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winterlelie's review against another edition
5.0
This comic's art and colours are so gorgeous! And the story! Anyone who says that a Black Widow movie would be too difficult to make is getting this book thrown at their heads.
thematinee's review against another edition
4.0
Great place for a Natasha fix if you’re missing the movie we were supposed to get this weekend...
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
2.0
Oh man.
Well, this is probably going to come off as a horrible comparison, but here we go.
Reading this, the main character, it was like dating some weirdo when you're in high school who's like, "I'm dangerous. You just don't know. I've done...things."
And they want you to ask about the "things" over and over, but they are never, ever going to tell you.
And you keep asking because you get the feeling the person WANTS you to ask, but every time you ask, you get the brushoff. But then you're in the car, and she's totally silent and looking out the window, and you're like, "Whatcha thinkin' about?"
And then you're like, "Holy shit. I've become that. The guy who asks what someone is thinking about. I've somehow become complicit in this whole secrecy as currency thing."
Then you grow up. And you realize you don't want to date someone if you have to ask about their feelings all the time. You realize there are plenty of people to date who will just tell you how they feel, or at least be open when you ask.
Ultimately, in the comics, it leads to me not caring about this character AT ALL. Who is she? What is she like? What does she like to do? What is her past about, and c'mon, give me something here.
I'm pretty outspoken about not liking James Bond for the same reason. Why do I give a shit about this dude? He's like the smoothest operator ever who only lives to work, and therefore I guess I don't really feel all that bad when it's like, "Oh shit, is James going to die during a mission, which is really the only way he could die anyway because it's not like he's ever on vacation or something?"
I don't need Black Widow's entire backstory, but I need something. I need something to make me see this character's motivation. Not just a generic, "I've done bad things." It's interesting to me that she's doing more bad things to make up for those other bad things. It's kind of interesting to me that she's an Avenger and still kills people, although I think it's implied by now that Avengers do kill people because shit happens. It's not the 1980's anymore where we're going to crazy lengths to punch out Thanos because we refuse to kill him.
What's not interesting to me is Black Widow with a wig on, shoots a dude or drops him out of a window on a bungee cord. It's just all so perfect and planned, but joyless. Like, imagine watching Ocean's 11 except from Andy Garcia's perspective. You know some shit is going down, but not really what, and mostly it feels like, "Dammit, they're always one step ahead."
It makes sense for Natasha to be one step ahead of the enemy, but not one step ahead of the reader as well.
If I don't have an emotional connection and I don't have a story arc and I don't have an arc of watching a plan come together, then what am I left with?
The art. The art is good. It's the saving grace, I'd say. It's non-traditional comics art, but I think it works. It adds a pulpy, spy feel to it, and though I'm not a fan of James Bond, I recognize something interesting in the aesthetic here.
Oh, P.S., enough with the spider-related puns and wordplay. Please. You don't see Green Lantern saying some version of "I'll have you seeing...green" all the time. Black Widow has a superhero name because she kills people, not because she's some kind of transforming spider woman.
Well, this is probably going to come off as a horrible comparison, but here we go.
Reading this, the main character, it was like dating some weirdo when you're in high school who's like, "I'm dangerous. You just don't know. I've done...things."
And they want you to ask about the "things" over and over, but they are never, ever going to tell you.
And you keep asking because you get the feeling the person WANTS you to ask, but every time you ask, you get the brushoff. But then you're in the car, and she's totally silent and looking out the window, and you're like, "Whatcha thinkin' about?"
And then you're like, "Holy shit. I've become that. The guy who asks what someone is thinking about. I've somehow become complicit in this whole secrecy as currency thing."
Then you grow up. And you realize you don't want to date someone if you have to ask about their feelings all the time. You realize there are plenty of people to date who will just tell you how they feel, or at least be open when you ask.
Ultimately, in the comics, it leads to me not caring about this character AT ALL. Who is she? What is she like? What does she like to do? What is her past about, and c'mon, give me something here.
I'm pretty outspoken about not liking James Bond for the same reason. Why do I give a shit about this dude? He's like the smoothest operator ever who only lives to work, and therefore I guess I don't really feel all that bad when it's like, "Oh shit, is James going to die during a mission, which is really the only way he could die anyway because it's not like he's ever on vacation or something?"
I don't need Black Widow's entire backstory, but I need something. I need something to make me see this character's motivation. Not just a generic, "I've done bad things." It's interesting to me that she's doing more bad things to make up for those other bad things. It's kind of interesting to me that she's an Avenger and still kills people, although I think it's implied by now that Avengers do kill people because shit happens. It's not the 1980's anymore where we're going to crazy lengths to punch out Thanos because we refuse to kill him.
What's not interesting to me is Black Widow with a wig on, shoots a dude or drops him out of a window on a bungee cord. It's just all so perfect and planned, but joyless. Like, imagine watching Ocean's 11 except from Andy Garcia's perspective. You know some shit is going down, but not really what, and mostly it feels like, "Dammit, they're always one step ahead."
It makes sense for Natasha to be one step ahead of the enemy, but not one step ahead of the reader as well.
If I don't have an emotional connection and I don't have a story arc and I don't have an arc of watching a plan come together, then what am I left with?
The art. The art is good. It's the saving grace, I'd say. It's non-traditional comics art, but I think it works. It adds a pulpy, spy feel to it, and though I'm not a fan of James Bond, I recognize something interesting in the aesthetic here.
Oh, P.S., enough with the spider-related puns and wordplay. Please. You don't see Green Lantern saying some version of "I'll have you seeing...green" all the time. Black Widow has a superhero name because she kills people, not because she's some kind of transforming spider woman.
caitcoy's review against another edition
3.0
I was kind of wavering with my rating on this, somewhere between 2 and 3 stars but I'm rounding up for the art.
Black Widow is one of those characters that I previously knew nothing about but have fallen in love with from watching the Avenger movies. Unfortunately, this really doesn't do her justice. I wanted a kickass spy story and it's just kind of....average. It mostly consists of Widow doing odd assassination/spy jobs that she uses to fund a trust for all those who she's wronged in the past whenever she's not on a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission. Mostly a lot of "I can't let you in because when I do, you'll get killed" and oh dear God the spider references. What was clever the first few times is incredibly tiresome by the end of it. Art is absolutely gorgeous though.
Full series review here
Black Widow is one of those characters that I previously knew nothing about but have fallen in love with from watching the Avenger movies. Unfortunately, this really doesn't do her justice. I wanted a kickass spy story and it's just kind of....average. It mostly consists of Widow doing odd assassination/spy jobs that she uses to fund a trust for all those who she's wronged in the past whenever she's not on a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission. Mostly a lot of "I can't let you in because when I do, you'll get killed" and oh dear God the spider references. What was clever the first few times is incredibly tiresome by the end of it. Art is absolutely gorgeous though.
Full series review here
otherashley's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
I liked this...but it didn't wow me. Really enjoyed the art, and the story definitely picked up towards the end but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. This isn't the MCU sassy and badass Scar-Jo version, but more of a bummed, lonely and guilty version..which is fine I suppose. Perhaps I'm biased as I really love MCU Black Widow (cough, give her a movie, cough)
I already own the second volume so we'll see where it goes from here.
I liked this...but it didn't wow me. Really enjoyed the art, and the story definitely picked up towards the end but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. This isn't the MCU sassy and badass Scar-Jo version, but more of a bummed, lonely and guilty version..which is fine I suppose. Perhaps I'm biased as I really love MCU Black Widow (cough, give her a movie, cough)
I already own the second volume so we'll see where it goes from here.
scottpm's review against another edition
4.0
A very good collection that is dying to be great. I don't know what is missing, but there is something missing here to make it great. The art here is fantastic and captures the feel of the story nicely. The writing is also solid.
moonbites's review against another edition
4.0
YES Black Widow! I have not read much of anything on Black Widow in the comics, but I am grateful for this chance to really focus on Natasha in this book. I really liked this book, so much so, that I want to purchase it and own it in my comic collection. That art is so beautiful, Phil Noto did a fantastic job.
The art style has this dreamy feel to it, with a great blend and contrast of colors. LOVE IT . And as my mother would say, "Why don't you marry it?" Which in return I would reply... I would if I could.
In terms of story I would say it was decent, the art is what pushed this rating to a 4 star though. The writing was more of a 3 star quality maybe even 2.5? To be fair, this is the first volume. First volumes are always rising action and character development.
I think it focused too much though on this other life Black Widow leads as just plain old Natasha. A portrayal of her that made her appear as a lonely cat lady. What's up with that? I understand it makes her look more relatable, but at times she was portrayed as cold which is kind contrary to relatable. It's true that they show many layers of Natasha in this comic, but so many that I don't feel I am getting a true grasp of who she is. Which should be the point of creating a comic focusing on one character.
In the end, I found myself wanting more Black Widow. I still feel like there is more to her personality, that only came out in flashes in this volume. I look forward to the winding mystery that this volume has set up, and a solid portrayal of the elusive Black Widow.
octanexit's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
rooothy69's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0