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Daredevil (1964 series) #241

Apr 1987 on-sale: Dec 23, 1986

Ann Nocenti
writer
 |  Todd McFarlane
penciler

Daredevil (1964 series) #241 cover

Story Name:

Black Christmas


Synopsis

Daredevil (1964 series) #241 synopsis by reviewer Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

On a busy street on Christmas Eve, some of the Fat Boys kids disguise themselves in a Santa suit in order to swindle the passersby. Daredevil soon finds them and puts an end to their activities, and makes them give away the money they swindled to charity. Daredevil shoos the kids on home while the “nun” they gave the money to may not be what she seems! The next morning, Christmas morning, and Matt awakens from a nightmare with a start. Karen comforts him and bemoans the fact that it seems like it’s not going to snow that Christmas, while the two have some fun of their own. Meanwhile, in a hotel room on 42nd street, the nun from earlier is revealed to be a master of disguise called the Trixter! The Trixter wonders if he’s wasted his life, having taken on so many identities and names that he can barely remember who he is anymore! He regards Daredevil in the paper, and feels a kinship with him, wondering how he can be so selfless as to save people with his talents. He decides to get up close with Daredevil, to see what makes him better, and possibly to decide his fate!

The Trixter keeps moving, keeps performing, in order to drown out the voices in his head telling him to end it all. He heads to a costume shop to get a Daredevil costume but is told they don’t have any. He prances about the store, trying on all kinds of masks and making a general mess, thereby aggravating the storeowner. He eventually dons a real, horned skull and gets it stuck to his head. The storeowner kicks the Trixter out but before he goes, he projects his own thoughts onto the owner, regarding him as the kind of pathetic man who should have killed himself years ago! In Rockefeller Center, the Trixter dons an angel outfit and sets up a high wire across two buildings, planning to dazzle the crowd below by walking across it. The police debate how to handle the situation and Daredevil says that he’ll take care of it. Daredevil regards the Trixter, and his radar picks up a device the Trixter has that seems to be disrupting things around him, loosening bricks, cracking walls, etc.

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Daredevil heads up and intercepts the Trixter on the highwire, expressing concern about the gadget he has. The Trixter admits that he wanted Daredevil to come and asks him why he does what he does. Unable to accept Daredevil’s answer that it’s simply what’s right, the voices in Trixter’s head assault him once more and he pitches himself off the wire, surprised when Daredevil catches him. They make their way back up to the wire, and it’s clear to Daredevil that the Trixter is unwell. He tries to reason with the Trixter, telling him that the crowd loves him but is forced to attack him, revealing a devil disguise beneath his angel one. He asks if Daredevil can save his life and Daredevil frustratedly knocks him from the wire, where he gets caught by his scarf. Daredevil pulls him up, and the Trixter is astonished by Daredevil’s selflessness, saving him even when he doesn’t want to be saved, before he escapes.

Later, Karen shows frustration that Matt seems so obsessed with catching the Trixter, pointing out he hasn’t broken any laws. Feeling the real danger is the device, as well as the Trixter’s to himself, Matt changes to Daredevil once more to go after him anyway. The Trixter breakdances for a crowd before announcing his plan to scour the Chrysler Building and make it snow for everyone! He begins to ascend the building, his device causing bits of brick and concrete to come loose, that Daredevil prevents from hitting anyone. Daredevil has to take a quick detour to stop the Fat Boys from trying a dangerous skateboarding trick, allowing the Trixter to reach the top of the building. As Daredevil ascends after the Trixter, he slips and Trixter catches him, wondering if performing a heroic deed should make him feel better. The Trixter heads to the very top and ties himself to the spire, asking Daredevil to talk to him, to fill the silence. Realizing the magnitude of everything, the Trixter asks Daredevil to save him, and Daredevil tries to tell him how much everyone wants to thank him for the show. Before Daredevil can get him loose, however, lightning strikes the tower and kills the Trixter, with Daredevil unable to do anything…

Later, Daredevil mourns the Trixter, and worries about what image he presents to others. The Trixter thought Daredevil represented something that he could never aspire to, and he died because of it. Daredevil sits atop the tower, and wonders why he couldn’t find the words to save him.

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Characters
Good (or All)
DAREDEVIL  
Daredevil
(Matt Murdock)


> Daredevil (1964 series) comic book info and issue index



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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Todd McFarlane
Al Milgrom
Max Scheele
Mike Zeck (Cover Penciler)
Klaus Janson (Cover Inker)
Unknown (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Joe Rosen.



Review / Commentaries


reviewer
Daredevil (1964 series) #241 Review by (June 24, 2026)

Review: A very poignant and sad Christmas issue, as Daredevil tries to help the world-famous stuntman called the Trixter with his self-destructive tendencies. They say “world famous” but this is the first and only issue he appears in. This issue continues the trend of Nocenti having Daredevil encounter a lot of (relatively) realistic cases of mentally unwell people just needing help (Hazzard, Rotgut, now Trixter). The Trixter puts on elaborate public performances to drown out the suicidal voices in his head, and goes to Daredevil for help, thinking Daredevil represents something better than himself that he hopes to achieve. Daredevil ultimately isn’t able to help him, another sad trend for these recent issues. It’s a tough read, watching Daredevil unable to save someone from themself. Somber and hard-hitting, it paints the idea that no matter what he tries, Daredevil can’t do any real good, and in fact may be making things worse, as he continues to be unable to help these poor people in the ways that they need. (Yeesh. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go take a nap and tell my family that I love them.)

Comments: First and only appearance of the Trixter.





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