#25 (The Politest Episode Ever)

Drawn by Gene Colan, Written by Stan Lee 4 Minutes

Issue 25
“Enter: The Leap-Frog” (February, 1967)
Released: December 8, 1966
Written by Stan Lee
Drawn by Gene Colan
Inked by Frank Giacoia
Lettered by Artie Simek
Cover drawn by Gene Colan

Issue 25 of Daredevil features two main plot threads. Both of them are dumb.

In Plot A, we meet Leap-Frog, the first villain in Daredevil’s rogue’s gallery to be created by master artist Gene Colan. In Plot B, we meet Mike Murdock, a new character so terrible and implausible that he could have only been created by Stan Lee.

It should be noted that due to scheduling difficulties we had to record this entire episode by Zoom. It makes for a different sort of episode than fans of the show are used to. The technical delay forces all of us to wait our turn to speak, so, for the first time, we were unable to speak over each other. The Devil’s Archive, now with manners!

It should also be noted, as explained at the end of today’s discussion, that we will be taking a brief hiatus from recording The Devil’s Archive. Personal schedules and life crises have prevented us from recording as often as we would like in the last few months, which means that our stockpile of episodes has been depleted faster than we can restock. Not to mention that Soundtrap, the recording software that we use for editing, is a terrible and useless product that has given Aaron nothing but many, many, many hours of grief each week for the last several months. We’re going to take a few weeks off to investigate new recording means, regroup, and then rebuild our stockpile. This also gives Kyle a chance to start not hating us for making him read issue 25.

We do appreciate the time that you guys take each week to listen to us shit all over comic books. Without you, we would have no reason whatsoever to do this. We’d rather not take a hiatus, but circumstances are preventing us from releasing a quality program on the consistent schedule we’d prefer. We will see you guys again soon, however! Season 2 will be well worth the wait.

Episode 25 is available now! The link for direct download from Buzzsprout can be found here: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2021691.rss

You can also find us on Spotify! Just click the following link and go straight to the streaming archive: https://open.spotify.com/show/42GINDXqBqGKIT49FZCyz9?si=EdeD4WaIQZ6RoK0RNzPWcA&utm_source=copy-link

Be sure to check behind the cut to see images from the issue that we discuss!

Kyle and Rodney both give this issue a big, fat F. This decision is based solely on the stupidity of Plot B. Aaron loves the artwork and can’t quite muster the courage to give this issue the failing grade it probably deserves. He gives it a D. Average overall: D-.

Images are going to be out of order this time around, so that we can delineate between what we have been referring to as Plot A and Plot B. We’re all three in agreement that Plot A is vastly superior to Plot B, which should give you some ideas of how terrible the latter is. The former is also pretty bad.

Matt arrives at the airport after his excursion to England last issue to a bunch of hubbub at the airport. Seems there’s this dude with springs on his shows bouncing around all over the place and causing all kinds of general chaos.
The script never gives this new character a name. It only mentions that he is a failed toymaker and that the aforementioned springs are his latest invention. Coupled with a fantastic-looking costume (designed by Gene Colan at the top of his game), the newest member of Daredevil’s rogue’s gallery is born. Meet Leap-Frog!
From here, Plot A is pretty straightforward: Daredevil fights the villain a couple of times and eventually wins. Check out this full page of art by Gene Colan. This issue is the best-looking one that Gene has done so far.
Action sequences really are Gene Colan’s strong suit. Notice how deftly he depicts movement in a manner that none of the previous artists have been able to pull off.
Before we get to Plot B, we have to show you the newest addition to our list of billy club shenanigans. Gene Colan’s design of the billy club appears to remove all the extra accessories that cluttered it all up, but he replaces some of those needless tools with a piece of metal extending from the bottom of the cane. With a push of the button, the taut shaft of metal turns into a hook.
We actually get a well-done look at this new piece of equipment in action in this sequence where Daredevil grabs a desk and pulls it across the room.
Okay . . . and now Plot B. Upon returning to the law offices, Foggy and Karen bombard him with questions as to not his disappearance from Madison Square Garden’s a couple of issue ago and his whereabouts ever since. Matt has a lame excuse prepared about seeing the real Daredevil show up and deciding that now is as good a time as any to rest up on the seashore for a couple of days. He claims to have given a note to an usher, who must have lost it before he could give it to Karen. Karen isn’t buying it.
Foggy and Karen call Matt’s bluff and inform him that they have read a letter from Spider-Man that claims to know that Matt is Daredevil. Thinking quickly to recover, Matt informs them that he has a twin brother named Mike. According to Matt, Mike is Daredevil!
To convince them that he is telling the truth, Matt shows up at the office disguised as Mike! Mike is the polar opposite of Matt: obnoxious, loud, quippy, and crass. Karen and Foggy fall for this ruse right away.

Published by nervousrexproductions

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