Black Widow - Going Out West!

One of the defining features of the Marvel Universe in its early day was the decision to locate nearly all the heroes in the New York City area. (The peripatetic Hulk was a notable exception.) This made it easier for the heroes to crossover which they did constantly and added a smidge of realism. DC had Coast City, Central City, Gotham City, and most famously of all Metropolis. Each hero had his or her own burg to protect. But in the MU it was different so when Daredevil and the Black Widow switched operations to San Fancisco was a big deal. 

 

But oddly when DD first moves to San Francisco he and the Widow are barely moved into their plush digs (thanks to her money) when he finds an old foe -- Electro. A fight ensues. 

Likewise,a vintage DD villain, Killgrave the Purple Man turns up as a minor league mastermind. Both DD and the Widow lose their free will when he's around. 

These two baddies team up to give DD and the Widow an even harder time. While the Black Widow is a substantial part of the storytelling, she rarely made the covers. 

A notable exception is issue ninety where both Widow and DD are shown to be fearful of their surroundings. And it's for a good reason. 

Yet another old-time Daredevil villain is dusted off --Mr. Fear. It's a new face beneath that skull-like mask but the terror he instills in his victims is no less potent. 

In issue ninety-two there is a major breakthrough. The logo of the book changes to reflect the growing role of the Black Widow in the comic. "Daredevil and the Black Widow" becomes the new name to check for on the spinner racks. Like "Captain America and the Falcon" it is determined that two is better than one to attract customers. I remember loving this change at the time. I was much impressed with the fact that Matt and Natasha were clearly lovers, and not just the weepy pining kind which was the norm for all comics. These were two more-or-less adult folks who had a more-or-less adult relationship and that my friends means sex. There was no doubt in my teenage brain that Murdock and Romanoff were getting busy between the sheets, though that was not shown. 

They are drawn closer together still when a secret from the Widow's past shows up and results in a villain named The Indestructible Man. All of San Francisco is under threat from this menace. Natasha for her part had to deal with a man from her past who showed up.  

With the next two-part tale things begin to change. Gene Colan is still on board as the pencil artist, but his ideal inker Tom Palmer is called away to make room for Ernie Chua. Gerry Conway plots this DD story making room for Steve Gerber on scripting chores. But through all that Bullpen drama, Matt and Natasha seem only to grow more comfortable with one another. DD is hurt grievously when the Man-Bull shows up to create havoc. The Widow needs to act alone to keep things at bay until he can rejoin the fray. 

The Conway, Gerber, Colan and Chua team are up again for a bizarre two-parter about Mordecai Jones the Dark Messiah and the Disciples of Doom. They have wild realty-altering powers but the power stems from the Messiah himself, a young boy injured on the street who is operated on by a mysterious figure in the hospital. No explanation much is given for how this all could be, but it does point to the fact that the newer writers at Marvel had a real penchant for the cosmic. DD and the Widow are over their heads or so it seems for most of this one. 

Guest artist Sam Kweskin is buoyed by Syd Shore's inks but still this is a pretty static looking comic when Hawkeye, Natasha's old beau comes to San Fran for a visit. In Steve Gerber's first full script Hawkeye and DD mix it up a bit but aside from injured pride there are few consequences here save that the Avengers show up and sweep DD and the Widow away. 

The reason is Magneto who has reappeared and taken the X-Men and several Avengers in thrall using his amazing powers. DD and the Widow join the team to battle the arch villain in a story by Steve Englehart and Don Heck. I've always liked Heck's take on the Widow and she looks good here. After the battle is won the Avengers offer both Hornhead and Natasha a spot on the roster. He turns them down, but in a surprise move the Black Widow finally becomes a fully-fledged Avenger after spending  years in the background of the comic book. 

Then it's time for Daredevil's one hundredth issue. Daredevil has left the Widow behind with the Avengers and returns to San Francisco in time to reflect on his origin story and then encounter most of his old foes, although they turn out to be illusions. Those hallucinations are created by a new enemy named Angar the Screamer. DD sadly had the least impressive centennial to date. 

Angar the Screamer appeared at the end of issue one hundred and this issue picks up the action with art by Rich Buckler. Angar is a militant hippie who has been given the power to induce hallucinations with the sound of his voice. He's walking talking LSD. DD and the Widow fend off his threat. 

Next up is the vintage villain The Stiltman who is out to steal equipment which will make him more powerful. It's all DD and Widow can do to knock over his plans in this issue drawn by Syd Shores and inked by Frank Giacoia. 

Don Heck becomes the regular artist on Daredevil just in time to feature new baddie Ramrod, a roughneck with steel reinforced bones. He gives DD, Widow and guest-star Spider-Man more trouble than you'd expect. There is also the suggestion that Ramrod is part of the same plot which created the Black Messiah. 

And speaking of Spidey, the longtime arachnid enemy Kraven the Hunter is enlisted to track down and eliminate Daredevil. The Widow of course gets involved. This ends on a literal cliffhanger. 

The gang is all gathered as the mastermind makes his final move. The Dark Messiah is reactivated, Ramrod breaks out, and even Angar the Screamer is summoned. DD for his part is confused until Moondragon shows up and says she's been fighting against the threat of Thanos and has enlisted an ally. Sadly that ally, the Matt Murdock's boss proves to be the villain behind the scenes and has used Moondragon's science to make Terrax, a giant green creature able to absorb life. In addition to the regularly scheduled Don Heck art this time we have a vignette drawn by Jim Starlin summing up Moondragon's life including her confusing debut as Madame McEvil in Iron Man. One nifty trick this issue is that DD gets his sight back by means of Moondragon's science but he also loses his edge as Daredevil so he makes the sacrifice of sight again to save the day. 

The battle rages as Dark Messiah is dealt with. Angar though suffers a tragedy when Terrax kills his girlfriend. Ramrod stays the course but is a tough nut to crack. The story ends with Terrax threatening all of San Francisco is the mastermind doesn't get his way. 

This volume ends just as Steve Gerber's story does. Bob Brown steps into the penciling chair with Sal Buscema on inks to wrap up this story which co-stars Captain Marvel. Mar-Vell is making waves in his own comic book in his epic struggle against Thanos and that battle leaks over into these pages. Angar the Screamer turns against the powers that made him in retaliation for his girlfriend's demise. DD and the Widow are beginning a rocky part since DD seems more than a tad interested in the evocative Moondragon.  But by story's end Terrax is defeated, the heroes are victorious (for the moment) and the world is momentarily safe. 

One thing that has been happening in the book in the more recent issues is that Natsha's role has diminished. The relationship between the Widow and DD was never really well explained but they seemed to be lovers who shared a residence if not a room. I guess in the early 70's that was as daring as Conway and Gerber thought they could go. But as a reader at the time I never doubted they had a sexual relationship, in many ways a very adult relationship. That relationship will be severely tested in the issues of  Daredevil to come. Issue one hundred and seven was in fact the last to have the Black Widow in the logo, though her image would remain for a bit longer. 

I'll touch on those significant Daredevil issues tomorrow. 

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