Daredevil #8, page 12 (Wally Wood)

Stiltman, DD in almost every panel, and masterful work by the great Wally Wood.  Most definitely worth tightening that belt for.  Congrats on a fabulous page.

Many thanks, Eric. It was the highest priced of all the pages thus far but, in this hobby, it is very difficult to put a price on one-of-a-kind pages, especially when taking into account the predilections of individual collectors. But the belt-tightening will be somewhat severe!

Stiltman was a goofy villain in hindsight, but to kids reading it for the first time, we were all in!  2nd issue with the new Wood costume is historic in addition to being beautiful. 

Many thanks, Marcus. Gosh, I think that you never sleep! I remember encountering Wood for the first time in this series and was blown away by the artwork. And nostalgia can absorb most of the goofiness - even today!

Precious precious page! worth tightening the utility belt for ;-) 

And without the billy club! Many thanks, Nils!

100 per cent Wood, red custume, action panels...indeed very very rare. Well done! 

Many thanks, Carlo. In fact, until Marcus mentioned it, it had not occurred to me (consciously at least) that this was only the second appearance of Wood's redesigned red costume.

Such a terrific page, my friend.  As a kid, I was fascinated by Wood's quiet action, which is exemplified in that final panel.  Congrats!

Many thanks, my friend. As always, you have put it so well. Yes, that final panel is so very impressive (especially when we bear in mind when it was drawn).

The fact that most of the panels are a worm's eye view perspective with the confrontation panel being at eye level really makes that last panel feel topsy-turvy with now the perspective being flipped. Great storytelling

Many thanks, Steve. Yes, Wood was a wonderful artist and the perspectives are so very impressive and well drawn, especially when we bear in mind that all this was done six decades ago!

A fantastic example.   Congrats!

Many thanks, Steve, but, as mentioned, it did cost quite a bit.

What a glorious page!  Even if Stiltman is weird!

Congrats!

Many thanks, Corey. It weird through today's lenses perhaps but it was really impressive, as Marcus said, at the time.

Incredible! One of my favorite issues of Daredevil, without a doubt. Have zero regrets about what it required to add this to your amazing collection. It is definitely where it belongs. Massive congratulations!

Many thanks, John, for the kind and encouraging words. However, the financial outlay, as mentioned, cannot be totally ignored.

wow, impressive early page by Wood!  Great representation, congrats!!

Many thanks, Steve. It is definitely one of Wood's more impressive pages in a series in which he left far too early.

Dizzyingly Great! Congrats all the way down!

Many thanks, Duke. LOL!

I have never seen a politer description of someones bank balance shrinking.

Now, Peter, you have made my day ...

Great page and now, in the perfect collection.  Overpaying is on the eyes of the beholder.  I think this was well bought. Nicely done!

Many thanks, Ron, as always, for your kind and encouraging words. Unfortunately, that is not the prevailing view (althouugh it doesn't matter to me).

Many thanks, Anthony. And congrats on a wonderful CAF gallery with some truly stunning pieces!

What a great page, Wally Wood on Daredevil never gets old to look at! Having an example from every one of his DD issues is a monumental collecting goal.  My favorite panel is that final one with DD falling (I just have a thing for falling, lol) and the camera perspective being above him looking down. Also that bottom left panel being vertically stretched taller than every other panel within this interior page really is effective at showcasing the true height of Stilt-Man relative to Daredevil's position as he climbs. I could keep rambling on, congrats on the amazing addition!

Many thanks, Kavi. I am almost tempted to add your observations to the description, but that would be plagiarism! Bearing in mind that this page was drawn and inked six decades ago, it is all the more amazing. Wally Wood was truly a genius and, unfortunately, left us far too early.

Stilt-tacular!

Many thanks, Ryan. That's a good one! The good thing for me is that I will now check out what appears to be an impressive CAF gallery that you've assembled.

It is a very beautiful page indeed. Looking at the beauty of the and you have explained about this issue 8, it makes sense the financial efforts done. Stellar panels with Stilt-Man and DD.superbly drawn and inked by that Master.

Many thanks as always, Toni. Wally Wood was truly a genius but passed away so tragically. However, he was not one to stay for long at any one place and, not surprisingly, his stint on Daredevil was so short.

A fabulous belt-tightening page!  Congratulations!

A fabulous belt-tightening page!  Congratulations!

Many thanks, Mark. LOL! That's two pieces in a row and I can't do this much longer!

What a great Wood example!

Many thanks, Dan. And, as mentioned, the fact that it's all Wood as well made the page especially attractive. I believe that Bob Powell assisted from the next issue onwards.

This is GORGEOUS!!!!!  Historic AND gorgeous!

And your write up is spot on.  And you have either Daredevil, or Stiltman, or both in every panel, even if in the first panel it is just a stilt ;-) - it is one of the best pages in the book.

Congratulations my friend!

Many thanks, Nick, for your kind words. This page is still the most expensive of all the pages offered so far but spoke to me most.

Worth the sacrifice !!! Page is awesome and yes best one so far !! Huge congrats !! Oddly i just posted a similar addition to my CAF ...not artwise but "personnal feeling & sacrifice" wise...

And congrats again ...

Many thanks, Roman. Yes, I know exactly how you feel but your page is also a fabulous one and well worth the financial sacrifice.

Sweet page - but damn, that last panel is a killer!

Many thanks, Mark. Yes, I totally agree - that last panel really made me go for the page.

As ridiculous as the idea of Stilt-Man costume is, I've always loved him becaue of the fact that it allowed artists to really play around with the camera perspectives and make the storytelling that much more expressive and entertaining. This is a great example of that. Kudos, CAB!

Many thanks, Rubén. Perhaps it is still the child in me, but the Stilt-Man still resonates as a villain with me. And, as you have perceptively pointed out, he permitted many awesome perspectives to be explored and developed.

Wow CAB, major congrats on acquiring such a fantastic page! Being an EC fan I looove Wally Wood's work, but I also always admired his contributions to Daredevil. As for the page it is just amazing and what strikes me the most is the awesome perspectives featured on this piece. Really love those two low angle panels and that just perfect last panel. Again, major congrats, and as always I enjoyed reading your thought process and journey to acquiring this page!

Many thanks, David. Wood's EC work was much more detailed but even his more "simplified" approach on Daredevil is so impactful. And it means a lot that someone with such expertise such as your goodself confirm the perspectives that drew me so very much to the present page.

Read your description. If you keep tightening your belt, you will have no stomach expansion, rather contraction and will need less food, thereby saving money. Money which you can spend on more art!

Peter, at the rate I am going, I have to be very careful, lest I no longer exist to enjoy the hobby! Do take care.

I read your description and totally understand the internal struggle you have with the finances around big pieces, especially ones that you have been pining after for years.  I say forget any guilt and just enjoy the art.  You made the decision and it was the right one at the time with money you could allocate here.  If you recover all the money in the future is not important to the enjoyment you will get from owning and looking at this art.  This is as good as Wood DD gets.  It is a fun modification of the 9 panel grid to emphasize the height of Stiltman who maybe a goofy and impractible villian but I always liked his visuals.  Every panel with DD and Stiltman does what it can to emphasize the height the action is playing out at. That last panel would make a great cover.   

Many thanks, Jeff, as always, for your very kind ane perceptive comments as well as observations. It is true that I could have sold some of my existing pieces as an alternative and so must try to change my bad "habit" of holding on to pieces in the future. In the meantime, though, it is in fact a gorgeous piece and the last panel was the one that sealed the deal for me, so to speak. 

Jeff knows his stuff. It's not a bad habit. It's merely addictive. Lol. Where's the next comic art high? Already searching....

Re: your last paragraph:

Exactly. You summed this up well. This is the nature of the demon in the bottle that some of us grapple with here, in our pursuits of this particular, curious form of personal happiness.

I'm chagrined, by the way, to read that the great Wood had nothing to do with not only the pencils but also the inks of that memorable Organization 2-parter in DD #9-10 (a favorite childhood story). I've  read elsewhere that Bob Powell had much to do with the art in those issues, but this is the first time I've heard this. Wood didn't visually conceive and pencil and ink those panels of Frog Man, my favorite? I'm reeling...  

Big CONGRATS for landing this page!

OOps! And of course I meant to type that the Organziation 2-parter was in #10-11, not #9-10!

Many thanks, Mark. As someone else mentioned, it's an addiction although many of us are sensible enough not to spend beyond our means. It's a good thing that many of us did purchase artwork when it was more sanely priced.

Yes, issues 10 and 11 were the final issues. He plotted and wrote issue 10 although Stan complained that he was left holding the can for issue 11. Wood inked every issue including these final two issues. However, from issue 9, Powell was apparently the penciller although Wood is credited with the layouts for issues 10 and 11 - which must have meant that he conceived as well as at least roughly penciled the Ani-Men (including Frog Man). This makes sense as they were obviously his idea. Hope that clarifies and makes you happy!

Such dazzling and dizzying storytelling virtuosity! Whatever the concept, Stilt Man allowed for great freedom in moves and camera angles that Wally Wood obviously uses with delight and for maximum impact!

Also note that the design of Stilt Man is so impeccable that no one, to my knowledge, ever tried to modify it, another definitive proof of Wood's genius! 

Finally, you have perfectly depicted the angst of our collecting hobby and the hard choices we're all confronted with. But the remorse and regrets (THAT "I shouldn't have" feeling) are happily counterbalanced with immense joys... This doesn't alleviate the financial burden but some pieces of art strike such a chord that they become a reason on their own! 

Only one consolation that I know of: stare at this page long and deep every day and enjoy it for what it's worth! And I mean personal value, not financial! Because, yes, this is an extraordinary one!

Many thanks for your kind words as well as encouragement. Your description of the piece is so well put. I have said this before, but it bears repeating - Wood did all this six decades ago! And, yes, I just went to have a long look at the piece again - it is indeed truly amazing!

ZOW!

Many thanks, Rick. How about ZOW WOW!

Some great early Marvel Magic here ! 

Many thanks, Michael. It's really impressive that this piece has more than stood the test of time. OT, but many congrats to you again on an excellent collection.

In my early days of reading and collecting comics as a kid, Daredevil #8 was my oldest and most prestigious "back-issue" in my collection. And here is a great original page from that same book so many decades later. Thanks for sharing this very awesome Wally Wood DD page! Congrats!

Many thanks, Ron. And many congratulations on such a well curated collection of both vintage and modern original comic art. As a relative "old-timer", that has been my approach as well.

This page is pure nostalgia for me! Not only is it from the first year I started collecting Marvel Comics but two panels from this page were used for the first Marvel Super Heroes Trading Card Set from 1966. That large vertical panel and the falling DD finish are two images forever seared into my eleven year old memory! 

Many thanks, Hans. It's so wonderful when collectors share their memories as well. I wasn't aware of the trading card set though. I need to check it out.

That really is a stunning page. Plenty of action, and plenty of DD and Stiltman throughout. That last, vertiginous panel of DD seemingly dropping to his death is a classic page-turner. Superb!

Many thanks, Paul. As I mentioned, that last panel sealed the deal for me. The perspectives on this page are simply amazing - simply put, Wood was a genius who was way ahead of his time.

Wow, such an amazing Wood DD page, that final panel is an absolute clincher, big congrats!

Many thanks, Joe. I totally agree with you about that final panel!

So Great CAB...Wally's Stiltman was a treat as something so outside the box...love it.

Many thanks, CJ. Yes, and the design was so unique that it was never really modified in subsequent appearances.

Sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and go for the gusto, and this is a page that certainly warrants such an approach. I just love Wood's art in these early page - a perfect rendtion of DD. I especially like how he rendered the newly introduced Red costume with the heavy black accents. Congrats CAB - thanks for sharing!

Many thanks, Dave, for your very kind words of encouragement. This truly is vintage Wood DD and I never tire of looking at this page.

I have a copy of this book! Always thought Stiltman was a silly, but fun, villain.

I have a copy of this book! Always thought Stiltman was a silly, but fun, villain.

That's great, Newell! It is a really well-drawn book. Perhaps I was too young when I first read it, but I thought that the Stiltman was a pretty nifty villain!

This is such a wonderful page by Wally. The form is so clean and the characters are top notch. Congratulations CAB on acquiring this gem of a page!

Thanks very much, Hart. Yes, this page is an amazing paradox of both simplicity and complexity existing at one and the same time.

"Farewell, Daredevil!  Even -YOU- were no match for Stiltman!"  Ha- HAAAAAAH!!  An absolutely PHENOMENAL page, CAB, and what sounds like a triumph in multiple of ways for you (thank you for the outstanding write up!).  Honestly, could one ask for a better Stilt-Man page?  Admittedly, that's not a sentence I was expecting to write when I woke up this morning, but just as you encountered when you picked up this (painfully "estimable" :) ) inestimable treasure, sometimes you go where your day takes you and you seize the moment.  This jewel truly belongs in your breathtaking collection, CAB, with its metric ton of gorgeous vertical lines and elevation (...until the moment of DD's plummet!) and breakneck Silver Age story pacing (assuring you get gobs of action on the page).  MEGA-congrats, CAB, on landing this.  (Hopefully, Daredevil will be able to pull off as impressive a landing after the page turn! : ) )

Many thanks, Jason. And many thanks for such kind and generous support. It was such a stretch to obtain this page but it is gorgeous page in so many ways. Many thanks once again, and do take care.

Stilt Man is such a fun offbeat character!  You can do so much visually with him, especially in battle scenes, like here.  Can play with a lot in terms of depth, perspective, and composition.  Like Mr Wood does here :)  Congrats!

Many thanks, Kahlil. I totally agree with your brilliant analysis.