Marvel Comics has had a great deal of success in adapting their many properties into big budget motion picture deals. It must be said that they have had less success in bridging the gap between excited movie-goer and comic shop register but it’s not for want of trying. As the first Iron Man movie struck the silver screen the comic racks were rife with comics featuring shell-head in all his grandeur.
It only goes to follow that there will be a few comic book features for Iron Man’s movie co-star, the Black Widow.
Just announced in time for the San Diego Comic Con is Black Widow: Deadly Origin. Written by Doctor Who scribe Paul Cornell, the series will showcase the curvy Russian super spy and re-establish her place in the Marvel Universe. The latest comic book exploit from Cornell, this follows directly on the heels of his critically acclaimed (yet canceled before it’s time) series Captain Britain and MI-13.
The writer met with ComicBookResources.com to dish out some of the details of the highly anticipated mini-series.
“The plot connects back to all these different times in her life, as she tries to save everyone she ever kissed from something deadly. A real Black Widow’s curse. That was one of my favorite times for her, by the way, when she was living in L.A. with Daredevil and being all fatalistic. She’s not defined by the men in her past. They all, to some extent, are defined by her, and now possibly fatally. It’s about the past coming after Natalia seeking revenge, and the present not being able to do a thing about it. So she’s on her own. And that’s fine, because she’s never seen herself as being anything else.
“When we first meet her in this series, she’s actually just been born. We’re following one particular mission during the main part of the story, but one which touches on various different aspects of her history, leading us to flashbacks that show previously unseen moments from all the different phases of her life, including times past with Logan, the Winter Soldier, Clint Barton, Daredevil, even Hercules. She’s been very different people all through her life, but always deadly, and, I like to think, funny. Not in a one-liner way, but with a very dry, somewhat cynical, wit. I’m looking to find the Sean Connery in her.
“I’m exploring all of her history, but I like the contrasts that all lead to the same place, how she learned different styles of toughness and guile over the years. I think she’s a very together person, not a damaged one, and that she’s just found wisdom after wisdom in all her travels. Until now she’s the perfect stealthy operative, who could waltz her way in and out without anyone ever knowing, by being the cleaning woman who brings the security man muffins, as well as being a Daniel Craig-style blunt instrument that can level buildings (or indeed, space stations, as we’ll get to) on her own. This is someone who was an equal partner to the Son of Zeus.”
Paul Cornell has been entertaining Doctor Who fans for years now (in print and on screen) and is starting to build a sizeable following in the funny books world as well. It’s going to be interesting to see his take on this character. Based on the interview segment above, it will be anything but boring!
Looking for more Black Widow comic book suggestions?
Check out these:
The Sting of the Black Widow (collecting the character’s first appearance in Tales of Suspense #52, and Amazing Spider-Man #86, Amazing Adventures #1-8, and Daredevil #81)
Marvel Knights: Black Widow
Black Widow: Homecoming
Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her
Also, make sure to read up some more on the Black Widow here at The Daily P.O.P.!
