What's made Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto's Black Widow standout from the pack is how they are able merge Natasha's backstory into their overarching story. With Black Widow #19 we were able to finally get an issue dedicated to the backstory we have been treated in glimpses throughout this run. In exploring Natasha's backstory we were able to further dive into the core of who she really is. With how this story was framed Black Widow #19 is an easy jumping on point for anyone looking for a good Black Widow story. Read Full Review

Black Widow #19 is yet another fantastic issue, as though I would have preferred something in the present, it was a brilliant way to avoid being a Secret Wars tie-in. It also shows us great insight into Natasha's early life as a spy, proving that she had a moral compass even in her more questionable years. Read Full Review

When all's said and done, I have a feeling their run on Black Widow is going to be one of the most satisfying and complete runs in recent years. Read Full Review

This isnt the end, but its certainly the lead-in to it. Natasha appears that shell go out not with a bang but with a whimper as this is a very staid, subdued issue. And while its cliffhanger leaves an obvious route for some big action to find its way in later, its to the creative teams credit that theyre STILL able to craft such an amazingly compelling single issue that has no action outside of the mental workings of espionage and moving various pieces across the chessboard. Its also interesting to see a more brash, bold Black Widow make moves that the older, more experienced one would likely scoff at. This is a fantastic character study for one of the greats, and a worthy beginning of the end. Read Full Review

Black Widow #19 is an excellent, gripping start to what looks to be a definitive telling of Natasha Romanov's origins, and leaves us appropriately anxious, and perhaps apprehensive, to learn just what earned her the red of the Black Widow. Read Full Review