For me, a large part of the attraction of Marvel's Silver Age output is the emphasis on the human frailties of the lead characters. Spider-Man was a teenager with social and money worries, Iron Man had a weak heart, the Fantastic Four spent as much time fighting each other as they did fighting super-villains, and even Thor had a gammy leg in his civilian identity.
Unrequited love was also a well-used theme that Stan Lee liked to dust off at regular intervals, with Peter Parker having a love life sometimes bordering on farcical.
However, Matt Murdock, better known to the world as Daredevil, the Man Without Fear, is always an interesting case study when ticking off Lee and Kirby tropes.
Blinded in childhood by an accident (check) involving a radioactive substance (check), the young Murdock soon finds his remaining senses heightened to superhuman degree. When his father is murdered for refusing to throw a boxing match (check), Matt confronts the killers as the costumed Daredevil, and avenges his death (check). Eventually graduating with a degree in law, Murdock sets up in partnership and falls in love with his secretary (check).
Then, Murdock is offered the chance to have surgery that will restore his sight, but which may result in him losing his powers and his ability to fight crime. And here's where Lee really decides to twist the knife...
So, what do we learn from this June 1965 issue?
That according to Marvel, blindness was a shameful disability with such a stigma attached that sufferers had no right to expect to find love or happiness. Ever.
And if that weren't punishment enough, even when exercising in total privacy, you still have to wear your dark glasses.
Shame, shame on you, Stan Lee!
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