Black Widow #18

by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto

Black Widow is on its eighteenth issue and is still going strong. It’s been fantastic right from the start. Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto really know how to make Natasha perfect! Seriously, if you haven’t been reading this series, you really need to go back and read everything – it has been on point since day one, and hasn’t started to fizzle out at all.

The story in this issue will make your mouth hang open in disbelief. It’s not a very action-packed issue, but of course it’s an excellent read because I’m sure we can all admit, a little bit of surprise is necessary now and then. All of the Marvel books are basically being flipped on their heads, thanks to the Secret Wars thing, so it’s no surprise that this one is doing it too. Nothing really bonkers has happened to Natasha yet, but this is another one of those books where you kind of get the feeling that something’s going to happen. Who doesn’t love a little suspense? Overall, Nathan Edmondson can really do no wrong with this series, so you can basically expect greatness from every single issue.

And seriously – the art in this book is AMAZING. As far as comic art goes, Phil Noto’s is some of the best out there. There hasn’t been an issue of this book where the quality of the art has gone downhill at all. It’s fantastic, and always has been. Probably the most beautiful parts of this issue are the blood swirling in the water at the very start, and the water towards the end – it’s positively stunning. As many comic readers will probably agree, fantastic art is just as important as a really good story. It just helps so much to draw you in and keep you interested, and also seems to make the story seem better as well. And Black Widow just has that down perfectly.

There is absolutely nothing bad anyone can say about this series. It’s one of the best books out there, and, at least pre-Secret Wars, it was probably one of Marvel’s best books. The quality hasn’t wavered once, and this issue is no different. There are not enough synonyms for the word “awesome” that will accurately describe it. And just when you think it’s beginning to wind down – nope, something happens and you begin to wonder, instead, what’s going to happen next. This issue, like it’s seventeen predecessors, is definitely worth reading all the way through.