First Appearance: Michael Reese, Sly, Attorney Lavender

Villain: Michael Reese, Sly

Guest Appearance: Lavender, Melvin Potter, Nick Manolis, Betsy Beatty, Debbie Harris, Foggy Nelson, Becky Blake

Cameo: Delany

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Matt is sure that Melvin Potter couldn't have been the one to commit the crime. He goes to visit his client in jail with his para-legal Becky Blake with him. She sees Potter and immediately faints. Later, at her hospital room, she explains to Matt why: when she was in college, she was raped, and in the assault lost the use of her legs. Melvin Potter was the man who did it, and she is sure of it! Matt is angry with her that she never called the police to report it, and Becky eventually screams at him for not understanding her trauma and kicks him out of the room.

In court, Matt asks for a delay in Potter's trial on the grounds that his recent run-in with the law will make it hard to pick a jury. The motion is granted, and Matt realizes he has to put in some time as Daredevil to prove that Melvin is not the local rapist. He hunts all over town but can't turn up any new info. He heads to Foggy's apartment to ask his partner to start showing up for the trial, but Debbie is there all alone, forlorn over her newlywed husband's strange behavior. While they are talking, Foggy wanders in and demands Matt leave, refusing to even discuss why he is so upset and seemingly lost.

Meanwhile, Melvin Potter has lost his self-control and breaks out of jail. The real perpetrator of the crime sees the news reports on TV that Potter has been tagged for his crime, and now that he's out on the lam, he figures he can go rape someone else and Potter will be blamed for it. Melvin's parole officer, Betsy Beatty, is profiled in the report, and the rapist decides he's going to target her.

Matt knows where to go to find Melvin- the museum where his Gladiator outfit is stored. He finds him there, wondering if he should put his costume back on. Matt talks him out of it, encouraging him to turn himself back in and continue with his rehabilitation.

At the home of Betsy Beatty, the rapist knocks on her door. She opens it and he pushes it open, snapping the chain. He walks in, with a leather mask on and his huge frame frightening Beatty. She douses the lights and grabs a knife, slashing him in the gut. He smacks her, but her neighbors hear the ruckus and come to check things out, sending him running away. She reports it to the police, and tells Daredevil that he's probably one of the reprobates that hangs out at the underground leather clubs in seedy New York.

Daredevil hits the streets with a new clue to search with, and finally tracks the man down in a crowded leather bar called The Pit. The man, Mike Reese, has lots of friends back him up against Daredevil. They initially beat him down to the ground, but his rage at being held down against his will and pummeled mercilessly makes him think of what his friend Becky went through at the hands of the same man, and he builds up an inhuman rage to fight back. He kicks them off and races through the whole crowd, until finally he grabs Reese by the mask, rips it off, and puts him out for good. Then, he realizes that Reese and his client Melvin Potter are dead ringers for each other.

Matt visits Becky and tells her that Potter has been cleared of the crimes. He also apologizes to her for not understanding what her pain was, but tells her that she can help make the case against Reese if only she'll call the police and report what happened to her years before. After much soul-searching, she calls the police.

--synopsis by Gormuu

--panel images provided by Avengers Assemble

--letter pages provided by Aussie Stu

Issues Reprinted
Daredevil #168-182

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.