Daredevil #14

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: January 4, 1966
Cover: March 1966
12 cents
Story: Stan Lee
Pencilling: John Romita
Inking: Frankie Ray
Lettering: Artie Simek
20 pages

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There it is– the most valuable ore of all time!

The kids are growing up. After two issues with Kirby layouts, Lee is ready to let Romita stand on his own feet and draw the comic from scratch, which likely means a lot of the plotting for this issue is also owed to Romita. Frank Giacoia is brought in to finish.

This will wrap up the Ka-Zar saga. Bit of a recap of the key points. Ka-Zar and the Plunderer are brothers. Ka-Zar’s original name was Kevin Plunder. Their father Lord Plunder had been an explorer who discovered a Vibrating Ore with strange and powerful properties. The secret of the mound lies in having the completed medallion that he gave half of to each son.

Plunderer has brought Ka-Zar and Daredevil to his castle in England, and called the local authorities on them, taking advantage of his nobility to accuse them of murder.

And Feepers is up to some stuff, but we’re not going to worry about Feepers.

Plunderer wants to call the Ore the Plunder-Stone, but that name won’t stick. It needs something catchier, that sounds more scientific, and evokes its vibrational properties. I’m sure a later writer will think of something.

The Plunderer’s pirate look was solid, but now he gets a stupid costume, and makes his men wear stupid costumes. I’m guessing it’s Romita’s design.

Ka-Zar is arrested for murder, and Matt asks Foggy to come to Britain to defend him. I’m a little surprised that Foggy is licensed to practice law in Britain, but I guess he must be.

Honestly, I’m not even sure what case there can be against Ka-Zar. The only evidence he’s guilty of murder is Lord Plunder’s testimony, but Plunder is off trying to conquer the world.

In the end, Daredevil defeats the Plunderer and gets him to confess in court to Ka-Zar’s true identity and innocence.

Ka-Zar is left in a hospital in England. With his brother in jail, he is rightful heir to the estates of Plunder. Will he stay in England as a Lord, or will he return to his jungle home?

As a complete aside, Ka-Zar is one of the most significant Marvel characters to not yet be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I expect his movie is coming…

Rating: ★★★☆☆, 55/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆

I read this story in Daredevil Epic Collection vol. 1: The Man Without Fear.

Characters:

• Plunderer/Lord Parnival Plunder
• Daredevil
• Ka-Zar
• Foggy Nelson
• Karen Page
• Boswell
• Feepers
• General Cartright

Story notes:

• Boswell shoots Daredevil and Ka-Zar and takes the medallion (Item M); notifies Feepers.
• Plunder has discovered Feepers’ treachery.
• Medallion secret to Vibrating Ore.
• Boswell accidentally kills Feepers and Plunder takes the medallion.
• Police bring Ka-Zar to Plunder and pursue Daredevil.
• Plunder calls Ore the Plunder-Stone.
• Plunder’s father thought the stone would be a force for good; his son has other ideas.
• Matt asks Foggy to defend Ka-Zar in Britain.
• Vibra-ray gun makes every weapon on Earth useless. Plunderer’s own weapons specially crafted to be unaffected.
• Plunderer’s sub attacks early warning missile base in North Atlantic.
• Daredevil warns world militaries that plastic guns are unaffected.
• Plunder admits Ka-Zar is his brother and that Feepers murdered Slagg.
• Matt needs to think of story for his absence.
• Ka-Zar in hospital.

Previous	#460	Next
Daredevil #13	Reading order	Journey Into Mystery #124
Daredevil #13	Daredevil	Daredevil #15