BLACK WIDOW #1

Capsule Review

“Cinematic” is an over-used term in comics, but it certainly applies here. How about, “relentlessly visual?” Mark Waid and Chris Samnee share the writer’s credit in Natasha’s latest solo effort, and that credit is well-earned, with every twist-and-turn a visual one, right down to a harrowing escape by the Black Widow that harkens back to one of the greatest visual reveals in Marvel Comics history. Really, the story comes down to this: the Black Widow has done something bad, S.H.I.E.L.D. is out to get here, and everything else is details. But what details! We get tightly-choreographed fist fights, motorcycle chases, skydiving hijinks, spy gadgets, and even the S.H.I.E.L.D. commissary in a breakneck, all-action story where our hero doesn’t utter a word until the very last page. In the text feature, Mark Waid makes much of how everyone wanted to keep the old Daredevil team together, including colorist Matt Wilson and letterer Joe Caramagna — and this is the work of a team that thoroughly understands each other, operating at the peak of their powers. You can read the book in about five minutes … but that just leaves time to go back and read it again. And again! (I will).

Approachability For New Readers

Given her presence in several of the biggest superhero films of all time, I think it is safe to say most fans will know that Black Widow is a super-spy … and you don’t need to know a lot more than that to enjoy this story.

Read #2?

Absolutely.

Sales Rank

(N/A)

Read more about the Avengers at Longbox Graveyard

• Avengers — Kree/Skrull War
• Longbox Shortbox
• The Bride of Ultron
• Avengers Gallery

Read more capsule reviews of Marvel’s All-New All-Different rolling relaunch.