Daredevil #17

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: April 5, 1966
Cover: June 1966
12 cents
Writer: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Artist: Jazzy Johnny Romita
Inker: Fearless Frankie Ray
Letterer: Swingin’ Sammy Rosen
Complaints may be sent to the irascible Irving Forbush!
20 pages

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Daredevil #16	Reading order	Strange Tales #144
Daredevil #16	Daredevil	Daredevil #18

It’s the challenge… the thrill of battle… the danger! That’s what really grabs me! And, I’ve a hunch that Spider-Man feels the same way!

Who’s Irving Forbush?

Recall the situation: The Masked Marauder had manipulated Daredevil and Spider-Man into being suspicious of each other. Now not only does Spider-Man think Daredevil is in league with the Masked Marauder, but he believes Foggy is Daredevil!

And remember, we’re supposed to be seeing what we think of John Romita’s take on Spider-Man. Somebody needs to take over for Steve Ditko!

Glad somebody else noticed that Spider-Man broke the window.

Foggy sees an opportunity in Spider-Man’s mistake. He’s always lived in Matt’s shadow. And now Karen only has eyes for Matt. But perhaps Karen would finally take notice of Foggy if she thought he was a superhero.

Daredevil thinks Spider-Man is young and hot-tempered but not a criminal.

Daredevil thinks Jameson’s editorials suggest a paranoic hatred of Spidey.

How do we think Romita’s Peter compares to Ditko’s?

Spider-Man and Daredevil will work out their differences and team up. Just one more tussle first.

Masked Marauder’s main weapon is his blinding opti-blast. This defeats Spider-Man but seems to have no effect on Daredevil for some reason.

In the cleanup, cops assume that Spider-Man was responsible for all this. Daredevil publicly defends Spider-Man ands sees where his angst comes from.

Karen asks Foggy if he is Daredevil. She seems like an idiot to discuss this so publicly. Foggy doesn’t say yes and he doesn’t say no.

Of course the Masked Marauder overhears all this.

It seems like Karen can be trusted with a secret identity.

Rating: ★★★½, 66/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆

This will displace Steve Ditko’s first Hulk story from Tales to Astonish #60 from the Best We’ve Read. This leaves the Hulk’s origin as the only remaining Hulk story on the prestigious list.

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

Characters:

• Karen Page
• Foggy Nelson
• Spider-Man/Peter Parker
• Matt Murdock/Daredevil
• J.W. (Chairman of the board of World Motors)
• J. Jonah Jameson
• Aunt May

Story notes:

• Spider-Man notes Foggy is too flabby to be Daredevil, calls him “Butterball”.
• Spider-Man assumes the real Daredevil will now come after him.
• Foggy sees an opportunity to let Karen suspect he may be Daredevil.
• Matt always had the top honors in college, not Foggy.
• Daredevil admits to himself it’s really the challenge and the thrill of danger he’s after, more than justice. He suspects the same of Spider-Man.
• Executives of World Motors recognize the XB-390 plans can be modified to be a weapon of war.
• The Masked Marauder neglected to take the formula for fueling the engine. It’s not vital, but Daredevil thinks he can convince M.M. otherwise.
• Daredevil convinces Jameson he can trap Spider-Man; Jameson goes on TV to announce that the Masked Marauder needs the fueling plans.
• Jameson offers reward for proof Spider-Man is the mastermind.
• Karen has Ka-Zar reports for Foggy.
• Foggy thinks he hears more respect in her voice since she suspects he’s Daredevil.
• Marauder attacks by blimp, disguised as World Motors blimp. Spider-Man and Daredevil pause their fight to investigate.
• Opti-blast blinds Spider-Man.
• Daredevil shoots blimp and it explodes.
• Masked Marauder slips away in guise of uniformed guard.
• Foggy is coming from the dentist, but it could have been away from the scene of the action, as far as Karen knows.
• Masked Marauder plots revenge on Daredevil. We never see his face.

Previous	#506	Next
Daredevil #16	Reading order	Strange Tales #144
Daredevil #16	Daredevil	Daredevil #18