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Daredevil (1964 series) #171

on-sale: Mar 3, 1981
Frank Miller

Daredevil (1964 series) #171 cover

Story Name:

In the Kingpin's Clutches


Synopsis

Daredevil (1964 series) #171 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 5 stars

After his defeat by Bullseye last issue, Daredevil awakens in the back of a garbage truck. Realizing it must be late, he heads home to try and salvage a bit of sleep. Meanwhile, the Kingpin tracks down one of the men who had been sent to ambush him and tells him to relay to his bosses that he’s willing to make a deal for his wife. The next day, Matt meets Heather in Central Park, with the whole situation with the Kingpin very much still on his mind. Heather breaks him out of the shop talk so the two can enjoy their time together. That afternoon, the mob bosses meet to discuss what to do about the Kingpin and decide that they’re safe so long as they have Vanessa. They propose to trade Vanessa for the Kingpin’s files on them and send Bullseye to relay the message any way he sees fit. Bullseye, meanwhile, is beginning to have doubts about his current employers, frustrated at being used as an errand boy and unimpressed with their general disorganization.

That evening, Matt goes undercover at Josie’s to see what he can learn about the Kingpin. He’s approached by Turk and a number of the Kingpin’s guys when he starts asking questions, resulting in a full-on bar brawl (and Josie’s window getting smashed once again). After nearly the entire room is unconscious, Turk decides to take Matt to see the Kingpin. They lead him down into the sewers where they make their way to one of the Kingpin’s secure hideouts. Matt encounters Fisk for the first time, shocked at just how big his radar tells him he is, and pretends to be a hitman looking for a job. Fisk is unimpressed and tells Lynch to shoot Matt, who then casually throws a pen right into the gun barrel without even turning around! Fisk hires him on the spot. Just then, one of Kingpin’s men arrives with a message from Bullseye to meet the crime bosses at a construction site the following night. The henchman then dies from a slow acting poison and Matt feels responsible, now that Bullseye has killed again. Lynch sees this as the Kingpin’s opportunity to regain control of the mobs, but Fisk makes it clear that he’s only interested in rescuing Vanessa. Lynch decides maybe a little shock treatment is necessary, to get the Kingpin back on the right track…

The following day, poor Becky is swamped with calls, as neither Matt nor Foggy have shown up to the office that day. Foggy then stumbles in but collapses dejectedly at his desk, something obviously wrong. Back at the Kingpin’s hideout, Matt tries to get into the Kingpin’s vault but discovers there’s no lock. The only defense is the fact that the door is so heavy, only the Kingpin has the strength to open it. Despite this, Matt pulls with all his might, unwilling to give up. It takes a long time, and his muscles pushed to their breaking point, but Matt is finally able to open the Kingpin’s vault, feeling exhausted afterwards. Before he can find the files, the Kingpin returns, having deduced that Matt wasn’t who he said he was. The two battle for the first time in the Kingpin’s vault, with Daredevil finding that he has a hard time really hurting the Kingpin, who is much more muscle than his appearance would suggest. Daredevil is exhausted from opening the vault door, and beats himself silly against a barely moving Fisk, allowing Fisk to knock him out in one punch. Fisk then decides that he can’t afford to let Daredevil live.

That night, Fisk arrives at the construction site and tells Lynch to wait in the car. The mob bosses show Vanessa tied to a nearby girder and offer to free her in exchange for the files, while Bullseye secretly waits above to kill Fisk once the transfer has been made. Meanwhile, another mysterious figure nearby enacts plans of his own, preparing a powerful mortar device. Fisk activates a sonic device in his briefcase, deafening and incapacitating all nearby save himself. He makes his way to Vanessa, when the mysterious figure, far enough away to remain conscious, fires his device, collapsing the entire construction site on top of Kingpin and Vanessa! Fisk digs himself out, and slowly and painfully realizes that Vanessa has seemingly been killed! Lynch convinces Fisk to resume his mantle of the Kingpin and make them pay as they drive off, with Lynch subtly rubbing his temples in pain. Meanwhile, Turk and Grotto aim to take care of Daredevil by stuffing him into a water main, leaving him for a watery grave! To be continued!


Characters
Good (or All)
DAREDEVIL
FOGGYNELSON
Plus: Becky Blake (Rebecca Blake), Heather Glenn, Vanessa Fisk.

Enemies
BULLSEYE
KINGPIN
TURKB

> Daredevil (1964 series) comic book info and issue index



Excelsioring your collection:
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Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Main/1st Story Full Credits

Frank Miller
Klaus Janson
Glynis Wein
Frank Miller (Cover Penciler)
Klaus Janson (Cover Inker)
Unknown (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Joe Rosen.



Review / Commentaries


Daredevil (1964 series) #171 Review by (February 12, 2025)



Review: Another classic issue and a fantastic continuation from last issue, with a ton of significant moments! The most significant of these is certainly the first meeting between Daredevil and Kingpin, giving birth to one of comics’ greatest hero/villain rivalries! Their first battle doesn’t go particularly well for DD, who finds himself unable to really hurt Fisk, as well as having been exhausted from opening Kingpin’s heavy vault door. This is a trend that will continue for a while, as it’s a long time before Matt actually wins a physical fight against Fisk. For a lighter moment, Josie’s window is smashed for the second issue in a row when Matt goes poking around for information. There's also a particularly cool moment when Matt throws a pen right into the barrel of a gun without evening turning around, in order to get his undercover persona hired by Fisk. We also get more hints that something’s going on with Foggy, with the poor guy seeming more dejected than ever.

The other particularly significant moment comes with apparent death of Vanessa when Fisk meets with the mob bosses. Kingpin is just so cunning and cool, perfectly showcasing how great of a villain he can be, by expertly outwitting the other mob bosses, until an unknown factor makes everything go awry. With his wife seemingly dead, expect to see new levels of ruthlessness from Fisk as Miller continues to improve him with every issue! And of course, things never go well for Matt, beginning the issue in a garbage truck and ending it chained up in a water main! Just some really fantastic writing and pacing, with multiple instances of Miller’s signature fantastic panel use to convey tense moments for maximum impact. Overall, a classic continuation of this storyline, perfectly leading into the just-as-classic conclusion to this little story arc next issue!

Comments: First meeting between Daredevil and the Kingpin. With this issue, Daredevil finally becomes a monthly series.





Thor

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