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Daredevil (1964 series) #183

on-sale: Feb 23, 1982
Frank Miller

Daredevil (1964 series) #183 cover

Story Name:

Child's Play


Synopsis

Daredevil (1964 series) #183 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 4.5 stars

In a Catholic School classroom, a 12-year-old girl named Mary suffers severe hallucinations, out of her mind on drugs. In order to escape these visions she jumps out of the window and hits the ground several stories below. Matt Murdock, who had been guest lecturing in the class, changes to Daredevil and runs the girl to the hospital; all the while he can feel her dying. Daredevil is too late and the girl dies on the operating room table. The doctor makes Daredevil aware of the Angel Dust in the girl’s system and admits there’s not a lot they can do to combat this epidemic. Mary’s distraught brother Billy demands to see his sister and Daredevil has to tell him that she didn’t make it. Billy swears that he’s going to make the guys that sold her the drugs pay, someone named Hogman and his partner. Daredevil sets out to see if he can track down this Hogman while Billy decides on a deadlier approach and swipes the gun from his father’s dresser.

Meanwhile, some guys score some drugs from Hogman’s partner Flapper and soon encounter the undercover Daredevil. Daredevil can tell how drugged out they are and starts to get overwhelmed, not wanting to seriously hurt them. He’s then saved by the Punisher, who has no such compunctions, and starts to lay into the punks. Daredevil stops Punisher from killing them when suddenly Flapper is shot from a nearby roof when attempting to flee. Daredevil quickly heads to the roof to find that Billy was apparently the one who pulled the trigger! Billy claims his innocence, unable to go through with it and having fired over Flapper’s head. Later, Matt takes on Billy’s case, being able to tell he’s innocent, and asks him to trust that the system will get justice.

Some time later, Daredevil meets with Ben Urich at the Daily Bugle to get information on the Punisher, before heading back to the scene of Flapper’s murder. Daredevil concludes that the angle would have been wrong for the shaky Billy to have made the clean shot and determines that someone on a higher ledge behind him could have made it. Daredevil scours the nearby higher roofs and finds a spent shell casing. Just then, Daredevil hears the Punisher on a nearby roof, roughing up a junkie who witnessed the whole thing, looking for Hogman’s whereabouts. Daredevil intercepts him and the two fight briefly before Punisher offers they work together to clean up the streets. Daredevil declines the offer and Punisher shoots him with a tranquilizer before brutally beating his informant. As Punisher leaves, Daredevil can hear the witness’ heart slowing and stopping. Daredevil is determined not to let the Punisher take another life and manages to resuscitate the man, who tells him where to find Hogman.

Daredevil picks up Hogman and two weeks later, the homeless witness’ testimony clears Billy of any wrongdoing! However, when Hogman is going to be detained for the murder instead, he pleads his innocence, and Matt can hear that he’s apparently telling the truth! That night, the Punisher hears on the news that Matt Murdock plans to defend Hogman in court, believing his client innocent. Punisher gears up, sure to put himself and Matt back on a collision course. The next day, in Central Park, Heather meets with Matt to tell him that she thinks her board of directors is trying to push her out of her company and that she plans to fight them on it. Matt is unsure that Heather has the business acumen for that and she states that she needs to do something with her life, feeling so purposeless otherwise. Matt offers to provide her purpose in another way and asks Heather to marry him! To be continued!


Characters
Good (or All)
BENURICH
DAREDEVIL
Plus: Heather Glenn.

Enemies
PUNISHER

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



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

Main/1st Story Full Credits

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



Review / Commentaries


Daredevil (1964 series) #183 Review by (May 7, 2025)

Review: Here we have the first part of a very intense anti-drug story (with quite a standout cover!). It was actually supposed to occur shortly before Frank Miller took over as writer, in Daredevil #167, but was axed due to not abiding by the comics code. It was then reworked to better abide by the code for these two issues. Keep in mind that this issue begins with a 12 year old girl on drugs dying after she jumps out of a window and her brother Billy looking to hunt down and kill the men who sold her the drugs! If this is the toned down version, I can only imagine what it was like before! This story was even referenced briefly in Daredevil #169, as a clear holdover of when it was originally supposed to happen. Given that it was conceived of earlier, Roger McKenzie is also credited as a writer, and you can feel it a bit, as things are just a little less tight than when Miller is the sole writer. Just a couple little coincidences that you wouldn’t see as much under Miller’s pen, but they don’t impact things too much. I’d still say it’s the best story Roger McKenzie had a hand in.

The other notable thing about this story is the first meeting between Daredevil and the Punisher. While DD tries to absolve Billy of murdering one of the local drug dealers, Punisher just wants to kill criminals, as per usual. This causes Daredevil to have an instant dislike for him. What’s interesting is that the feeling is not mutual, and Punisher actually notes a level of respect for Daredevil. Over the years, their relationship will quickly deteriorate and get to the status quo most people are used to, in which the two greatly dislike each other and have nothing but disdain for each other’s methods. Matt also proposes to Heather, which I can only imagine was one of the reworked and/or added scenes from the original draft. There was no indication before that they were supposed to be engaged, and it makes sense for Matt to cling to Heather as a coping mechanism after having just lost Elektra. It’s not the healthiest thing, but when has Matt Murdock ever made the healthiest decisions for dealing with trauma?

Comments: First meeting between Daredevil and the Punisher. Matt asks Heather Glenn to marry him. This story was originally supposed to happen in Daredevil #167, but was deemed too intense for the comics code, so it was reworked here, co-written by Roger McKenzie.





Thor

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