Issue #1: Black Widow
Title: Black Widow #1 (2016)
Writer: Mark Waid & Chris Samnee
Artist: Chris Samnee
The Buzz: This creative team have just come off a highly celebrated run on Daredevil, and the previews for this run emphasised the commitment that the team have to working on Black Widow (who has herself just finished up a highly praised run by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto) as an old school spy adventure story.
All You Need To Know: Natasha Romanova/Romanoff is a former Soviet assassin, spy, Agent of SHIELD and Avenger, with a hint of ballerina and a drop or two of Super Soldier serum in her veins. She’s badass.
Story: This first issue is more of a statement of intent than a story: Natasha is on the run from her former allies at SHIELD, having stolen something important from them, and the entire first issue is dedicated to her getaway. It does for Black Widow what the pre-credits sequence of a Bond film is supposed to do, and it does it exceptionally well.
Art: Chris Samnee presents a Natasha who is powerful and dynamic without being overly sexualised, which is incredibly rare in how artists generally portray Black Widow. This 20 page action sequence is a love letter to her character – to her strength and capability and physical abilities as a spy and assassin, with only a brief nod to her seductress/flirtatious side. It’s so refreshing!
But What Did I Miss?: I love Black Widow, but I often struggle to enjoy her solo titles because they have a tendency to be overly earnest and angsty, to focus on her many tragic backstories and history of violence, and to lack the deadpan humour that makes her such a delight in team books, and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s too soon to say if this series is more of the same but it feels very fresh and promising. It also doesn’t rely so far on any of Natasha’s complex web of backstory – you could come to this issue with no knowledge of her character (or only knowing her from the Avengers and Captain America movies) and feel right at home. It seems to be looking forward instead of back – I look forward to finding out how that is explored in future.
Would Read Issue 2?: Yes, this one’s going on my regular list!
Read it if you Like: Daredevil, Avengers, Captain America, Batman, Batwoman, or if you really, really want a Black Widow movie.
Other titles reviewed in 2016:
Hellcat #1
The Adventures of Supergirl #1
Archie #1
Spider-Man #1
