Daredevil #276 (January 1990)

Last time, we took a look at Daredevil #275 (December 1989). As part of the "Acts of Vengeance" event, Doctor Doom rebuilt the evil machine known as Ultron. Yep, Ultron. The robot that gave entire teams of Avengers pause, and set him against the Man Without Fear. At the time, Daredevil was hanging out with a couple members of the Inhuman Royal Family, a pair of civilians, and Number Nine. Number Nine was a young woman genetically altered to be "perfect". However, it led her to wonder who she is. Doom's rebuilt Ultron, the 13th incarnation of the killer robot, has a similar problem. Doom gave it the personalities of the previous 12 versions of itself, and as a result...Ultron's gone more wonkybonkers than usual.

While out on its Doom-programmed mission to kill Daredevil (as a way to prove something to the Kingpin), Ultron puzzled over who it was, when it encountered Number Nine. And then Daredevil and the Inhumans showed up to fight him. The three heroes got trounced. And that's how we got here. Let's take a look at Daredevil #276!

The cover is awesome! It's a John Romita Jr, and Al Williamson piece. You have Daredevil sitting on a pile of what is presumably dirt, holding up the head of Ultron on a stick, like the psychotic robot was executed and his head was put on a pike. The way Daredevil is hunched over and in shadow, it's like the battle was brutal and costly. Like he had to walk through hell to beat him. I also have to point out, I like the little corner indicator that indicates that this is an "Acts of Vengeance" tie-in. It's a great subtle way to indicate a tie-in, and it would be cool if it was brought back.

"The Hundred Heads of Ultron"
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Al Williamson
Colorist: Max Scheele
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with Ultron hefting Number Nine over his head, rating insanely. As insane robots do.

He takes her to a gigantic pile of Ultron heads. He rants and raves about how he has many conflicting voices in his head (Remember, this Ultron was supposed to be a combination of the previous twelve incarnations of the killer robot), and he wants perfection. He raves about how he's a False Man, and but still a man. He desires success in his goal. And once he climbs that pile of Ultron heads, he'll find his answers. Yeah, did I mention this Ultron is high up on the wonkybonkers scale right now?

Brandy Ash finds the beaten Daredevil, Karnak, and Gorgon. The three wake up, as they were only stunned. Gorgon realizes they were fighting Ultron. As in the Ultron that has been a pain to entire teams of Avengers. Karnak is not so worried, as even Ultron has a weakness. Remember, Karnak has the ability to find the weak spots of things. Skip Ash drives up, his truck armed to the teeth. Daredevil's found them thanks to his super-hearing. Nine's heartbeat is racing, and Ultron is loudly ranting. He takes off in Skip's truck, leaving his allies behind. Skip is furious because he just bought that truck.

Ultron walks up the pile of heads, a struggling Number Nine in his arms. Daredevil arrives, and Nine pleads with the mad robot to not hurt him.

Daredevil races up the improvised mountain, and Ultron tries to blast him. You know, Matt should consider working as a stunt double. There's no doubt a certain Avenger could help out with that.... Nine screams that she'll hate Ultron if he killed him. However, Ultron's programming demands he do so. Not to worry, Ultron has the perfect solution to that mental problem. He just rips out the circuit that tells him to kill Daredevil.

The mad robot keeps going up the pedestal, ranting about how Number Nine is perfect, and must be protected. However, she argues that she's not some jewel, she's a person. What he's doing is tyrannical. She wants to be seen as flawed, as imperfect. That gives her freedom. He compares his quest to a knight going on a quest. When they found what they were looking for, they vanished.

Daredevil is able to hear this (super-hearing, remember? Daredevil is blind, but his other four senses are very strong), and he figures that Ultron intends to kill Number Nine. It's not unreasonable to assume so. Ultron has no compunction about killing humans, so...yeah.

Nine tries to get Ultron to accept his flaws. She tells him to sort out the voices in his head, and listen to the good ones. Problem is...Ultron has no idea which voices are the "good" ones. Considering the vast majority of the voices are telling him to kill humanity, you can see the problem. He goes further around the bend and starts ripping off his head...while his neck circuitry takes a billy club.

Daredevil leaps up and gets Nine out of there, but gets a Mighty Backhand from the mad machine, sending him tumbling. Gorgon tries to ambush Ultron, but also suffers the same fate. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen whacks the insane robot with a stick. Karnak, using his ability to find the weak spot of things, kicks Ultron in the exposed circuitry in his chest. Like you needed that power to notice that weak spot, buddy. It weakens Ultron enough for Daredevil to decapitate him.

"Daredevil Wins. Fatality."

Ultron's headless body tumbles down the makeshift pile of Ultron heads. And with that, the battle is finished. The group look down on the body of the broken robot. Number Nine feels terrible. She saw something in Ultron. She saw a vulnerability in the mad mechanoid. She tells the others that needs to be alone for a while, so she'll join them at the farm later. She manages to find the right Ultron head (It's still a bit warm). The story ends with her vowing to find a way to revive him. There was a good voice inside of him somewhere, and she wants to hear it again. She'll hear it again one day. After all, it's their fate.

I enjoyed this story, mainly because it was a match-up we've never really seen before. It does seem kind of one-sided at first glance. Think about it. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen is a street-level vigilante with supersenses. Ultron is a robot that has managed to bring the fight to entire teams of Avengers. Daredevil should consider himself pretty lucky that A) He had some backup in Gorgon and Karnak and B) Ultron was not at his best.

Number Nine's hearing a good voice in Ultron actually makes some sense. Ultron's twelfth incarnation actually managed to overcome his hatred of humanity and be...rather pleasant. Also, Ultron's attempt to find himself a great parallel to Number Nine, who is also trying to find herself. Her desire to revive him does make sense when you keep this in mind.

I never really had any issue with John Romita Jr's art, but his take on Ultron does come off a bit awkward to me sometimes. It looks a bit stiff and ungainly. Otherwise that, I think he turns in some fine artwork.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! See you next time, when the DC Universe becomes Legendary...