You should check out this comic if:
- You like stories about complex women who are trying to atone for past mistakes
- You want to see Natasha Romanoff interact with the wider Marvel comic universe
- You want a character-based exploration, rather than solely plot-based
- You believe that the journey matters, not the destination
You should avoid this comic if:
- You don’t want to see Natasha fail — you prefer it when she kicks ass and takes names
- You want a fast-paced mystery
- You like a compelling, complex villain
- The ending can make or break a piece of media for you
The 2014-2015 Black Widow series combines Natasha Romanoff’s work towards atonement with a mystery that haunts her across the globe. Phil Noto’s gorgeous artwork accompanies Nathan Edmondson’s slow build of a story, creating a Black Widow comic book easy for new Marvel readers to enjoy.
Assassin. SHIELD Agent. KGB Agent. Avenger. Natasha Romanoff has worn many hats since being raised in the Red Room. Now, in addition to her hero roles, Natasha is taking the role of “atoner.” Natasha takes on jobs that help her right some wrongs in the world. Of course, the people who pay for the Black Widow’s skills are not always the most righteous themselves…nor do they always pay that well.
Not that Natasha is in it for the money. She has set up accounts for families of her previous victims, and her money from these jobs goes to them. Her lawyer, Isaiah, helps her find the job. Though of course being the Black Widow’s lawyer, he acts as so much more — from financial agent to occasional hitman. He’s the closest Nat has to a best friend through the course of the story. Not counting the cat she reluctantly adopts, of course.
While balancing her work towards redemption with her work for SHIELD, Natasha discovers a mysterious entity operating behind the scenes of several assassination attempts. It calls itself “chaos,” and certainly causes chaos for Natasha. It’s frustratingly evasive, leaving a breadcrumb trail across the world. And when she gets too close, it lashes out personally to overturn her life.
The mystery comes together slowly — perhaps too slowly for some. Natasha keeps running in circles, chasing her own tail as she tries to find the truth behind the mystery. Between the length of the chase and the abruptness of the reveal, some readers might find the pay-off behind the mystery is lacking.
But the mystery isn’t as important as what the journey says about Natasha. It’s a vehicle for Natasha to show off her skills, her abilities, what she is and isn’t willing to lose, what lengths she will go to, and what drives her.
Various people of the wider comic universe drop by to help or hinder her, from Daredevil to the Punisher. Even the Avengers make their cameo to greet her as one of their own. And yet Natasha always keeps her distance, for she is a Black Widow, and she is always alone.
If you want Natasha’s continual wins, out-smarting the baddies, you might be disappointed as well. Wins aren’t coming easy for Nat. Where in my previous Black Widow review, the comic book showcased her endless creative, intelligent competence, here Natasha takes more than a few hits. She ends up in over her head with bad intelligence, and too little idea of what she’s up against. She fights, she falls.
And she gets up again.
The comic unfortunately drops the plot of atonement to focus on the mystery on Vol. 2. We never really see the human element of exactly who Natasha is helping and what she did to them. The series also never reflects on the militaristic imperialism of American agents going global to interfere in politics; in fact, the implication seems to be that only bad people question those actions.
Phil Noto is the sole artist for the comic. His soft, water-colour-like vibe is an intense contrast to the violence of the comic book. However, sometimes the action can be confusing, and it can sometimes be hard to tell the sequence of events. Otherwise, his art lends a softness and flow to the series.
While too slow for some, Edmondson and Noto’s Black Widow is a character study in increments. The mystery keeps readers on edge while illustrating Natasha’s resilience, all as she finds herself increasingly alone — which is where she works best.
Continuity Corner: Black Widow is Easy Peasy for New Comic Readers – Just a Few Exes Drop By to Keep Things Fresh
Natasha Romanoff began as a villain — a Russian KGB agent — in the Iron Man comics back in 1964. Now, she’s more widely known as the Russian assassin, brainwashed since birth in the Red Room. She went from child assassin to KGB agent, until, in the Avengers early years, she finally broke from the Russian government to join SHIELD, and occasionally the Avengers.
Natasha’s history with members of the wider Marvel comic universe comes up often in Edmondson and Noto’s Black Widow. For example, she’s had relationships with both Daredevil and Bucky Barnes, both of whom show up as former flames.
Bucky and Natasha met while the two were still with the KGB and Bucky was still the Winter Soldier. Despite both being brainwashed tools of an oppressive government when their romance began. Meanwhile, she and Matt Murdock worked together in San Francisco during her SHIELD years, but while she loved him, Matt’s feelings weren’t quite at the same level, and the two split.
Otherwise, if you’re starting fresh, the series is pretty easy for readers new to Marvel comics. If you’re after more Black Widow after finally seeing her film, I recommend this comic as a good place to get started.
My Two Cents: Not For Me – Too much Failure, Too Much Build-Up, Too Little Pay-Off
I can’t say that I enjoyed this comic quite as much as the previous Black Widow comic I reviewed, especially after the action, mystery, and heist-like capers that Natasha breezed through in Waid’s version. Here, it feels like Natasha rarely wins anything — more often she stumbles over her own feet.
In a universe with gods, aliens, magic, time travel, and powerful reality-altering artifacts, I also found the mystery both too mundane and too fantastical, and the reveal underwhelming. It was also hard to believe no one had heard of “chaos” before when powerful mysterious organizations are a dime a dozen in the Marvel universe. But this is a perspective of a comics connoisseur (heh), so maybe you might be a little less choicey.
How Can I Find Edmondson and Noto’s Black Widow?
The series is split into three volumes, which you can find at Marvel.com: Vol. 1 “The Finely Woven Thread,” Vol. 2 “The Tightly Tangled Web,” and Vol. 3 “Last Days.”
You can also find Vol 1, Vol 2, and Vol 3 at Comixology.
Remember to always check your local library and comic retailer first! You never know how many Black Widows might be lurking on their shelves.
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Images Cites From: Edmondson, Nathan and Phil Noto. Black Widow, Marvel, Vol. 1, Issue 2, 2014.
Edmondson, Nathan and Phil Noto. Black Widow, Marvel, Vol. 1, Issue 6, 2014.
Noto, Phil. Cover Artist for Black Widow, Marvel, Vol. 1, 2014.
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