COMIC DETAILS
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Comic Description:
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Daredevil 18 Universal
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Grade:
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9.4
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Page Quality:
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WHITE
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Certification #:
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0905419012
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Owner:
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Professor Pecora
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SET DETAILS
Owner's Description
Daredevil #18 features the origin and 1st appearance of Gladiator (Melvin Potter)!
Overstreet 2023 NM- 9.2 value = $425.
According to the CGC Census Report as of Tuesday, August 22, 2023, out of a total of 736 Universal copies graded, only 61 copies were graded in 9.4 with only 37 copies graded higher: 30 in 9.6 and 7 in 9.8!
With these statistics in mind, this represents an impressive rarity factor of only 8.29% of the total population!
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Published in July of 1966, Daredevil #18 introduces us to another original Daredevil villain—the Gladiator!
What a badass John Romita Sr. battle cover featuring Gladiator Vs. Daredevil! Towering above Daredevil with his classic spinning wrist blades, the Gladiator’s brute strength is demonstrated, as he only has one arm raised, which is enough to make Ol’ Hornhead struggle (with both of his hands) to restrain his oncoming attack!
The setting takes place on a wooden pier in front of a boating dock, amidst a howling windstorm causing high tides in the background! The gray color hues coordinate lovely with Daredevil’s red suit and the Gladiator’s olive green, blue and yellow suit! In addition, on the bottom of the cover, (which is classic of John Romita’s style), we see a large purple banner with white and yellow font that reads: THERE SHALL COME A GLADIATOR! This cover POPS!
Furthermore, Gladiator became a reoccurring Daredevil villain, but would eventually reform and become one of Daredevil’s most loyal allies!
Moreover, Melvin Potter was portrayed on the silver screen by actor Matt Gerald in the critically acclaimed Marvel Daredevil Streaming Series (2015-2018)! However, although there were multiple clues indicating that Melvin Potter was preparing the parts to his armored suit, we never saw his character evolve into the Gladiator, as Netflix cancelled Daredevil after the third season!
Fortunately, Daredevil will return in the Spring of 2024 in Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: ‘Born Again’ on Disney+, which means it is more than likely that we are going to see the Gladiator soon!
In closing, I purchased this PERFECTLY WRAPPED & CENTERED copy from Pedigree Comics’ Grand Auction in March of 2022! I am super proud to own this immaculate copy and look forward to watching it appreciate each year!
Happy Collecting & Enjoy the Hunt!
-Professor Pecora
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