Duck Fox

From the moment you pick up this first issue of Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto's Black Widow, you can tell it's not going to be your usual female helmed comic book. For one thing, the heroine's not sprawled sexily on the cover or awkwardly posing in a way that gives both her hips and breasts ample coverage (while, ironically, scantily covering both). The fact that Natasha Romanov's body is not on display at all on the cover was enough to pique my interest. The bold, block coloration was also a bonus. But the cover is not enough to warrant a purchase. Luckily, the rest of the issue is just as exquisitely put together.

Taking cues from Matt Fraction and David Aja's masterpiece, Hawkeye, Black Widow has a very similar structure. Even the recap page gives you a rundown on Natasha's many occupations and exploits before providing her more famous nom de guerre in big, bold, black letters. The issue then opens with the Black Widow in a very precarious position trying to talk down a hostage. Though it's not immediately clear it's Black Widow until she successfully lures the would-be bomber out by telling him her life story and dropping him from the top of the building. Don't worry, she attached rope to him!

Natasha doesn't take too much time off. Before you know it, she's off on another mission, though she makes it clear to her lawyer Isaiah she can't become too obsessed with the capital gains from her illicit activities. She's doing this for atonement, not for profit. And it's this bit of dialogue that serves to add a real depth to the idea of a character like Black Widow.

There are probably quite a few people who pick up this book that have no idea of Natasha Romanov's villainy from earlier appearances. The fact that she is a reformed Russian spy made it into the 2012 blockbuster, Avengers, but was given less attention than the other subplots. It was also muddled by her past with Hawkeye, and viewers ended up getting a much less satisfying arc for her character alone. So it's good that this new solo series attaches real weight to Natasha's villainous past, and examines her attempts to atone for her actions. It's also refreshing that this really does act as a solo series.

There hasn't been much of a mention of other super heroes. While Black Widow is an Avenger--and though that comes up--she very much has a real life outside of her superheroics. I mean, I know that this is a superhero book, so I'm expecting it to get more fantastic as things progress, and that's fine. But the thing that makes Hawkeye work so well is its humanized hero. Clint Barton is more down to Earth than Hawkeye, even though they're one and the same. That and lots of humor. Black Widow isn't quite as laugh out loud funny as the aforementioned Fraction book, but then it doesn't need to be. Natasha is still a somber soul who prefers to drink red wine alone in her apartment than fool around with Eastern European gangs. But the few chuckles the book does give are worth it, and the rest of dialogue avoids sounding too much like exposition.

But perhaps the greatest aspect of this already good book is the art. Phil Noto outlines Natasha's world in red, using a watercolor style to depict the body of characters and settings. The action is appropriately quick and brutal-- Black Widow moves and fights like a woman with skill instead of like a nigh invulnerable waif. She also shows off how much of a strategic genius she is towards the end-- feigning a takedown of another assassin's target in order to draw out his sniping position, and then using a rocket launcher to take him out. It's quite a clever sequence that is depicted deftly and fluidly.

It's sad to say, but women as leading characters in comics are not nearly as prolific as they should be. So it's always tempting to give series that are less notable a few extra points just for being from a different perspective. But there is absolutely no need to give Black Widow any extra props. Natasha Romanov's light, yet heartfelt opener is the kind of story that comic fans of all ages, races, genders etc. have been waiting for.

8.5/10

Fox It:

• You enjoy comics centered around strong, interesting female characters
• You enjoy comics centered around strong, interesting characters in general
• The cover gives you goosebumps

Duck It:

• Hawkeye wasn't your thing
• You're not into espionage stuff
• You're looking for more action