Tag: ape men

Daredevil #13

The Secret of Ka-Zar’s Origin!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: December 12, 1965
Cover: February 1966
12 cents
Dastardly story by: Stan Lee
Demonic layouts by: Jack Kirby
Devastating artwork by: John Romita
Dilapidated lettering by: Sam Rosen
20 pages

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No man is ever helpless… not while he lives… not while he dares!

The title promises the secret of Ka-Zar’s origin. The narration seems to hedge a bit, promising only new clues to his origin.

Recall, we had a bit of confusion last time. In name and appearance, Ka-Zar appears to be a character we’d met long before. David Rand, a jungle lord in the Congo introduced in Marvel Comics #1. This Ka-Zar looks the same and also goes by Ka-Zar, but lives in a hidden dinosaur-laden land in Antarctica. Is this Ka-Zar David Rand? And if so, how did we get to Antarctica?

We left off with Ka-Zar in peril from a plant and Daredevil in peril from Maa-Gor, last of the Ape Men, whom we met alongside Ka-Zar in X-Men #10.

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Daredevil #12

Sightless, in a Savage Land!

Featuring: Daredevil
Release: November 4, 1965
Cover: January 1966
12 cents
Story: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Lettering: Sam Rosen
.. and introducing: the matchless artistic wizardry of Marvel’s newest, and most eagerly-awaited, illustrator… the inimitable John Romita!
20 pages

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Ka-Zar have you, Zabu… Need no other! You are wisest… bravest… swiftest of all!

John Romita’s arrival is greeted enthusiastically by Stan. Kirby does layouts, as is common when welcoming new artists, as Stan doesn’t yet trust their storytelling chops (or his own).

Daredevil has a lack stability with revolving doors of legendary superstar artists. Bill Everett only made it one issue because he struggled with deadlines. Joe Orlando left after 3 issues because he got angry with Stan. Wally Wood left after 5 issues because he got angry with Stan. Good luck, John.

We’ve seen John Romita before in our “Prelude” posts. He was a regular artist on Captain America’s short-lived 1950s revival. His art has improved a lot in the intervening 10 years. He found his niche with the romance genre, and then left comics for a successful career in advertising. He draws good-looking people, in a way that artists like Kirby and Ditko don’t. Stan talked him into coming back to comics.

We talked about Romita’s career when we read Captain America #78. This is his new regular gig as a main artist at Marvel, but we’d seen him before providing finishes for Don Heck in Avengers #23, released 3 months earlier.

The story picks up where last issue left off, with Matt leaving Nelson & Murdock. The characters have lots of thoughts. Matt is leaving to let Foggy and Karen be together. Karen is sad because she loves Matt. Foggy thinks Matt is his best friend, but is happy that Karen can now be his. Matt doesn’t recognize that Karen loves him; he thinks her affection is just pity for a blind man. Matt books an ocean cruise to the other side of the world.

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