The Man Without Fear?

DAREDEVIL, THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR — Issue no. 155, August 1978

Book: Daredevil, the Man Without Fear

Issue No.: 155

Published: August 1, 1978

Title: “The Man Without Fear?”

Cover Price: 35¢

Format: Digital scan

I write about fill-in issues fairly regularly. Even though this issue of Daredevil, the Man Without Fear features a guest penciler (Frank Robbins, subbing for the great Gene Colan), it isn’t a fill-in. But not much actually happens in this issue — the story here is mostly about laying the groundwork for future stroies — so maybe it’s fair to call it a setup issue.

The main happening here is that Daredevil’s alter ego Matt Murdock and his law firm partner Foggy Nelson hire a new assistant, Becky Blake. I’m not yet totally clear on whether Becky’s role with the firm is secretary or paralegal or something else, so there’s still a lot to learn about Ms. Blake.

As for set-up material, the book opens with Daredevil almost falling to his death after being struck by some kind of debilitating pain. Daredevil is blind, but his other senses are enhanced — that’s his super power. The implication is that his other senses have become too supercharged for some reason, to the point where it’s hurting Daredevil. But there’s no hint here as to how this problem is going to play out.

We also get a one-page tease for the mysterious (to me) Deathstalker, an apparently dangerous dude who dresses in a black mask, coat, and hat. This is the second time (best I recall) that Deathstalker has been teased in a 1978 Daredevil book, so I am assuming he and Daredevil will fight at some point.

I haven’t read any of the Champions comics, but I know the titular super-team from that book broke up sometime in 1977, because the fallout from the breakup has played out in a few 1978 books. Two former Champions, Black Widow and Hercules, show up at the Avengers’ mansion. Daredevil finds out about this and decides to go visit Black Widow — it’s implied the two of them have some kind of past.

This book ends with Daredevil showing up at the Avengers’ mansion and immediately getting into a fight with the Avengers. Good guys fighting each other for no obviously good reason happens all the time in Bronze Age Marvel comics. But this seems like something different. Something is off about the Daredevil who attacks the Avengers — he doesn’t seem like the same guy who just a few pages earlier was making plans to catch up with Black Widow. I inadvertently peeked ahead at the next issue of Daredevil, and it features two Daredevils on its cover. So maybe it literally is a second Daredevil attacking the Avengers.

Next time — I might do a fill-in issue of my own! Or maybe I’ll just cover another August 1977 Marvel book. Tune in next week to find out!