Villain: Gladiator, Masked Marauder, Big Joe

First Appearance: Big Joe

Guest Appearance: Karen Page, Foggy Nelson

Cameo: Captain America, Dr. Doom, Dr. Strange (all costume mannequins in shop)

Letters Page: Page One • Page Two

House Ad: Ad #1 • Ad #2

At a local police precinct, the Gladiator is hauled in for arrest, but a group of thugs disguised as reporters gas the room and evacuate him. His helmet protects him from the sleeping agent, and they race out to a waiting car, where the Gladiator is told he is being taken to have a summit with his mysterious benefactor. At this unknown person's hideout, the Gladiator grows impatient and starts to bully the thugs, until the Masked Marauder enters! He tells the Gladiator he sprung him from jail so he can serve the Masked Marauder as his agent to defeat Daredevil. The Gladiator talks back and the Marauder stuns him with a blast of his opti-ray to show him who is boss.

Daredevil overhears news reports that the Gladiator was sprung from jail, so he leaves Foggy with explicit instructions to stay safe inside doors. Also, Karen is assaulted with questions from a crush of reporters all asking about Foggy being Daredevil. DD swings over to the costume shop where the Gladiator sold Foggy his costume, but there are no secrets to be found there. It's a dead end.

While the Gladiator is stunned from the opti-blast, the Masked Marauder gives instructions to hunt down Foggy Nelson and destroy him so he never has a chance to fight the Masked Marauder's plans ever again. After they all leave, the Gladiator recovers from the opti-blast and attacks the Masked Marauder for his insolent attack on him. He will not bow to any man, and he makes sure the Marauder knows it with some heavy hits that topple him to the ground. The two continue their fight, though neither villain is well-suited to fighting each other when they have unfinished business with Daredevil.

Shortly, the Marauder's men, still disguised as reporters, are about to reach Foggy Nelson's apartment. They bust in, with the thug Big Joe leading the way, but they are met by Daredevil, who comes crashing through the window. A melee starts up between Daredevil and the dozen or so thugs ripping up Foggy's home. They are amazed at how Daredevil is totally outclassing them no matter how they try to get at him. One thug raises a pistol at Daredevil, but Foggy summons the courage to tackle the gunman, allowing Daredevil the chance to take him out with the well-placed throw of a heavy hassock. He puts away the last of the thugs and sets off against the one that ran away.

The thug makes it to the Masked Marauder's hideout, where the two super-villains are still duking it out. He tells them that while they were trying to lay their hands of Foggy Nelson, Daredevil took them all out, so they're sure that Foggy Nelson is not Daredevil. They realize that Daredevil will soon be there after having chased the thug, so they decide to split up and fade away for a time, ceding this round to Daredevil, but not giving up the idea of his total destruction.

At Nelson & Murdock, Foggy finds that Karen is more understanding about his predicament than he thought she would be. Matt overhears them talking from outside, when Karen declares that she thinks Matt is "the most wonderful man I've ever known." His enthusiasm upon hearing that is buoyed, and he decides to be more aggressive in pursuing her romance in the future.

--synopsis by Gormuu

--panel images provided by Avengers Assemble

--letter pages and house ads provided by Aussie Stu

Issues Reprinted
Daredevil #12-21

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.