Circus of Crime

The Circus of Crime is the name of several fictional villainous organizations appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The villains have battled Hulk, Spider-Man, and Kid Colt.
The original group included the Ringmaster, Blackwing, the Clown, Fire-Eater, the Great Gambinos, Human Cannonball, Live Wire, Rajah, Bruto the Strongman and Teena the Fat Lady.
Publication history.
The Circus of Crime first appeared in "The Incredible Hulk" #3 (September 1962) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Previously, "Captain America Comics" #5 (August 1941) had featured a villain called The Ringmaster of Death leading a circus of criminals created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. This group was retroactively established to have been a predecessor to the Circus of Crime.
The Ringmaster's circus returned in "The Amazing Spider-Man" #16 (September 1964) and #22 (March 1965), to battle Spider-Man.
"Kid Colt, Outlaw" #106 (September 1962) featured a different, even older Circus of Crime active in the Old West. Another Circus of Crime with different members appeared in "Kid Colt, Outlaw" #127.
Fictional team biography.
Old West.
There were two organizations in the Old West who dubbed themselves the Circus of Crime. Both teams fought against Kid Colt.
World War II.
Originally a spy organization employed by the Nazis during World War II, Tiboldt's Circus was a traveling circus led by Fritz Tiboldt, the Ringmaster, and he and his performers would use their special skills and talents to rob their audiences. He was sent to America to murder US Government officials using the cover of his circus activities. Tiboldt and his gang fell afoul of Captain America and were deported back to Germany, where Fritz Tiboldt and his wife were subsequently murdered by their former employers.
Present day.
The current Circus of Crime first came to the authorities' attention when they carried out a series of robberies of small towns using the Ringmaster's skill in hypnotism to mesmerize entire towns. 
Regrettably for the Circus, Rick Jones was one of the victims of their capers, and his involvement led to the involvement of the Hulk, as Rick briefly had telepathic control over the Hulk. He resisted the Ringmaster's hypnotism when the Ringmaster tried to bill him as 'The Monster of the Age', leading to the Circus' arrest. After a brief stretch in prison, the Circus visited New York City, where they battled both Spider-Man and Daredevil. The Ringmaster was briefly able to hypnotise Spider-Man. The Circus' core members later briefly operated as the Masters of Menace, a name thought up by Princess Python, after being released from prison and throwing the Ringmaster off the team, replacing him with the Clown. They were again captured by Spider-Man.
The Circus of Crime established themselves as recurrent antagonists in several Marvel Comics series, where they briefly attempted to recruit Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch into their ranks when the Avengers had been disbanded. The Ringmaster later hypnotized Thor into assisting with one of the Circus' schemes while the Thunder God was stripped of most of his powers except his strength. Battling the Avengers again, they attempted to sabotage the Wasp and Yellowjacket's wedding. Other encounters pitted them against Daredevil and Power Man. They later fought Power Pack and Generation X.
Initially depicted as credible villains, the Circus of Crime's members were gradually used by writers as comic foils, and were once defeated by Howard the Duck. They were featured as antagonists in the first issue of the "Sensational She-Hulk" series, in which writer John Byrne regularly used minor or forgotten characters for parodic purposes.
The Ringmaster's new iteration of the group known as Cirque Du Nuit later surfaces, acting as enemies of Hawkeye and Kate Bishop. Around this time, they have new members such as a female archer named Fifi and an unnamed protege of the Swordsman.
During the "Opening Salvo" part of the "Secret Empire" storyline, the Circus of Crime members the Ringmaster, the Clown III, Fire-Eater, the Great Gambonnos, Strongman, and Teena the Fat Lady appear as members of the Army of Evil.
Members.
19th century members.
This team briefly forced Kid Colt to assist them until he exposed them.