Issue 17 “None Are So Blind . . .” (June, 1966) Released: April 5, 1966 Written by Stan Lee Drawn by John Romita Inked by Frank Giacoia Lettered by Sam Rosen Cover drawn by John Romita
Spider-Man is back!
Foggy’s a conniving liar!
Aaron knows a big word!
Same villain. Same story. Same gorgeous art. Issue #17, the sixth installment in John Romita’s run doesn’t offer much new for us to discuss, but it does make us ponder how much cocaine the editor of The Daily Bugle might be doing to streamline the duties of his job.
Check behind the cut to see our individual grades and artwork from the issue!
As we stayed in our discussion, this issue is, essentially, a pale retread of the previous one. To that end, our scores don’t change much either. The most dramatic drop in grade is from Kyle, who gives this issue a D+. Rodney and Kyle both give the issue a C-. Our average overall: C-.
This issue starts right where the last issue ended: with Spider-Man acting in a completely un-Spider-Man-like fashion. In fact, in the intervening month between issues, he’s gone full-blown psychopath! Here, Romita depicts him dangling a frightened Foggy out of the window of their building. Romita and Lee spend a good amount of the next couple of issues relentlessly fat-shaming Foggy Nelson. It starts here with Spider-Man who comments that Foggy is flabbier than he thought Daredevil would be. We’re still not convinced that Spider-Man would ever believe that Foggy was Daredevil in the first place. Spidey is smarter than this!This issue also marks the beginnings of what may be the dumbest plotline we’ve seen in this comic so far: Foggy begins to try to convince Karen that he is Daredevil. Karen doesn’t appear to us to be nearly as smart as Spider-Man, but she does spend a suspicious amount of time with Daredevil. She knows that Daredevil is tall and muscular and not . . . um . . . Foggy.In this issue, Daredevil enlists J. Jonah Jameson in a ploy to get both Spider-Man and Masked Marauder out of commission. In Romita’s drawings J. Jonah Jameson appears to be fueling his long hours at work with cigars and long lines of cocaine. In this issue, Daredevil, once again, uses his radar abilities to “see through” walls. This is not how radar works. Like last time, the best part of the issue is Daredevil and Spider-Man beating the crap out of each other. This fight, however, lasts for considerably less paneling. There is also no clear winner in this battle. Dirigible. Blimp. Airship. Who gives a shit, right? The Masked Marauder uses one to disguise himself for entry into the World Motors Headquarters so that he can steal the plans for the fuel that runs the motor he stole in the last issue. This plan is a better-conceived plan than last issue’s free float through the bank drive-up tubes. Perhaps to appease Spider-Man fans who were displeased that Daredevil handed him his webbed ass in the last issue, Spider-Man is given a well-drawn battle with Masked Marauder’s costumed goons. This is Daredevil’s book, though, so Romita saves the main villain for our hero. Masked Marauder turns out to be rather easy for Daredevil to beat. Perhaps because his powers and abilities are completely useless against Daredevil. After defeating Masked Marauder, Daredevil does something that Aaron, in particular, doesn’t approve of: he fires a gun. The chaos that gunfire would reap on Daredevil’s super-sensitive hearing aside, Aaron is also fairly certain that shooting a ballin filled with air would not make it explode into a fiery ball. Rodney and Kyle argue that Daredevil shot the engine. This drawing sure makes it look that Daredevil shot the balloon. John Romita’s gorgeous artwork is not enough to save this ludicrous sequence. During the confusion caused by the improbable explosion, Masked Marauder manages to steal the uniform of one of the World Motors guards and make an escape. Disguised as a guard, Masked Marauder overhears Foggy and Karen discussing Daredevil’s identity. Foggy, desperate to get laid, goes all in and allows Karen to believe that he is, in fact, Daredevil. Of course, now Masked Marauder believes that Foggy Nelson is his nemesis, too. As a cliffhanger, it’s fairly annoying.
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