Meet Muse, the Serial Killer Artist Obsessed with Daredevil

Every artist has their own unique way of expressing themselves, but none work quite like the lethal Muse. Using blood for paint and his victims' flesh for macabre sculptures, Muse is a serial killer who uses bodies instead of brushes. 

Although he largely remains an enigma, Muse's superhuman abilities perfectly counter Daredevil's enhanced senses, and he nearly pushed Blindspot, Daredevil's partner, over the edge. As Wilson Fisk ended his reign as the Kingpin in order to become the city’s mayor, Muse established himself as one of New York's most dangerous threats. 

Now, let's take a closer look at Muse and his lethal body of work. From his entrance into Matt Murdock's world to his violent exit, this is how Muse colored Manhattan in a new shade of evil, from stories available now on Marvel Unlimited.

WHO IS MUSE?

Muse made his Marvel Universe debut with a mural incorporating the blood of roughly 113 missing people in DAREDEVIL (2015) #10 by Charles Soule and Ron Garney. After inviting Blindspot to the crime scene, Muse revealed himself in DAREDEVIL (2015) #11 by Soule and Garney. 

In his madness, Muse believed he was a great artist and tried to prove he could find beauty in anything, including human remains. During his killing sprees, Muse took a particular interest in Blindspot, a skilled gymnast who briefly used an invisibility suit to operate as Daredevil's crimefighting partner. In addition to being impressed by Blindspot, Muse admired Daredevil for continuing to operate despite Mayor Fisk's crackdown on vigilantes and heroes. 

To carry out his killings and make his art, Muse used a handful of superhuman abilities as well as weapons like knives carved from the bones of his victims. While the source of his powers has not been revealed, Muse possesses some superhuman strength and agility; he also has powers that allow him to evade human senses. Daredevil described Muse as reading like a void to his senses, a black hole from which he could draw no information.

HOW DAREDEVIL MET MUSE

Matt Murdock first encountered Muse while working for the New York District Attorney's office, shortly after the killer debuted "Sanguinity," his blood mural. After the mural was revealed to the public, the building containing the gruesome piece turned into a public spectacle. As the media dubbed Muse "Vincent Van Gore," Murdock went to shut down the building owner's efforts to charge admission to see the mural. 

After erasing most of the painting, Muse killed several Inhumans and turned their bodies into sculptures performing everyday tasks. As Daredevil investigated this sculpture, Muse confronted him and crushed his billy club in his bare hands before fleeing.

Daredevil approached the Inhumans for help with the investigation and was rejected, but he found an ally in Frank McGee, a former NYPD police officer who had become an Inhuman liaison. As they consulted each other, Muse attacked a court and captured a judge, two police officers, and Councilwoman Andrea Pearson, who had tried to get the mural shut down. 

Blindspot freed the captives and chased Muse into the sewer—but after Blindspot's suit ran out of power, Muse kidnapped him and took him back to his studio. To find Blindspot, Daredevil pushed his radar sense to the extreme and tracked the Muse-shaped void in the city's noise, which led him to the villain's hideout. 

Muse gouged out Blindspot's eyes and left Daredevil to rescue dozens of barely alive captives. The Inhumans took Muse into custody after Daredevil caught up to him, and as a sign of respect to Murdock, the villain broke his own fingers to hinder his ability to make art.

MUSE'S FINAL ACT

While he remained in Inhuman custody, Muse's hands healed and Wilson Fisk was elected mayor of New York City. Although Fisk won his election by campaigning on a harsh anti-vigilante crackdown, Daredevil continued his crimefighting activities, which inspired Muse.

Muse broke out of the Inhumans' prison in DAREDEVIL (2015) #596 by Charles Soule and Stefano Landini. Free again, he began creating giant murals of heroes like Daredevil around Manhattan. When a few police officers caught Muse as he worked on a mural of the Punisher, he killed them and incorporated their bodies into the mural for added effect.

Following his last encounter with Muse, Blindspot had his vision restored by the Hand. As a result, he fell under the corrupting influence of the Beast, an ancient demon with ties to the mystical group. Seeking revenge, Blindspot damaged one of Muse's murals to lure him into a battle in DAREDEVIL (2015) #599 by Soule and Ron Garney. 

Although the brawl began with Muse pushing Blindspot off a building, the hero quickly recovered while the killer explained his latest pieces. As they fought, Blindspot embraced the Beast's influence and almost beat Muse to death. 

Just as he was about to strike the killing blow in DAREDEVIL (2015) #600 by Soule and Garney, Blindspot rejected the Beast's influence and spared Muse's life. However, Muse became infuriated; he wanted a different end to the story he was trying to create. As a stunned Blindspot watched, Muse ran into a nearby fire and allowed himself to burn to death, completing his final performance piece.

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