Daredevil #118

Feb 1975 · Marvel · 0.25 USD

📊 ~44,978 copies sold its debut month

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“Circus Spelled Sideways Is Death!”

★ 1st appearance — Blackwing

About this Issue

Daredevil #118 (February 1975) is the debut issue of Blackwing — Joseph Manfredi, son of the Maggia kingpin Silvermane — whose introduction threads together the Circus of Crime, organized crime, and HYDRA in a way that would pay off across multiple subsequent story arcs. Though a self-contained, single-issue Circus of Crime romp on its surface, it marks a creative pivot point in the title's mid-1970s identity: Gerry Conway's script lands at the precise moment a new writer was stepping in to redirect the series, making it both a closing statement on one editorial chapter and a launchpad for the next. The issue also carries mild historical footnote status as the first in which the incoming writer (then credited as Tony Isabella) is listed in editorial context, with Wikipedia sources specifically identifying #118 as the start of that handoff. Blackwing himself proved durable enough to resurface in Captain America's Skeleton Crew storyline, the Masters of Evil, and eventually a live-action MCU incarnation in Agent Carter.

In "Circus Spelled Sideways Is Death!", Daredevil races to thwart the Circus of Crime’s elaborate scheme, using a televised performance at Shea Stadium as a cover for a citywide heist. With the Ringmaster’s sinister plans unfolding under the spotlight, Daredevil must navigate a circus of traps and deception—where every act hides a threat. Written by Gerry Conway and illustrated by Don Heck, with inks by Vince Colletta and colors by P. Goldberg, the issue features a cover by John Romita.

writer Gerry Conway · artist Don Heck · inker Vince Colletta · colorist P. Goldberg · letterer Karen Pocock · cover John Romita

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (Fine) $10

CGC 9.8 · 17 in census $428*

CGC 9.6 · 41 in census $117

CGC 9.4 · 25 in census $40*

CGC 9.2 · 17 in census $40

CGC 9.0 · 11 in census $40

CGC 8.5 · 17 in census $35*

Show all 17 grades ▾

CGC 8.0 · 7 in census $32*

CGC 7.5 · 5 in census $28*

CGC 7.0 · 1 in census $24*

CGC 6.5 · 1 in census $21*

CGC 6.0 · 1 in census $21*

CGC 5.5 · 1 in census $20*

CGC 5.0 · 1 in census $20*

CGC 4.5 none in existence

CGC 4.0 none in existence

CGC 3.5 · 1 in census $20*

CGC 3.0 · 1 in census $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

More listings for this title

VF $2.89 VF $3.99 MINT $4 VG $7.95 VG $7.99 FN $7.99 VG $7.99 VG+ $8.99

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History

The issue was plotted and scripted by Gerry Conway — the writer who had defined the title in the early 1970s — and drawn by Don Heck with inks by Vince Colletta, a pairing that gave the book what Marvel's own wiki characterized as a nostalgic Silver Age texture. Roy Thomas served as editor-in-chief, and the cover was provided by John Romita Sr. The issue shipped with a cover date of February 1975 but hit newsstands in November 1974, during a turbulent transitional stretch for the series in which fill-in pencillers had cycled through the book following Gene Colan's departure for Tomb of Dracula. Jenny Blake Isabella (then writing as Tony Isabella), who had come up through Marvel's editorial ranks under Roy Thomas, took over the scripting duties beginning with the very next issue, #119, making #118 effectively Conway's sign-off on the character.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Blackwing (Joseph Manfredi), created by writer Gerry Conway and penciller Don Heck — the character is the son of Maggia crime lord Silvermane and uses trained bats as his criminal tool.
Story title: 'Circus Spelled Sideways Is Death!' — a self-contained, one-issue clash between Daredevil and the Circus of Crime, centered on the Ringmaster's scheme to hypnotize a live and televised Shea Stadium audience and use Blackwing's bats to rob them.
Creative team: writer Gerry Conway, pencils Don Heck, inks Vince Colletta, colors Petra Goldberg, cover by John Romita Sr., edited by Roy Thomas.
Cover date February 1975; on-sale date November 5, 1974.
Marks the editorial transition point on the series: Jenny Blake Isabella (then Tony Isabella) took over writing duties with the immediately following issue #119, running through #123.
The issue contains a Series 'A' Marvel Value Stamp featuring Hawkeye (Clint Barton).
Blackwing went on to appear in HYDRA storylines in Daredevil #121–123, later resurfaced in Captain America's Skeleton Crew arc and as a member of the Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil in Thunderbolts, and was adapted (without the Blackwing identity) as Joseph Manfredi in Season 2 of the MCU series Agent Carter, portrayed by Ken Marino.
The issue's letters page is titled 'Let's Level With Daredevil,' and editorial credits note that letterer Karen Mantlo is credited under her maiden name, Karen Pocock.