THE RETURN OF THE KING (2009)

Matt Murdock has been publicly outed as Daredevil, secretly married Milla Donovan and become the 'Kingpin of Hell's Kitchen', seeing off Wilson Fisk's attempt to return to New York as the Kingpin of Crime. But Matt's marriage to Milla turned out to have been a symptom of a breakdown caused by the death of Karen Page. 

Mister Fear drugs Milla, costing her her very sanity. Emotionally drained, Matt turns to Dakota North for emotional (and physical) comfort. Lawyer Maki Matsumoto comes to the aid of Milla's parents who hire a private investigator to follow Matt and learn of his affair with Dakota. Matsumoto turns out to be Hand assassin Lady Bullseye who's been sent to recruit Matt as the group's new leader. 

Yes, Matt Murdock's life is as complicated as ever. Perhaps the mysterious Master Izo can steer him away from the Hand and convince him to make the right decision. Not that Daredevil's ever been known to make the right decisions...

Previous events leading to this story:

• UNDERBOSS - The Kingpin falls and Matt Murdock is outed as Daredevil

The series is returns to its original numbering to celebrate the 500th issue:

• Daredevil #116-119
• Daredevil #500[1/4]

Daredevil #116

After leaving America, Wilson Fisk tried to put his life as the Kingpin behind him. In recent months, he moved to Costa de Morte in Spain and came close to giving up his efforts to reture. But he has an encounter with a woman named Marta who lets him into her life and refuses to learn about his past, giving him a chance to start anew. Wilson finds happiness with Marta and her two children until the Hand catch up with him, slaughtering the innocent family Wilson had been accepted into. When he finally falls, paralysed by poison, Lady Bullseye emerges and goads him into asking Daredevil why the Hand attacked him. When he regains the use of his legs, Wilson Fisk drags himself up and burns down Marta's home, knowing he needs to return to America... 

Daredevil #117

Some time later, WIlson Fisk shows up in New York and coerces Turk Barrett into taking him to Josie's Bar - now literally underground - where he recruits his underlings. Elsewhere, Daredevil terrorises the private investigator who was hired by Milla Donovan's parents to tail Matt Murdock and Dakota North to gain proof of their relationship. The Hand attack Master Izo who sees them off and warns Daredevil that they're coming for him. Milla's parents confront Matt Murdock who rejects their attempt to blackmail him with the PI's photos. Dakota also confronts Matt over roughing up the PI until he gave her the memory card with the photos of them having sex. Dakota quits, just as Turk shows up to tell him the Kingpin wants a meeting. He's surprised when Fisk offers to form an alliance with Daredevil to take down the Hand. And it's a confrontation Fisk isn't expecting to survive...

Daredevil #118

Several days later, the Kingpin has the Owl broken out of a prison transport and employs him to hire the Hand. Daredevil focuses on pursuing the Hand with the Kingpin and stalking Dakota North, missing the settlement meeting with Milla's parents. Foggy Nelson finds out Matt is allied the Kingpin and fires him. 

Daredevil #119

The Hand to take down all of the Owl's targets over the course of a week, unaware that they're killing the Kingpin's opponents. Foggy turns to Dakota to help him find Matt who's been missing for a week. Turk catches the Kingpin conversing with the memory of Vanessa Fisk, telling her 'ghost' that he plans to kill Daredevil when he's served his purpose. The Owl hires the Hand for one last job, killing Foggy Nelson. Lady Bullseye sends the Hand-control White Tiger and Black Tarantula to do the job then, having figured his ruse, demands to speak with the Kingpin. Dakota North follows Turk to the meeting between Fisk and Lady Bullseye who appears interested in giving the Kingpin a role within the Hand. Lady Bullseye spots Dakota who's then knocked out by the Owl...

Daredevil #500[1/4]

Hundreds of years ago, Master Izo helped found the Hand, even blinding himself to be like the Hand's leader Kagenobu Yoshioka. But the Hand took a darker path after Yoshioka died and Izo left the Hand, forming the Chaste to oppose them. He was the one who learned of young Matt Murdock's radar senses and alerted Stick to train him. Now, Izo finds the comatose Milla Donovan and lets Matt Murdock say his goodbyes before he does what he needs to do. Turk tells Daredevil he thinks the Kingpin has gone crazy and is holding Dakota North hostage. Daredevil and Izo burst in on the Owl before he can assault Dakota and the enraged Daredevil uses a sword to cut enough nerves to leave him paralysed. Elsewhere, Black Tarantula kills the other Hand operatives to save Foggy, revealing Izo planted him in the Hand months earlier. Finally, Tarantula purges the White Tiger of the Hands conditioning. 

Wilson Fisk is taken to meet the Hand's masters and demands the meet the one who ordered the deaths of Marta and her two children. He kills Lord Hirochi and demands leadership of the Hand be passed to him. But the Hand have already been considering Matt Murdock who bursts in with Master Izo. Daredevil accepts the Hand's offer to make him their leader (as per the plan he agreed with Izo), stealing the Kingpin's thunder. His conditions are that the Hand never do business with the Kingpin again and cast out Lady Bullseye. He casts off his mask, but the Hand tell him that he needs to prove himself before he can lead. Lady Bullseye promises to kill Izo. Foggy finds a letter at Matt Murdock's apartment asking him to put his stuff in storage, implying he plans on being gone for some time.

Dark Reign - The List: Daredevil #1 (2009)

Norman Osborn dscovers Daredevil's connection to the Hand and sends Bullseye to confront him; Lady Bullseye gains employment with the Kingpin; Black Tarantula and White Tiger continue to act as Daredevil's lieutenants when he becomes leader of the Hand during DARK REIGN / DARK REIGN - THE LIST / THE DEVIL'S HAND.

Daredevil #501-504 (2009)

Master Izo is seemingly killed by the Hand under Daredevil's orders as part of his initiation into leadership; Izo survives, but flees America; Foggy Nelson and Dakota North continue their search for Matt Murdock; the Owl is revealed to be paralysed during THE DEVIL'S HAND.

Shadowland #1 (2010)

Daredevil is revealed to have been fully corrupted by the Hand when he publicly kills Bullseye during SHADOWLAND.

Daredevil #508 (2010)

Elektra and Izo form an alliance when the Hand successfully subvert Daredevil during SHADOWLAND.

Shadowland #4-5 (2011)

Master Izo explains that Daredevil's actions are being controlled by the Beast - a demonic entity who influences the direction of the Hand; Daredevil is freed from the Beast's control by Master Izo and more of Daredevil/Matt Murdock's friends during SHADOWLAND.

Daredevil #512 (2011)

Black Tarantula leaves the Hand, but regrets that his attempt to break the Hand's control over the White Tiger failed; White Tiger continues to remain loyal to the Hand; Dakota North searches for Matt Murdock after the fall of Shadowland; the Kingpin takes over Shadowland and the Hand with Lady Bullseye continuing to work for him during SHADOWLAND.

Daredevil: Reborn #4 (2011)

Matt Murdock reunites with Foggy Nelson.

Daredevil #1 (2011)

Matt Murdock starts working for Nelson & Murdock again.

Daredevil #18-21 (2012-2013)

Milla Donovan is revealed to be out her her comatose state, but is used by the Coyote a pawn against Daredevil.

Superior Spider-Man #10 (2013)

The Owl is revealed to have somehow overcome his paralysis during MARVEL NOW!

Superior Spider-Man #14 (2013)

Shadowland is destroyed by Spider-Man (Otto Octavius) during MARVEL NOW!

Daredevil #3-4 (2014)

The Owl is revealed to have relocated to San Francisco, clashing with Daredevil once again during ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW!

Daredevil #17-20 (2017)

Daredevil frees the Purple Children from the Purple Man's control; in return, the Purple Children erase the knowledge that Matt Murdock is Daredevil from the minds of everyone in the world during RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL.

Daredevil #604-605 (2018)

Daredevil confronts the Beast directly, stabbing it with a magical sword to end its siege on Manhattan.

Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark Omnibus vol.2
Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark Ultimate Collection vol.3
Daredevil: Return of the King 

Include...
Daredevil #116-119, 500