I thought I’d include a whole page from this issue, because it’s a great example of the complexity and density that Marvel packed into its early issues…
On this page, we see Foggy is still having symptoms from the traumatic brain injury he incurred in Ox’s first appearance (which Stan fails to remind us in a cute little box happened in Daredevil #6—very uncharacteristic of Lee, who was usually a huge fan of footnotes and crossreferences).
Then, we see Matt Murdock still pining for Karen Page, but his pride prevents him from wanting her too bad because he doesn’t want to be pitied. This is a huge piece of Murdock’s personality, and one that will be his fatal flaw for literally decades to come.
Then, finally, the actual action starts with Ox breaking out of prison. Daredevil tries to stop him. Ox does this, and doesn’t even break one of Daredevil’s ribs…
He does knock him out, though. And he’s picked up by the cops.
There’s also an irony here: The villain breaks out, and DD ends up in jail for the first time. Also, he’s wearing yellow and black, like his original costume. Nice touch.
Ox put DD in his clothes to make it look like DD was a criminal…It’s an odd coincidence that Ox and Daredevil’s costumes had similarity.
Matt wakes up in prison. Not liking jail? Get used to it Matt, you’ll be back. And at least he got to keep his mask. (Why didn’t the cops take it off to figure out who he really was???)
Ox’s prison break was masterminded by an evil scientist named Dr. Stragg who wants to be strong switches bodies with Ox. He succeeds, and Ox will remain trapped in the smaller frame until 1972. The scientist falls to his death in the end–still inside Ox’s body–making Stragg the first person Daredevil allows to die by falling. See the tag below. Stragg is in good company.
As for Ox-in-Stragg’s-body…He turns himself in!