Daredevil #241

Title:"Black Christmas"
Writer:Ann Nocenti
Penciler:Todd McFarlane
Inker:Al Milgrom
Cover:Mike Zeck/Klaus Janson
Colours:Christie 'Max' Scheele
Letters:Joe Rosen
Editor:Ralph Macchio
Assistant Editor:Craig Anderson
Date:Apr. 1987
Cover Price:0.75,0.95

Characters

Butch (Fatboys)
Daredevil
Freddie (Fatboys)
Hilda
Karen Page
Matt Murdock
Trixter

Daredevil #240


Daredevil #242

Al Milgrom
Volume 1 - 145 157 241 245 362
Volume 2 - 50 100
Volume 3 - None
Volume 4 - None
Volume 5 - None
Volume 6 - None
Volume 7 - None
Volume 8 - None
Ann Nocenti
Volume 1 - 236 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291
Volume 2 - 500
Volume 3 - None
Volume 4 - None
Volume 5 - None
Volume 6 - None
Volume 7 - 2
Volume 8 - None
Klaus Janson
Volume 1 - 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 140 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 156 157 158 159 160 161 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 192 193 194 195 196 197 206 234 235 238 241
Volume 2 - 50 500
Volume 3 - None
Volume 4 - None
Volume 5 - None
Volume 6 - None
Volume 7 - 2
Volume 8 - None
Mike Zeck
Volume 1 - 210 241
Volume 2 - None
Volume 3 - None
Volume 4 - None
Volume 5 - None
Volume 6 - None
Volume 7 - None
Volume 8 - None
Todd McFarlane
Volume 1 - 241
Volume 2 - None
Volume 3 - None
Volume 4 - None
Volume 5 - None
Volume 6 - None
Volume 7 - None
Volume 8 - None

Issue Summary

Summary/Review by Michael Deeley

It's Christmas in Hell's Kitchen, as described in the most negative and nauseating way on the first page. Daredevil stops kid gang The Fat Boys from taking "donations" dressed like a charity Santa. They give their money to a nun not knowing she's really a con woman.

On Christmas morning, the Trixter, a stuntman who's a master of disguise and many gadgets, laments how he's world famous but no one knows his real name. He sees Daredevil as a kindred spirit who might tell him, "what makes one man a hero and another a fool". He reappears walking a high wire over Rockefeller Center dressed as an angel with a horned skull mask. Daredevil senses that Trixter is wearing a device that creates "chaotic force waves". DD climbs up on the wire and tries talking him down. Trixter is distracted by voices in his head telling him to jump. A brief tussle ensues where Trixter seems to choke on his own scarf. DD saves him, but the Trixter gets away.

Daredevil finds him later climbing the Chrysler building. DD thinks about how important he looks to the Trixter and how he must choose his words carefully. On the way up, Daredevil sees the Fat Boys on another building practicing a skateboarding trick. He tells them not to try such dangerous stunts when he's not around. Daredevil continues his climb. Along the way, he loses his footing. The Trixter saves him, them taunts him about how it's supposed to make him feel good. Trixter beats DD to the top and lashes himself to the steeple. He begs Daredevil to save him as a storm moves in. DD starts untying the lashes, but the steeple's struck by lightning. Trixter is killed instantly. DD thinks about how other people see him, and why he couldn't find the words to save the Trixter. Just then, Freddie of the Fat Boys shows up asking DD to teach him more tricks.

I couldn't find any entries about the Trixter in any online Marvel character databases. Until I hear otherwise, I can only conclude he was created just for this issue.

This issue was reprinted and included with the Daredevil action figure in the Spider-Man Classics toy line. It's a good example of Ann Nocenti's tenure on the series. Daredevil is constantly questioning himself and his motivations, while ignoring the people around him. The fights with Trixter aren't as simple as good guy vs. bad guy; it's more like a suicidal man crying out for help. He just happened to ask it from Daredevil.

Daredevil (and other related characters appearing) and the distinctive likenesses are Trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc. and are used WITHOUT permission.
Copyright © 2019 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Visit Marvel.com.

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