MICAH SYNN

Real Name: Micah Synn

Identity/Class: Human, jungle trained warrior

Occupation: Warrior, Ruler of the Kinjorge tribe

Group Membership: Leader of the Kinjorge tribe

Affiliations: Served by the Vikah; Former ally of Kingpin, Debbie Nelson, Nelson and Murdoch (client), Professor Horatio Piper (client);

Enemies: Becky Blake, Crossbow, Daredevil, the Kingpin, Loot, Debbie Nelson, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Sarge, Barrington Synn, Walter

Known Relatives: M'tha and Sra (wives); Barrington, lord Synn (distant relative); King Henry the Fourth (ancestor)

Aliases: Chief Micah

Base of Operations: Currently unknown; formerly the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York city; Formerly Mount Suruba, Eastern Africa

Education: Self-taught

First Appearances: Daredevil I#202 (January, 1984)

Powers: Micah originally was a savage, ruthless, and powerful warrior. He was approximately 6'6", possessed near peak human strength, speed, etc., and was a natural warrior. He was also shrewd, able to manipulate the press and others to allow him to get away with his savage behavior. When last seen, he wasn't much tougher than the average street fighter. He had great appetites for food, wine, women, and any other vice. He held a grudge, big time.

The Kinjorge were pretty much like a bunch of little Micahs. They would mock an attack the disabled or sick. They thoroughly enjoyed the misery of others and didn't have a nice bone in their bodies. They worshipped the god Mow, who was pretty much represented the Id ("Mow Has! Mow Gets! Mow Grabs! Mow Eats! Mow Takes"), with a little evil thrown in for god measure (mock the weak, human sacrifice, etc.).

The Vikah was particularly nasty and cunning. He serves as a combined doctor, minister, magician, and wise man to the tribe. He was also mute.

Height: 6' 6"
Weight: 250 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black

History: In 1775, a party of British explorers went to Africa hoping to start a trading post there. However, Great Britain got involved in the American Revolution at that time and apparently forgot about them. A series of natural disasters cut off their path back to civilization. Having been attacked by neighboring tribes, animals, etc., they eventually reverted to savagery. They remained in Mount Suruba until being discovered by a party of Belgian geologists in the modern era. They referred to themselves as the Kinjorge, an obvious bastardization of King George.

Six months later, Micah, the Chief of the Kinjorge, and his wives were brought to America under the direction of Professor Horatio Piper, an anthropologist who was studying their behavior. Piper hired the law offices of Nelson and Murdoch to represent the Kinjorge, who had become a media sensation. Right off the bat, Micah got in trouble, by taking food from a vendor, and then throwing him through a window when he accosted him. Micah was taken down after a major struggle with two cops, which ended when they maced him and then cole-cocked him with the butt of a revolver. Murdoch and Nelson got Micah released due to his different culture, but then M'tha, one of his wives, walked in front of a car. She was killed almost instantly, but rather than grieving, Micah took advantage of a moment alone with one of the cops who had brought him in. Micah nearly dropped the cop out of a several story building, but he was stopped by Daredevil. Disoriented in the new environment, Micah nearly electrocuted himself by punching a fusebox, and was then easy prey for Daredevil. Despite this, Micah was made to look the hero by the press.

Micah and the Kinjorge's popularity continued to sky-rocket. Barrington, lord Synn, a British nobleman did not wish to have his line connected to Micah, who was his distant relative. To this end, he hired the assassin Crossbow to kill Micah. Micah attended a large party held by Debbie Nelson, the wife of Foggy, who had begun to develop a crush on Micah. Micah kissed Debbie while Daredevil stopped Crossbow from shooting him in the back. However, remembering his previous beating from Daredevil, Micah attacked him, throwing him off a window ledge. However, Daredevil recovered and stopped Crossbow, despite Micah.

Micah gained the interest of the Kingpin, who offered to employ him. However, when Micah continued to go after Debbie Nelson, despite the Kingpin's insistence that another man's wife was taboo, the Kingpin considered their partnership at an end. Micah and his men followed Debbie Nelson and tried to abduct her, but Daredevil was again present to stop them. This time Micah got the upper hand on Daredevil and probably could have either choked him or thrown him to his death. However, the Kingpin arrived and sucker-punched Micah, allowing Daredevil to make short work of him. Micah again played to the press, claiming that Daredevil had savagely beat him when he was trying to play.

Wishing to repay Daredevil for his previous defeats, Micah had Crossbow broken out of prison and hired him to team-up with him and slay Daredevil. They did badly injure DareDevil, but the police arrived before they could kill him. In the process, Micah recognized Daredevil's scent as the same as his lawyer, Matt Murdoch.

Micah, with helpful persuasion from Debbie Nelson, had Foggy Nelson get a restraining order placed against Daredevil . About that same time, Micah had the Kinjorge raid several of the Kingpin's operations. As the struggles escalated between the two, Micah's right hand man, the Vikah arrived to add fuel to the fire. Soon, the Kinjorge had kidnapped Becky Blake (Matt Murdoch's secretary) and Vanessa Fisk (wife of the Kingpin), for sacrifice to their god, Mow. Daredevil arrived to put a stop to this, but weakened from his injuries at the hands of Crossbow and Micah, he was unable to stop the Vikah from slaying Vanessa with a spear. Fortunately, for the Kingpin, he had hired an actress, Heidi DeVoto, to impersonate his wife to protect her from Micah. Unfortunately for Miss DeVoto, it is she who was killed in Vanessa's place, while helping the paraplegic Becky to escape.

Becky Blake and Matt Murdoch revealed these events to the press, but Foggy, having been coerced by Debbie, said that they were lying and accused them of doing so because Micah refused to pay a larger fee. Debbie had threatened to leave Foggy if he didn't do this, and she believed that she would have an affair with Micah. However, when she went to Micah to celebrate, he slapped her to the ground and forced her to become his slave and perform menial chores. Meanwhile, Daredevil and the Kingpin actually joined forces to oppose Micah's forces, which threatened event he Kingpin's operations. Piper, meanwhile, finally developed a conscience (with a little help from Daredevil), and set Debbie Nelson free. However, he was discovered by the Kinjorge and killed under their spear-trap. Foggy attempted to confront Micah, but was nearly killed by the Kinjorge. He was saved by Daredevil.

Many of his men having been brought down by the combined efforts of Daredevil and the Kingpin, Micah fled into the city. He attempted to continue his brutish ways, stealing from others, but his months of excessive vices had taken its toll on his strength and fighting prowess. He was beaten by a New Yorker at a hot dog stand, and was rolled by some homeless men who wanted to steal his gold and clothes. As the Kingpin's men closed in on him, Micah came crawling to Daredevil on his hands and knees, begging for help.

Comments: Created by Dennis O'Neil, William Johnson, and Danny Bulandi.

For my money, I'll take this story as one of Daredevil's best ever, competitive with Frank Miller's run and the "Born Again" storyline.

I'd have to bet the Kingpin had Micah killed as soon as he entered prison. With the right writer, I'd love to see Micah or the Vikah return.

The Kinjorge are also spelled Kingorge in later stories. Take you pick

The irony is, that as tough as Micah was, the city was tougher.

Micah Synn has a full entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1980s Handbook.

Appearances:
Daredevil I#202 (January, 1984) - Denny O'Neil (writer), William Johnson (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Daredevil I#204 (March, 1984) - Denny O'Neil (writer), Luke McDonnell (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Daredevil I#206 (May, 1984) - Denny O'Neil (writer), David Mazzuchelli (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Daredevil I#207 (June, 1984) - Denny O'Neil (writer), William Johnson (pencils), Danny Bulanadi & Mel Candido (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Daredevil I#210-213 (September-December, 1984) - David Mazzuchelli (#210) & Denny O'Neil (writers), David Mazzuchelli (pencils), Danny Bulanadi & Pat Redding (#212) (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Daredevil I#214 (January, 1985) - Denny O'Neil (writer), David Mazzuchelli (artist), Bob Budiansky (editor)

First Posted: 09/09/2001
Last Updated: 04/30/2004

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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