Daredevil: Korkusuz!, Cilt 7: Black Widow

Daredevil (1998) (Collected Editions)

by Brian Michael Bendis

İsteğinize kavuştunuz. Daredevil’ın ateşli eski sevgilisi, yeni Kingpin’e sokakları temiz tutmasında yardım etmek için Hell’s Kitchen’a dönüyor. Ama aslında neden döndü? Marvel’ın en büyük aşk hikâyelerinden biri ilginç bir dönemece geliyor ve hepsi korkunç yüzlü JIGSAW’un karşısında gerçekleşiyor! Daredevil’a Nick Fury ve Avengers konuk oluyorlar.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Crime, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

136 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2004

About the author

A comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.

Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.

Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.

Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.

Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.

Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.

He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Madame Hydra is captured in Bulgaria but the local authorities won’t give the Avengers the collar – unless they give them Black Widow in exchange. The US government quietly sends someone out to capture Natasha who decides to hide in plain sight with Matt Murdock – who also has a big target on his head now that he’s the Kingpin! Ah, quiet reunions are never a thing between exes anyway!

Daredevil, Volume 10: The Widow is an ok read but it feels like Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev have stopped trying at this point. The public hounding of Matt Murdock, continually asking if he’s Daredevil, feels really played out and the main storyline is entirely tension-free. Will Daredevil and Black Widow defeat No-Name Assassin #398 and Jigsaw, a D-list Leatherface cosplayer? Exactly – hardly edge-of-your-seat stuff.

That said, it’s a well-written and entertaining enough read it just feels like a bit of a pointless storyline. Speaking of pointless, the Daredevil 40th Anniversary issue was even more so! It’s full of uninteresting short stories like Matt meeting with Nick Fury and Captain America, neither of which go anywhere, and there are addendums to scenes from earlier in the series which are needless and feel repetitive.

The Widow is a readable and mildly fun volume but it’s an unremarkable and unmemorable addition to the series. Not bad, not great, not much of anything!

[ShamNoop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would’ve been better if the writers toned down the horny art, especially the cover artist

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A four-issue interlude featuring Daredevil (aka Matt Murdock) teaming up with his ex, the Black Widow (aka Natasha Romanova), and bookended with Matt dealing with a request for annulment from his current estranged wife, Milla Donovan. Matt and Natasha angst-flirt as they go up against Jigsaw and a strangely chatty sniper.

This short volume seems to be a nice excuse to bring Black Widow into the Bendis/Maleev run and show how Matt reacts to someone he has a good history with when trying to sort out his feelings about his admittedly failing marriage. Matt and Natasha clearly still have a mutual attraction and Matt struggles with succumbing to the comfort she offers, ultimately showing resolve and commitment to his marriage, though Foggy makes things clear for him by the end by convincing Matt that if he loves her, he'll give Milla what she wants. The scenes with Jigsaw and the sniper Quinn are funny and a nice counterpoint to Matt's internal conflict.

A fun team-up with a very effective use of Black Widow.

[Jaye Berry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This shit pissed me off SO bad. I loved seeing my girl Black Widow but also I hated to see her because all they did was be super horny and draw her oversexualized, especially the damn covers. Like bro take a cold shower and stop jerking onto the page jesus christ.

Black Widow drops in for a 4 issue arc where another country wants her in exchange for a prisoner. So she decides to hide in plain sight with Matt Murdock, who has a media circus around him about him being Daredevil.

I actually didn't hate these two together as much as I thought. They made a good team and I liked them fighting together but I'll always prefer Daredevil / Elektra and Black Widow / Winter Soldier. Wouldn't shake my fist at Daredevil / Winter Soldier or Black Widow / Elektra though!!

I like this run, truly. But at this point it seems like the dude has nothing to say and this was just a whole lot of nothing stretched out. Then there was a long anniversary issue and while seeing the other artists was cool, it was pointless.

Like Daredevil is not moving forward, there is no momentum and it is starting to get a lil boring.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fun story with Black Widow teaming up with Matt. Some great back and forth, cool fights, and some even sexy moments. I will say the issue 65 was a bit overly done and not as good as it could have been.

[Matty Dub · Rating 2 out of 5]

This arc was a disappointment, there’s no forward movement for Matt, the book spins its wheels for the four issue Black Widow arc and ends on an iffy anniversary #65 that features way too many words that say too little. While Bendis is jerking himself off to the sound of his voice, Maleev is pulling a Greg Land on the Black Widow covers, absolutely disgusting stuff. Jarring arc, crazy how quickly things can go bad.

[Gavin Abdollahi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natash Romanova, a.k.a. the Black Widow, is in trouble, so she comes to Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil.
Also, an annual (I think?) is thrown in.

First, lets begin by saying that the run still hasn't gotten its tone back, save for that one spread page, where the many tiny panels design reminded me of the first couple of volumes.
Second, I wanna talk about the Black Widow storyline.
It was entertaining, and the art was, as always, good... Though, it wasn't anything wow.

The annual?
It wasn't good.
Most of the art was just pathetic, the storylines even more so. Though it had some good stuff , like the Spider-man story art, which was really something, and the really cool after credits thing.

So, still hoping that the Bendis run will return to what it used to be, but... The run's almost done, so maybe I shouldn't get my hopes too high...

[Eve O. Spellman · Rating 4 out of 5]

- 2* = One towel/sheet pull away from complete nudity.
+ * = Widow Awesomeness

Widow is still cool though!

[Ben Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 stars)

A very valuable addition to this run, featuring lots of great moments.

The Black Widow story obviously takes the primary focus (I mean, it’s named after her), and I can see why, it’s awesome. I love how it picks up after the game changing previous volume, with a relatively simple story featuring S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, as Black Widow hangs out with Daredevil to avoid being captured by enemy forces. The assassin and Jigsaw are very cool villains, who despite little development and interactions with the heroes, managed to make a big impact, and stand out as villains who I’d like to see more of in the future, due to their memorable traits and fun action sequences. The relationship drama side of this story, where we see a love triangle between Matt, Milla and Natasha, was actually compelling, since we get to see the sensitive side to Matt, as he admits his lingering feelings for his ex wife, forcing him to make the hardest, most controversial, most insane decision he’s made in his entire time on the page… turning down sex with Black Widow. He’s a better man than me fr. The ending to this section was clever and satisfying, as all the lose ends get tied up, and this kinda couple go their separate ways, but then, I was confused, because there were 2 more issues, and the story has been wrapped up.

The next 2 issues were very interesting, and while they don’t add much to the Black Widow story, they do add to the overall run and help flesh out the world/story. I complained that the ‘Matt is the King Pin’ plot was resolved too quickly, and we should’ve gotten more time with it, and now through this retrospective issue, we do. I love the inclusion of the Punisher, and Matt talking to Dr Strange some more, they were incredible moments and make him a more interesting character during this time. Also, even though the art is different, I really like it, it’s more conventional, but still looks good. Also we get a great final issue going over the story of ex King Pin, Bont. It’s shown with striking and stylish art, as his empire crumbles at the hands of Daredevil, only to come back with a vengeance, and volcano head. It’s very simple, but well told and was a great note to end on.

They change up the art on the final issues, which is refreshing, and looks awesome, but the Makeev art is still the goat, and complements Bendis’ writing with its gritty and realistic style. The story is just really well done, it’s not the most groundbreaking stuff, but it doesn’t need to be in order to have me hook, line and sinkered.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, Milla files for annulment, on account of Matt's mental problems being the
false pretenses' under which he married her, and Matt torments himself, torn between his reverence for the sanctity of marriage and love for Milla, and respecting her enough to give her what she wanted. Meanwhile, Natasha Romanova aka The Black Widow is on the run from her own agency and decides to hide in plain sight. With Matt.

Published as a 40th anniversary special for Daredevil, it works because it doesn't necessarily have that big sort of celebration feel to it; it's very much still in tune with the tone of Bendis' run on the comic, somber, dark and semi-realistic but stylish artwork, and that oftentimes rapid-fire banter between the characters. There's plenty of action, with DD and Widow running around, having adventures, and it does have a great sense of fun.

And herein I realized my biggest problem with the way Milla was being written: she's held in too much reverence to banter with Matt the way Foggy and Nat are, she's too serious, and her scenes far too weepy and tense, and it's seemingly made her lose all of her personality. It wasn't that way in the beginning, but she's suffering from the curse of the good girl, being held as an example of what men should aspire to instead of being any sort of fully realized and complex character.

Spoiler: Matt grants her the annulment because he does really love her, and she's shocked and presumably realizing that they're still in love, even after telling him that she could live without him. I know it's that, If you love someone, set them free aesthetic, but it seems particularly shallow here.

The collection ends with a series of vignettes by different artists (all written by Bendis) of how other characters in the Marvel universe reacted to Matt's being outted, as well as a few "missing scenes." They're well done, but nothing necessarily to write home about. They add texture, and they're well-written; they weren't a chore to read, but they ultimately added very little.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt nie ma łatwego życia towarzyskiego. Gdy tylko z jego radaru znika jedna kobieta, natychmiast następna się pojawia. Tym razem jest to jego dawna kochanka, Natasza Romanowa aka. Czarna Wdowa, która za którą wlecze się mały smrodek politycznych zagrywek.

Władze na najwyższych szczeblach chcą doprowadzić do pewnego dealu, dość kłopotliwego bowiem druga strona ma nietypowe żądanie. Chcą aby władze USA i samo SHIELD wydało im Nataszę. Nick Fury ostrzega swoją protegowaną, a ta udaje się do ostatniego miejsca, w które powinna się udać. Matt bowiem znajduje się przecież w niesłabnącym zainteresowaniu mediów. Takie spotkanie nie może umknąć niczyjej uwadze.

Nie pomaga to prawnikowi, który ma problemy w swoim świeżutkim małżeństwie. Milla ma zwyczajnie dosyć takich atrakcji, które jak na złość skumulowały się w czasie gdy para zaczęła się ze sobą spotykać na serii. A do tego dochodzą problemy z Jigsaw'em, który najpierw chce zacząć działalność pod egidę nowego Kingpina, a w obliczu odmowy postanawia skrócić Daredevila o głowę. Zadanie tym łatwiejsze, że publika wie gdzie mieszka Matt, a ten przecież nie może zareagować w biały dzień, bo potwierdzi wszystkim to o czym szumnie gadają media.

Nie zazdroszczę Mattowi. Ja bym się chyba nie powstrzymał, gdyby zobaczył "wyćwiczoną" agentkę SHIELD w swoim łóżku... Maleev robi doskonale swoją robotę, nadając Nataszy tak apetyczny wygląd, że pewnie tybetański mnich by się skusił... Czarna Wdowa to kłopoty w postaci agentów, którzy chcą ją zdjąć. Tak zaczyna się swoista gra w wybiegi, gra w kotka i myszkę. Jest tu też cała masa walk, co ucieszy czytelników nastawionych na nieco "żywsze" rysunki. Dla mnie 4.5/5, bo miejscami historia wydała mi się taka zwyczajna, zwłaszcza w pryzmacie tego co było w dwóch poprzednich tomach...

[David Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it may not strike the same chord as his previous Daredevil TPB's such as Hardcore and King of Hell's Kitchen, The Widow still finds Bendis' noir-ish take on Daredevil one of the best books to come out of Marvel. Obviously, it features the Black Widow, Natasha Romanov, Matt's partner and former lover. She is always sexy, always interesting, but in this book she feels like a real human, both vulnerable and strong, and the interchange between her and Matt feels very true to life. If life happened to be about former Russian spies and men with superhuman senses....

My favorite moment is when Matt comes home and finds Natasha waiting for him, in his bed, naked. Matt's thoughts are something to the effect of, "I used to dream about this sort of thing happening to me in high school." And you can't help thinking, sure she is here to use you for protection, but I'll be damned if the Widow isn't the only lady in Matt's life who is worthy of him. He doesn't take advantage of her, because he is still in love with his estranged wife, but they are so in touch with each other in this book that you really wish he would.

With the aftermath of the massive gang war lingering over him, it soon becomes clear that Natasha's arrival is based on some ulterior motives as they both come under fire from assassins, and Matt has a run in with disfigured Punisher villain Jigsaw. Alex Maleev's art is still superb, and his rendering of Natasha is mouth watering. Also collected here is the 40th Anniversary issue of DD, written by Bendis and featuring art from Maleev and guest artists Frank Quitely, David Finch, Greg Horn, Jae Lee, and P. Craig Russell among others.

[47Time · Rating 2 out of 5]

Divorce! Oh, no! Well, technically, annulment. Same thing. Oh, no! Matt is still a pussy with depression. 'What to do? Where to go? Woe is me...' pussy... And there's too much text. Is this author paid by the letter? Good thing there's naked Natasha, the Black Widow. No, wait, she sucks too.

Captain America arrests the head of Hydra in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian ambassador demands she be handed over to the country's authorities. He negotiates with the CIA for Black Widow's head instead. She goes into Matt's bed first to fulfill his fantasy as a 15-year-old and then to beat up some bad guy named Jigsaw. The CIA director isn't pleased that she is disobeying orders.

During a date with Natasha, the two get shot at by Quinn, the most talkative assassin in fiction - he's going to write a book from his recordings. He puts Matt down with an advanced dog whistle (why isn't every one of his enemies using one of those by now?) and throws Natasha off the building, like you would an amateur, into a garbage bin - where this story deserves to be.

Jigsaw tries to kill Matt in his house. Natasha distracts Jigsaw until Matt calls the police. Just like a pussy. Quinn, the only serviceable character of this story, is arrested by SHIELD. Lastly, Matt signs the annulment papers. Oh, no, love is dead.

[Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a weird collection.
Not much happens and the daredevil bits are mostly done in flashbacks. The entire volume felt a bit like filler.
I did enjoy the 3 part Blackwidow team-up, but it didn't really say or do anything that hasn't already been said or done before. The next two books were mostly retellings, or plot hole fillers to explain why DD didn't ask for help from all his super buddies to fix his identity problem. I kind of think we're passed that point in the story, but I have a fantasy that the only reason the book was written was to shut up that one guy that hangs out in the comic shop and ruins things for everyone else by complaining about your favorite books and or arguing hero physics. ( you know exactly who I'm talking about) The temporary art change made things even worse.
The last book is an into into the next storyline which might be fun, but I kind of have a feeling that it's going to be an old man-terminal illness-one last shot at revenge- type of plot. We'll see.
If you like DD and BW teams ups, this was fun. The rest was pretty pointless, with a slight uptick at the very end again.

[Jimbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big fan of Daredevil and this is the story of his secret Identity being leaked to the press and the US government basically selling Black Widow to a foreign country. Making the deal for Madame Hydra for Black Widow, only to have the Bulgarian's release Madam Hydra after the deal and Widow being taken care of by Nick Fury and not sending her to her death in a foreign land.

Again, the first meeting of BW and DD is collected in this collection (DD VOL.1 #81 -- Also collected in Black Widow: Sting of the Spider). A good story and it makes it interesting when you understand that they have a shared history, they fought together, fell in love, and although in this collection, DD is married (although getting an annulment) that there is still sparks between the two.

Good collection. DD is always worth reading as well as Black Widow.

[Bene Vogt · Rating 2 out of 5]

240 pages after Matt Murdock declares himself “Kingpin of Hell’s Kitchen” and everybody and their cat telling him that he’s taking things too far, it still remains entirely unclear what it actually means, finding it’s climax in a scene where Murdock complains “I’m not the Kingpin of crime, just the Kingpin, it’s not complicated!” to himself in one monologue.

There’s also more superhero fights and Captain America talking exactly the same like Nick Fury and DD.

How this got the reputation of a classic I can’t fathom, even allowing for different standards back then.

[Cheeno · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this arc I definitely wanted to read more of Widow and Devil's tandem! The art is fantastic and very classical Italian Renaissance I don't know what. This storyline also delivered what I expect Murdock to be the sexy hero he is that Netflix Daredevil had sold me. This is amplified by Natasha's assured temptation and allure. But Matthew is really sexy here!
The tension in the story is incredible, with evasion and combat I think is well suited for a live adaptation.

[Bassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was quite ok, the story about The Widow was ok, the dynamic between Matt and Natasja was great. However, the anniversary issue was something that spoilt this book for me. Although some artists showed great art, others do simply not hold up against Maleev’s artwork. The stories in the anniversary issue were not memorable either, and the golden age art is ugly IMO, I simply do not like that type of art.

[Surly Gliffs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up another volume from the Bendis-Maleev run on Daredevil. This one is surprisingly mediocre, with a plot that offers little and goes nowhere. Widow swans into New York, establishes she is the hottest Daredevil girlfriend (props to Maleev's art there), and hits on Our Hero with minimal subtlety. Daredevil, being both Catholic and grumpily tortured in his fealty to his wedding vows, refuses. And scene. An eminently skippable volume of DD canon; not recommended.

[Néstor Vargas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not familiar with Matt’s relationship with Natasha, and even though this arc is not about them getting back together or anything so antic, I really enjoyed their dynamic. It was a good small, pause from the big conflict.

[Fabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I said this once and I’ll say it again, why are the women drawn so sexily? The storyline is great, I just don’t get how they need to be like this?

[Luka · Rating 3 out of 5]

someone was very horny drawing the cover pages lol

[Breiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Matt Murdock's life once more crumbles around him, his ex-girlfriend the Black Widow visits him, bringing some much needed levity.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mehhhh

[Odo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5+

[Cyril · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars
fun but not that memorable

[francesco · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one felt kind of pointless except for issue 65 which I really liked

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

The weakest arc of the run so far.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bendis and Meleev bring us yet another winning volume in which Matt Murdock's wife of less than a year, Milla Donovan, requests an annulment (she's learned that Matt may have been in state of personal crisis during their courtship and marriage and therefore doubts his love is sincere), when who should turn up on his doorstep, but an old flame. Natasha "The Black Widow" Romanov is an ex-Russian spy and agent of the peacekeeping agency S.H.I.E.L.D. Her life is on the line because...well it's a lot to explain, but let's just say that there's a lot of secret stuff going back and forth and powerful people are conspiring to take her down. So, she decides to camp out with her old beau, and together they do some crime fighting which seems cathartic for both of them. Great stuff as usual, although most of it doesn't really move the plot forward (except the scenes between Matt and Milla.)

This volume has a bonus feature by Bendis and illustrated by a variety of artists. It gives us a bunch of info on stuff that happened off panel during the events of the run and even back as far as Kevin Smith's run, filling in the cracks so-to-speak.

And then there's another bonus feature, a story from an old silver age Daredevil comic book that tells of the first meeting between old Horn-Head and his gal pal Natasha. It's an example of how weird comics could be back then. Honestly, I'm not sure what's going on in the story but the narator keeps saying things like "And we move back --to that ten-second point--and we change our scene to a nearby wharf--" and "And...who are we to make judgements? (sic) We only set the scene..."