Issue(s): Daredevil #144
Cover Date: Apr 77
Title: "Man-Bull means mayhem"
Credits:
Jim Shooter - Script
Gerry Conway - Plot
Lee Elias - Penciler
Dan Green - Inker

Review/plot:
Daredevil investigates reports of a prison riot that turns out to be an escape attempt by the Man-Bull. Daredevil fails to stop the Man-Bull...

...and he's taken away by the Owl's henchmen.

The Owl is having difficulty fending off attacks from rival crime gangs, and he reveals it's because his legs are no longer working.

The Owl sends the Man-Bull after a scientist familiar with using animal serums to help humans.

But it turns out the Man-Bull has plans of his own.

As is often the case with Shooter's scripting, i like the general idea of the scene but find the dialogue cringe-worthy.

Daredevil meanwhile stops a shoot-out between the Owl's goons and another gang, and discovers a metal key card. He takes it to some sort of computer lab (it's not clear where) where they can read it and tell him the address that it opens. Not sure if it would work that way, but i do like the acknowledgement of DD's blindness.

DD finds the Man-Bull trying to leave with the scientist. The Owl also sees the Man-Bull betraying him and escapes. The Man-Bull gets smashed pretty bad.

The irony is that the scientist says he would have been happy to help both villains if they'd just asked him.

Also in this issue, police lieutenant Bert Rose learns he's under investigation.

And Foggy's been drinking thanks to Debbie Harris' kidnapping.

Competent all around. There's an opening scene with Daredevil exercising and i can't help think that Shooter added the bit about the flu just because he didn't think Lee Elias' art was dynamic enough.

On the next page it's quickly determined that he does not have the flu.

Alternatively, the "flu" comment could be cover for Daredevil's initial defeat by the Man-Bull. The fact that DD was exercising hard, and then swung his way all the way out of town to the prison, is also mentioned, making it clear that he wasn't in top shape during the first fight.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places a few DD guest appearances after this issue.

References:

• In Daredevil's last encounter with the Man-Bull, in Daredevil #129, Daredevil let the Man-Bull go, but the Man-Bull says he was picked up by police armed with heavy weapons soon afterwards.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

"As is often the case with Shooter's scripting, i like the general idea of the scene but dialogue cringe-worthy."

I actually like Shooter's scripting. I'm not sure if it's intentional but it's quite tongue-in-cheek. I also suspect that he tries to make everything clear (maybe a bit too clear) about what is going on so as not to confuse the reader.

Good start to Shooter's run. One of my favorite "forgotten" runs.