This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “Daredevil” #271, which was published by Marvel Comics in October 1989. This comic was titled “Genetrix” and featured Daredevil and Brandy Ash. The creative team included Ann Nocenti, writer; John Romita Jr., penciler; Al Williamson, inker; Joe Rosen, letterer; Max Scheele, colorist; Ralph Macchio, editor; and Tom DeFalco, editor in chief. John Romita Jr. was the cover artist for this issue, which sold for $1 at newsstands.
“Daredevil” #271 was a 32-page issue that begins at a farm in New York, where owner Skip Ash is being led on an inspection tour by one of his employees, Harry. Harry explains that while costs are down and profits are up, all is not well in the farm’s pig department. Conditions are far from ideal for the animals, who are overcrowded and tightly confined. One in five newborns are dying and disease has increased among the farm’s pigs. Harry tells Ash that animal rights groups might become a concern, but Skip blows them off as a “bunch of nuts” and “hypocrites.”
The tour eventually moves on to the farm’s chicken production section, and it’s more of the same, only worse. The chickens are acting strangely, self-mutilating themselves and resorting to cannibalism. Skip tells Harry not to worry because he’s got a new plan for the farm’s chickens that will help his company make even more money.
From there, the story shifts to the home of Skip’s daughter, Brandy Ash, who is on the phone with her dad, asking for money. Skip eventually agrees to send her some money but not before humiliating her over the phone. Brandy, who is actually an animal rights activist, gets off the phone and proceeds to go through an extremely athletic and difficult routine on a set of gymnastics bars. While exercising, she thinks about her plans to use her father’s money to undo the wrongs he’s committing at his farm.
Unbeknownst to Brandy, Daredevil’s just outside, “watching” her go through her routine. Daredevil thinks about how he saved Skip from a burning government plane that was loaded with drugs only a few days before. At this point, Daredevil doesn’t know if Brandy’s good or bad, and he considers the possibility that she’s helping her dad run drugs.
Brandy finishes her routine then arms herself with an automatic handgun and four grenades before getting into her red pickup and heading towards her father’s farm. Daredevil hops a ride by jumping atop the truck cab, but Brandy notices him there when she sees his shadow when she passes a streetlight. She tries to shake him off but doesn’t have any luck.
Daredevil eventually sticks his head in the window to say he wants to talk, but when he mentions that he knows her father, Brandy reacts by driving a little too close to a big oak tree. Daredevil and the passenger-side mirror come off, and Brandy slams on brakes. Brandy, feeling a little guilty, gets out to check on Daredevil, but he’s only playing possum. Daredevil kicks her feet out from under her, and he gets the upper hand after she throws a few unsuccessful punches. They begin to talk about the firepower she’s packing.
The story then shifts back to the Factory Farm, where Skip Ash has donned a white lab coat and is now inspecting the farm’s genetics research facility. Skip arrives in time to see the lab’s latest accomplishment, a large chicken with genetically engineered oversized wings. Skip instructs them to begin breeding them at once and to sell the jumbo-sized wings to a food chain he owns stock in.
The head of the lab then takes Skip down the hall to inspect his “pet project.” They enter a secure area filled with glass tubes that contain beautiful blonde women. Skip describes the women as his “living Barbie dolls” and “cheerleaders.” Skip wants to wake one for just a few hours, but the scientist explains that “Number Nine” is too dangerous. While she’s perfect in so many ways, she’s also reckless, fiery, impulsive and mentally unbalanced.
Due to her genetic makeup, Number Nine is also almost indestructible. Skip says that she’d never hurt him though because he’s “her father” and that he’s supplied her with all of her memories. The scientist warns Skip against playing God and remarks about how tinkering with pigs and humans are two different things.
Meanwhile, Daredevil and Brandy are still talking beside the road to the farm. Brandy explains that she was raised in a wealthy family, but she eventually learned that her family’s wealth came from drugs. She and her father had a huge argument over it all, and she left only to find out that she couldn’t make it in the real world without her family’s money.
Brandy eventually returned to her father with plans to use his money against him, to fund her animal rights activities. She also explains that she was on her way to liberate the animals at her father’s farm and that she’s hired a cameraman in a helicopter to film it all for publicity purposes. She hopes the news media will cover the story to expose the plight of the animals at the farm. Daredevil agrees to go with Brandy to make sure she doesn’t go too far.
Shortly thereafter, the farm is rocked by an explosion and it’s all caught on tape by the helicopter cameraman. Brandy’s excited and hopes the footage will lead to an industry-crippling boycott that will hopefully improve conditions for the farm animals. Daredevil points out that the farm's pigs look terrified. At that point, Daredevil hears approaching police sirens, and as Brandy leads them out of the facility, she sets off another explosion.
They continue down the hallway and passed the lab that housed Number Nine. Daredevil and Brandy sprint down the hallway, and Number Nine, who’s containment tube has been shattered by the explosion, watches them run by. The last we see of the sultry Number Nine, she appears to be calling Daredevil “Daddy.”
The issue ends with Daredevil and Brandy running toward Brandy’s pickup truck, but it surrounded by escaped pigs and chickens. Daredevil and Brandy appear to be blocked in, and the police can see them running toward the truck. The story closes with Daredevil realizing he heard, in addition to all the animals, the sound of a human heart beating when he and Brandy ran passed the lab.
This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.
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