Black Widow #15 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 15, May 2022

Sadly bringing this ongoing series’ “legendary run” to an end, Kelly Thompson’s narrative for Issue Fifteen of “Black Widow” certainly seems to do a job good in both wrapping up the comic’s latest sense-shattering shenanigan, as well as leaving the book’s audience asking for more stories about Natasha Romanoff’s increasingly close super-heroic family. Indeed, towards the end of this twenty-page periodical’s plot, the “Eisner-winning” writer makes a remarkable habit of penning some the Soviet agent’s ongoing adversaries conducting a successful break for freedom so they can live to fight another day; “Your honour spared my life once before, and I do the same for you now.”

Foremost of these intriguing ‘open-ends’ is arguably the defeat of the Living Blade, after the mysterious swordsman is stopped short of slicing up a clearly battle-weary Yelena Belova. Perhaps somewhat disappointingly, the pair’s apparently epic confrontation isn’t actually covered by this publication due to the action following the titular Avenger first and foremost. However, considering that it is made somewhat clear that the injured “exemplar trainee in the Red Room Academy” wouldn’t have survived her duel for much longer if not for Natalia’s swashbuckling intervention, it doesn’t bode well for Romanoff’s future when she later grants the cold-blooded killer clemency.

Likewise, there’s the suggestion that the selfish Twins, Liv and Lars, plus Aldrich Lux Voss, will surely crop back up like a bad penny once the New York City-based publisher decides to produce another comic based upon the Black Widow’s exploits. The sudden departure of the odious platinum-blonde doppelgangers just as Spider-Girl needs their physical help to fend off a flurry of the Host’s pistol-toting henchmen is particularly perturbing, as their unappreciative abandonment comes just as Lucy Nguyen has literally brought one of them back from the brink of death with her “volatile electric” abilities.

Of course, alongside this book’s enthralling authorship are its eye-catching layouts by Elena Casagrande, Rafael T. Pimentel, Elisabetta D’Amico and Jordie Bellaire. The mix of pencilers, inkers and colour artist do an excellent job in conveying the rising tension of the superspy’s swansong by providing some genuinely pulse-poundings panels, such as those depicting the Winter Soldier single-handedly stopping a heavily-guarded Host from escaping aboard a helicopter, and Natasha’s awesomely-acrobatic final clash of swords against the Living Blade.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #15 by Adam Hughes

Black Widow #11 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 11, November 2021

Initially implying that this comic’s plot might be more focused upon the covert exploits of its titular character than her formidable flair for fatal fisticuffs, Issue Eleven of “Black Widow” arguably starts a little slowly as Natasha Romanoff simply seeks the services of a long-time informant across a five-page sedentary sequence. However, once Stan Lee’s co-creation returns from her visit to Maxi the cobbler and subsequently invites a decidedly grouchy Yelena Belova to a formal “old-timey freak show meets that Cirque Du Soleil business”, Kelly Thompson’s narrative undeniably becomes much more action-packed.

Indeed, the entirety of the remaining comic centres upon the two former Russian KGB agents as they initially swap barbed pleasantries with the disconcertingly super-powered Twins, before showing the mysterious, smartly-suited pair just why the female super-heroes are some of the best in the crime-fighting business. This vicious confrontation is as slickly presented as Liv and Lars collaborative special ability is disconcerting, and makes for an enthralling game of ‘cat and mouse’ as the combatants repeatedly swap opponents in an effort to gain the upper hand; “Well, we wanted to fight them and so we did. Always good to know where you stand. Still, a bit of injury to our pride. Yes.”

Of course, that isn’t to say that the Eisner Award-winner neglects the burgeoning abilities of Romanoff’s other team-mates either, with “The Source” also providing some significant spotlight upon both Spider-Girl and Lucy Nguyen as they train together at The Web in San Francisco. These sparring sessions are well-penned by the American author, and additionally used to show how the White Widow’s young protégés’ relationship with one another is quickly developing into a seemingly firm friendship.

Ultimately though, a lot of this book’s success is due to Rafael De Latorre’s artwork and evident ability to pack Thompson’s storyline with some truly pulse-pounding pugilism. In fact, the sense of speed which emanates from the Brazilian illustrator is electrifying, especially when they’re pencilling either the overly-muscled Liv or perturbingly emaciated Lars rapidly trading blows, knife attacks and electroshocks at close quarters with Natasha and Yelena within the confines of a circus tent.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #11 by Adam Hughes

Black Widow #10 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 10, October 2021

Somewhat succinctly drawing to a close Kelly Thompson’s four-part storyline “I Am The Black Widow”, this twenty-page periodical’s plot certainly seems to do a good job of providing each member of its ever-growing line-up with plenty of ‘moments in the sun’. In fact, one of this comic’s greatest draws is its pulse-pounding coverage of “the Widows” violent confrontation with Apogee’s superhuman forces, during which Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova, Anya Corazon and (even the newly-arrived) Katherine Bishop are seem showing off their various special powers to the best of their abilities.

Enjoyably however, it isn’t just this book’s leading cast though who heavily feature in the defeat of the Olio’s cult-like leader, but the likes of the somewhat conceited Craig and haplessly headstrong Lucy too. These two former members of North California’s aspiring criminal organisation are a good example of the American author demonstrating that brains will consistently overcome brawn if given enough time, even if the electrically-charged Lucy is ultimately required to ‘tap into her deadly man-made gift’ so as to provide the titular character with a much-needed breather; “Taste of your own medicine, jackass. Feels cool to be dosed with something against your will, right?”

In addition, the Eisner Award-winner doesn’t fall into the trap of ending her narrative with a sickly-sweet conclusion either, preferring instead to show that there comes a cost to living the high-octane life of a meta-human, even one who has crossed back over to the side of justice. Admittedly, Lucy’s inability to now turn off her decidedly deadly touch smacks somewhat of the curse which befell the X-Man, Rogue, forty years ago. Yet the young girl’s plight still generates an intriguing attitude in some of Apogee’s antidote-affected brethren, who disconcertingly seem to feel that the woman is somehow blessed now she can “never touch anyone flesh to flesh… without hurting them” rather than cursed.

Undeniably helping this book bound along at an enjoyable pace are artists Elena Casagrande and Rafael De Latorre. The aforementioned double-splash action sequence depicting the Black and White Widows, along with Spider-Girl, is genuinely awe-inspiring, with Belova also providing a ‘laugh out loud’ moment as she ‘thwacks’ an assailant straight in the mouth whilst lecturing her battered attackers that they should be thanking her for helping them.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #10 by Adam Hughes

Black Widow #9 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 9, September 2021

Beginning with the titular character being brutally stabbed by a horde of Apogee’s super-powered disciples, Kelly Thompson’s opening for Issue Nine of “Black Widow” may well have had fans of the former-Soviet assassin thinking that perhaps the Avenger might not necessarily survive her latest encounter with the San Francisco-based villain. Indeed, if it wasn’t for the fact that Yelena Belova is apparently dead by this point in the four-parter’s storyline, many readers would probably have thought that Stan Lee’s co-creation was about to be permanently replaced by her blonde-haired "sister-in-arms” throughout the rest of this ongoing series’ run; “This will not happen. Not like this. Suit will do its job for a while. But that would will be mortal if this takes too long.”

Equally as enjoyable as this shock start is the development of Romanoff’s ‘backup crew’ consisting of Lucy, Craig and Anya Corazon, who genuinely seem to gel reasonably well together so as to provide Natasha with both the ingredients and expertise necessary so as to provide an antidote to “Apogee’s mass dosing”. Admittedly, it could be argued that the Black Widow stumbling upon the ‘sole’ scientific member of the Olio group who could synthesise a solution to her problem is conspicuously contrived at best, but this ‘lucky find’ was originally conceived by Belova during the White Widow’s own investigation into the shady shenanigans of Hux Advisors LLC.

In addition, the inclusion of Spider-Girl as part of this book’s badass trinity really helps sell the Black Widow’s ability to defeat a county-wide criminal organisation without its author needing to resort to the ‘tried and tested’ method of top-tier guest star appearances. Instead, it soon becomes very clear that between the three elite fighters, there’s every chance the drug-taking cartel of mysterious hooded cultists and smart-suited gunmen are going to fail in their felonious endeavours; “I remember you tried to kill me. And also you. And I don’t remember you, but I don’t like the look of you either.”

Quite possibly this book’s only brief bout of discombobulation therefore comes with this twenty-page periodical’s pencilling, which swaps between the pictures of Elena Casagrande and Rafael De Latorre. Luckily both artists are more than capable of prodigiously portraying this comic’s butt-kicking protagonists, so the sudden shift in slightly different styles at the end of its first act isn’t quite as disconcerting as perhaps it could have been if two more contrasting illustrators had been employed.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #9 by Adam Hughes

Black Widow #8 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 8, August 2021

Featuring a couple of marvellous guest-appearances by Spider-Girl, along with a truly pulse-pounding conclusion concerning the titular character’s desperate attempt to liberate Yelena Belova from the clutches of Apogee’s most-recently assembled goon squad, Kelly Thompson’s script for Issue Eight of “Black Widow” ably demonstrates just why this comic book won the 2021 Eisner Award for Best New Series. Admittedly, this publication’s audience need to navigate a handful of lengthy conversations in order to reach its ‘blood and thunder’ moments. But even such scenes as the “newly-powered Lucy” talking to the dusty remains of the recently-deceased Stan in an emotional soliloquy are so well-penned by the American author that they prove intriguingly engrossing; “It made me feel better. He shouldn’t be alone. I wouldn’t want to be. If it happens to me… Don’t leave me alone, okay?”

Foremost of this twenty-page periodical’s numerous strengths though, has to be the aforementioned Anya Corazon’s ‘secret spy stuff’, and her eventual decision to reveal her alter-ego once she realises a number of her fellow cultists are about to ingest the self-same liquid which “decomposed a guy.” The young girl’s noble action to shed her disguise is extremely brave considering the scale of her hooded opposition, and definitely provides a few worrying moments when it becomes clear just how badly outmatched she is despite her own formidable super-abilities.

Likewise, Thompson presents a fascinating insight into her incarnation of Natasha Romanoff, and the black-clad assassin’s warm relationship with the White Widow. This comic’s opening rather nicely shows just how close the two women have become emotionally since the red-haired Avenger ‘lost’ her baby son, Stevie, and this greatly adds to the Russian’s somewhat ‘tongue-in-cheek’ attitude later on when she realises Belova has unwittingly walked straight into the very heart of Apogee’s criminal underworld, and is going to “be spitting mad when I rescue her…”

Of course, any critique of this second instalment to the “I Am The Black Widow” storyline would be wholly unfair if the prodigious pencilling of Elena Casagrande and Rafael De Latorre weren’t also praised. There’s arguably quite a hint of Todd Mcfarlane’s insanely complicated webbing to this book’s sketches of Spider-Girl when she desperately flees the confines of The Tenderloin. Whilst the incredibly-dynamic double-splash illustration highlighting the former-Red Room operative easily beating the best villains Apogee has to offer is a serious feast for the eyes for any action-orientated reader.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #8 by Adam Hughes

Black Widow #7 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 7, July 2021

Whilst Kelly Thompson’s “new story arc” for Issue Seven of “Black Widow” may well have featured Natasha Romanoff “with a new suit, a new base of operations, new allies and a new perspective”, it was probably still a little difficult for many readers of this twenty-page periodical to get too enthusiastic about the titular character’s latest mission. In fact, up until Spider-Girl’s covert phone call to the ex-Soviet spy detailing the location of Apogee’s latest criminal cult meeting, little of any interest arguably takes place within this comic as the book’s plot is slowly progressed via several incredibly fraught conversations; “I’m going to speak to Lucy about this… Are you still mad at me? Will you get over it soon?”

In addition, the Eisner Award-nominee’s handling of “Natalia” appears inconsistently contrived at best, with the cloned assassin suddenly changing her stance on not bringing adolescents into the super hero business simply to help push the plot along at a reasonable rate. The entire opening half of this publication focuses upon Romanoff vehemently arguing with Yelena Belova over the White Widow’s desire to train the twenty-year old Lucy because Natasha feels the young girl is still young enough to “escape” a life of battling villains. Yet, just as soon as the Black Widow requires “someone on the inside” of Apogee’s organisation, the Avenger immediately recruits the teenage Anya Corazon to go deep undercover. 

Admittedly, the youth is given plenty of opportunity to bow out of the job offer should she wish too, and has previously undergone S.H.I.E.L.D training in espionage. However, having spent so much of this comic waxing lyrical about how she deeply cares about super-powered juveniles becoming involved in her mixed up world of ‘war, death, honour, betrayal and loss’, the fact Romanoff has already recruited just such a person to her cause debatably makes her actions appear duplicitous at best.

Enjoyably though, Corazon’s presence (or at least the information she provides) does lead to this book’s biggest highlight in the shape of Elena Casagrande pencilling an astonishingly dynamic punch-up between the two former Red Room operatives and a cadre of Apogee’s latest disciples. The Italian illustrator provides some first-rate panels of the gun-toting pair shedding their red-robed disguises mid-ceremony, and then follows this up with a sense-shattering double-splash of both women seriously cleaning the clocks of the entire congregation.

Writer: Kelly Thompson, Penciler: Elena Casagrande, and Letterer: VC's Cory Petit