’t be swayed and that he could hold onto their support despite his all-out war on vigilantes. It also helped him remember that Murdock was Daredevil, a truth he’d previously been made to forget thanks to Daredevil himself who’d been helped by the Purple Man’s children.

However, The Purple Man is already dead in the MCU. Having been killed by Jessica Jones, the odds of Kilgrave’s powers in the hands of Kingpin feel very low for the upcoming series. That said, it has been rumored that Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones might be returning in Daredevil: Born Again.

2 Fisk’s Task Force Won’t Be The Thunderbolts

They’re Getting Their Own MCU Movie

Although Kingpin creates his own anti-vigilante task force in Devil’s Reign, it likely won’t be comprised of any version of the Thunderbolts in the MCU. After all, the MCU is about to debut their own team with Marvel’s Thunderbolts which is set to release in 2025 as well. Starring The Winter Soldier, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, U.S. Agent, Taskmaster, and Ghost, this new team will presumably be working for CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Although U.S. Agent and Taskmaster were also members of Fisk’s Thunderbolts squad in Devil’s Reign, set photos have confirmed that Kingpin’s task force in Daredevil: Born Again will likely be smaller and more underpowered. That said, perhaps there could still be some surprises in the works (like Bullseye potentially leading the task force). In any event, it stands to reason that the Thunderbolts name won’t be used in connection with Kingpin in the MCU.

1 Elektra’s Return As A Second Daredevil Is Very Unlikely For The MCU

Defeated As The Black Sky

In Devil’s Reign, Elektra Natchios played a key role as a second Daredevil, having taken over the mantle from Matt Murdock during his brief tenure behind bars. As such, Elektra has continued to be the second Daredevil even after Murdock returned to the role and this included Mayor Fisk’s war against all vigilantes. However, the odds of Elektra being a second Daredevil in the MCU is very unlikely.

Firstly, Elektra had become the darker Black Sky was seen in Netflix’s Defenders crossover where she was promptly defeated with the destruction of Midland Circle. Although she could have survived just like Murdock’s Daredevil did, the MCU still lacks the context for Elektra to logically return as a second Daredevil. That said, the return of Elodie’s Young Elektra (as herself) would still be quite exciting for the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series.

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