Black Widow Trailer #2, My Thoughts

Back in December 2019, I took a look at the teaser trailer for the upcoming 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Black Widow. I remember being incredibly hyped for it when it first came out. I was on vacation at the time, and I was eager to write about it when I got home. 

The film had ended up delayed a couple of times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I admit, I ended up forgetting about the movie. But it seems we're seeing the light at the end of that particular tunnel, and Marvel Studios is starting up the hype machine again for this film. Let's look at the new trailer!

It's nice we get a little recap of Natasha's adventures in the MCU. Considering how long this film has been delayed thanks to the pandemic, it's a great way to remind Nat that the Avengers to her were not just a family, but a way of seeking redemption from a dark past.

Nat looks good in white.

I think it has been implied that Natasha has trained as an agent her whole life. You can get that impression from this part. This scene with David Harbour's Red Guardian implies that he genuinely tried to be a father to the girls being trained in the Red Room. It's a nice bit of heartwarming in a dark time in Nat's life.

That line from presumably Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova makes sense. In the comics, Yelena desired to succeed Natasha as the Black Widow.

So may memes will come from that dude whispering to Taskmaster. Just sooooo many. Also, I have to admit, I don't dislike the mask as much as I used to now I got a better look at it. Yeah, I do wish they tried to make it look more like a skull, but it could have been worse.

And that's why you buckle up.

I love the Avengers theme being backed with what I presume is a chorus singing in Russian. 

And I am hyped all over again! Yup, I am hyped all over again. I can't wait to see this movie. And since I'm getting my second vaccine soon, I can watch this in a theatre! Yay! I can't wait!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated! See you next time!

Black Widow Trailer #2, My Thoughts

Back in December of 2019, I gave my thoughts on the first trailer for Natasha "Black Widow" Romanoff's solo feature film debut. I was pretty excited for this movie, Nat getting one final moment of glory in the MCU. Not to mention that we get some more exploration of her past and learn about how she became the super-spy we knew and loved. Not to mention fans have been wanting to see Nat getting her own film for years. A new trailer is out, so let's take a look!

Those islands look nice to visit. Likely cold, though.

I imagine trailers can be pretty cold in the winter...well, depends on the trailer, I guess. I imagine modern trailers can be quite comfy in bad weather.

"Yes, I teach science. The science of PAIN."

BAW GAWD, KING! BLACK WIDOW JUST DROPPED THAT GUARD WITH A DROPKICK FROM HELL!

Well, I thought it was a pretty good cover story.

Redemption does seem to be a theme for Natasha in the MCU.

In case you're wondering why Nat looks so bored during the car flip, remember one thing. At this point, she helped fight off an alien invasion, an army of killer robots, and some of her teammates. A spy trying to blow her up is rather pedestrian at this point.

Dang, Taskmaster looks really good. You may know him from my look at Avengers #223 (September 1982).

I loved that they showed how he picked up moves. It's even from Black Widow's debut in Iron Man 2! In case you're not in the know, in the comics the Taskmaster has what was called "photographic reflexes". This ability allowed him to copy the fighting styles of anyone he saw. For example, if he watched a Bruce Lee movie, he could use nunchucks like Bruce Lee.

However, this ability does not apply to superpowers. He can't imitate Wolverine's healing factor or Captain Marvel's energy powers, for example.

So basically, the Red Room's pumped out a small army of these new "Black Widows".

When you want to make an epic entrance, use a helicopter.

Aww. I get the feeling that family will be a big theme in this movie. Nat is someone who found a family of sorts in the Avengers. But at the time of this movie, it was broken by the events of Captain America: Civil War. So, she ends up with another one.

Hey, nod to the Black Panther there! That whole Red Guardian/Taskmaster fight looks like it will be awesome.
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To be fair, Yelena...yeah, you got a point. Nat should have expected this kind of thing.

Wouldn't be an MCU movie if something big didn't get wrecked.

Ha ha, I imagine those family dinners are always interesting. I need to work on my posture myself, and Nat's gonna need more vodka.

I liked this trailer! It was really cool. I would not be surprised that after Endgame, we see more of Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova in the future. After all, Yelena did use the mantle of Black Widow in the comics. And it would make for some cool character interaction with the Avengers. I can see her and Scott Lang bonding over being the resident "legacies" of previous heroes. Not to mention after Endgame, the Avengers' ranks will need some boosting. Also, I get the feeling Red Guardian is going to be the big breakout character of this film. Maybe Taskmaster as well, just for his stolen moves.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time! 

Black Widow Teaser Trailer, My Thoughts

Hello, everyone! In case you were wondering where I was the past week, I was on vacation, spending time with some family. It was a very nice time, I had a lot of fun. During that period, I saw that the teaser trailer for the upcoming Black Widow film (helmed by Australian director Cate Shortland) had come out, and I was eager to blog about it when I got home.

If you may have been a follower of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you may be familiar with the redheaded ravishing Russian espionage expert. In the comics, the Black Widow is a long legacy. The first Black Widow was Claire Voyant (Get it? Clairvoyant?), who first appeared in Mystic Comics #4 (August 1940). Created by writer George Kapitan and artist Harry Sayle, this Black Widow was a dark mystical figure, delivering the souls of evildoers to what is presumably Satan. She made some appearances during the Golden Age of Comics, but generally stayed in the shadows afterwards, until she was revived by writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Chris Weston in their 2008 miniseries The Twelve.

Natasha Alianova Romanoff was the second Black Widow, and is easily the most famous holder of the mantle. Co-created by writer Stan Lee, writer/artist Don Rico, and artist Don Heck, she first appeared in Tales Of Suspense #52 (April 1964). In comics, she's the most well-known of the Black Widows, too. She's been a member of several super-teams, like the Champions, the Thunderbolts, and the Heroes for Hire. She's most notably an Avenger. She's also worked for periods of time with Daredevil, having romantic entanglements with the Man Without Fear. She has had solo adventures and her own series a couple of times. One such solo adventure I looked at in 2017 right here.

The third Black Widow was Yelena Belova. Created by writer Devin and artist J.G. Jones, she first appeared in Inhumans #5 (March 1999). She was an enemy of Natasha Romanoff, and fought the Avengers, but then she changed her ways.

So, with that primer out of the way, let's take a look at the Black Widow teaser trailer!

In case you're wondering, this film will be set after the events of Captain America: Civil War. This makes sense. Thanks to that movie, she's pretty much on her own. The Avengers are broken up, and also thanks to the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, she has to deal with her own secrets being exposed to the world. It's the perfect point to set in an adventure focused on her.

I wonder what that place is? Russia? Maybe Budapest? Some of the film was shot there.

Nice little showing of the ballet training there. In the comics, Nat is trained in ballet dancing.

The breaking up of the Avengers would hit Natasha hard. One can imagine the group was the first time she ever felt part of a family.

Nice detail of the Marvel Studios logo incorporating the Black Widow red hourglass insignia.

Hey, William Hurt! It can be assumed he's reprising the role of "Thunderbolt" Ross from Incredible Hulk and the Avengers movies. It also looks like he was given some of that digital de-aging we've been seeing in some MCU movies lately.

Hello, Florence Pugh! She's playing Yelena Belova, the third Black Widow.

Ooh, Nattie's got a white suit for the snow.

Yeah, Rachel Weisz is in this film. Her character's name is "Melina". Some fans, including myself, theorize that this Melina is the MCU version of Melina Vostokovna, aka Iron Maiden. It does fit. The MCU has utilized lesser-known characters from the comics in their movies, and Iron Maiden has crossed swords with Natasha in the comics. It was because Iron Maiden had a raging envy towards Natasha, seen as the best spy Russia had ever put out. I wonder if she'll get a suit of armor of her own in the film...

And it looks like the villain of this film is the Taskmaster. It can be hinted from his using the bow that he's crossed paths with Hawkeye, but he could have picked up his skill by just looking at footage of him, like in the comics. His costume is kind of "meh", if you ask me. Maybe he'll get one more loyal to the comics later on.

David Harbour's take on Red Guardian is going to so be a breakout character. In case you're wondering, the Red Guardian was basically Russia's answer to Captain America. Several characters have taken the mantle over the years. Harbour is playing the Alexei Shostakov incarnation. That fits, as in the comics, Alexei and Natasha were once married.

Also, I like the idea that the three Widows and the Red Guardian are sort of a family. I wonder if that means family will be a theme in the film. After all, Nat just lost her Avengers family...

Oh, I hope the Red Guardian/Taskmaster fight is a knockdown drag-out brawl. I want to see the jolly Russian fat man beat the bejesus out of the skill mimic.

Widow with one heck of a leap of faith there.

I love the music in this trailer.

I have to admit, I am really excited. There has been a demand for a Black Widow solo movie for years, and I'm happy it's finally happening. I like that this film looks like it will be more of a Jason Bourne-esque smaller-scale spy film and not the grand adventure that Infinity War and Endgame were. Variety is good. And I love that we'll get to explore Natasha's past a bit, and she gets one last hurrah. I can't wait for this movie.

Thanks for reading this blog entry. If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Infinity War Trailer, My Thoughts

Next year, we will be celebrating the tenth birthday of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2008, the Golden Avenger, Iron Man, made his live-action film debut, to massive critical and fan praise. In a post-credits scene, Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury uttered two sentences that drove fans into a shocked frenzy.

"Mr. Stark, you have become part of a bigger universe." "I'd like to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative."

Like many comic fans at the time, when I heard that, my jaw dropped. I remember seeing this scene in a drive-in with my dad, and I was shocked. They had bigger plans. MUCH bigger plans. They were not just hoping to do a sequel to Iron Man, they wanted to use this movie to launch what many people would have thought was insane: A cinematic universe. A series of films that were interconnected, that had one goal: To bring Earth's Mightiest Heroes together in live-action film for the first time.

Fast-forward four years. The Avengers made their feature film debut, becoming the biggest-grossing film of 2012, grossing one and a half billion dollars at the box office. In a mid-credits scene, we see The Other tell a figure that to fight the Avengers was to court death. And the figure's response? Thanos grins. This was big. Phase One of the MCU was over. This was the beginning of Phase Two. It's goal...an epic battle with Thanos, the Mad Titan himself.

Over the next six years, the MCU would continue to grow. The Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, the Winter Soldier, Spider-Man, and on the way, The Wasp, and the Carol Danvers Captain Marvel will be making their film debuts, alongside Black Panther's solo movie. The Cinematic Universe would grow to television, focusing on SHIELD, the Inhuman Royal Family, Cloak and Dagger, the Runaways, and the Defenders.

The films spent the last six years building up to a big brawl with Thanos. And now, in 2018, the Infinity War will arrive. And here's the trailer.

The trailer begins with a call-back to the first Avengers movie, Nick Fury's explanation for why he formed the Avengers. It's uttered by various characters.

I wonder whose hand Tony is holding there?

And we see Bruce Banner back on Earth...with Doctor Strange and Wong meeting him. Hmm, I wonder...did at some point between Thor: Ragnarok and this movie, Bruce Banner and Hulk come to some kind of concession regarding their shared existence? I bet Strange is thinking the universe is going on a massive bender right now.

Hey, I like the Vision's new more human appearance. I hope he uses the alias "Victor Shade". He used that name for a while in the comics. Thor on his spaceship. And Natasha Romanoff is a blonde now. That makes sense she'd change her hair, she has been living in exile since the events of Captain America: Civil War.

Peter Parker is heading to school, and his arm hairs stand on end. This must be the MCU's take on his Spider-Sense. He sees a big metal ring. Yup, New York is going to get invaded again. Hopefully, they learned from last time and got some good evacuation plans set in.

Loki's got the Tessaract! He also appears to be stepping over bodies, maybe the ship he and the other Asgardians got attacked? Would make sense, considering Thor: Ragnarok. I hope Korg, Miek, and Valkyrie don't die.

Here's Thanos! He forgot his hat, he was probably coming by to see if anyone has seen it.

Really liking Spider-Man's armor there. Also like that it pays homage to Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume.

Black Panther calling for an evacuation. Yeah, considering how advanced Wakanda is, I would not be surprised if they have procedures in place for alien invasion. Bearded Cap.

Big brawl in Wakanda, folks! Step right up! See the Battle of the Century! Black Panther's Pulverizers vs. a Child of Thanos!

Oh my God, Thanos is going Homer Simpson on Spidey!

Ouch, Vision is going to be in for a world of hurt. Not surprising, since he has an Infinity Stone in his head.

Tony Stark just got punched so hard that I was surprised he wasn't knocked back to 1955.

Oh MAN, that scene of the heroes charging in Wakanda was awesome! And I liked the appearance by Danai Gurira as Okoye. I just realized something. Black Panther is going to be set after Infinity War. It makes sense. The trailers made no mention of the Avengers hiding out in Wakanda during that movie, so we can assume that Black Panther's solo comes afterwards so they don't have to explain what happened to them because this film will.

THOR MESTS THE GUARDIANS! I like that Mantis gave Thor a little wave. That's adorable.

I LOVED this trailer! I saw it several times today. Ten years ago, nobody thought something like this would happen. Now, it's become a reality. Although, I can't help but wonder. After Thanos...what's next?

Marvel Fanfare #10 (August 1983)

Old-school comic review time again! This time, we'll take a look at an issue that gives some spotlight to Marvel's number one super-spy, your favorite comic book femme fatale and mine, one Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow!

Created by Stan "The Man" Lee, Don Rico, and Don Heck, Natasha first started weaving her webs in Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964). She first appeared as an antagonist of Iron Man, a Russian spy.

Natasha would eventually defect to the United States, and over the next five decades, she would prove her heroic nature by serving with the spy organization SHIELD, and superhero teams the Champions and the Avengers.

Natasha would reach a whole new level of popularity and mainstream attention thanks to Scarlett Johanssen portrayal of the character in several films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact there has been a long demand for Natasha to get a solo film of her own, something I think would make a great film for fans of the spy genre.

Natasha has had her fair share of solo adventures over the years. She's had numerous mini-series, features in other comics, and even currently has her own ongoing series.

I had obtained the trade paperback Black Widow: Web of Intrigue, which collected some of her solo adventures, and I thought it would be fun to look over one of them. So, let's take a look at Marvel Fanfare #10!

I love this cover. Well, I admit, I am a sucker for George Perez's artwork, and he never fails at putting out a well-drawn cover. It's Natasha about to shoot you with her Widow's Bite, and she's holding some mook who looks like he got his face blasted off. The web in the background is really nice. It's a simple cover that explains what you're going to see: Black Widow kicking some butt.

"Widow"
Writer: Ralph Macchio
Penciler: George Perez (Also co-plotter), Bob Layton, Luke McDonnell
Inker: Brett Breeding
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Al Milgrom
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with Nick Fury Sr. walking through what looks like a technological wonderland, described as a "computerized fortress", the Manhattan headquarters of SHIELD.

I have to admit, I love this page. The sheer amount of insane details in this page makes it a feast for the eyes.

Nick Fury is heading for a meeting with Sam "Happy Sam" Sawyer. Back in WWII, the two served together and were old friends. Sawyer is in charge of a case involving the Black Widow, and Fury is none too happy with him using the Widow for this case. Sam thinks that he has no faith in Natasha, and arranges a little test to reassure him of her talents.

A futuristic helicopter flies towards the Waldorf Towers in Midtown Manhattan, where Natasha is residing.

Again, I love George Perez's artwork here. Look at the panels! So much detail in such thin panels. I also like that the thin panels do give a sense of claustrophobia, like there's danger coming. My only complaint about this scene is that thanks to the scene before with Happy Sam, we don't really get the idea that Natasha is in danger. We know it's a SHIELD test, so we figure she'll ace it.

Natasha tosses a mirror at one of the men, and hits the lights.

One of the men manages to get the lights back on, but finds some of the other men have been beaten down, but the exits are still guarded, so Natasha has to be in the building. Another man notices something by the door, and goes to check it, only to see an angry Black Widow standing at the door.

I can't help but wonder how she managed to get her suit and gear on so fast. Maybe that's what the man had spotted before Natasha blasted his face off. Seriously, look, his face is on fire. If he's not dead, he's not going to be able to show his face in public any time soon.

Fury explains he wants Widow off the case because it would be a personal one for her. He then goes on to talk about Ivan Petrovitch, a character who has been linked to Natasha for many years. He was her father figure, chauffeur, best friend, and a badass in his own right.

Fury then goes on to recount Natasha's early history, including how she became the Black Widow.

Back at the hotel, Natasha is fighting off her attackers, only to be ambushed by an airship. The airship's attacks force Nat to the edge, giving her no choice but to fight back, blasting at the ship with her Widow's Bite bracelets. The airship blasts the ledge, knocking Natasha senseless and causing her to plummet to the ground.

The second chapter of the story starts with Natasha on her way to becoming sidewalk pizza. There is an artist change here as the penciling duties switch from George Perez to Bob Layton and Luke McDonnell. It's a bit of shame, actually. Nothing against Layton or McDonnell, they're great artists themselves (and I love Layton's Iron Man work), but it would've been nice to have had kept one artist for the whole comic for the sake of consistency.

Luckily, Natasha is able to save her by somersaulting, blasting a hole in a convenient water tower with her Widow's Bite, and then diving into the drink. She returns to her apartment and grills one of the men who attacked her. Meanwhile, Nick Fury Sr. continues recounting Natasha's history, up to her early days as a spy and her first appearances as the Black Widow.

This page is Layton and McDonnell clearly trying to imitate Perez's layout style. It's not bad, it's well-drawn, but it does make me wish that Perez did the art duties for the whole issue.

Nick Fury goes on talking about her days in the Avengers, her decision to retire from the spy business and live as a socialite. She would eventually decide that life wasn't for her, and then she went back to action, creating her iconic look, the red hair, black bodysuit, and golden belt and bracelets. Yeah, we're just recapping Natasha's history up to this point. That's pretty much what's happening here.

Anyway Fury recounts her time adventuring with Daredevil and then her time in LA and being in the Champions. A furious Widow storms into the room, demanding to know why SHIELD sent goons after her. Happy Sam explains it was to test Natasha's fitness for the mission, and Fury reiterates that he does not want her on it because of it being personal for her. Fury then reveals to Natasha that they want her to go after a missing man, fearing he may have defected to the Soviet Union. That man?

...Ivan Petrovitch.

This comic, is it good? I have to admit, I have a hard time trying to judge this thing. The problem is that it's not much on its own. It's just a recap of Natasha's history until 1983. That's really it. The artwork is very nice, but it's inconsistent due to the fact that two artists with different styles were doing this book. I'm guessing the reason why Perez couldn't pencil the whole book was he was also doing New Teen Titans at the time (This was 1983), so maybe he couldn't do the whole issue.

If you find this comic in the back issue bins, I would not recommend getting it on its own. If you do find this issue, try and pick up the other issues of Marvel Fanfare that continue the story with it. (Issues #11, 12, and 13) or even better, hunt down the trade paperback Black Widow: Web of Intrigue. It collects the storyline, and a couple other solo Black Widow stories.

Next time, I intend to take a look at the first issue of a mini-series, a superhero deconstruction that ended up sadly becoming rather forgotten thanks to another famous deconstruction that has been weaving its way into the DC Universe. Join me as we travel to Earth-712, and witness the beginnings of the downfall of the Squadron Supreme...