TITLE: Black Widow #1
AUTHOR: Mark Waid
PENCILLER: Chris Samnee
PUBLISHER: Marvel
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASED: March 2, 2016

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Now here’s your case for a larger role for Black Widow in mainstream media, right here. This is about as balls-to-the-wall as it gets.

Natasha Romanoff is a woman of few words in this issue, as she’s somehow become an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D. It’s a chase that takes our heroine from the dizzying heights of a Helicarrier to the lows of a fist fight on the side of the road. While it’s not clear what exactly she’s done to be exiled (she’s apparently taken something from them), one thing’s for certain: Natasha Romanoff won’t surrender without one hell of a fight.

Mark Waid and Chris Samnee rightfully gained a lot of acclaim for their Daredevil run. But Black Widow is not Daredevil, at least not in this first issue. The entire issue is one big chase scene, as Natasha flees from S.H.I.E.L.D. With only one line of dialogue, our heroine is a woman of few words, letting her actions do the talking. This issue makes a hell of a statement. This is Black Widow, an ass kicker as she was meant to be.

As the issue is relatively low on dialogue, it’s up to Chris Samnee and colorist Matthew Wilson to convey that statement. And damn, do they deliver. I’ve always been high on Samnee’s style, which is an interesting blend of Alex Toth and David Mazzuchelli, with a some Steve Rude thrown in. It works beautifully here. Black Widow looks as iconic as she’s ever looked, in my view. But then our team delivers on some really great moments, including Natasha leaping from an explosion inside the Helicarrier (shown left). I love the shading across her face, and that glint from the flames in her eyes. We then turn the page and get a two-page spread of the Helicarrier in the sky, with Natasha’s relatively tiny frame freefalling beside it.

But the very best is saved for last. After an issue filled with explosions, flying cars, and a nice little moment where BW feigns becoming a damsel in distress, we get to a fight between Natasha and a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent at a muddy cliffside. With much of their tech stripped away from them, it’s simply Natasha and her opponent in the dirt, with a rock as her only weapon. It’s a fantastic sequence, including one page that goes rapid-fire with 14 panels. And it ends on a delightfully somber note.

Waid doesn’t give us much in terms of information, here. Not only is it unclear what Natasha has done, but we’re not given any exposition about who this character is. Granted, I would assume the majority of the readership for this book already know who she is. But typically, one would usually present at least a little exposition here. In this issue we get none. In this case, it doesn’t do the issue any harm. Given the story they told, it’s not like they had time to slow down for an info dump. Plus, considering the quality of this issue, I’d say it was worth it to delay any backstory we might need.

Black Widow is off to one hell of a start. Considering what Waid and Samnee have given us in the recent past, this series is definitely one to watch.

Images from author’s collection. 

Follow Primary Ignition on Twitter @PrimaryIgnition, or at Facebook.com/PrimaryIgnition.