https://blacknerdproblems.com/black-widow-12-review-2/

Writer: Kelly Thompson / Artist: Elena Casagrande / Marvel Comics

When emotion overcomes me while reading a comic book, said book immediately skyrockets to one of my favorite current books status. Kelly Thompson has already solidified herself as one of the dopest Marvel writers in the game, but after this issue, she is one of the better comic book writers at soliciting emotions. The opening pages of Black Widow #12 remind us of everything that a parent can lose and forces us to feel for the woman with a black hole of misery left in her heart. Don’t get me started on her ability to get the kid hype on the action side of things! Then you add some excellent artists to bring her scripts and ideas to life, and we’ve got ourselves a problem on our hands! The best problem possible. 

Tears and Fears

As I mentioned earlier, the opening pages of this book were absolutely draining. To see Natasha having the sweetest dreams about her long-lost boy, going into highly trained assassin mode when she thinks Bucky is an intruder, followed by her breakdown was disgustingly compelling. 

I wanted to jump into the panel and bring her family back to her, but that would be bad news for everyone involved. You don’t have moments like that when reading your average comic, but an Eisner nominated book just might do the trick!

Gals, Galas and Firepower

I could go on for days about those 4 pages, but Black Widow and the squad have some boujee black market Met Gala type fuckery to stumble upon and disrupt. And dam does the team look good while stumbling into their investigation turned life or death situation! The espionage activity is fun, the villainous behavior happening on the low is interesting, and the fight sequences that go down will keep the action heads happy.

I really appreciate that Thompson doesn’t let her supporting characters get lost in the sauce. If you have Clint Barton on your squad, you leannnnn into the jokes and rep the sharpshooting skills he provides. Or you make fun of him during a fancy ballroom dance while he can hear you loud and clear on the comms. Lesser known characters with their own brand of humor should be allowed to flourish, and that’s exactly what Thompson does for Spider-Girl. Bucky is his solid self, Yelena never stops being a prickly, pragmatic murderer, and newcomer Lucy Nguyen is mixed in well here and there. All the while, Natasha glides across every page looking stunning in a gown or ass kicking fit. Did I mention that Elena Casagrande absolutely crushes every panel in this book? I’m her newest stan, and Black Widow continues to be one of the few books that don’t feature mutants that I look forward to each month. Another excellent issue and amazing cliffhanger to keep us hungry for more!

9 Living Blades out of 10

Reading Black Widow? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.

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