Writer: Nate Edmondson
Artist: Phil Noto
RAISON D’ETRE
Agent. Avenger. Assassin. Black Widow has done a lot of bad deeds. She is ready to make atonement by taking on contract jobs against bad people. She still needs to do what she does best to obtain peace. Will she stay on the path of justice or stray into the dark territory of an assassin.
The Ups: Nate Edmondson’s Black Widow is a great start to one of the most anticipated series of 2014. This book is written to be the next Hawkeye in its own way and it just does that. Edmondson shows us a Black Widow who is looking for redemption for her past life. She seeks out jobs against the bad in order to achieve her goal. You feel the sadness within Black Widow just coming off the dialogue. The emotions are strong and I feel for her and want to see her achieve atonement. It was Edmondson’s strong point. Black Widow supporting cast is interesting because it is not Hawkeye and I like that. Her lawyer is her logical adviser for which he puts no mind to him. Its a pleasant dynamic. This is a great opportunity to see her outside the Avengers and into her own which I am loving so far. Phil Noto just rocked this issue. The action scenes are fast pace and colorful to enjoy. The addition of the written out effects was a nice touch and his facial expression were great. The little smirk Black Widow has when she shot the rocket was subtle which is perfect for her character. This issue was just all around fun.
The Downs: There are a few panels in the park where the background characters looked really stiffed and some of the rough lines could have been cleaned up.
Overall: Edmondson has captured Black Widow’s essence in this first issue. Emotional and action packed. Noto is the perfect complement to Edmondson’s writing. The art was elegant and smooth. This book is fun and entertaining! This is definitely my “Hawkeye” series. Pick this up and you won’t be disappointed.
Grade 4 of 5
ComicsRefueled 