Blackwing
The son of crime lord Silvermane, who struck out on his own to become a costumed criminal, using trained bats and martial arts to carry out his plans. Has been a member of the Skeleton Crew, Hydra, the Masters of Evil, and Heavy Mettle. An enemy of Captain America and the Thunderbolts.
Name:
Blackwing
Publisher:
Real name:
Joseph Manfredi
Aliases:
- Joseph Manfredi
- Joe Manfredi
- Joe Silvermane
- Giuseppe Manfredi
Birth date:
None
Gender:
Male
Powers:
- Animal Control
- Escape Artist
- Flight
- Stealth
- Unarmed Combat
First issue:
Origin
The original Blackwing was supposedly Joseph Manfredi, son of Silvio Manfredi (Silvermane), a powerful head of one of New York’s Maggia families. However, for unknown reasons, he was a first seen as costumed animal trainer in Ringmaster Circus of Crime. He left the group after losing a fight with Daredevil and became a division leader of HYDRA when it was under the leadership of Silvermane. He participated in the capture of Foggy Nelson. Blackwing once again battled Daredevil, Black Widow, Nick Fury and SHIELD and was defeated.
Mayor Story Arcs
With the Red Skull
Joseph later worked for Red Skull and was a member his Skeleton Crew. He and the rest of the Skeleton Crew were eventually defeated by Captain America, Diamondback and Falcon.
Versus the Thunderbolts
Blackwing next appeared as a member of the Crimson Cowl’s Masters of Evil, joining the team’s attempt to extort the world’s governments with the use of a weather manipulation machine. The team was tracked down by the Thunderbolts and defeated.
After many defeats, Blackwing had built up a reputation as a loser. He finally decides to abandoning the idea of being a costumed super-villain and stay on as crimeboss. He creating his own private army of villains in Heavy Mettle and ordered them to bring them the battlesuit used by Turbo of the New Warriors. Ultimately, the Warriors defeated and turned the members of Heavy Mettle over to the police and Firestrike agreed to be placed in the witness protection program in exchange for providing testimony against Joseph Manfredi.
Other Media
Agent Carter Season 2
Joseph Manfredi is played by Ken Marino. It turns out Frost had gained some connections with the Maggia and became involved with Joseph Manfredi. Frost needs a team of reliable men who are discrete in order to help her extract an array of atomic bombs from a Roxxon Oil complex. Frost calls her old boyfriend Joseph for help. Despite their past affairs, Joseph wants an incentive to helping Frost. Frost promises Manfredi freeway contracts once her husband is elected senator. Manfredi agrees to Frost's terms. Manfredi later accompanies Frost when she attacks Howard Stark's manor in order to capture the recently resurfaced Dr. Wilkes. Frost needs Wilkes' genius in order to come up with a solution that will give them physical stability again while enabling them to tap into the power of Zero Matter.
