Gene in January, Day TenDaredevil #81, page 8 by Gene Colan and Jack
Abelhttps://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1693871
What can I say about Gene Colan's Black Widow that Paris didn't give voice to
about Helen, that Tristan didn't declare about Isolde, that Robert Browning
didn't inscribe about Elizabeth Barrett Browning? Gene's Natasha sings in my
blood, and finding Colan pages from her brief solo outing in Amazing Adventures
is my quest that spans decades and continents.
But, there are only thirty of those, and many more wonderful Black Widow pages
from her co-starring run in Daredevil #81-124. This issue begins the
Natasha/Matt saga that gave us many cool stories, and abundant opportunities
for Gene Colan to apply his considerable penciling talents to depicting the
Black Widow.
This page was an objet de désir for years before finding its way to the
collection that loves it, and checks a number of collecting boxes.
See: Natasha toweling off and changing, included in the narrative for no
particular reason (a callback to Amazing Adventures #5, and an established
trope by this point)!
See: Natasha saying "Eyes front" to her chauffeur and foster father figure,
Ivan Petrovich (a callback to Amazing Adventures #3)!
See: Young writer Gerry Conway's unfledged, inelegant yet well intentioned
lurching early attempts to acknowledge the social reality of second-wave
feminism in his characterization of Natasha Romanoff. Fifty years later, it's
easy to forget that this was a big step in the process of building a unique,
three-dimensional character with depth, personality, and clear motivations.
Thanks, Lars!
Pax,Sean
