Written by Duane Swierczynski. Art by Manuel Garcia; Lorenzo Ruggiero; Bit; Jim Charalapidis; & Blambot’s Nate Piekos.
Iron Man: Kiss and Kill Written by Jim Ahearne. Art by by Brian Ching; Michael Atiyeh; & Dave Sharpe
Compilation Cover Art by Travel Foreman & June Chung.
SUMMARY:
Released by Marvel Comics in 2011, this 96-page compilation reprints Black Widow # 6-8 and the Iron Man: Kiss and Kill one-shot (from 2010-2011). In Houston, Texas, Natasha “Black Widow” Romanova goes undercover to protect vengeful Nick Crane, the son of a dead U.S. Senator. Word is out that Crane intends to publicly expose her involvement precipitating his father’s controversial death.
Facing Black Widow is a lethal impersonator, Fatale, whose mercenary stock in trade is helping her employer blackmail high-powered U.S. political players as expendable pawns. Set across multiple Eastern European locales, with Crane as a reluctant ally, Natasha aims to neutralize the enigmatic threat pulling this scheme’s nefarious strings.
In Kiss and Kill, Natasha (with some help from Pepper Potts) prepares Tony Stark for an undercover mission into Russia to probe the theft of an experimental Iron Man armored suit. A familiar old foe awaits them having baited an alluring deathtrap. With Tony forcibly transformed into an Iron Man-shaped, guided missile, his perilous team-up with Natasha may well change the course of Avengers history.
Notes: Despite Wolverine’s romantic pose with Natasha on Iron Man: Kiss and Kill’s cover, he is not even mentioned in the story.
REVIEW:
Oddly, the first page’s artwork depicting a ‘presidential’ flashback is an immediate credibility killer – this supposed U.S. President appears far too youthful and contemporary to actually be one. If the artist meant to convey a JFK-like figure, the sleazy imagery simply isn’t believable … that is, unless he is supposed to be a president’s playboy son. Murky visuals for the adult-friendly Issues # 6-8, otherwise, are more than sufficient.
Yet, it is contrived plot twists that hamper writer Duane Swierczynski’s murder-mystery/espionage tale at the wrong times. Primarily, Black Widow’s undercover team-up with Fatale rings false, given the script’s dire circumstances. Also escaping virtually unscathed from plenty of intense (and sometimes explosive) violence multiple times is another familiar dose of salt readers must swallow. Overall, the Swierczynski tale still merits a single read – opting for an inconclusive finish is fine in theory, but this one falls far short of reasonable satisfaction.
Note: In dubious taste, without using actual names, Swierczynski’s script lifts the real-life 2006 radiation poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.
In the Iron Man team-up, its visuals are easily this collection’s best asset. Though the plot is somewhat implausible, Natasha & Tony’s reliable chemistry delivers the necessary fun. A cameo by the original Avengers is also a nice touch.
Overall, the content of Black Widow: Kiss or Kill should be welcomed by Natasha’s fans. The flip side, regrettably, is that its skimpy page count is unjustifiable. Had this title been supplemented by additional stories (i.e. some vintage Black Widow/Iron Man reprints), then one would make a far more convincing argument that Kiss or Kill is a keeper.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Foreman & Chung’s three covers (Issues # 6-8) are included in a full-page format. The same applies to Brian Ching & Chris Sotomayor’s cover for Iron Man: Kiss and Kill. There’s also two bonus covers: Scott Campbell & Brian Stelfreeze’s Issue # 1 variant (resembling Scarlett Johansson); and a vampire-themed Issue # 7 variant by Stephane Perger.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars