Black Widow (Marvel Comics)

Black Widow is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.

Claire Voyant

Claire Voyant was one of the first costumed, superpowered female protagonists in comics created by writer George Kapitan and artist Harry Sahle. She first appeared in Mystic Comics #4 (August 1940). The character is an antihero who kills evildoers to deliver their souls to Satan, her master. The character is unrelated to the later Marvel Comics superheroines who took on the codenames.

Natalia Romanova / Natasha Romanoff

Natalia "Natasha" Alianovna Romanova is the first character to take on the Black Widow codename in the modern mainstream Marvel Comics. She was created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Don Rico and artist Don Heck, and first appeared in Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964). The character has been associated with several superhero teams in the Marvel Universe, including the Avengers, the Defenders, the Champions, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the Thunderbolts. She has appeared in many other forms of media, including the major motion pictures Iron Man 2 and The Avengers, where she was portrayed by actress Scarlett Johansson.

Yelena Belova

Yelena Belova is the second Black Widow in the modern mainstream comics who debuted briefly in Inhumans #5 (March 1999). She was fully introduced in the 1999 Marvel Knights mini-series Black Widow. A second miniseries, also titled Black Widow and featuring Natasha Romanoff and Daredevil, followed in 2001. The next year, she did a solo turn in her own three-issue miniseries titled Black Widow: Pale Little Spider under the mature-audience Marvel MAX imprint. This June to August 2002 story arc, by writer Greg Rucka and artist Igor Kordey, was a flashback to the story of her becoming the second modern Black Widow, in events preceding her Inhumans appearance.

Monica Chang

Monica Chang, the second Black Widow in the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Art by Leinil Francis Yu.

Monica Chang-Fury is the second Black Widow in the Ultimate Marvel continuity that appears in Ultimate Comics: Avengers. Despite the painful memories associated with the previous Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), she refuses to change her codename. It is revealed that Monica is Asian-American and was the ex-wife of Nick Fury but the marriage fell apart after she discovered that he had been sleeping with various female members of her family and limited social circle, including her own mother.

On the Avengers, she and other led a mission to re-capture Captain America and then ends up facing against the Red Skull. She also helps capture and recruit the Punisher into the team. She was an active member of the team throughout their missions. Monica was transferred to the New Ultimates, where she was immediately pitted against her former teammates when it was discovered that Nick Fury was supposedly selling S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets. After Fury returned as director of S.H.I.E.L.D., he reassembled the Ultimates and Monica joined the team, moving with her (and Fury's) baby (Julius Chang) to the Triskelion. She is currently Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. by order of President Captain America. She later gives Fury and Abigail Brand permission to restart the "Howling Commandos" to combat the threat of HYDRA.

Earth-616

An alternate version of Monica from Marvel's mainstream Earth-616 continuity will appear in the Avengers A.I. series.