BLACK WIDOW : Super Spy

"I'm my own woman -- first, , last -- and always!"--BLACK WIDOW
Know Your CBM Character - BLACK WIDOW. Who she is? What are her powers and abilities? Who played her in live media.

Who is BLACK WIDOW?
Like many other comicbook characters, the name BLACK WIDOW is shared by several individual. But the most famous of them all is Natalia "Natasha" Romanova, Russian Super-Spy and later one of S.H.I.E.L.D.S. top agents.

BLACK WIDOW is a Marvel Comics Universe character created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Don Rico and artist Don Heck. She first appeared in Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964).

VISUAL HISTORY
First Appearance
1964: The BLACK WIDOW's first appearances were as a recurring, non-costumed, Soviet-spy antagonist in the feature "Iron Man", beginning in Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964).

First Costume
1965: A few issues after her first appearance, she was given by her government a uniform to wear on her missions. (I just recently wrote an article on Black Canary and I can't shake the feeling that this costume is too close to that design.)

Sleek BLACK WIDOW
1970: We first see BLACK WIDOW's black bodysuit in “Amazing Spider-Man” #86. This suit has become the trademark outfit of the character. Throughout the years this has been her regular outfit with slight alteration here and there mostly on her belt and wrist weapons, and usually its just a color change.

Gray BLACK WIDOW
The 80s came and we are introduced to a new BLACK WIDOW suit. The idea is still the same from her previous suit make it sleek and body hugging. But this time around she foregoes the belt, bracelets, and zippers (just imagine how she gets into that suit, and what if she needs to go real bad?). She does get a logo, placed on her left chest and another BLACK WIDOW spider logo at her back. When the rocking 90s came she just added on a leather jacket.

BLACK WIDOW 90s
Still in the 90s, BLACK WIDOW redesigned again her suit, she regained her wrist weapons, but misplaced her belt which is now located on her right thigh. And what supposed to be analogs of spiderlegs adorn the sides of her costume.

Back in Black
Nothing beats the classic so BLACK WIDOW returns to his now considered classic look.

Spysuits
As an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. she does have to wear other suits appropriate for the occasion. Here are several of those outfits.

IN LIVE MEDIA
Scarlett Johansson played the BLACK WIDOW in Iron Man 2. In the film she is an undercover spy for S.H.I.E.L.D. posing as Stark's assistant. She originally appears as Pepper's new assistant Natalie Rushman. Later on in the film, she is revealed by Nick Fury to be S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Natasha Romanoff who was tasked with keeping an eye on Stark.

POWERS & ABILITIES
Note: Due to the nature of comicbooks being an on-going tale, the character's powers along with his appearance, is in a constant state of flux.

Artificially Enhanced Physiology: Natasha has received the Red Room's variant of the Super-Soldier Serum. As a result, many of her body's physical capabilities have been heightened to the peak of human capability.

Peak Human Strength: Her physical strength is heightened to a level that is beyond the natural physical limits of a woman of her height, weight and build. She is capable of lifting up to 500 lbs.

Peak Human Speed: Her speed is also enhanced to the peak of human capability. Natasha is as fast as a human can be without being classified as superhuman.

Peak Human Agility: Natasha's natural agility is heightened to the peak of human capability. She is as agile as a human being can be without being classified as superhuman.

Peak Human Reflexes: Her reaction time is similarly enhanced and functions with the peak of human efficiency and capability.

Peak Human Durability: Natasha's bodily tissues have been augmented to the pinnacle of human development. Though she can be injured in the typical ways other humans can be, she is as physically tough as a human being can be without being classified as superhuman.

Peak Human Senses: Her five senses are enhanced and function at peak of human perfection.

Peak Human Immune System: While she is susceptible to disease like all other ordinary humans, her ability to resist and recover from them is heightened to the peak of human capability.

Extended Longevity: The Super-Soldier serum variant has also extended her lifespan by dramatically slowing her natural aging process. Although she is almost 70 years old, she has the youthful appearance and vitality of a woman in the physical prime of her life.

Master Martial Artist: Natasha is an expert in the field of martial arts. She has mastered karate, judo, aikido, savate, boxing, and multiple styles of kung fu.

Expert Acrobat: She is an Olympic class athlete, gymnast, acrobat and aerialist capable of many difficult feats.

Expert Marksman: Natasha is a very accurate marksman skilled in sharpshooting and knife throwing.

Multilingual: She is fluent in Russian, English, French, German, Chinese, and various other languages.

Expert Tactician: She is a very effective strategist, tactician, and field commander.

Talented Hacker: Natasha can hack into most computer systems without tripping any firewalls or security.

Master Seductress: She is an expert in the field of seduction. Natasha has been infamously known to bend many different men to her will and sometimes even get them to do her bidding for her. Hawkeye and Iron Man are two examples and living proof of this. She sometimes continues deceiving certain men through means of acting if she still has a further use for them.

Expert Spy: Natasha is a dangerous secret agent trained in espionage, stealth, disguise, infiltration, and demolitions.

sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Widow_(Natalia_Romanova) : http://marvel.wikia.com/Natalia_Romanova_(Earth-616) : http://www.comicvine.com/black-widow/29-3200/ : http://kesslerkomics.com/?p=7913 : http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2008/07/femme-fatale.html

This is the 29th article in my Know Your CBM Character series. Any requests and suggestions for an article for this series write it down in the comment section BELOW.

P0llMaster
5/8/2011
DCMU

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