Black Widow Reading Order

This reading order is designed to give a timeline of major storylines featuring Black Widow (Natalia Romanova) throughout Marvel Comics. It may not encompass every one of her appearances but is an outline of the major ones and the stories that affect them.

The continuity details relating to each specific storyline are explained in the “Review” of each storyline. Every “Review” link will provide a detailed continuity breakdown of that story and will explain any reference the story makes to other aspects of the DC Universe. All of this can be found under the “Continuity” section of each link.

Jump to: Silver Age – Marvel NOW!

Silver Age

This era sees the creation and introduction of Black Widow as a character. Before this era, she did not exist in the world of comics.

Her introduction occurs throughout several issues of Tales of Suspense, where she appears as one of Iron Man’s antagonists. Then, she goes on to have a small role in issues of the Avengers which explore her background and personality in more detail. Finally, she receives a costume change in Amazing Spider-Man before going on to star in the Amazing Adventures series.

Tales of Suspense issues are from the Vol. 1 series
Avengers issues are from the Vol. 1 series
Captain Marvel issues are from the Vol. 1 series
Amazing Spider-Man issues are from the Vol. 1 series
Amazing Adventures issue are from the Vol. 2 series

Notes

1. Almost all of these issues feature only extremely brief appearances from Black Widow. However, each deals with Black Widow and Hawkeye's relationship in a way that some fans may appreciate seeing.

Bronze-Modern Age

ComicBookWire is currently working on researching and developing the reading orders for these eras. The reading orders for them will be available at some point in the future.

Marvel NOW!

This era mostly continues the story from the previous era and introduces very few continuity changes.

Black Widow has a lot of appearances throughout this era but the majority of them only feature her as a supporting character. Her role as a member of the Avengers (Reading Order) and the Secret Avengers (Reading Order) makes up most of these secondary appearances, which play out in their respective comics. Meanwhile, her personal story primarily plays out through her solo series.

Avengers issues are from the Vol. 5 series
Avengers Assemble issues are from the Vol. 2 series
The first set of Secret Avengers issues are from the Vol. 2 series
Avenging Spider-Man issues are from the Vol. 1 series
Black Widow issue are from the Vol. 5 series
The second set of Secret Avengers issues are from the Vol. 3 series
New Avengers issues are from the Vol. 3 series

Notes

1. These Avengers (Reading Order) issues help establish Black Widow as one of the "core" members of the team. However, despite this fact, she does not have a large role in these issues and only contributes a little to the overall plot.
2. This Avengers issue has Black Widow in a much more prominent role. It specifically highlights her abilities as a spy and shows how these abilities relate to the rest of the team.
3. Black Widow is one of the members of the Secret Avengers (Reading Order). However, throughout this series, she mostly ends up in a supporting role and rarely has significant moments in the spotlight.
4. This Avenging Spider-Man issue is somewhat of a tie-in to the Secret Avengers series. It has Black Widow in a supporting role.
5. These A+X issues have Black Widow team-up with another character. Though they feature significant contributions from Black Widow, they do not place much emphasis on her personal story.
6. Black Widow plays a large role in these Inhumanity (Reading Order) tie-in issues. However, this role is mostly as a supporting character.
7. This second Secret Avengers (Reading Order) series has Black Widow as a member again. However, in this series, her role ends up being slightly less prominent than before.
8. These story arcs have Black Widow as one of several Avengers (Reading Order) involved in a specific mission. She has a rather large role in both of these mission but they do little to advance her story or develop her as a character.
9. Black Widow has a somewhat small, supporting role through the Original Sin (Reading Order) event. However, some aspects of the event provide an interesting reflection on her relationship with Nick Fury.
10. These Avengers issues give Black Widow a larger role than most Avengers issues. They also provide a prelude to the Time Runs Out (Reading Order) story arc.
11. These issue form Black Widow's contribution in the Time Runs Out story arc. Though she does not have a large role in this arc, her actions in it may be of interest to some readers.

Other Appearances

Avengers

Black Widow is a member of the Avengers throughout this era. Though some of her appearances alongside the team are included on this reading order, others are so small that they were not included here. Often, these other appearances amount to little more than a cameo or a brief moment of action from Black Widow. However, some readers may be interested in seeing the range of Avengers-related events Natasha was a part of.

Her other appearances, as part of our "Avengers Reading Order", include:

• Avengers Assemble #16-17 and Captain Marvel #14. These issues have Black Widow providing some help in the Avengers: Enemy Within (Reading Order) arc.
• Avengers #14-18, #20, and #23-24; Avengers Assemble #18-19; Captain Marvel #15-16; and Infinity #1, #3, and #6. These issues detail pieces of the Infinity (Reading Order) event and show that Black Widow played a part in it, even if this role was small.
• Avengers World #1, #7, #10, and #13. These issues form part of a larger Avengers story arc stretching throughout the first part of the Avengers World series. However, Black Widow only plays a small role in these four issues.
• Superior Spider-Man #6-8, #24-26, and #31; and Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #1. This mix of comics shows some of the Avengers' attempts at uncovering a mystery surrounding Spider-Man, during the Marvel NOW! era. Black Widow has a moderate role in Superior Spider Man #8 but, besides this, only makes brief appearances during these issues.
• Avengers #25-27. Black Widow appears alongside the rest of the Avengers in these issues. However, her role is so small that it barely has an impact in what is going on.
• Guardians Team-Up #1-2. These issues have a ton of characters interacting at once. Though Black Widow is one of these characters, the focus is not on her for the vast majority of the time.

All Marvel Comics Reading Orders