Marvel’s BLACK WIDOW #6, available now, is about to throw the brokenhearted super-spy back into the thick of things as she works to build a new life for herself. Or rather, a new cover. A balance must be found, and she has an ally willing to help.
Last we saw, Natasha Romanoff had been through hell and back. Not literally (that’s Hellcat’s territory), but it certainly feels that way. Natasha had a family – a wonderful husband and a beautiful baby boy, but only for just a brief moment.
That’s all gone now. She had to send them away for their own safety. She is Black Widow, after all. And that means that they could never be safe, not while still being in her life. While it is for the best, the decision still hurts.
That is where Black Widow #6 picks up – with Black Widow setting new roots in San Francisco, with the help of the one and only Yelena Belova. Okay, she might end up bringing more complications with her, but sometimes it’s good to have friends around, no matter what sort of mess they bring with them.
Writing
Over the last few months, Black Widow’s life has been turned upside down. Now, in Black Widow #6, we’re about to see her prepare to take on the world. Or at least the city – to start with. Written by Kelly Thompson, this is already proving to be a creative twist of events.
This issue uses different storytelling methods to obfuscate what Natasha is up to, all while developing a compelling narrative for readers to follow. It starts with a fair bit of action – in true Black Widow fashion – but it doesn’t take long for us to dive beneath that surface.
The flashbacks included within this issue help set the scene and properly explain what is going on here. Though there are still many questions left to be answered, though I’m sure those will come with time.
The character interactions are an absolute highlight in this issue, hovering between tense and humorous, depending on what was happening. Though interestingly enough, it isn’t Yelena who is stealing the show, well, not at the moment.
Artwork
Black Widow #6 continues the trend of providing brilliant scenes for Natasha to shine in. Naturally, that means that her fights take center stage, showing all of the clever ways one woman can take on her enemies.
Rafael de Latorre’s artwork is perfect for the plot unfolding here. Natasha looks conflicted and hurt – while still giving fans that tougher character we all know and love. Her fight scenes as memorable as we could have hoped – if not more so. And, of course, there’s one fight in particular that will make her story stand out among the rest. It feels like a tradition at this point.
Jordie Bellaire’s colors enhance those scenes even further. The use of bold and vibrant reds adds so much to the combat. Plus, there’s an obvious connection to the character herself here. The monochromatic backdrops help to make the forefront and characters pop all the more – while still being interesting.
VC’s Cory Petit is the artist responsible for the lettering, and they are perfection. There’s a real sense of motion and impact here. No, that doesn’t do it justice. You can practically feel the cracking of fists on flesh, or the snapping of bones, thanks to the lettering. It’s a harsh reminder of how dangerous Black Widow is.
Conclusion
Black Widow #6 quickly proves that the intensity delivered in the first plot arc is far from over. This is going to be a series worth following, for fans old and new. In the meantime, it’s going to be fun guessing how things unfold from here.
