Yelena Belova returns! Superspy. Rogue agent. Shadow of the Black Widow. Yelena Belova has been many things, but striking out as a hero in her own right is new to her. Now that she’s finally free to choose her own path, who will she become? With the spotlight coming on the big screen, Marvel is ramping up the spotlight on Belova, the White Widow, kicking things off with White Widow #1… and it’s an ok start.

Written by Sarah Gailey, there’s a lot ot like about White Widow #1. Where it’s good, it’s really good but overall the plot is a bit odd and a headscratcher. Yelena is trying to figure things out in her life. She’s moved to a town away from all of the superheroes and running her own business, acting as a mentor to other assassins and spies. She lives in a house with a bunch of other quirky characters and of course has a dog she adores. With her life being either controlled or stolen from her, she’s on a mission to figure things out. That includes small details about her likes, dislikes, and what she’s neutral about. And that’s where the issue shines.

Gailey delivers a fun comic showing off the quirks of Belova as she literally makes a list of the small details of her life. We get to see her thoughts laid out in lists and quips like Ladybugs don’t have enough spots. It’s a minor thing in the big picture but it gives personality to the character and delivers some laughs. That concept of trying to find one’s path is perfect for White Widow, a character who has mostly played a secondary role in the Marvel Universe. Gailey’s focus on that, and her lists, emphasizes this is a character who has never quite fit one column herself, being a villain, hero, and something else depending on the situation.

Where the comic stumbles is the big picture villain and that might have to do with the fact it’s a monthly comic and not a graphic novel to be read in one sitting. Of course there’s bad things happening in the small town she has moved to. A mysterious company has been buying up all of the businesses in the town and even has gone so far to send an assassin to try to intimidate the last owner and Yelena to sell out. It’s all a little over the top going from 0 to 60 without any escalation. Wouldn’t you just send some punks or gang to start? Why an augmented assassin? And of course the town Yelena just so happens to move to is having this problem.

The fact Yelena also seems to be struggling to connect the dots when things are so obvious is a little frustrating. The company doing the purchasing is also the same company trying to hire her mercenary/assassin proteges. The connection feels obvious but plays out in an odd way. Yelena immediately going into action to hunt down the company feels much more logical than what happens in the comic. The tactics used by the evil corporation also feels so over the top as presented as well, but once we get a better idea as to their wants, maybe it’ll make a bit more sense.

The art by Alessandro Miracolo is good. With color by Matt Milla and lettering by Travis Lanham, the comic has a nice balance in the visuals. There’s some action, some lighthearted moments, some comedy, and it all works. There’s also some solid layouts and design to introduce readers not just to Yelena but also the town and other characters. What particularly stands out is Yelena’s lists. While not everything is 100% readable, it feels like the comic goes out of its way for you to get a chance to read most of it or enough to guess as to what’s covered up. It’s a nice detail that adds a lot to the comic and delivers some solid humor.

White Widow #1 is an ok start overall. There’s a lot to like and the details deliver a fun read. But, it’s big picture plot feels a bit convoluted and as presented doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. That all could change as the series progresses but if you’re diving in, come for the cool action and decent laughs, just don’t think too much about anything else.

Story: Sarah Gailey Art: Alessandro Miracolo
Color: Matt Milla Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 7.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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