Supervillainy Under the Big Top

You wouldn't think that it would be that difficult to catch something as ponderous as a “Circus of Crime.” It's not easy moving elephants after you’ve hypnotically cleaned out a whole town, after all.

Nevertheless, circuses of crime have a long history in the Marvel Comics universe, starting with Captain America in the 1940s (Nazis were running the show then).

But even that wasn’t “really” the start, for we learned in the 1960s that the heroic outlaw Kid Colt had fought a circus of crime in, what, the 1880s?

The Circus of Crime ran afoul of the Incredible Hulk in September 1962, Spider-Man and Daredevil in September 1962 and the Mighty Thor in November 1967.

Falling on hard times, like other circuses, I understand they were eventually taken down by Howard the Duck.

However, don’t get your circuses of crime confused with your legitimate circuses that serve as hideouts for disguised monsters. That’s a whole other thing.

The Circus of Crime captured and exhibited the Incredible Hulk.

That did not end well for them.

Wtf?

The X-Men had to tackle the carnival super villain the Blob...

...And his giraffe pals...

...And his elephant pals.