His world is one of eternal darkness, but oh how the darkness is filled! Images , more vivid then
any eyesight, supplied by a unique "Radar sense", as well as hyper acute senses make his world
a unique and astonishing place. By day he is a well known and respected lawyer, by night a
different kind of defender, one who is known by his enemies as a "Man without fear". Years of
training along with his amazing senses have made him a man who instills fear instead. Armed
with his multi purpose "Billy Club" he swings through the Manhattan skyline , battling evil and
injustice wherever it rears its ugly face. He is....
Splash Page : Matt Murdock stands looking as the Warden of Dade County Jail holds up
Daredevils glove and pronounces
Warden: "What I've got here Mr Murdock , is a glove worn by Daredevil, the so-called NY hero.
He slipped in here during the night and killed Nicolosi in his sleep."
Page 2
Matt: (I-I don't believe this. That looks like my glove, obviously it's not, but anyone seeing it
would think its Daredevils glove.) "Warden, I'd like to see the cell where Mr Nicolosi was
incarcerated."
Warden: "Well "See" doesn't seem to be the proper term for you to use Mr Murdock. Don't take
offense , 'cause none was meant, but what do you expect to find there that my best team of
investigators couldn't?"
Matt: "No offense taken Warden, but I'd still like to be taken to the cell."
Warden: "No problem Mr Murdock. I don't have any idea what you could possibly find there, but
if you do I do trust you intend to share whatever you find."
Matt: "(Sigh) You have my word warden. As long as you intend to look at things with an open
mind."
Page 3
Warden : "Well on that you have MY word counselor."
The two men make their way down to the closed off cell.
Warden: "Here you go Mr Murdock."
Matt: "Matt, my name is Matt."
Murdock makes his way into the cell, and begins fingering the dirt on the floor. Rubbing it
between his fingers, all the while reaching out with his incredible senses.
Matt: ( I've got to fill the room with my mind. Feel the stone , taste it. The iron bars, the
mattress, all of it. I've got to breathe in its totality. Until I find......) "There !"
Warden: "What? You find something Murdock?"
Matt: "I-I think so Warden. There's a certain....smell here, that I've breathed in before. My
olfactory senses are a little more sensitive then a sighted persons. It's not like I'm a superman or
something, but not to long ago I defended a man whose body had a certain odor. A chemical
smell. He was a New York based super villain who finally got caught, only it was for something
he didn't do. "
Page 4
Warden: " What are you talking about Murdock?"
Matt: "This wasn't Daredevils doing. This was somebody whose entire reason for being is to do
evil. Somebody who can blend into his surroundings easily, then become his more powerful self
by drinking his chemical elixir, murder a helpless man in his cell and then revert to his original
form just as easily, never being seen the whole time."
Warden: "Murdock, you're jabbering. What the hell are you talking about? Who was this? "
Matt slowly stands, brushing his hands together. Then his sightless eyes turn to the wardens
direction.
Matt : " His name is Calvin Zabo. You might know him better as his nom-deplume, Mr HYDE !"
Page 5
Cut to New York, and the Law offices of Sharpe, Nelson and Murdock. There Franklin "Foggy"
Nelson sits at his desk, going through a mountain of legal briefs, while eating a doughnut.
Foggy: (I can't believe Rosalyn sent Matt to Miami. I really don't like what she did there. But she
is the senior partner I guess, even if she is my mom. Oh well.)
Foggy continues going through his briefs, eating doughnuts, until the phone rings on his desk. He
reaches over and lifts the phone to his ear.
Foggy: "Franklin Nelson here......What? WHAT??? No, oh...no...."
Foggy slowly lowers the phone back onto its cradle, then lowers his face into his hands. Outside
his office low sobs can be heard from inside by the office workers .
Page 6
Matt Murdock sits in the Wardens office as The Warden paces back and forth across the floor.
Warden: "You expect me to believe that you can smell a chemical from that cell that clears this
"Daredevil" and fingers some supervillain named Mr Hyde?? We're not idiots here Mr Murdock,
not some back bayou hillbillies. We run a good state. People are safe here, because of the good
solid police work we do. I trust my instincts, and my instincts say it was this vigilante who
committed this crime. After all, he dresses to look like the devil himself."
Murdock sighs inwardly, he's awaited that response for some time. God knows he's fought
Mephisto himself on more then one occasion, but who would believe him?
Matt: "Listen Warden,...uh, what is your name anyway?"
Warden: "Buchanan. My name's Lance Buchanan. Sorry about that ...Matt, I keep forgetting you
can't see the nameplate on the desk."
Page 7
Matt: "No problem Lance. Look, talk to your fellow Policemen, try to call them off Daredevils
trail for a day or two. I guarantee you he'll bring in the real perp."
Lance: "No can do Matt. I don't know how your boys in blue up in Manhattan operate, but here
we get the bad guy."
Matt: " So you're not willing to help find the real killer then? You're not even willing to look for
Zabo?"
Lance : "Sigh..Okay, I'll get the Guard sign in sheet from last night and go over it with a fine
tooth comb, then I'll check all the video monitors from last night for anything out of the
ordinary. By the way, what's your connection to this Daredevil? Why do you give a hoot if he's
the murderer or not? If you don't mind me saying, if you weren't blind, I'd have to think you
might even be him."
Page 8
Matt: "I'm not him, I think that should be kind of obvious Warden Buchanan. As for our
connection , he has had myself on a permanent retainer for several years. You can verify that
with my partner Franklin Nelson."
Warden: "No need Matt. I understand. I'll do what I can. Now if this Daredevil contacts you I
expect to be told. I'd hate to think you're harboring a fugitive, client or no."
Matt stands, and begins to make his way to the door, feeling his way with his cane.
Matt: "I know the law Lance, believe me , you don't have to remind me of my civic
responsibility."
Lance : "Then you have a good day Matt. I'll let you know if I come up with anything."
Murdock nods, and then exits the wardens office. The man sits down at his desk and after
waiting a few minutes, dials a certain long distance number.
Lance: "Yes sir, it's Buchanan. He's been here, yes. No, I won't give him any help, just as you
told me not to. Thank you sir."
Page 9
Buchanan hangs the phone up and wipes his brow, as sweat had begun to form on it. Slumping
into his chair he wonders how things got so out of hand, how he allowed it to happen.
Outside the prison Matt Murdock enters a waiting cab.
Matt: "Thanks for waiting Alfredo* I appreciate it."
*Alfredo met Matt at the airport two issues ago, and has been helpful in Miami.
Alfredo: "It is no problem Senor Matt. Where do we go to now?"
Matt: " Just back to the Hotel, Alfredo. I need some rest, and my head is splitting."
Alfredo: "Well do not worry . Alfredo will get you anything you need. You have but to ask."
Matt: "Right now I need a case of aspirin."
Page 10
Hours later.....
Matt sits in his hotel room, trying to figure out what is happening around him. First he gets
pushed into this case by Rosalind Sharpe, then his flight down is bad enough to make anyone
swear off of flying permanently, then he ends up almost getting killed by Tombstone, while
simultaneously someone is framing him.*
* A quick recap of the last two issues.
Matt sits up in the darkened room and reaches for the phone. Dialing it he awaits a familiar
voice on the other end, only .....
Phone: "Hi, this is Karen, Matt and I are unable to get to the phone right now, so leave a message
at the beep and we'll get back to you as soon as we get in. Thanks, have a nice day. BEEEEPP"
Matt: "Uh, HI Karen. You there? I guess not. I'm getting a little worried honey. This is about the
third message I'm leaving. Call me back when you get in. Bye"
He hangs the phone up , as his guts begin to tighten up a bit more.
Matt : (What's happening here? Since I came here my life's been in turmoil. Now I can't reach
Karen. I'm probably overreacting, but my gut instinct says no. Either way I have to find Hyde.)
Page 11
Matt leaves his Hotel, , and begins walking the Miami Beach streets. He has no leads, no one he
can trust here, except..
Matt: "Alfredo!"
Snapping his fingers Matt returns to his hotel room and calls the cab company Alfredo works for
Twenty minutes later....
The phone rings in Matts Hotel room
Matt: "Hello, Alfredo? Good. I need a favor. I need you to spread the word. Has any Cabbie
driven a fare in the last day or two who was either very large and particularly angry, ....yes,
almost Hulk large, or one who was very small, almost greasy looking in a vile sort of way. Yes,
I'm going to get you a picture. I'm downloading one from my office now to my laptop. I'll
forward it to you. Do you have an e-mail address or a fax number? Good. I'll pass it along. See if
either picture matches a fare, then see where that fare went. There's a big tip in this for you, real
big."
Matt hangs up the phone, and looks sightlessly as the sun goes down outside. He feels the
warmth of it on his face, as it lowers in exact degrees. Then he smiles.
Page 12
Manhattan, a woman , in a drunken , drugged stupor slides down an alley wall. Her blonde hair
is a shambles, as dirt cakes her face. She utters one word as oblivion claims her.
Woman: "Matt."
Above her, on a rooftop overlooking the alley, another woman suddenly appears, this one is
garbed in scarlet and crimson, her red sash blowing in the fall wind as she sees the woman she's
been looking for. It's been a long hunt, but Elektra Natchios has finally found the woman who
has gone missing these last few days, and she does not like what she sees. A block away, a man
watches the female master ninja through high power binoculars and smiles. Then he simply
leaps over the rooftops edge, grasping a fire escapee edge, and repels himself ever down to the
street below safely. Once there he flamboyantly leaps aboard a night black motorcycle and roars
away into the night, laughing as he disappears.
Page 13
Daredevil Swings through the Miami skyline, rolling through the air, executing a perfect
somersault that would be the envy of every Olympic level gymnast, DD lands on a bus roof, and
hitches a ride out of Miami, over a bridge , and onto interstate 95.
DD: (Alfredo came through. One of his buddies gave Zabo a ride to a town called South
Hallendale last night. He picked him up not far from the jail either. Looks like I'll get to the
bottom of this yet. Someone has it out for me, and I have a sneaking suspicion it's not Zabo. He's
just not this deep. His plans are very "What you see is what you get" . This one is intricate. I have
to keep unraveling it as I go.)
The bus continues on for twenty minutes, then DD, reading the buildings shapes and counting
the amount of exit ramps he's passed , realizes he's where he wanted to be. In one acrobatic leap,
DD moves to another car, one that is leaving the highway. Suddenly, and unbeknownst to DD, a
highway patrol car pulls out from behind a billboard, and follows the sedan that carries DD on
its rooftop.
Page 14
DD: ( There, that block . That's what Alfredo described to me.)
The man without fear vaults over a fence, landing in a ramshackle homes front yard, instantly
two large rottweilers attack him from the shadows
DD: "Whoa!" ( I was so busy looking for Hyde that I ignored these dogs heartbeats. What's
wrong with me?)
DD rolls onto his back, tossing one of the large dogs overhead, and into the other
KRAK!
The two dogs regroup and attack yet again, this time DD throws his billy club , whacking the
lead dog right between the eyes, the dog drops to the ground whimpering, while the other leaps
onto Daredevil.
Page 15
DD: (Got to let his own momentum carry him through...)
DD pushes the dog past himself, while rolling off its line of attack. Instantly the dog is back on
its feet, but so is Daredevil! Doing a quick back flip, DD regains his Billy club, and in one
lightning fast motion throws it backhand, slamming it into the ferocious dogs front leg, dropping
it immediately!
Whak!
DD: ( I hate to hurt an innocent dog, but it was either me or them. In that scenario, they lose.)
Suddenly the telltale click of a guns hammer being drawn into place rings through his
hypersensitive ears, as he heaves himself away from where he was standing an instant before.
Boom!
The bullet creases his skull, missing its intended deadly path.
Page 16
Cop : "F-freeze Daredevil! You're u-under arrest! Make another move and n-next time I won't
m-miss!"
DD: (He's so nervous his warning shot almost killed me! His heart is hammering out of control.
Judging by his body weight and sweat, he's about 21, and very , very green.) "Aren't you Florida
Cops supposed to announce yourselves before firing?"
Cop : "N-not in y-your case. You're wanted for the m-murder of Biagio Nicolosi. Come quietly,
or else."
DD: "Did they teach you that speech at the academy? Truthfully it doesn't sound to convincing,
never mind legal." ( Got to buy myself some time, my head is ringing, my ears are screaming
from the proximity of the gunshot, and I can barely stand. Blood is running down my face now. )
Cop: "Last chance red man. Lay down on the ground and place your hands behind your back."
Page 17
DD: "Okay officer, you've got me. But in this house is the real murderer of Biagio Nicolosi. Not me."
Cop: "Right. Every perp alive says he's innocent."
DD: "You are making a big mistake officer. There is a very dangerous man in there. Any minute
he'll be out here, then you'll be in deeper straits then you can imagine. Call for back-up. Hurry,
otherwise they'll be finding BOTH our corpses here."
DD Struggles to remain conscious, his radar sense is practically useless, his ears are ringing
horribly, and his gut is filled with nausea.
DD: (Got to be ready to make my move, the instant he looks away.) "Call for back up officer,
that's all I'm asking you to do."
Page 18
Cop : "I don't need any back-up, not for a punk like you. Now hold still while I cuff you."
DD: ( I-I don't believe this. With everything else that's happened here, now I'm arrested. I can
barely move, If I react the wrong way this kid could be killed, then my name would really be in
the gutter. How could things possibly get any worse?)
Suddenly......
Ba-room!
The front of the house whose yard they're standing in explodes outwards, as a massive figure
wades powerfully through the debris.
Cop : "Oh my God!"
DD: ( I hadda ask?)
Page 19
The young , frightened Cop begins firing his gun at the massive figure, and bullets merely
ricochet off his thick hide.
Pow, Pow, Pow, Pow!
Suddenly the giant grabs the gun from the cops hand, crushing the young mans wrist in the
process!
Cop "ARRGH!"
Giant: "Enough! Your paltry bullets merely sting the skin of Mr. Hyde!"
Page 20
Elsewhere...A messenger arrives at a huge and opulent Miami Mansion. The messenger
nervously enters the house, after being ushered in by several rather dangerous looking men
wearing suits. He swallows hard, as he enters a set of twin doors. There, on a gold filled throne
sits perhaps the largest man this messenger has ever seen in his life of crime.
Messenger: "Uh sir? Forgive the intrusion, but I have several reports that Daredevil was seen
near the operatives safe house. I uh, thought you would like to know."
The large figure swivels its massive head, but smiles.
Figure: "That's your problem Johnny, you "Thought" You leave that to me. C'mere."
The nervous man approaches the behemoth and suddenly the large mans hands flash out like a
striking cobra, grabbing the nervous man by the arm, and then suddenly ramming the mans face
into his disgustingly large side, burying the mans face in his fat side. Smothering the messenger
unto death.
Big Man: "That was your problem indeed m'boy. No one needs think around here. No one save I.
I, Ulysses S. Lugman. !"
In New York a phone rings, a large, powerful hand answers it, as a diamond ring shines on his
right hand holding the phone. He answers the phone.
Large powerful man : "Yes. What have you to report. Excellent Buchanan, excellent. You will be
well compensated for your time."
He hangs up the phone then leans back in his chair and and laughs.
L P M: "Hahahahhaha. All my pawns are in place, soon the game will be at an end, and no
matter the outcome, The Kingpin wins yet again!"
Next: The soul shattering conclusion of "A Daredevil out of water!"
Dare-ing to be different C/O [email protected]
Hi Ralph! Great issue Buddy! The battle between DD and Tombstone was one of the best I'd ever seen anywhere. I love it when a clever guy can take down even the toughest loser like Tombstone. And the end was truly shocking stuff! Keep up the great work here! TJB
Thanks TJ. I hope this issue was cool to you also. Let me know what you liked/didn't like.
Thanks pal !