Featuring: Daredevil
Release: June 30, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Pencilling: Gentleman Gene Colan
Inking: Fearless Frank Giacoia/Melancholy Mickey Demeo
Lettering: Adorable Artie Simek
Bad-Guy Booer: Honest Irving Forbush
20 pages
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| Thor Annual 2 | Reading order | Daredevil #21 |
| Daredevil #19 | Daredevil | Daredevil #21 |
In this court– presided over by the Owl– I make my own laws!
I’m a little confused about who the inker is. GCD claims Esposito, who we see credited in the reprint below by his standard pen name, Mickey Demeo. The GCD also claims the original comic has this credit. UHBMCC claims that the original comic credits Giacoia. Earth’s Mightiest Blog has a scan of what looks like the original credits, and it’s Giacoia.
Looking at various collections on my shelves, the Epic Collection and Marvel Masterworks volumes credit Frank Giacoia; but the Essential Daredevil credits Esposito.
Here’s the original art for the issue, which has Giacoia, though you can see it appears to be a last minute change over a whited-out name.
Note about pencilling that John Romita is too busy polishing off the Amazing Spider-Man Annual. Though he only does the layouts for that comic.
In fact, Colan turns out to not just be filling in. As of this issue, he’ll be the regular penciler on Daredevil for the next several years, freeing Romita to focus on Spider-Man.
You can tell this is illustrated by Colan from the panel count alone. Lots of large panels making fewer panels.
Also the wonky pacing.
The rendering of Daredevil himself sticks pretty close to how Romita was drawing him.
The Owl and a bunch of criminals have set up a kangaroo court to try the judge who sent them to prison. To add to the charade, he even gives the judge an attorney, and kidnaps Matt Murdock for this privilege.
In a contemporaneous Spider-Man comic, Matt will be unavailable for a case, and Foggy will need to step in. Presumably this story is why Matt is unavailable.
Owl lives in a castle; as do many super-villains in America, a country known for lots of old castles.
Murdock is given 5 minutes leave to go find a witness. Nobody finds it suspicious when Daredevil then shows up, but Matt doesn’t return.
After all, Matt is a blind man. We know he can’t be Daredevil.
The issue ends with Daredevil trapped by the owl. As I need immediate resolution on this cliffhanger, we’ll jump straight to the next issue.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 51/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Daredevil Epic Collection vol. 1: The Man Without Fear.
Characters:
- Daredevil/Matt Murdock
- Foggy Nelson
- Karen Page
- Owl
- Judge Lewis
Story notes:
- Goons attempting to kidnap Matt Murdock, but find Daredevil. Daredevil lets them go, assuming they’ll head to Matt’s apartment.
- Murdock taken to be the defendant in an apparently rigged trial.
- Karen concerned about Matt’s absence because the three of them had dinner plans.
- Judge Lewis had sentenced the Owl to prison after his battle with Daredevil.
- Jury of ex-convicts sentenced by Lewis.
- Murdock to defend Judge; hints he will be killed after.
- Murdock moves for a dismissal, but Owl makes the laws; he declares it illegal to sentence himself to prison, punishable by death.
| Previous | #553 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor Annual 2 | Reading order | Daredevil #21 |
| Daredevil #19 | Daredevil | Daredevil #21 |
