Review: BLACK WIDOW #1

Written By:  Nathan Edmondson
Art By:  Phil Noto
Lettered By:  VC’s Clayton Cowles
Published By:  Marvel Comics

Black Widow’s popularity is at an all-time high.  She starred in of one of the highest grossing movies of all time (The Avengers).  Readers are clamoring for more heroines to be featured in stories and to lead their own books.  It looks like Marvel agrees.  In the All-New Marvel NOW! wave of new comics, there are many featuring women.  Does Black Widow stand as the cream of the crop?  Let’s find out.

What I Liked

Phil Noto has taken his art game to a whole new level with Black Widow.  From the credits page it seems he is supplying his own inking and coloring, which are the highlights of the book.  The way the colors blend together, it has a watercolor effect.  Backgrounds appear as something out of a movie scene.  Noto also gets creative with his panel layouts.

If I’m mistaken, this is Nathan Edmondson’s first foray into the Marvel universe.  He portrays Natasha Romanoff as mysterious and deadly.  Two things she is known for.  People are familiar with the theme of Black Widow wanting to atone for transgressions in her past.  Edmondson plays off this by having Natasha seek out dirty jobs for retribution, while turning down money or even donating her payment elsewhere.  She’s not in this for monetary gain.

What I Didn’t Like

Nothing to really dislike here.  If I were to nitpick, we aren’t given much background on who Black Widow’s targets are, or why she chooses them.  Will future issues be one and done stories, or will a larger story be built?

Summary

Black Widow gave me vibes of the solo Hawkeye book.  Both follow the adventures of Avengers away from the team.  While Clint Barton finds himself in trouble by accident, Natasha Romanoff goes looking for it.  With the creative team on board, this could be a surprise hit for All-New Marvel NOW!

Rating:  4 out of 5

This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network.  They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/

Timdogg

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE