MARVEL FANFARE #11

”BACK IN THE U.S.S.R.”
Scripter/Co-Plotters/Penciler: Ralph Macchio & George Pérez
Inkers: Joe Sinnott & Jack Abel (credited as “J.J. Sinabel”)
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski | Colorist: Ben Sean | Editor: Al Milgrom
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Black Widow eludes security forces on the grounds of a Russian mansion, then after making her escape, recalls the chain of events that led to that situation: She arrived in Russia weeks earlier undercover as a defecting American scientist in order to help with the project Ivan was working on for the Soviets. But, unknown to her, the KGB was aware of her identity and fed her information until she made her move to free Ivan, at which point they sprang their trap.

Following the lead of a distinctive dagger used by one of the KGB agents she fought, the Widow travels to Hong Kong — but as she investigates the dagger’s origin, she is attacked by six assassins who take her out quickly and prepare to finish her off.

Sub-Plots & Continuity Notes: A note on the first page tells that this story takes place before the Widow cut her hair and got a new costume in the pages of DAREDEVIL. As a matter of fact, her new look debuted over a year prior to this issue (but one month less than a year before the prior installment) in DAREDEVIL #187 from October of 1982.

S.H.I.E.L.D. is identified per its usual nomenclature of this era, the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage Law-Enforcement Division.

The Widow suspects that the “KGB” agents she faces are not actually KGB at all, and considers that someone other that the Soviet Union is behind Ivan’s disappearance. In fact, the story’s mastermind appears here in shadow for the first time, operating out of a hi-tech submarine.

The six assassins are:

…and there’s a seventh lurking off-panel aboard the sub, who is held in reserve by the villainous leader.

My Thoughts: There sure are a lot of flashbacks in this story. As discussed last time, the first chapter was split between a fight at the Widow’s penthouse and Nick Fury’s long, drawn-out biographical presentation. This time, we begin our tale en media res and then the Widow fleshes things out after the first action sequence — which is fine; I much prefer for a story to go action/downtime/action than downtime/action/action — but it’s just the fact that we have two flashback-heavy stories in a row that seems odd to me.

George Pérez takes advantage of this excursion to the Marvel Universe
to live out his secret fantasy of killing off Terry Long.

There are also a couple other interesting notes to make here: one, the Widow explicitly travels to Hong Kong, and is told by Nick Fury that she’s been booked into the best hotel in Japan. Huh? I mean, this is grade school geography we’re talking about here. Does Ralph Macchio really think Hong Kong is in Japan?

And also, the knife the Widow investigates is just a bit too contrived and simplistic. She sees that it has an unusual, ornate hilt and describes that hilt to S.H.I.E.L.D., which leads to Fury finding the one single obscure curio shop in the entire world that sells those knives, so the Widow travels there to investigate. It’s like a child came up with some of this stuff.

All that said, I generally like the concept behind this story. Macchio and Pérez are presenting the Black Widow as sort of a female James Bond. I mean, aside from the excessive flashback in the first issue, this serial has played out like an old Bond film so far: In the “cold open”, the Widow is attacked at her penthouse in New York. She then receives her mission, travels to Russia undercover, beds an attractive male scientist who is then killed by the KGB, and then trots further across the globe to Hong Kong, where she’s attacked by a bunch of exotic henchpeople.

This is exactly the sort of thing I believe Black Widow should be doing in a solo series. She should travel around the world, getting into all sorts of crazy predicaments, killing bad guys, and getting romantic everywhere she stops. I don’t know if any of her other solo series have taken this approach, but it seems to me most of the time when she does spy stuff, it's more black ops and less glitz and glamor. But “Female Bond” is the perfect role for her, and, simplicity aside, Macchio and Pérez have captured that style quite well so far.

Semi-Nude Score: The Widow is seen changing into her costume twice this issue (again without a bra both times, Charlie’s Angels style), bringing the total score after two issues up to 4. (Plus, as noted above, she totally banged some guy, but they were only shown kissing with their underwear on.)