Marvel; $3.99
A group of terrorists have hired a fake Captain America in order to drop in and sow some discord among some high level members of society… and they’re doing it in New York on New Year’s Eve, which so happens to be one of the most highly-attended parties of the year. No big deal, right? Well, the real Cap and Black Widow get to work – a little more difficult for Widow, who’s presumed dead. And after that whole debacle is over, she’s got to take on a slightly more challenging foe: herself, and her own killer instincts.
Truthfully, I’ve never been a big Black Widow fan, but I enjoyed this issue quite a bit. I thought the second half – which takes place in Madripoor and features a slightly more unhinged Natasha – was far more compelling than the first half, but it at least looks as though the series will be sticking with that vibe. The Black Widow has the potential to be a really interesting vigilante/antihero kind of character if she’s written as such, so I have high hopes that this book will take her a little further into that sort of grey area.
-Carrie Wood