Black Widow, by Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande (Marvel)

This run seemingly came out of nowhere last year and took home the 2021 Eisner for “Best New Series”. I was pleasantly surprised by the tone and feel of the first volume (“The Ties That Bind”). Even though the 2016 Waid/Samnee series is probably an overall superior run, I’ve reread the first Thompson/Casagrande volume and it’s my favorite Black Widow story. It’s not perfect, (I found at least one major villain flaw and at least one direction I would have preferred they had done differently), but it was a buildup and setup that was just pure fun. I love the friends that come to help and the unique dynamic between each. There is a desperation and a “badassery” exhibited by our heroes. I can see why the series got some hype early on. Unfortunately, the second volume falls really flat and doesn’t deserve to be in the discussion for any awards (don’t waste your money on the second volume). Thompson decided to take the book in a different direction and left behind what made it work.