Black Widow is the name of two superheroes who have appeared in various titles published by Marvel Comics: Natasha Romanova and Yelena Belova. Natasha Romanova first appeared as a villain for Iron Man in Tales of Suspense #52 (1964). Over several appearances in The Avengers, she reformed and became a superhero. She then underwent a redesign to her modern incarnation in The Amazing Spider-Man #86 (1970). Yelena Belova first appeared in Inhumans #5 before her formal introduction as a rival for Natasha in the first Black Widow series.
Titles Titles feature Natasha as a main character unless otherwise noted. Series that feature both Natasha and Yelena as main characters are denoted by an asterisk (*), and series that only feature Yelena as a main character are denoted by a dagger (†). Team books such as The Avengers and The Champions are not included.
TitleIssuesCover datesWriterPencillerDescriptionAmazing Adventures#1–8August 1970 – September 1971VariousVariousAmazing Adventures portrays Natasha as a jet setter who fought street crime and protected disaffected teenagers. This was the first series of solo stories for a female Marvel character. Stories about the Inhumans were published in the same issues.Daredevil and the Black Widow#92–107October 1972 – January 1974VariousVariousNatasha became a supporting character in Daredevil #81 (1971). Following criticism of her depiction as sexist, she was promoted to headlining character. Natasha was reverted to supporting character in Daredevil #108 (1974) and left the series in issue #124 (1975), occasionally returning for further periods as a supporting character of Daredevil.Marvel Fanfare#10–13August 1983 – March 1984Ralph MacchioGeorge PérezMarvel Fanfare featured Natasha in a four-issue story arc titled "Web of Intrigue" in which she looks for her chauffeur Ivan after he goes missing.Black Widow: The Coldest WarN/AApril 1990Gerry ConwayGeorge FreemanThe Coldest War is the 61st of the Marvel Graphic Novels.Punisher/Black Widow: Spinning Doomsday's WebN/ADecember 1992D. G. ChichesterLarry StromanA one-shot co-starring Natasha and the PunisherDaredevil/Black Widow: Abattoir#1July 1993Jim StarlinJoe ChiodoA one-shot co-starring Natasha and Daredevil as they hunt two serial killersFury/Black Widow: Death Duty#1June 1995Cefn RidoutCharlie AdlardNatasha works with Night Raven to investigate a criminal organization in Death Duty. Nick Fury does not play a major role in the story despite being a titular character.Journey into Mystery#517–519February 1998 – April 1998Scott LobdellRandall GreenA story arc in Journey into Mystery, "The Fire Next Time", featured Natasha.Black Widow*#1–3June 1999 – August 1999Devin GraysonJ. G. JonesThe Marvel Knights limited series, titled "The Itsy Bitsy Spider", has Natasha question her claim to the role of Black Widow when she is challenged by the younger spy Yelena as both track down a biotoxin. Grayson and Jones first introduced Yelena in Inhumans #5 to use her in this series.Black Widow*#1–3January 2001 – March 2001Devin Grayson and Greg RuckaScott HamptonThe second volume of Black Widow features Natasha and Yelena.Black Widow: Pale Little Spider †#1–3June 2002 – August 2002Greg RuckaIgor KordeyPale Little Spider, published under the adults-only Max imprint, was the first solo series featuring Yelena.Black Widow#1–6November 2004 – April 2005Richard K. MorganThe third volume of Black Widow encompasses the "Homecoming" story arc. Natasha returns to Russia while tracking enemy spies, and she learns that her past is a false memory. Morgan portrays Natasha as more violent and more willing to kill than other writers have.Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her#1–6November 2005 – April 2006Richard K. MorganSean PhillipsThe "Homecoming" story was followed by a direct sequel. In this series, Natasha goes into hiding as Nick Fury and Daredevil hunt her on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. Yelena appears as a supporting character in some issues.Black Widow: Deadly Origin#1–4January 2010 – April 2010Paul CornellDeadly Origin tells Natasha's history through flashbacks, using the framing device of revisiting people from her past because she had spread nanites to them.Black Widow & the Marvel Girls#1–4February 2010 – April 2010Paul TobinVariousThis series pairs Natasha with a different female character each issue: Enchantress, the Wasp, Ms. Marvel, and Storm, respectively.Black Widow#1–8June 2010 – January 2011The fourth volume of Black Widow features two story arcs. The first five issues by Liu and Acuña were titled "Name of the Rose". This continued the espionage-focused storytelling following the release of Iron Man 2. The latter three issues by Swierczynski and Garcia were titled "Kiss and Kill".Widowmaker#1–4February 2011 – April 2011A continuation of both Black Widow and Hawkeye & Mockingbird, this series follows the three heroes as they search for a spy-killer using Hawkeye's old alias "Ronin".Fear Itself: Black Widow#1August 2011Cullen BunnPeter NguyenA one-shot was published as part of the Fear Itself event, featuring Natasha as she works with Peregrine on a mission in France. Besides this issue, Natasha does not play a significant role in the event overall.Captain America and Black Widow#636–640November 2012 – February 2013Cullen BunnFrancesco FrancavillaBetween Captain America #620 and #640, the series featured various heroes alongside Captain America and the title changed whenever a new character joined him. Captain America and Black Widow featured Captain America and Natasha as they encountered alternate universes.Black Widow#1–20March 2014 – September 2015Nathan EdmondsonPhil NotoThe fifth volume of Black Widow was published as part of the Marvel Now! branding. This series shifts away from the direct action back toward the character focus developed by Grayson in 1999.Black Widow#1–12May 2016 – May 2017Chris SamneeThe sixth volume of Black Widow focuses on elements from the character's adaptation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, placing emphasis on two elements familiar to the movie audience: S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Red Room.Secret Empire: Uprising#1July 2017Derek LandyJoshua CassaraPublished as part of the Secret Empire event, this issue features Natasha training the Champions to be spies.Infinity Countdown: Black Widow #1August 2018Gerry DugganA one-shot featuring Natasha was published as part of the "Infinity Countdown" event. It features Natasha wielding the Space Stone.Black Widow#1–5March 2019 – July 2019Jen and Sylvia SoskaFlaviano ArmentaroThe seventh volume of Black Widow features Natasha working with Tyger Tiger to shut down a live streamed torture facility in Madripoor.Web of Black Widow#1–5November 2019 – March 2020Jody HouserStephen MooneyA five part limited series featuring NatashaBlack Widow*#1–15November 2020 – May 2022Kelly ThompsonVariousThe eighth volume of Black Widow consists of three major story arcs. "The Ties That Bind" in issues #1–5 has Natasha brainwashed into thinking she is an architect with a fiancé and son while her allies try to rescue her. "I Am the Black Widow" in issues #7–10 has her working alongside Yelena (as the White Widow), Anya Corazon, and Lucy Nguyen. "Die By the Blade" in #12–15 has the same team work with Hawkeye and the Winter Soldier to fight the Living Blade.Black Widow: Widow's Sting#1December 2020Ralph MacchioSimone BuonfantinoThe Widow's Sting one-shot features Natasha in a story with more traditional espionage tropes. It follows her as she fights against Silvermane.Widowmakers: Red Guardian and Yelena Belova †#1January 2021Devin GraysonMichele BandiniA one-shot featuring Yelena and Red GuardianBlack Widow Infinity Comic#1September 2021Mark RussellAnn MaulinaA one-shot featuring Natasha and HawkeyeWastelanders: Black Widow †#1March 2022Steven S. DeKnightWell-BeeFive one-shot comics were published as an adaptation of the Marvel's Wastelanders podcast set in the post-apocalypse world of Old Man Logan. Wastelanders: Black Widow features an older version of Yelena.White Widow †#1–4January 2024 – April 2024Sarah GaileyAlessandro MiracoloA four part limited series featuring YelenaBlack Widow & Hawkeye#1–4May 2024 – August 2024Stephanie PhillipsPaolo VillanelliThe "Broken Arrow" story arc features Natasha bonded with a symbiote alongside Hawkeye as they fight Damon Dran.Black Widow: Venomous#1September 2024Erica SchultzLuciano VecchioA one-shot featuring Natasha bonded with a symbiote as a prologue to the Venom War story arcVenom War: Venomous#1–3October 2024 – December 2024Erica SchultzLuciano VecchioFeatures Natasha and Anti-Venom (Flash Thompson)
Tie-ins
Multiple tie-in comic books based on Black Widow adaptations have been published. TitleIssuesCover datesWriterPencillerDescriptionIron Man 2 - Black Widow: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.#1May 2010Joe CaseyMatt CampTie-in to the film Iron Man 2Marvel's The Avengers: Black Widow Strikes#1–3July 2012 – August 2012Fred Van LenteVariousTie-in to the film The AvengersMarvel's Black Widow Prelude#1–2March 2020 – April 2020Peter DavidCarlos VillaTie-in to the film Black WidowMarvel's Avengers: Black Widow#1May 2020Christos GageMichele BandiniTie-in to the video game Marvel's Avengers
Collected editions