Marvel 1975.06 - Daredevil #122

Daredevil #122

Title: Hydra-And-Seek

Writer: Tony Isabella

Artist: Bob Brown

Villain: Hydra, Silvermane, El Jaguar, Blackwing

Regulars: Black Widow, Ivan, Foggy Nelson, Candace Nelson

Guests: Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Countess Valentina

Just look at this. After Tony Isabella mocked Roy Thomas last month for giving the Hydra-Pillers a silly name, he's given this story the title Hydra-And-Seek. That's just as bad, probably worse.

According to news reports, Daredevil, the Black Widow and SHIELD have been attacking Hydra since last month's issue in their search for Foggy Nelson. He can't be found anywhere, but Nick Fury has intelligence that he's being held somewhere in New York City.

A Hydra agent captured and beat up by Black Widow has said that Foggy is being held in a warehouse in Queens. He gave her a card with a picture of a bat. Daredevil immediately suspects that Blackwing is waiting for them. This is a strange thing for him to suspect, and it's even stranger that he's right. When we last saw Blackwing in Daredevil #118 he was a member of the Circus of Crime. That's a much smaller group than Hydra, and what connection could they possibly have to one another? Nevertheless, his hunch is correct. He also suspects, correctly, that it's a trap, because it's unusual for Hydra agents to give away information under torture.

Nick Fury tells Black Widow to wait until a complete SHIELD task force is ready, but Black Widow hurries away, closely followed by Daredevil. At the warehouse they split up. Daredevil meets Blackwing, and Black Widow meets El Jaguar. Black Widow defeats El Jaguar, but before she can find Daredevil he's defeated by Blackwing.

The Supreme Hydra congratulates Blackwing and calls him his son. He removes his mask, revealing that he's Silvermane, the head of Maggia way back in Amazing Spider-Man #75. At the end of that issue he seemingly died, but as they say, "You can't keep a bad guy down". Maybe, just maybe, the father-son relationship explains the connection with the Circus of Crime. Silvermane sent Blackwing for training with a smaller gang before allowing him to work with Hydra. Maybe.