I have been watching (and enjoying) Season Two of Marvel Television's Daredevil: Born Again, so I thought I would take a look at the original Daredevil, who burst onto the comic book scene in 1940. understand that this Daredevil has no relation to the Marvel Comics Daredevil, although this Daredevil -- now in the public domain -- in more recent appearances has changed his name to Reddevil or Doubledare or Death-Defying Devil, hoping to avoid lawsuits from Marvel.
Daredevil was created as a backup story for Silver Streak #6 (September 1940) by Jack Binder. He was mute named Bart Hill, who as a child saw his father murdered and himself branded by a hot iron, which- left a boomerang mark on his chest. He grew up to become a "boomerang marksman," taking up a costume to exact vengeance on evil-doers. By the following issue, both his name, costume, and backstory had been revamped by Jack Cole, the comic book editor who would go to create Plastic Man. Daredevil was now Bill Hart and all mention of muteness was dropped; for five issues, Daredevil would be pitted against Silver Streak's main villain, the Claw; this storyline cemented Daredevil's popularity, and he continued to appear monthly in Silver Streak through issue #17 (December 1941). Before exiting Silver Streak, the character began his own title, Daredevil Battles Hitler (the official title; it was not intended as a one-off because the cover clearly listed #1; the title was most likely intended to increase sales -- although America has not entered the war, Hitler was the villain de jour; earlier that year in Comic Book Land, Captain America had given Das Fuhrer a well=needed punch in the jaw.) Issue #2 officially changed the title of the comic book to Daredevil Comics. Daredevil Comics continued until issue #134 (September 1956), although the character himself was phased out after issue #69, in favor of the supporting characters the Little Wise Guys (Curly, Jocko, Peewee, and Scarecrow) who first appeared with issue #13 (October 1942) -- a fifth Little Wise Guy, Meatball, was literally killed off in issue #15. Daredevil did make it back to his own title for two brief appearances, in issues 79 and 80 (October & November 1950).
So let's get it on putting Adolf in his place, okay? The story is divided into seven "chapters," all written by Charles Biro and drawn by Biro, Jack Cole, and Harry Anderson. The saga brings in many of the comic book heroes from Silver Streak. In the first chapter, Hitler is planning to invade England. Winston Churchill asks Daredevil and Silver Streak to keep watch on a mysterious cottage in the Downs. A rip-snorting naval battle ensues. We meet Whiz, the Silver Streak's falcon, as well as such baddies as Hitler, Goebbels. Goring, Himmler, Lord Hee Haw. Grand Admiral Raeder, Field Marshal Brauchitsch, Mussolini, and a Nazi fortune teller.
Then, Hitler seeks the Claw's help to aid him and the Japanese to attack Singapore and destroy the British. Daredevil goes undercover to foil the plot.
In Chapter Three, Hitler tries to conquer Africa from within, thereby cutting Britain from her colonial empire. Daredevil and white hunter and soldier of fortune Lance Hale react.
Dickie Dean, Boy Inventor, has come up with a fool-proof decoding machine, but Nazi agents have stolen it. Daredevil, Dickie, and Dickie's friend Zip Todd must stop the machine from reaching Berlin.
The penultimate chapter has Daredevil, Cloud Curtis, and the RAF fighting off a Nazi blitzkrieg, ending with an air battle between Cloud Curtis and Reichsmarshall Hermann Goring.
In the final chapter, Grand Admiral Raeder is order to patrol British waters and sink every ship in sight Daredevil and the Pirate Prince swing into action. The Pirate Prince is just that -- an old-fashioned sword-wielding pirate with an old sailing ship; the sword comes in handy for "pantsing" Raeder most unceremoniously.
An interesting issue. but, alas, Daredevil never got to bop Hitler on the jaw as Captain America had done. **sigh**
Enjoy.
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=35416
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