- Title: Black Widow: Venomous #1
- Comic Vine: link
- Writer: Erica Schultz
- Artist: Luciano Vecchio
I’m a little confused at the timing of this series (I know we’re getting some kind of symbiote event so maybe that’s why it was held off) but it sure seems like a series diving into Natasha‘s relationship with her symbiote would have made more sense before the Black Widow & Hawkeye mini-series that isn’t even referenced here. Anyway, what we get here is a failed mission to open the issue which leads Natasha to go to school with Sliver (who is given a name for the first time) to work out the kinks of their relationship.
It’s a bit of an awkward opener, but it does allow for several cameos from Natasha’s friends including Spider-Woman, Hawkeye, and Phil Coulson who each teach Sliver a few valuable lessons, introduce the broader symbiote experimentation storyline (which I assume is going to be part of this crossover), and give us a new costume for Black Widow when merged. There’s not quite enough for me, but those more into the symbiote storyline may enjoy the issue more.
[Marvel, $4.99]