Customer Reviews

Black Widow: Web of Intrigue (Marvel Premiere Classic)

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This is more like it! The last Black Widow collection, Black Widow: Sting of the Widow, had major reproduction problems. In addition, the material was either lackluster or featured the Black Widow as a guest star.

Here, the Black Widow is the star of the show. We are treated to three different stories. The first story, Web of Intrigue, reproduced from Marvel Fanfare #10-13, is more straightforward super heroics, than espionage although the latter element is on display as well. The action sequences are superb. The first issue tends to drag because of an extended Black Widow career recap. It's interspersed with some action sequences which seem more gratuitous than necessary for the plot. The remaining three issues are better, indeed quite good, but the ending is somewhat cliched. There is also great George Perez artwork.

The second story is from the back and white (or grayscale) Bizarre Adventures #25. This is a fairly offbeat espionage puzzler with a great homage to a film star of years past. The reproduction is fine but I just hate white text on black backgrounds.

The last story, from the graphic novel The Black Widow: The Coldest War, is the best story in the book. The 64 page story delivers on almost every front. My only complaint is that George Freeman draws the Black Widow in a manner that makes her look unattractive. His style is otherwise perfectly suited to the excellent story.

Extras include the introduction (by writer Ralph Macchio) and covers to the 1999 trade paperback collection of Web of Intrigue.

All in all, great stuff. Highly recommended.

This 2010 Marvel graphic novel, a reprint of an earlier edition, was likely timed to coincide with the release of "Iron Man 2" and the introduction of Black Widow, as portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, to Marvel's movie universe. The graphic novel captures an extended and exciting Black Widow story arc originally published in Marvel Fanfare #10-13, Bizarre Adventures #25, and Black Widow: The Coldest War, in the 1980's. George Perez, Ralph Macchio, and Gerry Conway share writing credit.

Natasha Romanoff, AKA SHIELD agent Black Widow, was once a Soviet secret agent, who defected to the West. Romanoff was the product of extensive Soviet physical and psychological manipulation; her time in the West has been marked by shifting loves and loyalties. When her longtime Russian mentor Ivan Petrovich goes missing, he is presumed to have re-defected to Russia with technology secrets. SHIELD boss Nick Fury dispatches Romanoff to find Petrovich and learn the truth.

Romanoff's mission takes her into the path of an old enemy and an elite team of assassins; to a remote location in Africa and a complicated game of double- and triple-cross; and finally to a fateful encounter with an old Soviet associate long believed to be dead. Romanoff's skills as Black Widow will be pushed to the very limit. Some old friends will lend a hand.

The artwork is the product of many hands and offers three distinctive portrayals of the Black Widow. The first segment features solid but standard comic book art; the second is an intriguing movie-like presentation; while the final segment shows a mature Black Widow at the end of the Cold War. The overall effect adds to the interest of a complicated but exciting story. "Black Widow: Web of Intrigue" is highly recommended to fans of her character and of Marvel graphic novels.

The art is wonderful.
Great action.
If you like spy-stuff get this book.