Broken Frontier

The Black Widow is one of those characters whose popularity seems to ebb and flow with the fickle whims of her fans and creators. In a medium in which strong female characters are at a premium, Natasha Romanoff has shown considerable longevity and adaptability. She’s been heroine and spy, lover and betrayer. She’s fought on the side of the angels and stood shoulder to shoulder with murderers and madmen. It’s no wonder then that Marvel can’t help itself from returning to the sexy, super-spy over and over again.

And the timing couldn’t be better.

With John Favreau’s highly anticipated Iron Man sequel set to hit theaters with a certain sultry Russian redhead featured in a prominent role (played by Scarlet Johansson, no less), it’s easy to understand why Marvel decided to take another stab at a Black Widow series.

This latest offering seems more than just a timely marketing strategy, though. For one thing, it’s ongoing, leading one to think that Marvel’s poised to make more than a short-term investment in this character. For another, the quality is just too damn high.

Although I’ve been exposed to Daniel Acuña’s art prior to Black Widow #1, I’ve never had the pleasure of reading his collaborator’s work before this issue. Marjorie Liu is a fantastic writer. She had me hooked into the plot from the opening panel. She eases us into the secret corners of the Black Widow’s life, showing us people and places from Natasha’s past we’ve never seen before, while reinforcing in us her familiar relentless, driving spirit. Playing upon her heroine’s rich, complex history as a child of espionage, Liu comes at the audience from unexpected angles, culminating in a truly harrowing ER scene, which strangely represents the gravest danger to the Widow’s life in the entire issue.

Acuña’s art captures the tone of Liu’s script with seemingly little effort. Known primarily as a cover artist, Acuña’s storytelling skills are exceptional. The opening sequence introducing the Black Rose and the aforementioned ER scene truly showcase his understanding of the graphic narrative. Both scenes, while relatively static for a mainstream superhero comic, use atmospheric lighting choices, interesting camera angles, and a color palette that services the story instead of simply embellishing it, to create a feeling of foreboding and frantic danger.

Although they are both highly skilled talents, Liu and Acuña’s true success with Black Widow #1 is their combined ability to tap into the character’s inherent timelessness. The Widow’s survival into the new millennium has been dependant on her ability to change with her times and social climate. Through inventive plot hooks and a stylish, classic art style, Liu and Acuña succeed in presenting the strongest, most iconic version of the Black Widow yet. Should Marvel continue to support the book through the inevitable tidal surge of initial hype it will enjoy thanks to Iron Man 2, Black Widow has all the makings of a masterpiece. Keep your eye on this book!