CREDIT: Marvel
Rating: 5/5 – An Action Packed & Beautifully Choreographed Adventure!
By ComicSpectrum senior reviewer Shawn Hoklas.
Mark Waid and Chris Samnee’s run on Daredevil was one of my favorite runs in years. They brought back the “swashbuckling” Daredevil and moved him away from the serious and dark tones he was part of since Frank Miller’s signature run. While Waid brought a more upbeat approach to Matt Murdock’s personality, Samnee lightened up the tone with his art and a brighter color palette. I was sad when the announcement came that they’d be ending their run on Daredevil, hoping they’d work together again on some future project.
That project is Black Widow. Although I was excited to see these creators back together, Black Widow isn’t necessarily a character I was excited to see them partner on. That is until I read the first issue. Black Widow number one is an amazing issue that shows just what can happen when two creators work so well together and have a unified vision of just how the character should be portrayed. This issue, although extremely light on the dialogue, is an action packed, beautifully choreographed adventure that showcases Samnee’s ability to tell a story that can only be done in comics. The lack of dialogue adds to the story, never detracting from it and the lines of dialogue that are there carry an enormous weight.
Black Widow’s story opens with Natasha stealing something from S.H.I.E.L.D. and then being pursued the rest of the issue in the most extreme of ways. I’d hate to spoil just where the chase takes place, but Waid and Samnee take advantage of telling the story through creative and dynamic panel layouts that are crystal clear in their approach. The final scene steals the show and shows just why Samnee is one of the best, and possibly most underrated artists working today. Samnee’s art is perfectly colored by Matt Wilson who knows just when to be subtle, and when to turn it up. Again, the final scene’s colors are just as memorable as Samnee’s pencils and made me read this issue a second time immediately after finishing it. Black Widow may not have been my 1st choice of characters I wanted Waid and Samnee working on, but this run may make me a fan of the character in a way I never was before. Read this comic!
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
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