Featuring: Daredevil
Release: March 3, 1966
Cover: May 1966
12 cents
Sagacious script by: Stan Lee
Phantasmagoric pencilling by: Johnny Romita
Iconographic inking by: Frankie Ray (nee Giacoia)
Lachrymose lettering by: Artie Simek
20 pages
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|---|---|---|
| Thor #130, Story B | Reading order | Daredevil #17 |
| Daredevil #15 | Daredevil | Daredevil #17 |
Let’s talk about your costume! Those red longjohns break me up– but I liked your old yellow duds better! … I mean they matched your new yellow streak!
This might be the first time we learn the true identity of Frankie Ray, really Frank Giacoia. For a lot of these people, the aliases are about not sabotaging regular gigs with Marvel’s competition. Frank Giacoia was a regular DC artist at the time, and hadn’t necessarily wanted them knowing he was freelancing for Marvel. But at some point it becomes clear, or his Marvel gig becomes the more regular gig, and it just stops mattering. Though by this point Marvel fans might know him best as Frank or Frankie Ray and not recognize the name Frank Giacoia.
Just like they might be confused if a comic were credited to Stanley Lieber or Jacob Kurtzberg.
That’s a great cover by Romita and Giacoia. The cityscape is detailed but the lack of color keeps it subtly in the background, leaving the focus on the two colorful characters. This is our first chance to see Spider-Man as rendered by John Romita. He captures that sense of agility that Ditko creates, and you can feel the motion of the cover, even without the helpful motion lines.
We’ve talked a bit about the tension in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. Lee and Ditko aren’t getting along and Ditko is looking out the door. Lee is well aware of this, but has a huge problem. Spider-Man is his best comic, indelibly associated with Steve Ditko. You can’t just throw anybody on the book. Jack Kirby is Stan’s go-to artist when he needs a good one, but Jack had drawn Spider-Man a couple times by this point, and it was never right. And Jack’s style– while perfect for Fantastic Four– just wasn’t Spider-Man. Nobody was Steve Ditko.
We talked in the last issue about John Romita, who recently passed away. He’s been on Daredevil since Wally Wood left, following a succession of legendary talent from Bill Everett to Joe Orlando. And Romita has been more than up to the task of making his own mark on Daredevil.
But John Romita is not famous for drawing Daredevil. And while he excelled at the romance comics he had been drawing, that’s not really what made him a household name amongst fans. His step into legendary status will come with his next assignment, and this issue will serve as his audition for that assignment.
So, how well can John Romita draw Spider-Man? Let’s find out.
Stan really is adopting the phrase “pussycat”. It seems to be his favorite slang word.
If there are no comic mags around, lawyers might watch color TV.
The Masked Marauder is a new villain we’ve never seen fight Spider-Man, but here we learn Spider-Man has been interfering with his operations for a little while now. And the Masked Marauder will be scheming to defeat Spider-Man.
Foggy asks the smart question– how are there so many photos of Spider-Man? Why is there always a photographer present for his adventures? Matt wonders if Spider-Man is taking his own photos with an automatic camera, but quickly dismisses the idea as foolish.
Daredevil recalls teaming up with Spider-Man against Ringmaster in Amazing Spider-Man #16. Daredevil had been wearing the old yellow costume back then.
Masked Marauder’s plan is to make Spider-Man and Daredevil fight by having his men disguise themselves as Daredevil to commit crimes.
He claims his men are indistinguishable from the real Daredevil. I’m not so sure.
Now we get what we’ve paid to see. Spider-Man vs. Daredevil. I think Romita does a fine job. Check out the action in these top 3 panels.
And this page.
Spider-Man hanging from a wall in panel 5 shows Romita drawing the weird contortions Ditko poses Spidey in.
Of course, there’s more to being a Spider-Man artist than drawing Spider-Man in action. We know the Spider-Man book is defined just as much by the supporting cast. How does Romita do with Aunt May or J. Jonah Jameson?
Hmm… I wonder if his Peter Parker seems a little too handsome.
The Daily Bugle accuses Spider-Man of being in league with the Marauder; other papers accuse Daredevil.
I think they are all jumping to conclusions.
Spider-Man’s spider sense gives him the feeling that Daredevil is nearby. It leads him to the offices of Nelson & Murdock. There he finds a woman and a blind man. He deduces that Foggy Nelson must be Daredevil!
Breaking the window seemed unnecessary. Is Spider-Man going to pay for that?
The issue ends with a “cliff-hangar”.
So I’ll leave it up to you, the reader. Did Romita pass the test? Can he be the next Spider-Man artist?
Rating: ★★★★☆, 74/100
Significance: ★★★★☆
This goes easily on our Best We’ve Read page, displacing Hulk’s battle with Giant-Man in Tales to Astonish #59. This unfortunately leaves no Giant-Man, Wasp, or Ant-Man stories in our top 100.
I read this story in Daredevil Epic Collection vol. 1: The Man Without Fear.
Characters:
- Daredevil/Matt Murdock
- Spider-Man/Peter Parker
- Karen Page
- Foggy Nelson
- Masked Marauder
- Aunt May
- J. Jonah Jameson
Story notes:
- Photos of Spider-Man fighting the Masked Marauder’s gang.
- Relates previously untold battle between Spider-Man and Masked Marauder. Spider-Man captures 4 members of his gang, but the Marauder got away.
- Foggy notes Daredevil hasn’t been seen in action recently, so apparently much time has passed since last issue.
- Foggy sees Daredevil as a glamor boy. Thinks Spider-Man is better equipped to handle the Masked Marauder. But perhaps he’s just jealous because Karen is impressed by Daredevil.
- Masked Marauder claims Spider-Man has interfered with his plans for the last time.
- Masked Marauder sends his men to commit crimes disguised as Daredevil to trick Spider-Man and Daredevil into fighting.
- One of the Marauder’s men doesn’t want to fight Spider-Man. He is met with a blinding opti-blast, temporarily paralyzing his optic nerves.
- Marauder describes his plan as “satanic” in its simplicity.
- Daredevil imposter throw billy club at Spider-Man, then hides in truck. Then another attacks Spider-Man.
- Spider-Man is surprised that Daredevil missed and that his nylon line isn’t strong.
- Karen drops hints Matt should ask her out, but he ignores them.
- Masked Marauder executes Plan W.
- While Daredevil fights Spider-Man and that distracts the police, the gang heads to the World Motors Center to steal plans for newest, most powerful auto engine ever devised.
- Marauder’s truck has tube that shoots men up by pressure.
- Shock-shatter ray breaks vault open.
- Men steal XB-390 engine plans.
- Guards are 2 minutes early.
- Blinding visi-blast stuns guards.
- They separate to escape: Maneuver E
- Daredevil judges Spider-Man can’t be older than twenty.
- Spider-Man gets mad at being called a kid.
- Spider-Man notices his line is stronger this time, and that Daredevil doesn’t seem to be trying to hurt him.
- Daredevil wins against Spidey.
- Jameson thinks Spider-Man attacked Daredevil to help Masked Marauder. Peter wonders the same about Daredevil.
- Foggy suspects Daredevil and Spider-Man were in league together.
- Daredevil’s radar sense registers Spider-Man.
- Spider-Man attacks Foggy, thinking he’s Daredevil.
| Previous | #505 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor #130, Story B | Reading order | Daredevil #17 |
| Daredevil #15 | Daredevil | Daredevil #17 |
