BLACK WIDOW #2
by Nathan Edmunson and Phil Noto
I know I haven't been reviewing books for a while now, and I didn't even talk about the first issue of Black Widow, but I did buy it, and I have now picked up issue 2, and how does it hold up to the much hyped first issue?
Pretty damn well. One reason I loved the first issue so much, was it took the Hawkeye approach, seeing what Natasha does in her time not being an Avenger, but in with a much darker tone. She's trying to atone for everything she's done in her career as a KGB assassin. To put it bluntly, I am a huge fan of redemption stories (a running trend in a lot of Geoff Johns's stories), so reading this is an absolute joy. However, I'm not saying this series is perfect, as it does have its flaws, the biggest crime being that Marvel charges $4 for a 20 page comic, and that is the exact reason why I dropped a bunch of Marvel books (except Hawkeye and Daredevil), but this is really the first Marvel book I've read lately that actually justifies the inflated price tag with quality. Another gripe I had with this issue specifically, was its ending, that wrapped up in a way that just left me feeling empty, and not in a good way. The first issue was finished a way that felt more natural and tied up a lot of loose ends without feeling like plot holes, and left room for a follow up issue. However, on a more positive note, Edmunson does a wonderful job writing Natasha, in such a way that actually reminds me of how she was written in The Avengers film. Another aspect I like, is that it's tone is reminiscent of a darker version of Hawkeye, but still doesn't take it self 100% seriously. (She has a cat!) This does not feel like the same Nathan Edmunson that wrote the mediocre Grifter, but it is much more the Edmunson that wrote the spectacular "Who is Jake Ellis?".
Saying "The art by Phil Noto is gorgeous" is an understatement to say the least. He is the kind of artist that transcends the barriers of basic comic art, and I actually think holds up to some of my favorite artists like Frank Quitely, Becky Cloonan, Jae Lee and a few others. He uses a very muted color palette, but works for the style of the story.
Black Widow is a series to keep an eye on. Just as I was starting to loose faith in Marvel Comics, the publishing company is slowing earning back my trust, with the recent announcement of Peter Parker's return (though still keeping Dan Slott on the series), and a new Moon Knight series by Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey (though with the dreaded and unnecessary $3.99 price tag). Nathan Edmunson and Phil Noto have proved to me that Marvel can still put out quality series (that aren't Hawkeye and Daredevil), and actually make me bite the bullet and buy a 20 page $3.99 book.
