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rtimmorris's review
3.0
I want to give this 4 because the first 3/5 are so good! Plus, Acuna's artwork always gets me, and it works well for this book. The last 2/5 are good on their own, but really don't feel like a rewarding payoff for a story that started so great. Might have worked better if the villain shared more of a past with the protagonist. Love the Black Widow though and it's nice to see the character portrayed here as both tough and sensitive.
analiesereads's review
5.0
i loved this so much!! natasha is quite easily my favorite female superhero— maybe even /superhero/.
she’s got a dark past and i loved that this volume really digs deep into that.
this kept me on my toes the whole time. i never knew what to expect and i was never disappointed. there were points where i /almost/ got mad but then realized it was just apart of the plot.
i don’t think i could have asked for better character appearances: captain america!bucky, logan howlett, tony stark, elektra, and lady bullseye.
my buckynat loving ass adored every moment the shared (of course, i would have preferred more but i’m not going to get stingy).
overall, i recommend this to anyone who loves natasha or anyone wants and interesting plot line with unique turns.
she’s got a dark past and i loved that this volume really digs deep into that.
this kept me on my toes the whole time. i never knew what to expect and i was never disappointed. there were points where i /almost/ got mad but then realized it was just apart of the plot.
i don’t think i could have asked for better character appearances: captain america!bucky, logan howlett, tony stark, elektra, and lady bullseye.
my buckynat loving ass adored every moment the shared (of course, i would have preferred more but i’m not going to get stingy).
overall, i recommend this to anyone who loves natasha or anyone wants and interesting plot line with unique turns.
squidbag's review
4.0
For those who take the character seriously. This is very Russian, about love and loss and violation and vengeance. Black Widow here is at her best when she's at her worst whether it's her doing or what's been done to her. The ending of this is extremely powerful, and this is overall super useful background on one of Marvel's most complex characters.
It's from 2010, so there will need to be some adjusting to what the status quo was then for some readers, and maybe a little background to look up, but you'll get it either way.
It's from 2010, so there will need to be some adjusting to what the status quo was then for some readers, and maybe a little background to look up, but you'll get it either way.
harmony's review
2.0
I just wasn't feeling it. The story wasn't awful, but I also didn't feel like I got any new insights into the character or her past. It just felt like filler to me, like a side story in between the "real" stories or a way to kill time. I was also really not fond of the art. Overall I was completely underwhelmed.
nightxade's review
3.0
If there’s one thing the recent Captain America movie taught me, it’s that I am in need of a Black Widow movie. In the mean time, I will seek to satisfy this need with Black Widow comics. Unfortunately, The Name of the Rose let me down with a rather weak plot involving a mysterious enemy who learns one of Natasha’s biggest secrets: the fact that she is recording secrets on everyone, including her friends in the Avengers. The mystery enemy captures and dissects Natasha to acquire this information, leaving her severely wounded, with her only clue being a black rose.
I’m not really familiar with Black Widow, a.k.a. Natasha Romanoff, in the comics, so I’m not sure if the enemy she’s dealing with is a major part of her history. When the person is finally revealed, there is implication of a strong connection, but the connection itself is not displayed in a terribly convincing manner. There also seem to be several steps missing as Natasha goes on the hunt, luring out informants, visiting old contacts, and finding her prey. And finally, there is a big reveal about Natasha herself that is supposed to provide emotional punch, but instead just comes off as a whimper.
And while I am sure the Black Widow is in far better shape than I am, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief in regard to the serious wound she suffers at the hands of her enemy. I accept that she’s one tough cookie with mental resilience that can push her through physical pain and push her body well beyond its limits. But significant blood loss, is significant blood loss, yo.
The one really great thing about this, aside from the art, are Natasha’s friends. Wolverine, Captain America, Tony Stark, Hawkeye and one other, all play a part in her adventure, though they all ultimately know that Natasha is a woman who must deal with this situation on her own. Through them, aspects of Natasha are revealed, most notably her loyalty to the people she names a friend. She is a woman whose life is all about seduction and lies, which all of these men know intrinsically, yet, despite the revelation that she’s been collecting secrets even about them, they are willing to stand by her, or at the very least, give her the benefit of the doubt.
I’m not really familiar with Black Widow, a.k.a. Natasha Romanoff, in the comics, so I’m not sure if the enemy she’s dealing with is a major part of her history. When the person is finally revealed, there is implication of a strong connection, but the connection itself is not displayed in a terribly convincing manner. There also seem to be several steps missing as Natasha goes on the hunt, luring out informants, visiting old contacts, and finding her prey. And finally, there is a big reveal about Natasha herself that is supposed to provide emotional punch, but instead just comes off as a whimper.
And while I am sure the Black Widow is in far better shape than I am, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief in regard to the serious wound she suffers at the hands of her enemy. I accept that she’s one tough cookie with mental resilience that can push her through physical pain and push her body well beyond its limits. But significant blood loss, is significant blood loss, yo.
The one really great thing about this, aside from the art, are Natasha’s friends. Wolverine, Captain America, Tony Stark, Hawkeye and one other, all play a part in her adventure, though they all ultimately know that Natasha is a woman who must deal with this situation on her own. Through them, aspects of Natasha are revealed, most notably her loyalty to the people she names a friend. She is a woman whose life is all about seduction and lies, which all of these men know intrinsically, yet, despite the revelation that she’s been collecting secrets even about them, they are willing to stand by her, or at the very least, give her the benefit of the doubt.
itsdanicarr's review
4.0
I adore this Natasha story. It's a must for any Black Widow fan. My only quibble is that this story is hard to place in the maze that is her past. But I don't mind that, and it's a really fantastic journey that gives a lot of insight into who she is and how she works.
imamandaaa's review
5.0
I am starting to really warm up to Black Widow. She's a very good spy. She is extremely clever and physically strong. You definitely see the human side of her with this and I like it.
mlytylr's review
4.0
Worth the occasional lines of purple prose (the writer's background is romance) for the well-paced story and interesting character development for Natasha. This is my favorite version of Black Widow so far.
depleti's review
3.0
I liked this, the art was good, if a little generic. As usual there were allusions to characters and storylines I didn't know, but that's expected, haha. Black Widow is cool, and I liked reading her written by a woman.