Daredevil Fact — October 22, 2026

Today's Fact

Verified against three independent sources. Issues cited below.

NAMOR HIRED MATT MURDOCK TO SUE THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE!

The Featured Fact

The strangest client in Nelson & Murdock history walked in off the street — or rather, up out of the sea. In Daredevil #7 (April 1965), by Stan Lee and Wally Wood, Namor the Sub-Mariner forces his way into the law office and demands representation: goaded by Warlord Krang, the Prince of Atlantis wants to sue the surface world for exploiting the oceans. Matt Murdock, blind lawyer, has to tell a king who can tear tanks apart that the lawsuit is impossible.

Insulted, Namor rampages through New York and gets himself arrested to force his day in court. When the military prepares to fight him, Daredevil begs them to let him face Namor alone, in place of their soldiers — wearing, for the first time, his brand-new all-red costume. He loses. Namor beats him decisively. But Daredevil keeps getting up, and that courage earns Namor's respect: the Sub-Mariner calls off the fight and surrenders to the authorities rather than make soldiers die for a pointless battle.

The legal ending is pure Silver Age: the court case stalls, Lady Dorma arrives with news that Krang has launched an uprising in Atlantis, and Namor — his kingdom at stake — breaks out and returns to the sea, lawsuit abandoned. Matt never got his client his day in court. He got something rarer: he survived one, and Stan Lee later cited the story as one of his favorite Marvel tales.

Why It's Obscure

A blind street-level lawyer takes on a client who wants to sue humanity itself — then volunteers to fight that same client, alone, so soldiers don't have to. He loses the fight and wins the argument.

1964

Daredevil #1 — Matt debuts in a red, yellow and black circus-style costume. The all-red look everyone knows does not exist yet. It arrives in the middle of a Namor story.

1965

Daredevil #7 (Lee & Wood) — Namor hires Nelson & Murdock to sue the surface world for its exploitation of the sea. Murdock explains the notion is ridiculous; Namor rampages, is arrested, and demands his day in court.

1965

The first red costume — Donning his brand-new suit, Daredevil battles Namor to convince him to surrender. Namor wins, but admires Daredevil's courage and turns himself in. Heroism measured in getting back up, not in winning.

Trivia

Stan Lee cited “In Mortal Combat with... Sub-Mariner!” as one of his favorite Marvel stories, and it was later reprinted as the opening story of the Namor Mighty Marvel Masterworks collection.

Gallery

Comic art — no AI imagery, nothing mislabeled.

Daredevil #7 cover art: Daredevil in his new red costume battling Namor underwater, newspaper headline 'Daredevil Battles Sub-Mariner!' — **Daredevil #7 Cover (1965)**Wally Wood's cover for the issue: Daredevil, in the all-red costume this issue debuts, battling the Sub-Mariner underwater — while the Daily Press turns it into a headline.

Pin-up art: Namor standing over a fallen Daredevil in his red costume, 'Namor and D.D.' — **Namor And D.D.**Pin-up art from the era: Namor strides away while Daredevil, billy club in hand, struggles to rise behind him. Losing the fight was the whole point — he kept getting up.

Daredevil in red costume fighting Namor underwater, detail of the Daredevil #7 cover art — **Out Of His Depth, Literally**Detail of the #7 cover art: a street-level acrobat fighting one of Marvel's strongest beings in the Sub-Mariner's own element. The mismatch is the story.

Sources

Every claim above is verified against at least two of these independent sources.

Bullpen Bulletins

In Mortal Combat with... Sub-Mariner! — WikipediaDaredevil #7 (April 1965), Lee & Wood: Namor hires Murdock to sue the human race, rampages when told it is impossible, is beaten by no one — Daredevil is defeated but earns Namor's respect; first appearance of the red costume.
Daredevil Vol 1 #7 — Marvel Database (Fandom)Namor seeks to sue the surface world for exploitation of the sea; Murdock calls the notion ridiculous; Daredevil dons his brand-new costume, loses the fight, and Namor surrenders out of admiration for his courage.
An Iconic Namor/Daredevil Fight Was Nearly the Start of a New Namor Series — CBRDaredevil #7: Namor comes to New York to sue the United States, with Matt Murdock as his lawyer; Daredevil pleads with the Army to let him fight Namor instead of soldiers; first appearance of the red costume.